„One day later, on 18th July 1918 … another king’s son was born … at the world’s other end …“

... Who invited you?

„Don’t worry, just take me as another example of ‚Jewish conspiracy‘ within a revolutionary process; Messr’s Trotsky and Witte are familiar with it …
However, I am not talking about the Saviour, not about crucifixion!
I am talking about another miracle of resurrection which remained hidden from the world so far. Exactly one day after the assassination of the Tsar’s family, on 18th July 1918, in a village near Umtata, capital of Transkei in South Africa, a royal family of the Thembus was blessed with a son; he was called Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela ...
The British name Nelson was given to him when he attended school for the first time.
As a young man he decided against a career at the royal court, instead he studied law.
It was then when he joined the African National Congress, establishing its youth-wing ... And that is when I came into the game …“

As one of his disciples?

„„Has comrade Trotsky been Lenin’s disciple? No, I was — like him — a technician of the revolution!
I am Denis Goldberg, born in Cape Town in 1933, certified engineer by profession.
I learned from my parents how unjust the system of apartheid was. So, I started to engage myself on behalf of black workers. In the Fifties of last century, an ANC-led congress-movement started to reach out to organisations with members of different skin and race. I became one of the activists.
The Movement passed, during its first and last people’s congress — 1955 in Soweto’s Kliptown — the well-known Freedom-Charta. As a result, Pretoria was faced with growing resistance of all South African ethnic groups; a state of emergency was inflicted. I got arrested and imprisoned for four months without trial.
When, in 1961, Mandela founded the armed wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe, which means Spear of the Nation, I became their technician. I was member of the High Command when I was caught by the security forces in 1963 in Rivonia at the outskirts of Johannesburg.
The trial against the High Command became known in South Africa’s history as the Rivonia-Trial; and as the Accused Number Three, after Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, I was sentenced for life. For all accused, among them Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni, the state wanted the death sentence ...“

When the death-candidates at the trial heard they were sentenced for life one of the accused shouted: „Life! To live is wonderful!“ Was that Mandela?

„No, I shouted it because my mother was there in the court-room.
Nelson Mandela was very, very dignified; as a lawyer he made himself partly responsible for the defence strategy; and he was well aware of his role as a leader.
When the judge asked him: ‚Do you plead guilty or not guilty?‘ he answered with a strong voice: ‚Not guilty. It is the government which should stand trial.‘
Towards the end of his famous speech, you could hear in his voice what the charge meant to us and to him. He said, his ideal was that people could live together in harmony and that he hoped to experience the realisation of this ideal within his lifetime. But, should it be necessary, he would be prepared to die for it. Dignified was his acting right to the end of the trial, and, although he had made it clear that he would not appeal a death-sentence, he finally laughed when the court sentenced us for life.
As the only one who was white I was taken to the central prison of Pretoria, at that time the only high security jail for white political prisoners in South Africa. My comrades were taken to the notorious prison on Robben Island which is located close to the shores of Cape Town in the Atlantic Ocean …
It was in 1982 when Pretoria stretched feelers for the possibility to involve Nelson Mandela in secret talks. The Rivonia-prisoners were transferred from Robben Island to the Pollsmore-prison of Cape Town.
I was the first one to be released, in 1985, after twenty-two years of imprisonment. They exiled me and I could join my family in London. One after the other of the Rivonia-prisoners came free. Nelson Mandela was the last one in 1990, prepared to take on the presidency in a new democratic South Africa! …
He has been a remarkable president. This role began with his release or perhaps even earlier. He writes in his autobiography that — with time — he understood that in a new, none-racial South Africa the oppressor had to be liberated as well …“

... the oppressor had to be liberated as well ?

„... yes, the oppressor had to be liberated as well, and that the oppressed had to learn how to handle their freedom. He summarized his philosophy in the words: ‚To be free it is not enough to shake off the chains. One has to live in a way, that the freedom of others will be promoted and improved.‘ And he lived this philosophy consciously. Do not forget, at that time one of his challenges was to prevent a counter-revolution by those military ranks of the apartheid-state who still had their jobs.“

How did he handle them?

„Nelson Mandela talked to them in his way, convinced even the most racist hardliners that they would be safe in the new South Africa. He was tolerant with those who argued he would be too lenient with the old guardians and believers of apartheid.
My respect grew when he decided to serve in the president’s office for only one period, that is for five years. He established the principle of permanent renewal to strengthen our democracy, to enable us to remain democratic.
And I have never heard that he asked for the position which belonged to him as son of a Chief, which is a traditional authority. His authority is based on his very own qualities as a leader in collective top-management-circles of the ANC. I also admire his respect that he showed towards the constitutional court when it refused to validate his intention to have changed procedures of the next election. He wanted to groom fragile institutions of our new democratic system instead to force decisions through the parliament’s majority.
His presidency fell into a transition period and such times are always full of dangers. He succeeded to keep together the country; and that was the basis for his successors to try to rebuild the country.“

Nelson Mandela is worldwide known as a famous politician. He may be too fragile now to appear on our rolling stage in person … however, sometimes he appears downright as a saint. Do you know the person behind?

„Yes, I know him as a person, and he has all potential weaknesses of a human being, especially his sense for infallibility. But he was always willing, to listen to reason and — above all — to Walter Sisulus‘ arguments, and, if necessary, to give in graciously; but never when it came to his basic principles. He has got a cautious irony and can be, of course, downright enchanting: think of a State President who involves himself in his own little dance, think of his informal way of dressing. His preparedness to forgive was sometimes criticised by his followers; but this does not seem to be a great weakness. Somehow, he also avoided to be more critical vice versa own comrades-in arms and their followers. But in such cases he always could build on Archbishop Tutu and the consciousness of our society.
Nelson Mandela should perhaps, but only perhaps, bring to bear a bit more the validity of his moral authority. Perhaps one can say, that the most important distinction is that he never fell victim to base flattery and that he avoided to be influenced by it negatively.“

Before we roll back through our history-tunnel, from the year 2008 into our time, the year 2007, we provide you with the chance, Mr. Goldberg, to congratulate Nelson Mandela to his 90th birthday.

„From my heart, dear comrade, congratulation! I was privileged, together with many others, to walk some steps with you on the long way to freedom. When you were still in prison the people in London were singing: Rolihlahla Mandela, show us the way to freedom, freedom is in your hands, show us the way to freedom, freedom is in your hands. You have shown us how to remain unshaken in principles, how to be determined but above all how to remain free from prejudices and bitterness, in other words, how to be really free.“