Bernard Friedman
Encyclopedia
Dr Bernard Friedman was a surgeon, politician, author, businessman, and outstanding orator who co-founded the anti-apartheid Progressive Party (South Africa)
. He was educated at Pretoria Boys' High School and then he read medicine at Edinburgh University, where he was a gold medalist. He later became a specialist in aural surgery after studies in London and Vienna. Dr Friedman practised in Johannesburg and was Honorary Surgeon to the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Johannesburg Hospital and then Head of Department. He was senior lecturer in Otolaryngology at the Medical School of the University of Witwatersrand and consultant to the United Defence Force. As an officer in the Medical Corps in the Second World War, he was Chief Aural Surgeon to the Military Hospital in Johannesburg.
A United Party candidate, he became an MP for Hillbrow in 1943 when Smuts was returned to power. In Parliament, he was noted for the informed content of his speeches, particularly those on financial andtreasury matters, and was admired by members on both sides of the House for his quick repartee and cutting interjections. Dr Friedman kept his seat until 1948 when Smuts fell from power and the Nationalist Party under Malan took over Government. In 1955, Dr Friedman resigned his seat in protest against the United Party's refusal to pledge to the restoration of Coloured voters on the common roll (High Court of Parliament Bill). He stood as an Independent but was narrowly defeated by the UP candidate. He then became one of the founders of the Progressive Party (South Africa)
and was its leader in the Transvaal for 10 years. Helen Suzman
was a protégé of his. C Kaplan wrote in his obituary, "He was a man who saw the injustice of reducing the rights of South Africans of all races and was not afraid to say so". He retired and became President of the South African Institute of Race Relations.
He was also the founder and chairman of the Prudential Building Society, Chairman and Director of Unisec Ltd., Unit Securities and Trust Company of South Africa Ltd., and numerous other companies. He was befriended by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, when the Earl was Governor-General of South Africa. He developed the township of Northcliffe, near Johannesburg. He was married to Florence Louie Friedman the satirist, translator of poetry, and publisher (Silver Leaf Books, first publisher of Nobel Prize Winner, Nadine Gordimer
), and South African secretary of PEN
. He was father of the writer, commentator, and terrorist expert Jillian Becker
and a son, Jonathan Friedman, who predeceased him.
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
. He was educated at Pretoria Boys' High School and then he read medicine at Edinburgh University, where he was a gold medalist. He later became a specialist in aural surgery after studies in London and Vienna. Dr Friedman practised in Johannesburg and was Honorary Surgeon to the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Johannesburg Hospital and then Head of Department. He was senior lecturer in Otolaryngology at the Medical School of the University of Witwatersrand and consultant to the United Defence Force. As an officer in the Medical Corps in the Second World War, he was Chief Aural Surgeon to the Military Hospital in Johannesburg.
A United Party candidate, he became an MP for Hillbrow in 1943 when Smuts was returned to power. In Parliament, he was noted for the informed content of his speeches, particularly those on financial andtreasury matters, and was admired by members on both sides of the House for his quick repartee and cutting interjections. Dr Friedman kept his seat until 1948 when Smuts fell from power and the Nationalist Party under Malan took over Government. In 1955, Dr Friedman resigned his seat in protest against the United Party's refusal to pledge to the restoration of Coloured voters on the common roll (High Court of Parliament Bill). He stood as an Independent but was narrowly defeated by the UP candidate. He then became one of the founders of the Progressive Party (South Africa)
Progressive Party (South Africa)
The Progressive Party was a liberal party in South Africa that opposed the ruling National Party's policies of apartheid, and championed the Rule of Law. For years its only member of parliament was Helen Suzman...
and was its leader in the Transvaal for 10 years. Helen Suzman
Helen Suzman
Helen Suzman, DBE was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician.-Biography:Helen Suzman, a life-long citizen of South Africa, was born as Helen Gavronsky in 1917 to Jewish immigrants....
was a protégé of his. C Kaplan wrote in his obituary, "He was a man who saw the injustice of reducing the rights of South Africans of all races and was not afraid to say so". He retired and became President of the South African Institute of Race Relations.
He was also the founder and chairman of the Prudential Building Society, Chairman and Director of Unisec Ltd., Unit Securities and Trust Company of South Africa Ltd., and numerous other companies. He was befriended by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, when the Earl was Governor-General of South Africa. He developed the township of Northcliffe, near Johannesburg. He was married to Florence Louie Friedman the satirist, translator of poetry, and publisher (Silver Leaf Books, first publisher of Nobel Prize Winner, Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer is a South African writer and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature when she was recognised as a woman "who through her magnificent epic writing has – in the words of Alfred Nobel – been of very great benefit to humanity".Her writing has long dealt...
), and South African secretary of PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
. He was father of the writer, commentator, and terrorist expert Jillian Becker
Jillian Becker
Jillian Becker is a novelist, prize-winning story-writer, critic, journalist, lecturer, best known internationally as a writer, researcher, and authority on the subject of terrorism.-Life:...
and a son, Jonathan Friedman, who predeceased him.
See also
- LiberalismLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
- Contributions to liberal theoryContributions to liberal theoryIndividual contributors to classical liberalism and political liberalism are associated with philosophers of the Enlightenment. Liberalism as a specifically named ideology begins in the late 18th century as a movement towards self-government and away from aristocracy...
- Liberalism worldwideLiberalism worldwideThis article gives information on liberalism in diverse countries around the world. It is an overview of parties that adhere more or less to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world....
- List of liberal parties
- Liberal democracyLiberal democracyLiberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
- Liberalism in South AfricaLiberalism in South AfricaThis article gives an overview of liberal parties in South Africa. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament.-Introduction:...