Zille’s Jewish roots strike a poignant note at book launch

MOIRA SCHNEIDER

Zille was in conversation with DA MP Michael Bagraim who noted that the first three chapters of the book, in which Zille deals with her Jewish roots, were “reminiscent of our own stories”. He dedicated the evening to the two Holocaust survivors present – Ella Blumenthal and Miriam Lichterman.

Zille related that her family story was only fully discovered when she was writing the book. “I was spurred on by Ella’s rendition of surviving the Holocaust, having lost 23 family members.

“As Ella spoke, I could hear my grandmother speaking,” Zille recalled.

Two of Zille’s grandparents, her maternal grandfather and her paternal grandmother, were Jewish.

“My grandmother was one of 13 siblings. It suddenly hit me then – I wonder what happened to them? I just knew in that moment that I needed to research her family more.

“Philip Krawitz connected me with Yad Vashem and I was amazed to find out how many relatives I had that I didn’t know about and those who died in the Holocaust. Three months ago, in New York I met cousins for the first time – our grandmothers were sisters.

“I also have a cousin who’s a taxi driver in Santiago, Chile.”

Zille’s parents never spoke of their past – if they did, it was in a “matter of fact way like Ella. It gives me a much deeper understanding of my parents’ absolute opposition to prejudice from my earliest days,” she said.

Bagraim marvelled at Zille’s “ability to talk truth to power” which he witnessed while accompanying her on a visit to Germany to receive a prestigious award for promoting democracy.

There she told the leaders of political and civil society how her family had been heavily discriminated against by the Nazis and that it was her mother’s early memories that had driven Zille to pursue democracy.

“Were you not worried about not endearing yourself to them?” Bagraim asked.

“Endearing myself to people has never been a particular aim of mine,” Zille responded. “You can’t be in politics if you want to endear yourself to people.”

Bagraim asked where she found time for family and recreation in her “24-hour” days.

“Not many people would have been able to be married to me,” she replied. “I just happened to have stumbled on the one who would. He’s been very supportive of me – but far too lenient on the kids! We’ve got a really good understanding; we share a sense of values.”

Responding to Bagraim’s comment on the “superb work” that the DA has done in court cases over the last few years, Zille said there had been many “incredible heroes, a lot of them unrecognised – one of them was (late lawyer and community leader) Mervyn Smith.

“In his unbelievably meticulous way, whatever the cause, he prepared the best possible legal case. He set us on course for winning these incredible cases.”

On the DA’s decision to challenge the National Director of Public Prosecutions’ withdrawing of corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma, Zille said: “I had to convince the party, but Mervyn Smith supported me all the way.

“(Advocate) Sean Rosenberg (SC) is another hero. It’s been extraordinary to have them both.”

Stating that former DA leader Tony Leon was “very cross with me about my book”, she said: “I think there’s absolutely nothing to be cross about. I talk about our complex and difficult relationship. I think I reflect his side of the argument fairly.”