Bragado Archives Expulsion File of Repressor Priest
Why this is here: The archive includes firsthand accounts from 1988 council members who recounted the historical rejection of Von Wernich, establishing a precedent for social justice before his eventual judicial condemnation.
The Bragado city council in Buenos Aires province officially transferred a 425-page file to the Municipal Historical Archive. The document details the unanimous 1988 declaration of Christian Von Wernich as “persona non grata.” Councilor Marita Gelitti and council president Mauricio Yaffaldano led the initiative to preserve the record of community opposition to Von Wernich’s appointment as a parish priest.
The file contains thousands of citizen signatures, press clippings, and support from provincial legislatures. It originated from a request by the local Human Rights Commission upon Von Wernich’s arrival and includes letters from the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. Testimony from the CONADEP also indicated the priest’s involvement with the dictatorship’s repressive apparatus.
Bragado officials confirmed a digitized copy of the file will remain with the city council for research purposes. The original physical document is now a central piece of the Municipal Archive, intended for consultation by future generations. The transfer commemorated nearly four decades of “silent marches” against the priest.