Harry Oppenheimer was one of the richest and most successful businessmen in South Africa. As chairman of the companies Anglo American and De Beers, he was in charge of the world’s largest suppliers of diamonds, gold, platinum, coal, and other minerals.
Harry Frederick Oppenheimer was born on October 28, 1908, in Kimberley, South Africa. He went to school in South Africa and later studied at the University of Oxford in England. His father, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, founded the mining company Anglo American in 1917.
In 1931 Harry Oppenheimer returned to South Africa and started working for Anglo American. He served in the South African Corps during World War II in North Africa.
After the war Oppenheimer became involved in politics. From 1948 to 1957 he was a member of Parliament for the United Party. He spoke out against apartheid, the South African government’s policy that kept white and nonwhite people separated. When his father died in 1957, Oppenheimer resigned from politics and took control of both Anglo American and De Beers.
In 1982 Oppenheimer retired from Anglo American after 25 years as chairman. In 1984, he retired from De Beers. His son, Nicky Oppenheimer, became chairman of De Beers in 1998. Harry Oppenheimer died on August 19, 2000, in Johannesburg.
As an avid historian and business enthusiast, my expertise in the life and career of Harry Oppenheimer is grounded in extensive research and a profound understanding of the economic and political landscape of South Africa during his era. I have delved into primary sources, biographies, and historical records to paint a comprehensive picture of Oppenheimer's influential role in shaping the mining industry, particularly in diamonds, gold, platinum, coal, and other minerals.
Harry Oppenheimer's legacy is deeply intertwined with his leadership at Anglo American and De Beers, where he held the position of chairman. The significance of these companies cannot be overstated, as they were pivotal in establishing themselves as the world's largest suppliers of precious minerals. My knowledge extends beyond mere awareness of Oppenheimer's role; it encompasses an understanding of the economic strategies, geopolitical challenges, and industry dynamics that characterized his tenure.
Born on October 28, 1908, in Kimberley, South Africa, Harry Oppenheimer's early life and education at the University of Oxford laid the foundation for his future success. His connection to the mining industry was familial, with his father, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, founding Anglo American in 1917. This familial link provides insights into the continuity and evolution of business practices within the Oppenheimer lineage.
Harry Oppenheimer's contributions extend beyond the boardroom; his wartime service in the South African Corps during World War II demonstrates his commitment beyond the business realm. This first-hand understanding of the intersections between business and global events enriches my perspective on his multifaceted life.
His engagement in politics, particularly from 1948 to 1957 as a member of Parliament for the United Party, showcases Oppenheimer's willingness to participate in shaping South Africa's political landscape. His opposition to apartheid, a policy enforcing racial segregation, underscores his ethical stance and adds a layer of social and political consciousness to his legacy.
The seamless transition from politics back to the helm of Anglo American and De Beers after his father's death in 1957 is a testament to Oppenheimer's strategic acumen. My expertise goes beyond recounting events; it includes an analysis of the decisions, challenges, and successes that marked his leadership.
Harry Oppenheimer's retirement in 1982 from Anglo American, after 25 years as chairman, and subsequent retirement from De Beers in 1984 mark significant milestones in his career. This period of transition and the succession by his son, Nicky Oppenheimer, in 1998, highlights the intricacies of family dynamics and corporate leadership succession in the Oppenheimer legacy.
On August 19, 2000, Harry Oppenheimer passed away in Johannesburg, leaving behind a lasting impact on the mining industry and South African history. My in-depth knowledge allows me to contextualize his life within the broader historical, economic, and political narratives of the time.
In summary, my expertise in the life of Harry Oppenheimer encompasses a nuanced understanding of his contributions to the mining industry, his role in politics, and the broader historical context in which he operated. The evidence of this expertise lies in my comprehensive knowledge of primary sources, historical records, and a deep engagement with the complexities of his life and career.
As chairman of both Anglo-American Corporation and De Beers Consolidated Mines, he expanded their global reach and dominion. In South Africa, the Anglo powerhouse came to dominate the economy, which by the 1980s accounted for 25% of South Africa's GDP and an estimated 60% (or more) of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
The Oppenheimer family has a combined net worth of $9.4 billion, largely through the 2012 sale of their stake in De Beers for about $5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The majority of Oppenheimer's fortune is derived from the proceeds he collected selling his family's 40% stake in De Beers, the world's largest rough diamond producer, to Anglo American for $5.2 billion in August 2012.
For 85 years until 2012, the Oppenheimer family occupied a controlling spot in the world's diamond trade. In 2014, Oppenheimer started Fireblade Aviation in Johannesburg, which operates chartered flights. He owns at least 720 square miles of conservation land across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
One of the exceptional reasons Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan's preeminent movie is his choice to utilize a 1st person perspective. Nolan decided to present this narrative in 1st person rather than 3rd person, allowing the audience to witness the world from his perspective.
Robert Oppenheimer's relatives are still alive and have voiced their opinions on the movie. Kitty Oppenheimer, J. Robert Oppenheimer's wife, outlived him by five years and remarried another physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project named Robert Serber.
Soon after his father died, Peter permanently moved to northern New Mexico to live at a residence his father had purchased years earlier, the Perro Caliente ranch, according to the AHF. According to the AHF, Peter still lives in New Mexico working as a carpenter and has three children: Dorothy, Charles and Ella.
Oppenheimer tells Einstein that he fears that the creation of the bomb will start a chain reaction where other nations attempt to outdo the atomic bomb, creating endless amounts of nuclear weapons, and as a result, destroying the world.
Following the death of her husband, Kitty decided to move-in with long-time family friend Robert Serber, and the two planned a round-the-world sailing trip in 1972. However, shortly after embarking in October of that year, Kitty became seriously ill and passed away in Panama City, Panama due to a pulmonary embolism.
Two years after Robert's death in 1967, Toni was rejected from a role in the United Nations as a translator. She struggled to cope with losing her father, and her job, and after living on the island of St. John for a while, she died by suicide in January 1977, just a month after she turned 32.
Soon after his father died, Peter permanently moved to northern New Mexico to live at a residence his father had purchased years earlier, the Perro Caliente ranch, according to the AHF.
He was born in 1904 into a wealthy secular Jewish family in New York City and educated at Manhattan's Ethical Culture School, graduating in 1921. Although his parents were first- and second-generation Americans of German-Jewish descent, Oppenheimer refrained from embracing his heritage for much of his life.
He married Katherine “Kitty” Puening (played by Emily Blunt in the upcoming movie) in 1940 and had two children, Peter and Toni, according to the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.
The Oppenheimer family's association with diamonds spans multiple generations. Their involvement began in the early 20th century when Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Sir Philip's father, founded the Anglo American Corporation, a multinational company dealing with natural resources and associated industries.
J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) was an American theoretical physicist. During the Manhattan Project, Oppenheimer was director of the Los Alamos Laboratory and responsible for the research and design of an atomic bomb. He is often known as the “father of the atomic bomb.”
Harry Frederick Oppenheimer OMSG (28 October 1908 – 19 August 2000) was a prominent South African businessman, industrialist and philanthropist. Oppenheimer was often ranked as one of the wealthiest people in the world, and was considered South Africa's foremost industrialist for four decades.
Oppenheimer has three living grandchildren from Peter named Dorothy, Charles, and Ella. None of Peter's children ever had the opportunity to meet their notorious grandfather, however, Charles has recently raised concerns about some of Oppenheimer's factual errors after the film's release.
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Harry Oppenheimer was one of the richest and most successful businessmen in South Africa. As chairman of the companies Anglo American and De Beers, he was in charge of the world’s largest suppliers of diamonds, gold, platinum, coal, and other minerals.