Lionel Bernstein
By Ryan O'Meara
Early Life
Accomplishments
4 Years later, the ANC called the Congress of Democrats, and its other allies together for a joint meeting where they decided to assemble a Congress of the People. Later, the Freedom Charter would be created by the Congress of the People, which meant that Bernstein was one of the leaders that took part in creating the Freedom Charter, and would then draft it. Working alongside with Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, Bernstein had a major role in creating the Congress. By doing this, he became one of the prominent leaders in the ANC (which later branched off into the MK), along with Nelson Mandela, Denis Goldberg, Nelson Mandela, Arthur Goodreich, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni.
After leaving South Africa because he and Hilda's activities were being watched after he was arrested by the authorities along with the other leaders of the MK, and then released on bail, he and his wife left South Africa and went back to London so that they would not put their children's lives in danger. He worked as an architect in London, but even across the ocean, he was very active in working for the ANC (without pay) to abolish Apartheid. In 1989 though, he came back to Tanzania to help establish a school of politics with his wife Hilda at the ANC's Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College. In 1998, Bernstein and Hilda were given honorary degrees from the University of Natal for their role in helping to establish democracy in South Africa.
Lionel Bernstein, his wife Hilda and Nelson Mandela.
The veterans of the MK High Command meet at the Liliesleaf Farm in 2001.
Lionel Bernstein at a young age
Bernstein and The Anti-Apartheid Movement
An excerpt from Lionel Bernstein's article: telling it as it was
Works Cited
- Lionel (Rusty) Bernstein (1920-2002). Digital image. The Accused: "The Rivonia 11" N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
- Hilda Bernstein with her husband Rusty and Nelson Mandela. Digital image. BBC News. BBC, 12 Sept. 2006. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
- Lionel Bernstein (L), Andrew Mlangeni, Dennis Goldberg (C), Raymond Mhlaba and Arthur Goldreich (R) pose at a small-holding at Rivonia Liliesleaf farm in Johannesburg December 15, 2001. Digital image. Johannesburg - South African Jew Who Hid Nelson Mandela Dies at 82. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
- Bernstein, Patrick. "Lionel "Rusty" Bernstein." Lionel and Hilda Bernstein Memorandum. Patrick Bernstein, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
- "The Liliesleaf Story." Liliesleaf. The Liliesleaf Trust, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
Bernstein, Lionel. "Rivonia: Telling It as It Was." African National Congress. African National Congress, 2 July 1988. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.