biography

The biography of Nelson Mandela.





Nelson Mandela

The anti-apartheid fighter and politician was President of the African National Congress, ANC, (1991-1997) and the first black president of South Africa (1994-1999), who was elected on the basis of democratic elections. Nelson Mandela spent his childhood at the root of the Tembu, studied law, was a lawyer. He fought for decades for the liberation of South Africa from apartheid. He spent 27 years as a political prisoner in prison Mandela In addition to Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X became a representative of a non-violent struggle against the global oppression of blacks to the symbol of human rights. In 1993, together with Mandela de Klerk for his socio-political struggle for the democratization of South Africa, the Nobel Peace Prize ...

Biography

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in a village near Umtata, Transkei, as a son of the Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu tribe, (part of the Xhosa people), born.

Mandela lost already nine years old his father passed away. He attended a Methodist school, where he came into contact with the British culture. Later he was a pupil of the Mission College of Fort Hare in Alice in the Eastern Cape Province. The establishment was regarded as the only place to higher education for Africans in South Africa. When Mandela in 1940 as leaders participated in a student strike, he had to leave the college. Due to family difficulties Mandela moved to Johannesburg. For a short time he was employed as a guard in a gold mine. Then he took on a job placement in a law firm. In correspondence courses he took his college degree after and began to study law.

In 1944, he met his first wife Evely Mase know, but the marriage ended in divorce quickly. Nelson Mandela grew active in politics. In 1944, he joined the African National Congress ANC. Together with the ANC members Walter Sisulu, Anton Lembede Mandela and Oliver Tambo founded the ANC Youth League, the critical behaved compared to the rest of Congress because of the traditional program. The members of the Youth League were planning to win workers, peasants and workers for their goals, they wanted to make a mass movement from the ANC. Mandela quickly found his way up through disciplined work and a big commitment. In 1947 he became secretary of the Youth League. Qualified by the youth work received more and more weight in the overall ANC.

When in 1948 the National Party which carried the election, the boycott, the strike, civil disobedience and non-cooperation were included as measures in the fight against apartheid in the ANC program. To the authors of this action program also included Nelson Mandela. It followed including obtaining full citizenship, direct representation of all South Africans, the distribution of land, the right of trade unions, education and culture. Furthermore, the compulsory education for all children and the mass education of adults objectives were to. On 6 April 1952 was the 300th Anniversary of the arrival of the first European settlers at the Cape celebrated. The ANC called for mass protests to Mandela traveled through the country to organize a broad contribution. Mandela was sentenced inter alia to a prison sentence of nine months and for forced labor.

His residency restrictions were also imposed. During this time, Mandela completed his law studies, and he opened an office in Johannesburg with Oliver Tambo. He became president of the ANC Youth League and the ANC in the Transvaal region. In 1952, he was Deputy President of the ANC. Mandela became involved in the ANC against apartheid continues. He turned to defend yourself against the Bantu education, the exploitation of labor, the pass laws and the segregation of so-called open universities. The answer to Mandela's struggle against apartheid were often personal reprisals from above such as arrests. In 1958 he married the civil rights activist Winnie Madikizela Nomzamo. 1960, the ANC was banned after the Sharpeville massacre.

A trial of Mandela and others for conspiracy to commit violent revolution did not take place because of the republicanization South Africa in 1961. With the ban of the ANC underground work of the organization began. 1961 Mandela also spoke at the All-Africa Conference in a claim against the apartheid regime to a national assembly representing all South Africans from. Furthermore, he called for a new constitution and democratization. Mandela had to live underground to guard against the snares of the state to be sure. He founded the armed wing of the ANC, the Umkhonto we Sizwe. For his fight against apartheid, Mandela ventured a forbidden to travel abroad to seek support there. In Algeria, he participated in a guerrilla training. After his return he was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison.

In 1964, the civil rights activist was sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism, and attempted overthrow of communist activities. Between 1990 and 1994 he led negotiations on political reform with the South African government. In August 1991, the last apartheid law was repealed. The ANC renounced further violence. 1993 were honored for their civil rights work against apartheid with the Nobel Peace Prize, Mandela and de Klerk. 1994 Nelson Mandela was elected as the first black free state president of South Africa. 1996 his marriage was divorced with Winnie Mandela. In late 1997 he gave up the post of ANC president to Thabo Mbeki. After a delay of 12 years Mandela was able to receive in October 2002 the "Lenin Peace Prize", which was awarded to him in 1990 by the now defunct Soviet Union.

The 85th Mandela's birthday on 19 July 2003 was taken from the society and politics of South Africa and the entire world as an opportunity for official ceremonies and celebrations. In Johannesburg we opened a bridge named after him. MTV produced a one hour documentary about the life work of Mandela and his dedication to the fight against AIDS. In November 2004, Nelson Mandela was awarded the honor of Bambi. According to a survey by the French research institute "TNS" Mandela was in July 2005 for a majority of the surveyed French, British and Germans as "the greatest man on the international stage." Likewise, died in 2005, the lawyer Makghato Mandela, Mandela's son from his first marriage, at the age of 54 years of AIDS. On 1 November 2006 in Johannesburg him the title of "Ambassador of Conscience" by Amnesty International presented.

In 2007, Mandel founded inter alia Desmond Tutu with the group "The Elders", personalities from different continents are represented in the ten older. For the closing ceremony of the Football World Cup 2010 in Johannesburg, Mandela was also present. It was his last appearance in public since then. On 14 July 2011, he moved from Johannesburg to his home village of Qunu.