Deaths: Klaus Müller-Bergh
Klaus Müller-Bergh, professor emeritus of Hispanic and Italian studies, died Aug. 1 in Evanston at the age of 84.
Müller-Bergh, a scholar of Spanish and Latin American literature and culture, was an assistant professor at Yale University before arriving at UIC in 1971 as associate professor. He was promoted to professor in 1980, and he retired in 2006.
Müller-Bergh, who was born in Germany, raised in Spain and came to the U.S. as a teenager, published numerous articles and books, including one about the works of Cuban poet Mariano Brull, which was published with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
He was a frequent presenter at universities around the world and participant in many national and international conferences.
His other research interests included Portuguese and French expression on the American continent, 20th century Latin American avant-garde poetry and prose, Caribbean literature and history of ideas related to the New World.
In 2010, King Juan Carlos I of Spain conferred Müller-Bergh with the Order of Isabella the Catholic, which is one of Spain’s highest honors, in recognition of his devotion to promoting Spanish and Latin American culture.
“His deep knowledge of classical and contemporary Spanish literature led him quite naturally to the study and analysis of the works of some prominent Hispanic American writers, where his insights are an indispensable tool for reflection and understanding of their universe of creation,” said Javier Ruperez, who was consul general of Spain in Chicago at the time.
Müller-Bergh was associate editor of the Latin American Writers series, published in four volumes by Charles Scribner’s Sons.
As a graduate student, he received a Fulbright fellowship for studies in Portuguese language, Brazilian culture and political sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Müller-Bergh received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a master’s and a Ph.D. in Spanish and Latin American literature from Yale University.
