Bernard Friedman was a South African surgeon, politician, author, and businessman who co-founded the anti-apartheid Progressive Party.
15 Facts About Bernard Friedman
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Bernard Friedman was educated at Pretoria Boys High School and then studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he was a gold medalist.
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Bernard Friedman later became a specialist in aural surgery after studies in London and Vienna.
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Bernard Friedman said "The National Party has always had its back to the wall and so it has never been able to read the writing on it".
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In 1955, Bernard Friedman resigned his seat in protest against the United Party's refusal to pledge to the restoration of Coloured voters on the common roll.
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Bernard Friedman defied the Party whip and challenged the failure of his leader and colleagues to oppose the apartheid government unequivocally.
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Bernard Friedman stood as an Independent but was narrowly defeated by the UP candidate - from his own former party.
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Bernard Friedman then became one of the founders of the Progressive Party and was its leader in the Transvaal for 10 years.
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Bernard Friedman retired and became President of the South African Institute of Race Relations in which role he argued for a new constitution and bill of rights in a non-racial society.
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Dr Bernard Friedman wrote on assimilation and his view was "it is a fundamental principle of every democratic state to permit within its borders a diversity of elements who are held together by a common bond of loyalty".
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Bernard Friedman regretted th "Untitled Document" ere would be little future for liberalism in South Africa but saw the future as a clash between the Nationalist Party that introduced apartheid, and the Communist-dominated African National Congress.
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Bernard Friedman was the founder and chairman of the Prudential Building Society, Chairman and Director of Unisec Ltd.
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Bernard Friedman was befriended by Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, when the Earl was Governor-General of South Africa.
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Bernard Friedman was married to Florence Louie 'Lulu' Friedman, the satirist, translator of poetry, and publisher.
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Dr Bernard Friedman was the father of the writer and expert on terrorism, Jillian Becker and a son, Jonathan Bernard Friedman, who predeceased him.