Fritz Hillmann

Fritz Hillman Suárez (21 January 1920 – 1 September 1994) was a Chilean veterinarian, landowner, and liberal politician. He served as Deputy of the Republic for the 21st Departmental Grouping – Temuco, Lautaro, Imperial, Pitrufquén, and Villarrica – during the legislative periods 1957–1961 and 1961–1965.

Biography Born in Concepción on 21 January 1920, he was the son of Fritz Hillmann and Blanca Suárez. He married four times: first to Ester Arrau Liñandeariza (two sons, Fernando and Jorge); second to Marta Burgos (no issue); third to Elena Massow Ulriksen (two children, Fritz and Blanca); and fourth to Eliana Abasolo Mendoza (no issue). He had ten grandchildren in total.

He completed his secondary education at the Liceo José Victorino Lastarria and pursued a degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Chile, graduating in 1941 with the thesis *“Diagnóstico de las mastitis con el reactivo de Whiteside”*.

Hillman began his professional career in 1939 at the Biological Institute of the National Agriculture Society (SNA), serving as assistant and later director of its Los Ángeles branch (1943–1945). He subsequently moved to Santiago for a senior position within the same institution. From 1945 to 1949, he worked in Temuco as official veterinarian for the Agricultural Development Society (*SOFO*).

From 1949 onward, he practiced privately, specializing in livestock reproduction and high-grade cattle and horse breeding between San Carlos and Puerto Montt. He owned the La Sierra estate in Gorbea, where he raised thoroughbred horses.

In academia, he taught Obstetrics and Reproductive Pathology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Chile and Animal Hygiene and Nutrition at the Regional Training Center in Temuco (1954–1957).

Political career A lifelong member of the Liberal Party, Hillman was elected Deputy for the 21st Departmental Grouping “Temuco, Lautaro, Imperial, Pitrufquén, and Villarrica” for the legislative periods 1957–1961 and 1961–1965.

He served on the Permanent Commission on Public Education, and later on the Commission on Social Welfare and Hygiene. He also sat on several special committees, including those on Housing (1960), the Sugar Industry (1960), and the Automotive Industry in Arica (1963–1964).

Among his notable legislative initiatives was a motion allocating funds to the national housing plan of the Housing Corporation (*Corporación de la Vivienda*), enacted as Law No. 15,228 on 14 August 1963.

Hillman also served as councillor of the Social Security Service (1960–1961) and president of the Sociedad Periodística del Sur (SOPESUR), publisher of regional newspapers, during two consecutive terms. He was an active member of the Agricultural Development Society of Temuco, of which he had been director in 1949, as well as of the Lions Club, Temuco Country Club (director 1960–1961), and the Social Club of Temuco.

Fritz Hillman died in Santiago on 1 September 1994.