Dossier File 70 - Wilhelm, Bernard J.

Bernard Wilhelm was born in Switzerland in February 1927. In 1950 he obtained a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Neuchatel in Berne and a Doctor of Letters degree in 1966 from the University of Berne. Wilhelm married Rita Marie Wilhelm (Finnerty) in August 1953 and had three children. With 15 years of teaching experience in Switzerland, Bernard moved the family to Regina in 1967 when he became employed at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Modern Languages. He became an Associate Professor in 1970 and was Acting Director of the Bilingual Center from 1970 to 1972, a pioneer of French distance education teaching at the University and attained the rank of full professor in 1978, also serving as Director of the Bilingual Center until 1981.

Wilhem has been broadcast on radio and has published several books in the French language, among them: Anthologie littéraire fransaskoise et de l'Ouest canadien in 2000; S.V.P.: Racontez-nous votre vie / récits recueillis et présentés par Bernard Wilhelm published in 2001; Saskontario: projet de communication a distance en vue du developpement communautaire de deux localities francophones en milieu isole in 1982; and Zenon Park: un village en Saskatchewan in 1976. Wilhelm has also published with writing partners Pierre-Yves Mocquais and André Lalonde on Colloque du Centre d'études Franco-Canadiennes de l'Ouest (3e : 1983 : Regina, Sask.) Langue, la culture et la société des francophones de l'Ouest, preparing text for the publication released in 1984.

Wilhelm passed away in November 2016.