Lionel Bernstein
Encyclopedia
Lionel "Rusty" Bernstein (20 March 1920 - 23 June 2002) was a South Africa
n anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner
.
, the youngest of four children of Jewish émigrés from Europe. He was orphaned at eight years old, and brought up by relatives, after which he was sent to finish his education at a boys’ boarding school. Hilton College, a private school, was the South African equivalent of Eton or Harrow.
After matriculating, he returned to Johannesburg
where he started work at an architect’s office, while studying architecture part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand
. After qualifying in 1936, he worked full-time as an architect.
where he soon played a leading role. For one year he forsook architecture to work as a full-time Party official and Secretary of the Johannesburg District of the Communist Party. In March 1941, he married Hilda
, an émigré from Britain, whom he had met in the Labour League of Youth.
That year he volunteered for the South African Army
and later served as a gunner in North Africa and Italy
. He was repatriated and discharged from the army at the beginning of 1946. During the strike of African miners in 1946, he produced the strike bulletin. After the strike both he and his wife were arrested together with others and charged with sedition
. They were ultimately convicted of aiding an illegal strike and received suspended sentences.
Over the next quarter century, he wrote extensively for the a number of journals, including Liberation and the South African newspaper The Guardian. He edited Fighting Talk (which became a banned publication), a paper for ex-servicemen. This carried the same message as his other writings; that South Africa was approaching its last chance to make a peaceful transition to democracy. Once he was banned, he continued to write under several noms de plume.
In 1950, the South African Communist Party (SACP) was banned. All SACP members became subject to various restrictions, including a ban on being published. After this, Bernstein took part with others in forming an underground Communist Party. He was prominent in forming the Congress of Democrats
, an organisation for whites that could co-operate with the African National Congress
(ANC), which at that time was restricted to black membership only. This Congress Alliance
drew in radical trade unions, and many other non-racial political organisations.
(COD), the South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU), and the Coloured Peoples’ Congress. It was at this historic meeting that it was decided to convene a Congress of the People
where a Freedom Charter
would be adopted.
Bernstein played a major part on the committee organising the Congress, and worked very closely with Nelson Mandela
, Walter Sisulu
and Oliver Tambo
. Although often credited with the drafting of the Freedom Charter, his own memoirs dispel this. He was actually given the responsibility of drafting the Freedom Charter from the thousands of demands coming in from all over the country. His written words became a rallying call for those struggling for national liberation from that time on; "Let Us Speak of Freedom. South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white." The Freedom Charter became the basic document for the ANC for the next 40 years but split the liberation movement into two when one section of the ANC broke away in protest to form the Pan Africanist Congress in April 1959.
By 1953, both he and his wife became subject to bans and restrictions that prohibited them from belonging to or taking part in the activities of numerous organisations including non-political bodies such as Parent Teacher Associations.
At the end of 1956, Rusty and 155 others were arrested and charged with Treason. The infamous Treason Trial
lasted for more than 4 years after which all the accused were found not guilty and discharged.
In 1960, the Sharpeville massacre
took place, and he and his wife were both among those arrested and detained under the State of Emergency that followed. He was not released until five months later when the state of emergency was lifted. In 1962, he was placed under house arrest and allowed out only on weekdays between 6:00am and 6:00pm.
, Rivonia, where he and 10 other prominent ANC leaders were arrested on 11 July 1963. Rusty was held in solitary confinement under the notorious Ninety Days detention law. At the end of ninety days, he was charged together with Nelson Mandela and others, in what became known as the Rivonia Trial
. At the end of the trial, the remaining men were all found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Rusty was the only one found not guilty and he was discharged.
He was immediately re-arrested while leaving the dock and later released on bail. Shortly after his release, the police came to arrest his wife, Hilda, but she managed to escape from their home and went into hiding.
They left their children in the care of their eldest daughter and her husband, and crossed the border to Botswana
on foot. Their flight across the border and subsequent journey is described in Hilda’s book “The World That Was Ours.”
The Bernsteins eventually made their way into Zambia
. Despite Zambia being well on the way to independence and the ANC being well respected by the new incoming authorities, they were declared prohibited immigrants by the British authorities. They then travelled overland to Tanzania
and eventually to England
, where their children joined them one by one. Rusty worked as an architect in London
.
Despite leaving the country of his birth, he continued to work tirelessly for the abolition of apartheid without drawing a salary from the ANC, preferring to earn his living independently. In 1987, he conducted a series of seminars for the ANC in Moscow
, on the history of South Africa’s liberation struggles. He also spent a year in Tanzania at the ANC's "Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College" setting up a political science school and teaching the history of the freedom struggle to young South African political exiles.
In 1998, both Rusty and Hilda were awarded honorary degrees from the University of Natal
for their role in helping to bring democracy to South Africa. This followed the publication of Rusty’s acclaimed book on the unwritten history of South African politics between 1938 and 1964.
Rusty Bernstein died at his home on 23 June 2002, aged 82.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
.
Early life
Bernstein was born in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, the youngest of four children of Jewish émigrés from Europe. He was orphaned at eight years old, and brought up by relatives, after which he was sent to finish his education at a boys’ boarding school. Hilton College, a private school, was the South African equivalent of Eton or Harrow.
After matriculating, he returned to Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
where he started work at an architect’s office, while studying architecture part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
. After qualifying in 1936, he worked full-time as an architect.
Early political activism
In 1937 he joined the Labour League of Youth. Later, he joined the South African Communist PartySouth African Communist Party
South African Communist Party is a political party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa by the joining together of the International Socialist League and others under the leadership of Willam H...
where he soon played a leading role. For one year he forsook architecture to work as a full-time Party official and Secretary of the Johannesburg District of the Communist Party. In March 1941, he married Hilda
Hilda Bernstein
Hilda Bernstein was an author, artist, and an activist against apartheid and for women's rights. She was born Hilda Schwarz in London and emigrated to South Africa at the age of 18 years and became active in politics...
, an émigré from Britain, whom he had met in the Labour League of Youth.
That year he volunteered for the South African Army
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
and later served as a gunner in North Africa and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was repatriated and discharged from the army at the beginning of 1946. During the strike of African miners in 1946, he produced the strike bulletin. After the strike both he and his wife were arrested together with others and charged with sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
. They were ultimately convicted of aiding an illegal strike and received suspended sentences.
Over the next quarter century, he wrote extensively for the a number of journals, including Liberation and the South African newspaper The Guardian. He edited Fighting Talk (which became a banned publication), a paper for ex-servicemen. This carried the same message as his other writings; that South Africa was approaching its last chance to make a peaceful transition to democracy. Once he was banned, he continued to write under several noms de plume.
In 1950, the South African Communist Party (SACP) was banned. All SACP members became subject to various restrictions, including a ban on being published. After this, Bernstein took part with others in forming an underground Communist Party. He was prominent in forming the Congress of Democrats
South African Congress of Democrats
The Congress of Democrats was a radical, left white anti-apartheid organization founded in South Africa in late 1952 as part of the multi-racial Congress Alliance. The establishment of the COD sought to illustrate opposition to apartheid among whites...
, an organisation for whites that could co-operate with the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC), which at that time was restricted to black membership only. This Congress Alliance
Congress Alliance
The Congress Alliance was an anti-apartheid coalition formed in South Africa in the 1950s. Led by the ANC, the Congress was a multi-racial alliance committed to a democratic South Africa.- Congress Alliance, multi-racial struggle, and the Freedom Charter :...
drew in radical trade unions, and many other non-racial political organisations.
Congress of the People
In 1954, the ANC called together its allies to a joint meeting in Natal. This included the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of DemocratsSouth African Congress of Democrats
The Congress of Democrats was a radical, left white anti-apartheid organization founded in South Africa in late 1952 as part of the multi-racial Congress Alliance. The establishment of the COD sought to illustrate opposition to apartheid among whites...
(COD), the South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU), and the Coloured Peoples’ Congress. It was at this historic meeting that it was decided to convene a Congress of the People
Congress of the People
The Congress of the People met in Kliptown, Soweto, Johannesburg on June 26, 1955 to lay out the vision of the South African people. The Freedom Charter was the core statement of principles of the Congress Alliance, consisting of the African National Congress , the South African Indian Congress,...
where a Freedom Charter
Freedom Charter
The Freedom Charter was the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the African National Congress and its allies - the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured People's Congress...
would be adopted.
Bernstein played a major part on the committee organising the Congress, and worked very closely with Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, Walter Sisulu
Walter Sisulu
Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu was a South African anti-apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress .-Family and Education:...
and Oliver Tambo
Oliver Tambo
Oliver Reginald Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the African National Congress .-Biography:Oliver Tambo was born in Bizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now Eastern Cape...
. Although often credited with the drafting of the Freedom Charter, his own memoirs dispel this. He was actually given the responsibility of drafting the Freedom Charter from the thousands of demands coming in from all over the country. His written words became a rallying call for those struggling for national liberation from that time on; "Let Us Speak of Freedom. South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white." The Freedom Charter became the basic document for the ANC for the next 40 years but split the liberation movement into two when one section of the ANC broke away in protest to form the Pan Africanist Congress in April 1959.
By 1953, both he and his wife became subject to bans and restrictions that prohibited them from belonging to or taking part in the activities of numerous organisations including non-political bodies such as Parent Teacher Associations.
At the end of 1956, Rusty and 155 others were arrested and charged with Treason. The infamous Treason Trial
Treason Trial
The Treason Trial was a trial in which 156 people, including Nelson Mandela, were arrested in a raid and accused of treason in South Africa in 1956....
lasted for more than 4 years after which all the accused were found not guilty and discharged.
In 1960, the Sharpeville massacre
Sharpeville massacre
The Sharpeville Massacre occurred on 21 March 1960, at the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville in the Transvaal . After a day of demonstrations, at which a crowd of black protesters far outnumbered the police, the South African police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69...
took place, and he and his wife were both among those arrested and detained under the State of Emergency that followed. He was not released until five months later when the state of emergency was lifted. In 1962, he was placed under house arrest and allowed out only on weekdays between 6:00am and 6:00pm.
Rivonia Trial
His covert ANC and South African Communist Party activities led up to the police raid on Liliesleaf FarmLiliesleaf Farm
Liliesleaf Farm in northern Johannesburg, South Africa was the farm used secretly by African National Congress activists in the 1960s and was the location where many prominent African National Congress leaders were arrested, leading to the Rivonia Trial....
, Rivonia, where he and 10 other prominent ANC leaders were arrested on 11 July 1963. Rusty was held in solitary confinement under the notorious Ninety Days detention law. At the end of ninety days, he was charged together with Nelson Mandela and others, in what became known as the Rivonia Trial
Rivonia Trial
The Rivonia Trial was a trial that took place in South Africa between 1963 and 1964, in which ten leaders of the African National Congress were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to overthrow the apartheid system.-Origins:...
. At the end of the trial, the remaining men were all found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Rusty was the only one found not guilty and he was discharged.
He was immediately re-arrested while leaving the dock and later released on bail. Shortly after his release, the police came to arrest his wife, Hilda, but she managed to escape from their home and went into hiding.
Life in exile
The Bernsteins decided to leave South Africa for the sake of their children, who would be orphaned for a very long time if both of them were sent to jail. Also, their activities were now so circumscribed, they felt they had become a danger to all who associated with them.They left their children in the care of their eldest daughter and her husband, and crossed the border to Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
on foot. Their flight across the border and subsequent journey is described in Hilda’s book “The World That Was Ours.”
The Bernsteins eventually made their way into Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. Despite Zambia being well on the way to independence and the ANC being well respected by the new incoming authorities, they were declared prohibited immigrants by the British authorities. They then travelled overland to Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and eventually to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where their children joined them one by one. Rusty worked as an architect in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Despite leaving the country of his birth, he continued to work tirelessly for the abolition of apartheid without drawing a salary from the ANC, preferring to earn his living independently. In 1987, he conducted a series of seminars for the ANC in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, on the history of South Africa’s liberation struggles. He also spent a year in Tanzania at the ANC's "Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College" setting up a political science school and teaching the history of the freedom struggle to young South African political exiles.
Return to South Africa, later life and death
He returned to South Africa for four months in 1994 for the first post-apartheid elections and worked in the ANC press office during this time, with particular responsibility for ensuring mass white participation in the first non-racial elections to take place in South Africa.In 1998, both Rusty and Hilda were awarded honorary degrees from the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
for their role in helping to bring democracy to South Africa. This followed the publication of Rusty’s acclaimed book on the unwritten history of South African politics between 1938 and 1964.
Rusty Bernstein died at his home on 23 June 2002, aged 82.
Information sourced from
- - Rusty Bernstein, retrieved 13 April 2006