Author Description

English summary: For decades, the Maoist New People's Army in the Philippines has been fighting exploitation and poverty. In the 1980s, several Catholic priests joined and shaped it. One faction pursued national revolution, while another emphasized the preservation of indigenous culture. Conrado Balweg (1944-99) illustrates the history of this struggle. He was a member of the Tingguian people, was ordained priest in a Catholic missionary order, rose to commander in the guerrilla, became the most wanted "terrorist" under Marcos, and initiated the establishment of an autonomous region for the mountain tribes. In 1999, the communist party executed him. The book analyzes eyewitness accounts, correspondence and archives to create an exemplary biography. The author lived in the Philippines and undertook several interview-trips. German description: Im Leben des Priesters Conrado Balweg uberlagern sich die scharfen Konflikte zwischen Marcos-Diktatur und kommunistischem Widerstand, zwischen spanischem Katholizismus und Befreiungstheologie sowie zwischen der Abholzung tropischer Walder und dem Schutz indigener Heimat. Sein Leben endete mit seiner Ermordung, seine Visionen wirken weiter in der Autonomiebewegung der Bergvolker in den Philippinen.