Vladimir Herzog was a Brazilian-born Yugoslavian Jewish journalist.
He was assassinated on October 25, 1975 during the period of military regime in Brazil. The fact became an important instrument for the resumption of democratization in the country.
Biography
Vladimir Herzog was born Vlado Herzog on June 27, 1937, in Osijek, Yugoslavia. Today, that city belongs to Croatia.
The parents, Zora and Zigmund Herzog, were Jews who had to flee to Italy in 1941, during World War II. When Vladimir was nine years old, the family was sent to a war refugee camp. At the time, they chose to live in Brazil.
Herzog's maternal grandparents were executed in the Auschwitz concentration camp and his paternal grandparents died in an extermination camp in Yugoslavia.
The family went to Brazil, disembarking in Rio de Janeiro and settling in São Paulo.
In 1950, Herzog started the Philosophy course at the University of São Paulo. After a course in Argentina, held in 1965, he began acting in cinema. Among the films he worked on is "Maribás ", released in 1963.
He also worked on "Soccer Undergrounds ", in 1965, and participated in the production of "Doramundo ", which was only completed after his death.
He was an intern at the newspaper “O Estado de S. Paulo” in 1958. At the time, Herzog also worked in a bank branch part-time.
In 1964, he married social science student Clarice Chaves. Due to the Military Coup of 1964, the couple went into exile in London the following year. Still in 1965, Vladimir Herzog begins work on BBC broadcasts to Brazil.
While still in London, he witnessed the birth of his two children, Ivo and André. In England, the journalist started another film course and his wife would return to Brazil in 1968 with their children. Vladimir's return was delayed by two weeks due to news of the start of Institutional Act No.5 - AI-5 and its effects.
From 1970 he will work on the journal Vision . He accumulated the work with the direction of journalism of TV Cultura after having the name approved by the SNI (National Information Service).
Death
Herzog died at the headquarters of the DOI (Detachment of Operations and Information) of the CODI (Center for Internal Defense Operations). The organ, linked to the Army, received political prisoners during the military period.
Herzog worked at TV Cultura, a state-run television, but was arrested and interrogated about activity in the PCB (Brazilian Communist Party). The extermination of communism was the main target of the military who acted with the support of AI-5 (Institutional Act n.º 5).
The journalist was tortured overnight and died in the morning. On the death certificate, the cause of death was recorded as suicide by hanging. Only in 2013, the family received the corrected certificate. It stated that Herzog died as a result of injuries and mistreatment inflicted at the Army headquarters, at DOI-Codi.
Repercussion
Vladimir Herzog was wanted by the military to report to DOI-Codi headquarters as part of Operation Jakarta. The aim was to be interrogated about possible communist activity within a state agency.
Taken by a friend, the journalist couldn't resist and died from his injuries during the interrogation. Other imprisoned journalists heard the screams and later denounced the action.
The cause of death, suicide, was promptly questioned by the family. In 1978, the Brazilian State was condemned as responsible for the journalist's death on the premises of a state agency. This sentence pointed to the political reopening that was taking shape in Brazil announced by the government of Ernesto Geisel.
Likewise, with the long years of the military dictatorship in Brazil, it was increasingly difficult to continue to have the support of the population, which began to protest as best they could. Thus, an ecumenical act to remember the death of Vladimir Herzog brought together the three main religious leaders of São Paulo.
Eight thousand people attended the celebration in the presence of Cardinal Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, Presbyterian Pastor James Wright and Rabbi Henry Sobel. The entire act was accompanied by military personnel.
It was only in 1979 that the military regime began the process of political opening with the Amnesty Law.
Clarice Herzog
The role of the social scientist Clarice Herzog was decisive for the clarification of her husband's death. Today, Clarice works at an institute where she conducts qualitative research.
Her name is mentioned in the song "The drunk and the tightrope walker ", by Aldir Blanc and João Bosco.
Cry
Our homeland, kind mother
Marias and Clarisses cry
on the soil of Brazil
But I know that such a stinging pain
It doesn't have to be useless
Vladimir Herzog Institute
In June 2009, the Vladimir Herzog Institute was created by friends and colleagues of the journalist. The objective is to spread democratic values and respect for democracy.
One of Herzog's best-known phrases sums up the humanitarian ideals that the Institute wants to preserve:
Curiosities
- Despite the fact that the police handed over a certificate stating suicide as his cause of death, the rabbi refused to bury him in the suicide wing of the Israeli cemetery.
- In 1979, the “Vladimir Herzog Amnesty and Human Rights Award” was created for professionals in the press and communication vehicles committed to democracy.
Read:
- Music and the Military Dictatorship in Brazil
- Democracy in Brazil
- Brazilian History Questions in Enem