SAHO Links
Organisations: South African Communist Party
Organisations: Federation of South African Women
Politics and Governance: Labour History
Politics and Governance: Freedom Charter
Outside Links
Hilda Bernstein: Profile, website: rusty-bernstein.com
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Hilda Bernstein: Gallery, website: guernicagallery.com
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Women in Apartheid South Africa: Hilda Bernstein, website: anc.org.za
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Hilda Bernstein: Dies, website: sabcnews.com
Sources
Article by Hilda Bernstein: "Meeting the Leaders"
Names: Bernstein, Hilda.
Date of Birth: 15 May 1915.
Place of Birth: London, United Kingdom.
Date of Death: 8 September 2006
Place of Death: Cape Town, South Africa
Gender: Female
In Summary: Marxist and Political activist, chief of staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe, military wing of the African National Congress (ANC) and popular hero.
Her Life:
Hilda Bernstein was born in London in 1915. She was educated at State schools and had no higher education. She relocated to South Africa in 1932 where she worked in advertising agencies, later publishing and journalism. In South Africa she became active in organisations associated with the struggle for national liberation.
She was a member of the South African Labour Party League of Youth until 1940. After her stint in the Labour Party, she became a member of the South African Communist Party. Hilda met Lionel (Rusty) Bernstein through shared political involvement, and they were married in 1941.
Hilda became the Johannesburg City Councillor from 1943 to 1946 - the only Communist to be elected to public office on a 'whites only' vote.
She was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women - the first non-racial women's organisation in South Africa. She was one of the organisers of the women's march to the union buildings that took place on the 9th of August 1956.
Hilda was also a founder of the South African Peace Council and its national secretary until the organisation’s banning. When she was contributor on South African affairs to periodicals in Africa, Britain, USA, Europe, she established long standing associations with the ANC, particularly through the ANC Women's League.
In 1946 Hilda was charged with sedition arising out of a mineworkers’ strike. In 1953 she was banned by Ministerial decree from 26 organisations and all meetings, including bans on writing and being published. In 1960, Hilda was detained under State of Emergency without charge following the Sharpeville shootings.
In 1964 after the Rivonia trial, she escaped from home as police came to make an arrest and managed to cross the frontier on foot to Botswana. Ultimately she arrived in London where she worked as a free-lance journalist; and started new career as an artist and print-maker.
While in exile, she was a member of the External Mission, and of the Women's section of the ANC. She was also an active member and regular speaker on behalf of ANC and Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain. She toured extensively in Europe, Canada and USA on behalf of the ANC and the Women's League. Her publication list includes: The World that was Ours; The Terrorism of Torture; For Their Triumphs and for Their Tears; Steve Biko; Death is Part of the Process. Some of her more famous publications include: The Rift - the Exile Experience of South Africans and The Trials of Nelson Mandela (in Italian). She has also exhibited etchings, drawings and paintings in galleries in London, the USA and countries of Africa. Her work has been used as book jackets, book illustrations, as posters and as cards for the AAM. Hilda has retired from political activity but still works as a writer and artist.