Harry Frederick Oppenheimer
- Harry Frederick Oppenheimer
Harry Frederick Oppenheimer (28 October 1908 – 19 August 2000) was a prominent South African businessman and one of the world's richest men. In 2004 he was voted 60th in the SABC3's Great South Africans.
The son of Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Harry was born to an assimilated Jewish family of German origins in Kimberley, the original centre for diamond mining in South Africa, and lived most of his life in Johannesburg. He had a formal Bar mitzvah ("coming of age") ceremony in the Kimberley synagogue when he turned thirteen.
After completing his primary schooling in Johannesburg, he attended Charterhouse School in England, before going on to study at Christ Church, Oxford University, graduating in 1931 in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. When he married his wife Bridget, he chose to enter the Anglican Church, but remained a supporter of Jewish causes during his entire life. He authorized the flow of diamonds to Israel's important diamond-sorting and diamond-cutting industry.
Harry Oppenheimer was the chairman of Anglo American Corporation for a quarter of a century and chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines for 27 years until he retired from those positions in 1982 and 1984 respectively. His son Nicky Oppenheimer became Deputy Chairman of Anglo in 1983 and Chairman of De Beers in 1998.
He also spent some time as the Member of Parliament for Kimberley (1948 to 1957) and became the opposition spokesman on economics, finance and constitutional affairs. His opposition to apartheid was well known as were his philanthropy and business acumen.
He was also extremely generous to the official philanthropies of the State of Israel. He personally directed that Israel receive the necessary diamond raw products from De Beers in order to establish itself as one of the world's diamond polishing and exporting countries.
In the 1970s and 1980s, he financed the anti-apartheid Progressive Federal Party, that later merged the Democratic Alliance.
External links
* [http://www.harryoppenheimer.org.za/mainhome.htm Harry Oppenheimer] (His life and achievements)
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Harry Frederick Oppenheimer — (* 28. Oktober 1908 in Kimberley; † 19. August 2000 in Johannesburg) war ein südafrikanischer Geschäftsmann und einer der wohlhabendsten Menschen der Welt. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Herkunft 2 Ausbildung und Privatleben … Deutsch Wikipedia
Oppenheimer, Harry Frederick — ▪ 2001 South African businessman (b. Oct. 28, 1908, Kimberley, S.Af. d. Aug. 19, 2000, Johannesburg, S.Af.), as the enormously wealthy chairman of the Anglo American Corp. (1957–82) and De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. (1957–84),… … Universalium
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OPPENHEIMER, SIR ERNEST — (1880–1957), South African financier. Born in Friedberg, Germany, he went to London at the age of 16 to work for a firm of diamond merchants, which in 1902 sent him to represent them in Kimberley. He was very successful in the diamond business… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
Oppenheimer — ist der Familienname von: Oppenheimer (Familie), altes Patriziergeschlecht, aus welchem die von Oppenheim und von Oppenfeld sowie die Lichtenstein hervorgingen. Oppenheimer ist der Name folgender Personen: Carl Oppenheimer (1874–1941), deutscher… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Oppenheimer (Familie) — Samuel Wolf Oppenheimer (1630 1703) David ben Abraham Oppenheim (1664–1736) … Deutsch Wikipedia
Oppenheimer, Sir Ernest — (1880–1957) South African diamond magnate. Born in Germany, Oppenheimer worked for a London diamond firm that sent him to the Kimberley mines in 1902. He built up the De Beers Consolidated Mines as the dominant factor in the world diamond… … Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament
Ernst Oppenheimer — Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, richtig Ernst Oppenheimer (* 22. Mai 1880 in Friedberg (Hessen); † 25. November 1957 in Johannesburg (Südafrika)) war Begründer des Diamantenkartells unter der Firma De Beers. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Das… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Ernest Oppenheimer — Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, richtig Ernst Oppenheimer (* 22. Mai 1880 in Friedberg (Hessen); † 25. November 1957 in Johannesburg (Südafrika)) war Begründer des Diamantenkartells unter der Firma De Beers. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Das… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Nicky Oppenheimer — Born 8 June 1945 (1945 06 08) (age 66) South Africa Residence South Africa, England, United States Occupation Businessman … Wikipedia
