By Hilary Burke

SANTIAGO, Chile, Dec 11 (Reuters) - They were toddlers, or not even born yet, when Augusto Pinochet's 17-year military rule ended in 1990. But many young Chileans are just as fiercely polarized as their parents over the man's legacy.

When the former dictator died on Sunday at age 91, both his rightist admirers and leftist critics revived the vitriol that has riven this South American country since the 1970s.

On Monday, thousands of Chileans lined up beneath a scorching sun to pay their respects to Pinochet -- among them, high school students fresh from final exams.

"I came to show the world there are people who gather to honor his name and thank him," said Francisca Elgueta, a 17-year-old whose grandfather's business was nearly seized under the 1970-1973 leftist government that preceded Pinochet.

Juan Pablo Carrasco, 20, admitted he could barely remember life under military rule. "But we know our history and we realize that he saved the country. Chile was in crisis and the only person who was man enough to deal with it was Pinochet."

But not everyone is so forgiving of the dictatorship's human rights violations. More than 3,000 people died in political violence during his rule, and some 28,000 people were tortured by state agents.

A taciturn teen-ager seated in a sliver of shade across the street from Pinochet supporters said he was glad the former army general had died.

"He was a murderer, he killed tons of people," said Victor Daniel Pedreros, a 16-year-old construction worker.

As well as facing charges on rights abuses, Pinochet was also accused of tax fraud and embezzlement related to at least $27 million stashed in foreign bank accounts. But he died without standing trial as his lawyers argued he was too ill to do so.

"What bugs me the most is that he was never convicted of anything. I hope this does not all end in impunity," said Maria Paz Castex, a 19-year-old law student.

While many Chileans define the Pinochet era in black-and-white terms, others were forced to take a more moderate tack, even at home.

Solangge Ormeno, a 19-year-old nutrition student, praised Pinochet's handling of the Chilean economy -- which is South America's most stable -- but criticized the blood spilled under his watch.

"My father was pro-Pinochet and my mom was not," Ormeno said. "So I'm in the middle."

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