sexta-feira, 21 de abril de 2006

Charles Conrad era brasileiro? Was Charles Conrad Brazilian?

See English version below.
Impressionante o número de buscas feitas no blog sobre a história da verdadeira nacionalidade do astronauta Charles Conrad Jr.
Em pesquisa no Google , verbete "charles conrad brazil", foi fácil achar a história. Ela foi publicada no Jornal Paraná OnLine, recordando o que aconteceu em 1969, em Porto União, Santa Catarina. Portanto, o que está escrito abaixo é um resumo da matéria.
Em novembro de 1969, na localidade de Maratá, Município de Porto União, José Rehme, tio do astronauta, irmão da mãe de Charles Conrad Jr., afirmou:
"o menino Charles nasceu nesta casa que eu moro agora, ele é brasileiro e foi naturalizado americano quando os pais resolveram mudar-se para a América do Norte."
Naqueles idos de 1969 ninguém prestou muita atenção à afirmação, até que a missão Apolo XII com o destino à Lua e o comandante da missão era o astronauta Charles Conrad Jr.
José Rehme dizia: "Foi à Lua, mas nasceu no Brasil."
Rapidamente a história espalhou-se. A notícia saiu na rádio local, nos bares e no salão de bailes de Maratá não se comentava outro assunto. Na primeira foto, observa-se as semelhanças físicas entre José Rehme e o astronauta.

Em 20 de novembro de 1969, os jornalistas Moraes Neto e Agenor Santos foram a Porto União investigar a história e publicaram a seguinte manchete: "Conrad, herói da Lua, é catarinense".
Rapidamente a notícia espalhou-se pelo mundo.
Indagado pelos jornalistas, José Rehme, tio, irmão da mãe do astronauta, disse que Charles Conrad Jr. tinha um ano e pouco de idade quando o cunhado resolveu ir para os Estados Unidos. As primeiras cartas foram recebidas vinham do Brooklin, Nova York. Depois, a família retornou ao Brasil e retornaram em definitivo para os EUA, em 1940. Charles Conrad Jr. tinha entre 10 e 12 anos de idade.
Josef Konrad, imigrante alemão, pai do astronauta, chegou ao Brasil após a Primeira Guerra Mundial. Casou também com a imigrante Ana Rehme, irmã de José Rehme. Na localidade de Maratá, adquiriu terras e uma serraria.
Sobre a diferente grafia dos nomes (Josef Konrad no Brasil e Joseph Conrad nos EUA), os parentes brasileiros lembraram que Josef Konrad foi o primeiro a chegar aos Estados Unidos em 1929. Com a chegada da mulher e dos filhos nos EUA, Josef Konrad passou a se chamar Joseph Conrad, Ana passou a se chamar Anne e o pequeno Charles teve o sobrenome Konrad mudado para Conrad e lhe acrescentaram Júnior ao nome.
Na localidade de Lança, pertencente a Porto União, Elisabete Rehme abriu arquivos da família. Mostra a correspondência recebida entre os anos de 1967 e 1968. Todas as cartas foram recebidas de um só endereço, onde morava o Sr. Joseph Conrad: Tarpon Springs, Flórida, Rout 1, Box 688-33589. Numa das cartas, do próprio punho do pai do astronauta, está escrito: "Charles agora é alto funcionário da NASA." Ver a segunda foto, onde no topo lê-se "Tarpon Springs, Florida".
A reportagem repercutiu internacionalmente. Autoridades da NASA negaram a história do "Astronauta de Maratá". Foi levantada a questão que se o pai do astronauta se chamava Joseph, Charles Conrad não poderia ter Júnior como sobrenome.
Mas José Rehme explicou. Disse que quando o menino nasceu no Brasil, seu pai o chamava de Josef. Logo depois, com menos de um ano, foi levando pelo pai para a Pensilvania. De lá, a família voltou anos depois para o Brasil, com o menino já se chamando Charles, pois conforme a mãe do astronauta, nos EUA, os pais de Charles tiveram que se casar novamente e registrar os filhos pela segunda vez, e, por isso, mudaram o nome.
Em primeiro de dezembro de 1969, parecia que o mistério chegara ao fim. Falando à rádio Voz da América, a Senhora Francis Sargent, mãe do astronauta Charles Conrad Jr. negou que o comandande da Apolo XII fosse brasileiro. Afirmou que seu filho nasceu num hospital na Filadélfia, Pensilvânia em 2 de junho de 1930. Na mesma cidade passou a infância e fez os primeiros estudos. A Senhora Sargent naquela época estava divorciada do marido e pai de Charles Conrad Jr.
Mas o caso deu nova reviravolta em quando os repórteres do Jornal Washington Post conseguiram falar com o velho Joseph Conrad, pai do astronauta, em Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Diálogo da reportagem com o Sr. Joseph Conrad:
-É o sr. Joseph Conrad?
-Sim...
-O senhor tem parentes em Santa Catarina, no Brasil?
-Não, não tenho. Aliás, nem conheço o Brasil, nunca estive nesse país.
-Em Santa Catarina existem cartas enviadas por Joseph Conrad, com o seu endereço: Tarpon Springs, Flórida, tel. 9399430.
-Isso confere, só que desconheço tudo isso.
-O pessoal de Santa Catarina afirma que o senhor nasceu na Alemanha, veio para o Brasil e depois naturalizou-se americano.
-Não. Eu sou norte-americano de nascimento. Nasci em Ohio, nunca estive na Alemanha.

Com a entrevista da Senhora Francis Sargent e a nota oficial da NASA, não havia mais como sustentar a história do "Astronauta de Maratá", porque ela só confere pelo lado do pai.
É duvidoso contrariar a história da mãe do astronauta, Senhora Francis Sargent, que confirma a maternidade de Charles Conrad Jr., ao passo que na história do "Astronauta de Maratá" consta Anne Rehme (ou Anne Conrad) como genitora de Charles Conrad Jr.
Mas ainda assim, o mistério permanece, quem afinal era o Joseph Conrad que morava em Tarpon Springs, Flórida que escreveu as cartas para a família Rehme no Brasil?
Com o trágico falecimento Charles Conrad Jr., num acidente de motocicleta em 1999, foi criada a lenda do "Astronauta de Maratá."

The Tale of the Brazilian Astronaut Who Went to the Moon

I´m impressed with the number of searches in this blog about the history of the true nacionality of Charles Conrad Jr.
On Google Search it was fairly easy to find the complete history using the words "charles conrad brazil". Paraná OnLine Newspaper published this incredible history that happened in 1969 in Porto União, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. This is a brief of the publication:
In november of 1969, in the village of Maratá, area of Porto União City, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, José Rehme, alledgedly uncle and brother of the mother of Charles Conrad Jr. said: "Charles was born in this house where now I live in, and he is brazilian and got American citzenship when his parents moved to the USA." See the first picture above. It shows similarities between José Rehme and the astronaut.
Nobody paid attention in José Rehme history, until Apolo XII was launched to the moon wich commanded by Charles Conrad Jr.
José Rehme said: "He went to the moon, but he was born in Brazil".
Quickly, the history spreads in the bars and balls of the city, on the local radio and so on. It was the topic of the day in Maratá village.
In november, 20th, 1969, journalists Moraes Neto and Agenor Santos went to Porto União to investigate the history and published the following headline: "Conrad, heroe of the Moon, is from Santa Catarina". See the second picture above.
Quickly the news spreads around the world.
Asked by journalists, José Rehme , uncle and brother´s mother of the astronaut, said Charles Conrad Jr. was one year old and a half when his brother-in-law moved to the USA. First letters come from New York, Brooklin. After that, the family went back to Brazil and then, they definitely back to the USA in 1940. Charles Conrad Jr. was around 10 or 12 years old.
Josef Konrad, german immigrant, allegedly father of the astronaut, come to Brazil after the 1st World War. He married with also immingrant Ana Rehme, syster of José Rehme. In Maratá Village the couple bought lands and a sawmill.
About the different spelling name (Josef Konrad in Brazil and Joseph Conrad in the USA), relatives parents explained that Josef Konrad was the first to went to USA in 1929. When his wife and sons arrived in the USA, the couple had to get married again and Josef Konrad changed to Joseph Conrad, his wife, Ana, becomed Anne and Charles had his last name changed to Conrad and was added junior.
In village of Lança, near Porto União, Elizabete Rehme, sister of Ana or Anne(allegedly mother of the astronaut), opened her family files. She showed letters received in 1967 and 1968. All letters was received from the same adress, where Mr. Josef Conrad lived in: Tarpon Springs, Florida, Rout 1, Box 688-33589. In one of these letters, wrote by the hand of the father of the astronaut it was wrote: "Charles now is a high NASA employee." Look the second picture above. It clearly shows the letter was wrote in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
The report spreaded the world. NASA officials denied the history of the "Murata´s Astronaut".
It was raised the question if astrounat´s father was called Joseph, Charles Conrad couldn´t have Jr. in his name. But José Rehme explained. He said when the astronaut was born in Brazil, his father used to called him Josef. Josef, with less than one year old, moved with the family to Pensilvanya. After that, the family back to Brazil with a boy called "Charles", because his parents had to marry again and had to register their son for the second time, and then they changed the name to Charles.
In 1st, december, 1969, looks like the mistery had end. On the Voice of America radio program, Francis Sargent, mother of the astronaut Charles Conrad Jr. denied he was brazilian. She said his son was born in a hospital in Philadelphia, Pensilvania, in 2nd, june of 1930. In the same city he spent his childhood. Francis Sargent was divorced at this time with Joseph Conrad, her husband, father of Charles Conrad Jr.
But the history had another turnaround when The Washington Post journalists talked to old Joseph Conrad, father of the astronaut, in Tarpon Springs, Florida:
-Are you Joseph Conrad?
-Yes..
-Do you have relatives in Santa Catarina State, Brazil?
-No, I don´t. By the way, I don´t even know Brazil, I never have been in this country.
-There is letters in Santa Catarina send by Joseph Conrad with your address: Tarpon Springs, Florida, tel. 9399430.
-That´s right, but I have no idea what´s about.
-People in Santa Catarina says you were born in Germany, went to Brazil and got American citzenship.
-No. I´m north american by birth. I was born in Ohio, I´ve never been in Germany.

With Francis Sargent interview and official response from NASA, the history could not prevail anymore. It´s seriously questionable to go against the version of the astronaut´s mother, while in the history of the Marata´s astronaut the name of his mother is Anne Rehme (or Anne Conrad). So, the history could only matches the the father side.
Anyway the mistery remain, who was the Joseph Conrad who lived in Tarpon Springs, Florida, who wrote the letters to the family Rehme in Brazil saying his son had an important NASA employee?
With Charles Conrad Jr tragic death in 1999, The Tale of the Marata´s Astronaut who Went to the Moon began...

8 comentários:

  1. Nunca tinha ouvido falar desta história.

    MUITO interessante, inclusive as negativas da família.

    Essa história tem um fim?

    ResponderExcluir
  2. Recebi um email contendo esta afirmação de que Charles Conrad seria o primeiro brasileiro a participar de uma viajem espacial,
    pesquisando cheguei a este blog que é muito interessante mas vou continuar minha pesquisa para ver até onde esta história vai,parabéns pelo blog

    ResponderExcluir
  3. Qdo criança ouvi essa história ...

    ResponderExcluir
  4. Alguém se preocupou em descobrir se as cartas eram verdadeiras?

    ResponderExcluir
  5. Olá, sou primo do Charles Conrad (nasci em Porto União-SC) que nasceu no BR e vi sua postagem em algum lugar na internet, é o seguinte....

    Toda essa "Estória" foi inventada pelo tio de Charles em troca de alguns litros de cachaça... Se ainda acredita que é verdade o caso, sugiro que entre em www.ancestry.com e digite o nome dele, vai aparecer mais de 100 pessoas com o mesmo nome que moram nos EUA. Quanto as cartas, são todas falsas, forjadas pela mídia, principalmente pelo jornal o Estado do Paraná, que de forma grosseira e rude foi à casa de meus parentes em 1969 e os forçou a dar entrevistas, eles resistiram, então para conseguir terminar a matéria, o jornal criou as cartas.

    Eu tenho todos os jornais e matérias que saíram sobre o caso e posso afirmar que 90% do que está escrito é mentira!



    João Rehme.

    ResponderExcluir
  6. The story is false. My brother-in-law is Joseph Charles Konrad, which is spelled Konrado in Brazil. He was born in Brazil, but
    now lives in North Carolina, USA. The family never lived in Pennsylvania. In the USA they lived in New York, Massachusetts, and Tarpon Springs, Florida. Joseph Charles Konrad, Jr. worked only as a machinist at General Electric Company in Massachusetts and South Carolina and North Carolina. He had no training or talent as an aircraft pilot. His father was uneducated and could not have written the letter that was mentioned.

    I thought this myth was proven false years ago, but found it on the
    Internet this evening. The stated migrations and family names are true but the astronaut part is a fabrication. Evidently someone in Brazil concocted this false story for some sort of personal gain or glory.

    ResponderExcluir
  7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Conrad#Early_life_and_Navy_career

    Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr. was born on June 2, 1930 in Philadelphia,
    Pennsylvania, the third child and first son of Charles Conrad Sr.
    and Frances De Rappelage Conrad (née Vinson), a well-to-do real
    estate and banking family. His mother wanted very much to name her
    newborn son “Peter,” but Charles insisted that his first son bear
    his name. In a compromise between two iron wills, the name on his
    birth certificate would read “Charles Conrad, Jr.” but to his mother
    and virtually all who knew him, he was “Peter.” When he was 21, his
    fiancée’s father called him “Pete” and thereafter, Conrad adopted
    it. For the rest of his life, to virtually everyone, he was “Pete.”
    [1]

    The Great Depression wiped out the Conrad family’s fortune, as it
    did so many others. In 1942, they lost their Philadelphia manor home
    and moved into a small carriage house, paid for by Frances’ brother,
    Edgerton Vinson. Eventually, Charles Sr., broken by financial
    failure, moved out. [2]

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  8. Correction to my message last night:

    My wife tells me that her father, Joseph Konrad of Tarpon Springs, Florida did not have a middle name. Therefore, her brother, Joseph Charles Konrad was not a "Jr.".

    My wife tried to read the pictured letter, which is in German. However, it is too fuzzy. But, she was able to see some of the wording. It appears to be written by her mother and was written when we lived in California, USA. Her mother was writing about my wife, not about my wife's brother.

    In the original quoted text above, the timeline supports the suggestion that the child being discussed was my wife, not her brother. The family had returned to Brazil so that her brother could be born in Brazil, also. So, my wife's brother is 2 or 3 years younger than the astronaut.

    Clearly, this entire fabrication is the result of opportunist "reporters" who saw the opportunity to make a local name for themselves by pushing the wild imagination of the alcoholic uncle. Also, both the reporters and the family members had a poor grasp of the German language translations. The interviewed aunt and uncle had very little schooling in Germany, where they were born. Then, there would have been much language confusion when talking with reporters who spoke only Portuguese.

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