Abraham Fischer
Encyclopedia
Abraham Fischer was a South African statesman. He was the sole Prime Minister
of the Orange River Colony
in South Africa, and when that ceased to exist joined the cabinet of the newly formed Union of South Africa
.
, and became a lawyer in Cape Colony
, joining the bar in 1875. In 1873 he married Ana Robertson, the daughter of Scottish immigrants to the Free State. He became interested in the politics of the Orange Free State
, and in 1878 became a member of the Orange Free State's Volksraad. He became vice-president of the Volksraad in 1893, a member of the executive council in 1896, and took part in many colonial and interstate conferences. He headed a joint deputation from Transvaal
and Orange Free State to Europe and America during the Boer War
to solicit support for the Boers, returning in 1903 to practice law in the newly formed Orange River Colony.
Continuing to promote the Boer cause, he helped form the Oranje Unie party in May 1906 and became its chairman; the party won the majority of seats in the colony's first elections that were held in November 1907. On 27 November, he was chosen as Prime Minister, and stayed in that position until it ceased to exist with the union of 31 May 1910. He then joined the cabinet of the Union of South Africa
as Minister of Lands. He was made Privy Councillor in 1911 and became Minister of the Interior and Lands in 1912.
He was the grandfather of Bram Fischer
, a noted anti-apartheid
activist.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Orange River Colony
Orange River Colony
The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after this nation first occupied and then annexed the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War...
in South Africa, and when that ceased to exist joined the cabinet of the newly formed Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
.
Biography
He was educated at the South African CollegeSouth African College
The South African College was an educational institution in Cape Town, South Africa, which developed into the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools .-History:...
, and became a lawyer in Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
, joining the bar in 1875. In 1873 he married Ana Robertson, the daughter of Scottish immigrants to the Free State. He became interested in the politics of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
, and in 1878 became a member of the Orange Free State's Volksraad. He became vice-president of the Volksraad in 1893, a member of the executive council in 1896, and took part in many colonial and interstate conferences. He headed a joint deputation from Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
and Orange Free State to Europe and America during the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
to solicit support for the Boers, returning in 1903 to practice law in the newly formed Orange River Colony.
Continuing to promote the Boer cause, he helped form the Oranje Unie party in May 1906 and became its chairman; the party won the majority of seats in the colony's first elections that were held in November 1907. On 27 November, he was chosen as Prime Minister, and stayed in that position until it ceased to exist with the union of 31 May 1910. He then joined the cabinet of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
as Minister of Lands. He was made Privy Councillor in 1911 and became Minister of the Interior and Lands in 1912.
He was the grandfather of Bram Fischer
Bram Fischer
Abram Louis Fischer, commonly known as Bram Fischer, was a South African lawyer of Afrikaner descent, notable for anti-apartheid activism and for the legal defence of anti-apartheid figures, including Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia Trial.-Tributes:Fischer is widely acknowledged as a key figure in...
, a noted anti-apartheid
Internal resistance to South African apartheid
Internal resistance to the apartheid system in South Africa came from several sectors of society and saw the creation of organisations dedicated variously to peaceful protests, passive resistance and armed insurrection. It came from both black activists like Steve Biko and Desmond Tutu as well as...
activist.