Professor's dreams left unfulfilled

The sudden loss of independence activist and professor Chang Wei-penn (張維邦) shocked his family members and friends, who say Chang accomplished much but left many of his dreams unfulfilled.

Chang fell victim to a heart attack as he was about to leave the Paris residence of his Russian friend Andrei Grachev on Dec. 2.

"Within 30 or so seconds, he closed his eyes at the home of Dr. Grachev, who used to work as press secretary to former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev. Dozens of doctors endeavored to save his life, but to no avail," said Chang Wei-chia (張維嘉), Chang's younger brother.

During his visit to his friend Grachev, the late professor was believed to have been examining the possibility of inviting Gorbachev to visit Taiwan -- a move consistent with his devotion to expanding Taiwan's external ties through academic channels.

Chang Wei-chia said he felt great anger following the death of his 65-year-old brother.

"At first I was saddened, then I was angry, because he passed away within 30 seconds without saying good-bye, leaving so many things behind," Chang Wei-chia said.

Prior to his arrival in Paris on Dec. 1 en route to Brussels to attend the global meeting of the European Community Studies Association (ECSA), Chang Wei-penn had purchased a new flat in Hsintien, Taipei County, to pave the way for his retirement in January.

But his new residence, containing thousands of classical music CDs and countless books, will never see the return of its owner, remembered by his loved ones as a devoted activist, a far-sighted academic and teacher, and a good friend.

Born in 1937 in Shulin, Taipei County, Chang obtained his first degree in international trade at National Taiwan University before obtaining a full scholarship for a PhD in economics at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1962.

While Chang obtained his PhD within four years, Chang found Taiwan had shut its doors to him because authorities had blacklisted him, along with his younger brother who was then in Europe, because of their advocacy for independence.

Chang's old friend Hung Lien-te (洪鐮德) recalled the situation they faced while overseas.

"The `white terror' orchestrated by the then KMT government also spilled over to Europe ... and yet Wei-penn and I strove to fight for our beliefs together in Europe," Hung said.

The younger Chang said their firm belief in the democratization of Taiwan had enabled them to survive decades without a home.

Chang Wei-penn had taught in Canada and Japan before deciding to return to Taiwan in 1994 -- leaving behind his spacious home in Canada and lucrative retirement arrangements that were just around the corner.

As well as teaching at Tamkang University's European Institute, Chang had taken entrepreneurs and young students on field trips to Europe in an effort to address Taiwan's lack of understanding of the continent.

In 1998, he founded ECSA-Taiwan, a Taipei-based academic group devoted to European studies, and endeavored to get his brainchild admitted as one of the 39 official members of ECSA, a global organization on European studies with more than 8,000 members worldwide.

The late professor had also called for the establishment of a Taiwan Plaza in Europe and the founding of a House of Europe in Taiwan to promote understanding between Europe and Taiwan.