While Wegener first proposed the theory in 1912, it was initially met with skepticism and even ridicule by the scientific community. The lack of a plausible mechanism to explain how continents could move was a major obstacle.
However, Wegener's work laid the foundation for later discoveries, and it was the development of plate tectonics theory in the 1960s that finally provided the mechanism and evidence needed to fully validate the concept of continental drift.
So, while Wegener didn't fully "vindicate" the theory himself, he is considered the father of continental drift for his groundbreaking work that paved the way for its acceptance.
