"Historical testimony: Frech Family"

"The Promised Land"

The story began in the year 1857 when a group of German and Austrian settlers embarked on a dangerous and exciting journey to an unknown land in search of a new life in South America. Their destination was Pozuzo, a remote and mysterious place in the Amazon rainforest of Peru.

Upon reaching their promised destination, the settlers found a lush and fertile land full of opportunities and began building their wooden houses and working the land, cultivating coffee, cocoa, and other agricultural products.

Three years later, a thriving community of 564 people had been established, with over a hundred cozy wooden houses built. Among them were 299 men and 265 women, with 174 of them being Germans and 391 being children of the settlers. Love and labor had flourished in that corner of the world.

1868 - 1888

CAPÍTULO I: "A New Group of Settlers in Search of a Better Future"

In 1868, a new group of settlers arrived on the shores of Peru from Europe. This time, the newcomers were from Austria and Germany, and they were headed to the remote village of Pozuzo. Among them was Karolina Frech, a 35-year-old woman, and her four young children: Josefa (born in 1859), Francisco Xavier (born in 1862), Alberto (born in 1864 in Innsbruck), and María Serafina (born in 1867 in Flirsch).

After 97 days of a long and exhausting sea voyage, the group of settlers finally reached the port of Callao, Lima – Peru, on July 22, 1868. Once the mandatory quarantine was completed, they embarked on the journey to the promised land, Pozuzo. The journey was made on mules, as it was the only way to navigate the narrow and perilous paths that led to their destination.

During the journey, the health of Karolina and her youngest daughter, María Serafina, was affected by the altitude and cold climate of the region. Both women contracted pneumonia and passed away in the mining town of Cerro de Pasco, which is located at an altitude of 4,500 meters above sea level. Karolina's three children were left orphaned.

Josefa, the eldest daughter at the age of nine, was taken in by a family with the last name Bermúdez and remained in the city of Cerro de Pasco. Communication in those times was difficult for the Frech siblings, and it seemed impossible to contact their relatives in Austria. Thus, the two brothers, Francisco Xavier, aged six, and Alberto, aged four, were taken in by other settlers who continued the perilous journey to Pozuzo.

The route was narrow and only suitable for pack animals, making the journey even more challenging and risky. They had to face the hostility of the jungle, landslides, torrential rains, and swollen rivers. It was an improvised trail that had been built over two years of hard work by the first German settlers who arrived in Peru in 1857.

From the second group of settlers, there were records of 300 immigrants. They began the journey to the "promised land" of Pozuzo, but only 170 managed to reach their destination as many died along the way.

Upon arriving at their destination, they found that the reality was far from what had been promised to them. The "promised land" was actually a harsh and inhospitable place. Even though the first wave of immigrant settlers had been living in the area for several years, it was still a remote spot in the Peruvian jungle, forgotten by the government, with no communication routes, no assistance, and no help of any kind. They lived in extreme conditions of poverty and neglect. But despite the hardships and false promises, the new group of settlers decided to start a new life in Pozuzo.

1889 - 1894

CAPÍTULO II: "The Frech Siblings Part Ways"

As the years went by, Josefa Frech grew up separated from her brothers, living with the Bermúdez family in Cerro de Pasco, while Francisco Frech and Alberto Frech began their new life in Pozuzo. Both brothers completely lost contact with their eldest sibling.

1893 CAPÍTULO III: "The First Contact"

Francisco and Alberto, the Frech brothers, still had no trace of their sister Josefa. They were unsure if she was still alive or if she had met her fate somewhere unknown in the vast and dangerous jungle.

But it was in the year 1893 when chance decided to smile upon them. They received news of her through an unexpected encounter. Mr. Miguel Maúrtua, upon meeting Alberto in Oxapampa, confided that he knew a woman named Josefa Frech who lived in the city of Tarma and was married to a widower named José Carpena.

Emotionally stirred by the news, Alberto wasted no time in sharing it with Francisco, who lived in Pozuzo with his wife Filomena Ruffner and their two children, Juan and Karolina. The news deeply affected the brothers, who had spent a quarter of a century without any knowledge of their sister Josefa.

The brothers prepared to communicate with her through letters.

In his letter, Alberto recounted everything that had happened in their lives during all those years: Francisco was doing well, living in Pozuzo, and he was about to marry Virginia Müller. Josefa, in turn, replied in November of the same year, expressing the same eagerness that her brothers felt to reunite.

However, time continued its inexorable march, and Alberto's longing to reunite with his sister became increasingly difficult to fulfill.

Nevertheless, Alberto never lost hope of someday reuniting with his sister. He stayed in touch with her through letters, sharing news of his life on the farm and his family. It wasn't the same as being together in person, but at least he found solace in knowing that she was alive and well.

1924 – 1933

CAPÍTULO V: "The Frech Siblings' Reunion"

Finally, in the year 1933, the opportunity arose. The city of La Merced now had a road that connected to the city of Tarma, where Josefa lived. During the wedding of Elena Frech, Alberto's daughter, to Mr. Eduardo Böttger, they took the opportunity to visit Josefa.

Alberto and Josefa, after 65 long years, were reunited once again.

The reunion was a moment of happiness and emotion for all of them, a unique opportunity to share their stories, reminisce about their childhood together, and catch up after so many years apart.

1937

CAPÍTULO VI: "An Earthquake and an Epidemic"

In the month of December of that fateful year, the earth trembled violently in Oxapampa, taking with it part of the population, including some relatives and settlers. The adobe houses, unprepared to withstand such a quake, crumbled like houses of cards. However, the tragedy had only just begun.

Two months later, an epidemic of typhoid fever swept through the region, leaving a trail of pain and desolation in its wake. High fever seized the bodies, and many did not survive.

In the year 1938, Alberto Frech suffered particularly from the plague, as it resulted in the loss of four of his older children. Luis, leaving behind four children, passed away on March 12th; Alberto, who died on March 14th along with his son Carlos, leaving behind three children; Margarita, who was unmarried, passed away on March 16th; and finally, Pedro, also unmarried, died in October.

The Frech family, like many others in the region, had to endure unimaginable pain. The other children and grandchildren, as well as other relatives, managed to survive the epidemic; many of them suffered from the illness for weeks and even months. It was a dark and difficult time for all of them.

Extracted: 

Frech Lodge Oxapampa. (2023, 27 mayo). Historia de Oxapampa - Frech Lodge. https://frechlodge.com/historia-familia-frech/