Ernest Oppenheimer
Encyclopedia
Sir Ernest Oppenheimer was a diamond
and gold
mining entrepreneur, financier
and philanthropist
, who controlled De Beers and founded the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa
.
, Germany, the son of Edward Oppenheimer, a cigar
merchant. Oppenheimer began his working life at 17, when he entered Dunkelsbuhler & Company, a diamond brokerage in London
. His efforts impressed his employer and in 1902, at the age of 22, he was sent to South Africa to represent the company as a buyer in Kimberley
, where he eventually rose to the position of mayor.
In 1927, he managed to wrest control of Cecil Rhodes' De Beers
empire, building and consolidating the company's global monopoly over the world's diamond industry until his retirement. During this time, he was involved in a number of controversies, including price fixing, antitrust
behaviour and an allegation of not releasing industrial diamonds for the US war effort during World War II
.
He died in Johannesburg
in 1957. He was born into a Jewish family, but as an adult converted to Christianity
and was buried at St George's Church, Parktown. He was succeeded in the business by his son Harry Oppenheimer
. Oppenheimer's brother, Sir Bernard Oppenheimer
, was also heavily involved in the diamond industry.
In 1964, the Oppenheimer Diamond
was named in his honour by its owner, Harry Winston
, who donated the stone (not a gem
as it remains uncut and unpolished) to the Smithsonian Institution
as a memorial.
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
and gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
mining entrepreneur, financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, who controlled De Beers and founded the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Career
He was born in FriedbergFriedberg, Hesse
Friedberg is a town and the capital of the Wetteraukreis district, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 26 kilometers north of Frankfurt am Main.-Division of the town:The town consists of 7 districts:* Bruchenbrücken...
, Germany, the son of Edward Oppenheimer, a cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
merchant. Oppenheimer began his working life at 17, when he entered Dunkelsbuhler & Company, a diamond brokerage in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His efforts impressed his employer and in 1902, at the age of 22, he was sent to South Africa to represent the company as a buyer in Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, where he eventually rose to the position of mayor.
In 1927, he managed to wrest control of Cecil Rhodes' De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
empire, building and consolidating the company's global monopoly over the world's diamond industry until his retirement. During this time, he was involved in a number of controversies, including price fixing, antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
behaviour and an allegation of not releasing industrial diamonds for the US war effort during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He died in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in 1957. He was born into a Jewish family, but as an adult converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and was buried at St George's Church, Parktown. He was succeeded in the business by his son Harry Oppenheimer
Harry Oppenheimer
Harry Frederick Oppenheimer was a prominent South African businessman and one of the world's richest men...
. Oppenheimer's brother, Sir Bernard Oppenheimer
Bernard Oppenheimer
Sir Bernard Oppenheimer, 1st Baronet was a South African-British diamond merchant and philanthropist.Oppenheimer was chairman of Pniel's Ltd, the New Vaal River Diamond & Exploration Company, and Blaauwbosch Diamonds Ltd, and managing director of Lewis & Marks Ltd of Holborn...
, was also heavily involved in the diamond industry.
In 1964, the Oppenheimer Diamond
Oppenheimer Diamond
The Oppenheimer Diamond, a nearly perfectly-formed 253.7 carat yellow diamond crystal, is one of the largest uncut diamonds in the world. It measures approximately 20 × 20 millimeters. It was discovered in the Dutoitspan Mine, Kimberley, South Africa, in 1964...
was named in his honour by its owner, Harry Winston
Harry Winston
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:...
, who donated the stone (not a gem
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
as it remains uncut and unpolished) to the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
as a memorial.
External links
- Sir Ernest Oppenheimer @ South African History Online
- History of Sir Ernest beginnings @ De Beers
- Biography Ernest Oppenheimer online version Gregory, Ernest Oppenheimer and the Economic Development of South Africa, Cape Town University Press, New York, 1965