Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs (17 November 1903,

Ladybrand Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipality. Founded in 1867 following th ...

– 21 August 1978) served as the third state president of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.

Education and career

After completing school, he attended Grey University College between 1921 and 1925 where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Dutch & Ethics) and Master of Arts (Philosophy). As an economist, he educated himself overseas at universities in Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Leiden, obtaining a doctorate from the

University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Le ...

and a D.Litt degree. Resuming a career in South Africa, he became a lecturer and later a professor at the University of the Orange Free State, in Political Science and Philosophy. During the 1930s and 1940s he became a prominent figure in Afrikaner nationalist circles. He founded the ''Reddingsdaadbond'' organisation to promote the economic wellbeing of Afrikaners.

Political career

Diederichs was a National Party member of Parliament from 1953 to 1975. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1958 to 1967, as Minister of Mines from 1961 to 1964, and as Minister of Finance from 1967 to 1975. In the latter capacity he became known as "Mr Gold". He served as the first chancellor of the

Rand Afrikaans University The Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) was a prominent South African institution of higher education and research that served the greater Johannesburg area and surroundings from 1967 to 2004. It has since merged with the Technikon Witwatersrand ...

and ceremonial State President of South Africa from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town.

Honours

Diederichs was honoured with medals from various countries. he was awarded a gold medal from the City of Paris (1971), made a Knight of the Greater Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...

in 1973 and an Order of Merit from Paraguay in 1974. He was awarded honoury doctoral degrees from the Universities of the Orange Free State and Stellenbosch.

Depiction on coins

He is depicted on the obverses of the 1979

coins of the South African rand The coins of the South African rand are part of the physical form of South Africa's currency, the South African rand. 1961–1964 The rand was introduced in the then Union of South Africa on 14 February 1961, shortly before the establish ...

from 1/2 Cent to 1 Rand, which was struck as a memorial commemorative series.

Publications by Nicolaas Diederichs (selection)

* Nicolaas Diederichs: ''Vom Leiden und Dulden''. Bonn, 1930. (Dissertation Leiden University) * N. Diederichs: ''Die Volkebond, sy ontstaan, samestelling en werksaamhede''. Pretoria, 1933 * N. Diederichs: ''Nasionalisme as lewensbeskouing en sy verhouding tot internasionalisme''. Bloemfontein, 1936

References

;Specific ;Bibliography * Eric Rosenthal (ed.): ''Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa''. Juta and Company Limited, Kaapstad en Johannesburg, 1978.

External links

Website South African History about Nicolaas Diederichs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diederichs, Nicolaas Johannes 1903 births 1978 deaths People from Ladybrand Afrikaner people Afrikaner nationalists South African people of German descent National Party (South Africa) politicians State Presidents of South Africa Finance ministers of South Africa Members of the House of Assembly (South Africa) Leiden University alumni