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| Bernard Krisher, Free Press Champion in Cambodia, Dies at 87 | Bernard Krisher, Free Press Champion in Cambodia, Dies at 87 |
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| Bernard Krisher, an idealistic, driven journalist who founded Cambodia’s first English-language daily newspaper and, as a philanthropist, established a hospital, an orphanage and hundreds of schools around Cambodia, died on March 5 in Tokyo. He was 87. | Bernard Krisher, an idealistic, driven journalist who founded Cambodia’s first English-language daily newspaper and, as a philanthropist, established a hospital, an orphanage and hundreds of schools around Cambodia, died on March 5 in Tokyo. He was 87. |
| His death was reported on Monday by his newspaper, The Cambodia Daily, which quoted family members as saying the cause was heart failure. | His death was reported on Monday by his newspaper, The Cambodia Daily, which quoted family members as saying the cause was heart failure. |
| In a long career that included 13 years as Tokyo bureau chief for Newsweek magazine, Mr. Krisher became a fixture of Asia journalism, specializing in exclusive interviews with figures like President Sukarno of Indonesia and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. | In a long career that included 13 years as Tokyo bureau chief for Newsweek magazine, Mr. Krisher became a fixture of Asia journalism, specializing in exclusive interviews with figures like President Sukarno of Indonesia and Emperor Hirohito of Japan. |
| He founded The Daily in 1993, one year after the founding of its rival, The Phnom Penh Post, which was originally published every two weeks before becoming a daily years later. | He founded The Daily in 1993, one year after the founding of its rival, The Phnom Penh Post, which was originally published every two weeks before becoming a daily years later. |
| The newspapers were a sign of a new openness and optimism in Cambodia as it was struggling to its feet after decades of mass killings and civil war. That hopefulness has faded, however, amid a crackdown on the free press by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 34 years and who has also targeted independent agencies and opposition politicians. | The newspapers were a sign of a new openness and optimism in Cambodia as it was struggling to its feet after decades of mass killings and civil war. That hopefulness has faded, however, amid a crackdown on the free press by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for 34 years and who has also targeted independent agencies and opposition politicians. |
| The Daily pledged to report “all the news without fear or favor,” bringing it into continuing conflict with Mr. Hun Sen. The newspaper was forced to close its print edition last year under government legal pressure. | The Daily pledged to report “all the news without fear or favor,” bringing it into continuing conflict with Mr. Hun Sen. The newspaper was forced to close its print edition last year under government legal pressure. |
| “Bernie believed passionately in journalism and what good journalism could achieve,” said Kevin Doyle, who worked for the paper for 15 years, most of them as editor in chief. “He believed professional journalism served a higher, more important purpose in society than politics or even law at times.” | “Bernie believed passionately in journalism and what good journalism could achieve,” said Kevin Doyle, who worked for the paper for 15 years, most of them as editor in chief. “He believed professional journalism served a higher, more important purpose in society than politics or even law at times.” |
| Mr. Krisher would often say, “Persistence, energy, enthusiasm are the key essentials of this profession, and the main enemy is cynicism.” | |
| Though his newspaper had a circulation of just a few thousand, it wielded outsize influence as an important source of local and international news for diplomats and aid workers. It hired young Cambodian and foreign journalists, many of whom would go on to significant careers. | Though his newspaper had a circulation of just a few thousand, it wielded outsize influence as an important source of local and international news for diplomats and aid workers. It hired young Cambodian and foreign journalists, many of whom would go on to significant careers. |
| The paper also carried a daily insert translated into Cambodian, and its special weekend editions presented magazine-quality journalism. | The paper also carried a daily insert translated into Cambodian, and its special weekend editions presented magazine-quality journalism. |
| “Bernie taught his local reporters how to stand up to those in power by reporting the truth,” said Mu Sochua, an opposition politician who has fled overseas to avoid government reprisals. “Bernie was a tough man and demanded justice for those without a voice.” | “Bernie taught his local reporters how to stand up to those in power by reporting the truth,” said Mu Sochua, an opposition politician who has fled overseas to avoid government reprisals. “Bernie was a tough man and demanded justice for those without a voice.” |
| The newspaper was part of a personal project by Mr. Krisher to help the country recover from years of war and violent persecution. His philanthropy included the construction of more than 550 schools, financed by private donors, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. | The newspaper was part of a personal project by Mr. Krisher to help the country recover from years of war and violent persecution. His philanthropy included the construction of more than 550 schools, financed by private donors, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. |
| His prized achievement was the founding of the Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope, which provides free medical care to the poor. He also established an education center for orphans and foster children from remote villages. | His prized achievement was the founding of the Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope, which provides free medical care to the poor. He also established an education center for orphans and foster children from remote villages. |
| The Daily also sponsored frequent drives to raise money for the distribution of tens of thousands of mosquito nets to poor Cambodians, and Mr. Krisher raised money to provide rice to schools and orphanages when the World Food Program stopped a feeding program. | The Daily also sponsored frequent drives to raise money for the distribution of tens of thousands of mosquito nets to poor Cambodians, and Mr. Krisher raised money to provide rice to schools and orphanages when the World Food Program stopped a feeding program. |
| “I am in awe of what he was able to accomplish, as one person with two long careers,” his daughter, Deborah Krisher-Steele, said by email. “He had both the tenacity and optimism to make it possible.” | “I am in awe of what he was able to accomplish, as one person with two long careers,” his daughter, Deborah Krisher-Steele, said by email. “He had both the tenacity and optimism to make it possible.” |
| Not everybody loved Mr. Krisher. He could be obstinate, demanding and confrontational. | Not everybody loved Mr. Krisher. He could be obstinate, demanding and confrontational. |
| “He could be unrelenting against personal enemies and those who he felt had crossed him,” Mr. Doyle said. “So there existed a quite polarized view of Bernie. I spent many years working with Bernie, and I saw both sides.” | “He could be unrelenting against personal enemies and those who he felt had crossed him,” Mr. Doyle said. “So there existed a quite polarized view of Bernie. I spent many years working with Bernie, and I saw both sides.” |
| Ker Munthit, a former reporter for The Associated Press in its Cambodia bureau, said in an email that Mr. Krisher “was pushy and insisting in whatever he had in mind that he wanted to advance or be done, and that could be a bit annoying.” | Ker Munthit, a former reporter for The Associated Press in its Cambodia bureau, said in an email that Mr. Krisher “was pushy and insisting in whatever he had in mind that he wanted to advance or be done, and that could be a bit annoying.” |
| “However,” Mr. Munthit added, “regardless of the misgivings one might have about him — me included — it is undeniable that he has done some great things for the good of the country.” | “However,” Mr. Munthit added, “regardless of the misgivings one might have about him — me included — it is undeniable that he has done some great things for the good of the country.” |
| Bernard Krisher was born on Aug. 9, 1931, in Frankfurt. His father, a Polish Jew, owned a fur shop. The family fled Nazi Germany in 1937 and passed through France, Spain and Portugal before heading for the United States and settling in New York City, in Queens. | Bernard Krisher was born on Aug. 9, 1931, in Frankfurt. His father, a Polish Jew, owned a fur shop. The family fled Nazi Germany in 1937 and passed through France, Spain and Portugal before heading for the United States and settling in New York City, in Queens. |
| His daughter said his humanitarian work was inspired by the help that he and his family had received from strangers when they were fleeing persecution. He believed, she said, “that a true humanitarian act is to help a stranger, not one of your own.” | His daughter said his humanitarian work was inspired by the help that he and his family had received from strangers when they were fleeing persecution. He believed, she said, “that a true humanitarian act is to help a stranger, not one of your own.” |
| Mr. Krisher attended Queens College and was drafted into the Army in 1953. He spent two years in Germany as a reporter for Stars and Stripes, the Army newspaper. He then worked for The New York World-Telegram and Sun and studied journalism at Columbia University. | |
| He joined Newsweek in 1962 after moving to Japan, where he became its Tokyo bureau chief in 1967. He later left Newsweek for Fortune magazine. | He joined Newsweek in 1962 after moving to Japan, where he became its Tokyo bureau chief in 1967. He later left Newsweek for Fortune magazine. |
| In Japan, he met his future wife, Akiko, who survives. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by a son, Joseph, and two grandsons. | In Japan, he met his future wife, Akiko, who survives. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by a son, Joseph, and two grandsons. |