Helen Suzman

Helen Suzman

Infobox Politician
name = Helen Suzman
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office = Member of Parliament
term_start = 1953
term_end = 1989
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majority =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1917|11|7
birth_place = Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa
death_date =
death_place =
party = United Party
Progressive Party
Progressive Reform Party
Progressive Federal Party
relations =
spouse =
civil partner =
children =
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Helen Suzman, born Helen Gavronsky (7 November, 1917 in Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa), was an anti-apartheid activist and politician. She studied as an economist and statistician at Witwatersrand University. Suzman was the daughter of Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants.

She married Dr. Moses Suzman when she was 20, and had two daughters with him before returning to university as a lecturer in 1944. She gave up teaching for politics, being elected to Parliament in 1953 as a member of the United Party. She switched to the liberal Progressive Party in 1959, and represented the Houghton constituency as that party's sole member of parliament, and the sole parliamentarian unequivocally opposed to apartheid, from 1961 to 1974.

Suzman was noted for her strong public criticism of the governing National Party's policies of apartheid at a time when this was unusual amongst whites, and found herself even more of an outsider by virtue of being an English-speaking Jewish woman in a parliament dominated by Calvinist Afrikaner men. She was once accused by a minister of asking questions in parliament that embarrassed South Africa, to which she replied: "It is not my questions that embarrass South Africa, it is your answers". [ [http://www.hsf.org.za/shelen2.asp The Helen Suzman Foundation] ]

Later, as parliamentary white opposition to apartheid grew, the Progressive Party was renamed the Progressive Federal Party, and Suzman was joined in parliament by notable liberal colleagues such as Colin Eglin. She spent a total of 36 years in parliament.

She visited Nelson Mandela numerous times in prison, and was at his side when he signed the new constitution in 1996.

She was voted #24 on the Top 100 Great South Africans.

ee also

* List of South Africans
* List of Jews from Sub-Saharan Africa
* Progressive Party (South Africa)

References

Suzman, Helen. "In No Uncertain Terms: A South African Memoir." New York: Knopf, 1993. ISBN 0679409858

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2007_48_thu.shtml Helen Suzman] (BBC radio programme)
* [http://www.cotesaintluc.org/en/HumanRightsWalkway2007 Helen Suzman honoured in Côte Saint-Luc] , Quebec Canada


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Helen Suzman — (geborene Helen Gavronsky; * 7. November 1917 in Germiston, Südafrika; † 1. Januar 2009 in Johannesburg) war eine südafrikanische Politikerin. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Auszeichnungen 3 Weblinks …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Helen Suzman — Nombre Helen Gavronsky Nacimiento 7 de novi …   Wikipedia Español

  • Helen Suzman — Apartheid Évènements Massacre de Sharpeville Émeutes de Soweto · Procès de la trahison · Procès de Rivonia · Attentat de Church Street (Pretoria) · Négociations sur le démantèlement de l apartheid en Afrique du Sud · Massacre de Boipatong ·… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Helen Suzman Foundation — The Helen Suzman Foundation is an independent, non partisan think tank in South Africa dedicated to promoting liberal democratic values and human rights in post apartheid South Africa through its research and publications. The foundation was… …   Wikipedia

  • SUZMAN (née Gavronsky), HELEN — (1917– ), South African politician and parliamentarian of liberal views. Born in Germiston, Transvaal, she lectured on economic history at the University of the Witwatersrand. She was first elected to Parliament as a member of the United Party,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Suzman — ist der Familienname von: Helen Suzman (1917–2009), südafrikanische Politikerin Janet Suzman (* 1939), südafrikanische Schauspielerin Siehe auch: Sussmann Diese Seite ist eine …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • SUZMAN, JANET — (1939– ), actress. Born in Johannesburg, Suzman was educated at the University of Witwatersrand. She first appeared on stage in 1962 in Billy Liar, but her modulated voice and diction, elegance and authority led quickly to classical theater,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Helen — steht für: eine englische Form des weiblichen Vornamens Helene eine Rakete der rumänischen Weltraumorganisation ARCA, siehe Helen (Rakete) einen Film von Sandra Nettelbeck, siehe Helen (Film) Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Helen (Florida) Helen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Suzman, Helen — orig. Helen Gavronsky born Nov. 7, 1917, Germiston, S.Af. South African legislator. Born in the Transvaal to Lithuanian immigrants, she graduated from the University of Witwatersrand, where she later taught economic history (1945–52). Elected to… …   Universalium

  • Suzman, Helen — (b. 1917)    South African politician. A university lecturer in economics, Helen Suzman was elected to parliament in 1953 as a member of the opposition United Party. She was one of twelve members of the liberal wing of the party that seceded on… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

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