Natalio Berman Berman

Natalio Berman Berman (10 October 1908 – 13 April 1957) was a Chilean–Russian physician, surgeon, community leader, and communist politician.

Born in Odesa to Isaías Berman and Clara Berman, he emigrated to Chile during childhood and later became a naturalised citizen.

Early life and studies During his family's voyage to the Americas in 1914, Berman and his parents were detained and confined in a German concentration camp. After arriving in Chile, he studied at the Liceo de Hombres de Valparaíso and later at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile, graduating as a surgeon in 1930 with the thesis Metrorraguas Extrauterina. He became a Chilean citizen in 1929.

In 1944 he joined the Communist Party and was again elected Deputy for the 1945–1949 term, this time serving on the Permanent Committee on Foreign Relations.

He was an active member of the Chilean Medical Society, president of the Association of Young Israelites, participant in the Zionist Federation of Chile, and founder of the Public Israelite Polyclinic.

Social work Berman travelled extensively across the Americas in campaigns for the World Jewish Congress, representing Jewish communities from Chile, Bolivia and Brazil at the Congress held in Atlanta, United States.

He received the Order of the Commander of Ecuador, was decorated by the Chilean Red Cross with the Medalla del Terremoto, and was honorary director of all Jewish institutions in Chile. He was also named first benefactor by the firefighters of Concepción.