GEHE GUT IN DIE NACHT

Dennis Goldberg with Nelson MandelaApril 29th: a sad day. Denis Theodore Goldberg, the ‘gentle giant’ as someone called him, has left us. We mourn for him, at the same time we celebrate a life of honesty, courage and unwavering defense of the right to justice of every human being. A dear friend who you miss and who is unforgettable. The only white man who stood alongside Nelson Mandela and six others in 1964 in the important 1964 Rivonia Trial who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the court, 22 years of which he was behind bars, is no longer with us.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has understandably and appropriately decreed three days of mourning for Denis, during which the flags will flutter at half-mast. A deserved honor for a man whose efforts, suffering – his life! – contributed to a free South Africa. Denis was a man for many things, but with the single guiding principle never to give up the struggle for social justice.

“The only white person who was in the important Rivonia Trial in 1964 alongside Nelson Mandela and six others …  is no longer with us.   

While letters of concession and tributes from around the world reach the Denis ‘House of Hope’ family, the Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation, many, including myself, remember our own encounters with Denis. He was born in Cape Town in 1933, his grandparents had fled the horrors of the anti-Semitic attacks in Lithuania in the last year of the 1880 decade in London, from there his parents Sam and Annie emigrated to South Africa. Denis’s political awareness was awakened at home, Sam was a member of the small Communist Party. Neither the parents nor Denis were religious Jews. He had nothing against Judaism or Jews, but like others he was disappointed that the official representatives of the Jews did not condemn apartheid for a long time, and later only hesitantly. Most importantly, they did not support the Jewish activists. The attitude of the South African Board of Jewish Representatives (SA Jewish Board of Deputies) reflected the dilemma of every Jewish diaspora community – actually the dilemma of every diaspora community – to find the right balance between loyalty to the country in which it is at home and the protection of its own Group. In Germany Jews prayed for the well-being of the emperor and fatherland, then for the Weimar Republic, in Great Britain for that of the king or queen. Denis honored me by attending the opening of an exhibition about me and the presentation of the English edition of my biography in the Jewish Museum in Cape Town, which he had never been to before. The attitude of the South African Board of Jewish Representatives (SA Jewish Board of Deputies) reflected the dilemma of every Jewish diaspora community – actually the dilemma of every diaspora community – to find the right balance between loyalty to the country in which it is at home and the protection of its own Group. In Germany Jews prayed for the well-being of the emperor and fatherland, then for the Weimar Republic, in Great Britain for that of the king or queen. Denis honored me by attending the opening of an exhibition about me and the presentation of the English edition of my biography in the Jewish Museum in Cape Town, which he had never been to before. The attitude of the South African Board of Jewish Representatives (SA Jewish Board of Deputies) reflected the dilemma of every Jewish diaspora community – actually the dilemma of every diaspora community – to find the right balance between loyalty to the country in which it is at home and the protection of its own Group. In Germany Jews prayed for the well-being of the emperor and fatherland, then for the Weimar Republic, in Great Britain for that of the king or queen. Denis honored me by attending the opening of an exhibition about me and the presentation of the English edition of my biography in the Jewish Museum in Cape Town, which he had never been to before.

His numerous accomplishments are astonishing. Just remember that immediately after his release from prison he worked tirelessly for the anti-apartheid movement. Just think of its HEART community, which raised not only millions of rand but also 3 million books for underprivileged children. Despite his illness, he continued to work successfully for his great ‘House of Hope’ in Houtbay for young people, which will continue his legacy of supporting children. Who can forget his lectures and discussions with the audience that impressed listeners worldwide! It all went hand in hand with his integrity. Denis was not one to stay calm when things began to go wrong in his party, the African National Congress.

Man wird ich an derartiges und mehr erinnern. Meine erste Begegnung mit Denis war zur Zeit meines 70. Geburtstag, as Esme, Denis erste Frau und meine Freundin, mit ihm und anderen Freunden deswegen ein Wochenende auf der Isle of Wight verbrachte, wo ich damals lebte. Er war verärget als wir einen Bus gemietet hatten und ihn als Ehrengast nicht zur Kasse gebeten hatten. Er bestand darauf seinn Beitrag zu zahlen. Dieses Zusammentreffen führte zu vielen weiteren im Lauf der nächsten 25 Jahre, erstens, weil nach diesem Besuch Esme und Denis regelmäßig die IOW und mich besuchten. Das letztemal war im Dezember 1999, als Esme erkrankte und die Reise abgebrochen wurde. Nur wenige Wochen danach verlor sie den Kampf mit dem Tod. Meine Freundschaft mit Denis brach keineswegs ab, nachdem er ins Kap, ich nach Deutschland gezogen war. In der Tat ehrte er mich, indem er einen Geburtstag von Mandela verpasste um die Laudatio zu halten, als der Aschaffenburger Stadtrat sich entschieden hatte, eine Realschule nach mir zu nennen (eine große Ehre – aber irgendwie bin ich nun mal stellvertretend für die einst blühende jüdische Gemeinde der Stadt.)

There is so much to say about Denis – about his zest for life, his laughter and humor – his compassion and warmth. I want to use a Yiddish word that Jeremy Cronin, Denis’ former prison comrade, sentenced to seven years, said:  he was a human .

Dear Denis, walk well into the night!