Abraham Fischer | |
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 Abraham Fischer in 1900 | |
| 1stPrime Minister of the Orange River Colony | |
| In office 27 November 1907 – 31 May 1910 | |
| Monarchs | Edward VII George V |
| Governor | Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams |
| Preceded by | Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams AsGovernor of the Orange River Colony |
| Succeeded by | Louis Botha AsPrime Minister of South Africa |
| 2ndMinister of the Interior of South Africa | |
| In office 1912 – 6 October 1913 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Governor-General | The Viscount Gladstone |
| Prime Minister | Louis Botha |
| Preceded by | Jan Christiaan Smuts |
| Succeeded by | Hendrik Schalk Theron |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Abraham Fischer (1850-09-04)4 September 1850 |
| Died | 16 November 1913(1913-11-16) (aged 63) |
| Resting place | Woltemade Cemetery,Cape Town |
| Political party | Orangia Unie |
| Other political affiliations | South African Party |
| Spouse | Ada Robertson[1] |
| Children | Harry Fischer,Percy Fischer[2] |
| Profession | Attorney, Politician |
Abraham Fischer (9 April 1850 – 16 November 1913)[3] was a South African statesman. He was the solePrime Minister of theOrange River Colony in South Africa,[4] and when that ceased to exist joined the cabinet of the newly formedUnion of South Africa.[5]
Fischer was born on 9 April 1850 inGreen Point, Cape Town[6] in to Johannes Jacobus George Fischer, formerly of theDutch East India Company, and Catherina Anna Margertha Brink.[7][8]
He was educated at theSouth African College, and became a lawyer inCape Colony, joining the bar in 1875.[9] In 1873 he married Ana Robertson (1851-1927), the daughter of Scottish immigrants to the Free State.[1] He became interested in the politics of theOrange Free State, and in 1878 became a member of the Orange Free State'sVolksraad.[9] He became vice-president of the Volksraad in 1893, a member of the executive council in 1896, and took part in many colonial and interstate conferences.[9] He headed a joint deputation fromTransvaal and Orange Free State to Europe and America during theBoer War[10] to solicit support for the Boers, returning in 1903 to practice law in the newly formed Orange River Colony.[9]
Continuing to promote the Boer cause, he helped form theOrangia Unie party in May 1906 and became its chairman; the party won the majority of seats in the colony's first elections that were held in November 1907.[9] On 27 November, he was chosen as Prime Minister, and stayed in that position until it ceased to exist with the union of 31 May 1910.[9] He then joined the cabinet of theUnion of South Africa as Minister of Lands. He was madePrivy Councillor in 1911 and became Minister of the Interior and Lands in 1912.[10][9]
He was the father ofPercy Fischer, a Judge President of theOrange Free State.[9] He was the grandfather ofBram Fischer, a notedanti-apartheid activist.[9]
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 Gravestone of Abraham and his wife Ada in Woltemade Cemetery, Cape Town. |
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