1. Harry Heinz Schwarz was a South African lawyer, statesman, and long-time political opposition leader against apartheid in South Africa who eventually served as the South African Ambassador to the United States during the country's transition to majority rule.
Harry Schwarz pioneered the call in white politics for a negotiated end to apartheid and in 1974 signed the Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith with Mangosuthu Buthelezi for a non-racial democratic society in South Africa.
Harry Schwarz was in the opposition for over 40 years and was a founding member of the Democratic Party.
Harry Schwarz was one of the South African Jewish community's foremost leaders and spoke out strongly against anti-semitism.
Harry Schwarz was described by the University of Stellenbosch as "one of the conceptual and moral fathers of the new South Africa" in the sense that he had not only been one of apartheid's most prominent opponents, but his ideas and the initiatives he had taken had played a key role in the development of the concept of a negotiated democracy in South Africa, based on the principles of freedom and justice.
Harry Schwarz was born Heinz Schwarz to Fritz and Alma Schwarz in Cologne, Germany.
Harry Schwarz arrived in South Africa as a Jewish refugee from Germany in 1934 with his mother and younger brother Kurt.
Harry Schwarz described how he was "lucky" as eventually he was able to sleep in a bathroom in a rusty bath.
Harry Schwarz spoke no Afrikaans or English at first and had strong memories of being taunted on the schoolyard for being different.
Harry Schwarz attended Tamboerskloof School and South African College Schools in Cape Town and then Jeppe High School for Boys in Johannesburg.
However, Harry Schwarz instead joined the South African Air Force during World War II in order to defeat Nazism.
Harry Schwarz served as a navigator and fought in North Africa, Crete and Italy.
Harry Schwarz was in 15 Squadron and seconded to the RAF.
Harry Schwarz joined the United Party and assisted in the 1948 election.
Harry Schwarz argued that the National Party's victory in 1948 was reversible and anyone who opposed them should concentrate on defeating them.
Harry Schwarz stood as a candidate for treasurer of the Students Representative Council and refrained from voting for himself which he considered to be unethical.
Harry Schwarz was awarded a BA, with distinctions in both history and economic history, and later an LLB.
Harry Schwarz was one of the defence barristers in the trial defending Accused No 8 Jimmy Kantor, who was a close friend of his.
Harry Schwarz was refused access to Mandela while he was imprisoned on Robben Island, however he was granted access to visit him after 1988 when he was transferred to Victor Verster Prison.
In 1958 during a by-election Harry Schwarz was elected into the Transvaal provincial council for the Hospital constituency.
Harry Schwarz continued to practice law whilst serving in the Provincial Council and throughout his political career.
Harry Schwarz pushed for the adoption of the act in the 1973 National UP Congress, in which he succeeded.
In 1959, Harry Schwarz remained in the United Party after 11 liberal United Party members broke away from the party to form the Progressive Party in 1959, opting instead to change the UP from within.
Harry Schwarz achieved prominence as a race relations and economic reformist in the party.
However, internal divisions in the party between liberals and conservatives came to a head in August 1973 when Harry Schwarz ousted Marais Steyn as the leader of the United Party in the Transvaal.
Harry Schwarz's victory was a visible sign of strength from the liberals within the party.
On 4 January 1974, Harry Schwarz met and had discussions with Gatsha Buthelezi, Chief Executive Councillor of the black homeland of KwaZulu.
The concept of a non-discriminatory society had been outlined in the 'Act of Dedication' of 1973 that Harry Schwarz had written, while Leader of the Opposition in the Transvaal.
Harry Schwarz had called for the Transvaal and South Africa to adopt and subscribe to the act.
Harry Schwarz played a key role in the realignment of the opposition in South Africa.
For not following the party line, Harry Schwarz was expelled from the party.
Harry Schwarz became the party's spokesman on finance, education and Chairman of the Federal Executive, while Colin Eglin, the former leader of the Progressives was elected leader of the newly merged party.
Harry Schwarz was regarded the PFP's "star performer" in parliament.
Harry Schwarz was known nationwide for his sharp attacks on the National Party.
Harry Schwarz served as deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and was on the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee.
On several occasions, Harry Schwarz received behind-the-scenes offers to take up a Cabinet position under a National Party government, which he refused every time.
Harry Schwarz was often involved in heated clashes in parliament with government figures.
Harry Schwarz slammed the NP economic policies and was regarded to have won the debate.
In 1979, Harry Schwarz appealed to the National Party and its leader to reconsider a bill that would, in the PFP's view, heavily restrict press freedom.
Harry Schwarz often found himself in dispute with some members of the original Progressive Party, particularly Helen Suzman.
Harry Schwarz was an extremely able MP with a good financial brain, and a hard worker who could devastate National Party members in Parliament, especially Ministers of Finance, who feared his vigorous attacks.
Harry Schwarz was one of the founding members of the Democratic Party.
On 23 November 1989, Harry Schwarz, following a request from Mandela, visited him in prison.
Harry Schwarz was the first serving politician from the parliamentary opposition ranks to be appointed to a senior ambassadorial post in South African history as well as the first Jewish ambassador.
Harry Schwarz was accredited as the first South African Ambassador to Barbados in 1993 when diplomatic relations opened, and became the first South African High Commissioner to Barbados as from 1 June 1994, when South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth.
Harry Schwarz agreed to the appointment of ambassador because of the government's commitment to the fundamental reforms that he had fought for, as well as on the terms that the National Party would not try to take his seat in Yeoville.
Harry Schwarz has been credited as having played one of the leading roles in the renewal of relations between the two nations.
Harry Schwarz resigned his post as ambassador and returned to South Africa in November 1994, following his three-and-a-half-year tenure as South African Ambassador to the United States.
At an event sponsored by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies in his honour, Harry Schwarz urged the Jewish community to make the best of the changes taking place in South Africa and to contribute actively to the success of the country.
Harry Schwarz often led the opposition to anti-semitic comments and movements by prominent public figures, and was often involved in heated clashes in parliament.
Harry Schwarz slammed the CP's supporters use of Nazi symbols and banners, and for burning the Israeli flags.
In 1987, Harry Schwarz was involved in a heated clash with Eugene Terre'Blanche, Leader of the far-right paramilitary Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, after Harry Schwarz confronted him during a speech over the organisation's racial policy towards non-Afrikaans and non-Christian citizens of South Africa.
In relation to apartheid, Harry Schwarz argued that Judaism was fundamentally opposed to segregation, and that "If we rationalise or condone discrimination against one group, we have compromised our principles and we are then not true to our beliefs or our history".
Harry Schwarz argued that violent change could ultimately lead to a nondemocratic government, incompatible with Jewish ethics and with the interests of the Jewish community.
Harry Schwarz played an increasingly important role on the Jewish Board of Deputies from the 1970s, serving as chairman of its committee on international relations and often acting as spokesman for the board to Jewish agencies abroad.
Harry Schwarz held directorships of multiple companies, and served as Chief Executive of Merchant Bank between 1969 and 1974.
Harry Schwarz retired from politics upon returning from Washington, and returned to law to practice in Schwarz-North in Johannesburg and continued to work until he died.
Harry Schwarz was highly critical of the Democratic Party's decision to merge with the New National Party in 2000 and in 2008 stated that the DP "should have sought an alliance with black political groups".
Harry Schwarz remained active in the Jewish community, notably serving as president of the South Africa-Israel Chamber of Commerce between 1999 and 2010 and vice-president of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.
Harry Schwarz delivered his final public speech at the South African Parliament in November 2009 at a celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the formation of the Progressive Party, in which he stated that "freedom is incomplete if it is exercised in poverty".
Harry Schwarz lived in Johannesburg with his wife Annette, a trade unionist, artist and humanitarian who ran all of Schwarz's election campaigns.
Harry Schwarz will be remembered for his signal contribution to the development of our democracy.
Harry Schwarz's piercing intellect, and long professional experience in banking, made him the most astute analyst in Parliament on economic and financial matters during his terms in office.
Harry Schwarz had strong leadership qualities and could inspire people to great achievements.
Harry Schwarz was an outstanding debater, both inside and outside Parliament.
Harry Schwarz continued his resistance to racial nationalism through his long and distinguished career in South African opposition politics.
Harry Schwarz has engraved his place in South Africa's political history.
Sir John Adamson Secondary School's hall was named, and remains to be, after Harry Schwarz who served as the first chairperson of the school's governing body.