Schalk Willem Burger (6 September 1852 – 5 December 1918) was a South African military leader, lawyer, politician, and statesman who was acting

president of the South African Republic This is a list of State Presidents of the South African Republic (Before 1866 nl, President van de Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and after 1866 nl, Staatspresident der Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek). The country was referred as the ''Transvaal R ...

from 1900 to 1902, whilst

Paul Kruger Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (; 10 October 1825 – 14 July 1904) was a South African politician. He was one of the dominant political and military figures in 19th-century South Africa, and President of the South African Republic (or ...

was in exile.Nathan, Manfred (1937). ''The Voortrekkers of South Africa: From the Earliest Times to the Foundation of the Republics''. Gordon and Gotch, ltd. At the age of 21, Burger worked as a clerk in the office of the field coronet. He married his wife, Alida Claudina de Villiers during this time.

Military service

He served in a number of military conflicts such as the

Sekhukhune Sekhukhune I (Matsebe; circa 1814 – 13 August 1882) was the paramount King of the Marota, more commonly known as the Bapedi, from 21 September 1861 until his assassination on 13 August 1882 by his rival and half-brother, Mampuru II. As the Ped ...

Wars of 1876, and later during the

First Boer War The First Boer War ( af, Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, literally "First Freedom War"), 1880–1881, also known as the First Anglo–Boer War, the Transvaal War or the Transvaal Rebellion, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 betwee ...

of 1881, he served as acting

field cornet A field cornet () is a term formerly used in South Africa for either a local government official or a military officer. The office had its origins in the position of ''veldwachtmeester'' in the Dutch Cape colony, and was regarded as being equiv ...

. He was elected as commandant of the Lydenburg Commando in 1885. When the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

started, he served as commandant-general in a number of military conflicts, including the

battle of Spion Kop The Battle of Spioen Kop ( nl, Slag bij Spionkop; af, Slag van Spioenkop) was a military engagement between British forces and two Boer Republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, during the campaign by the British to r ...

and battle of Modder River on 30 October 1899. Burger was criticized for his lack of military prowess during the siege of Ladysmith as well as when the Boer forces withdrew from Spionkop. Afterwards, Burger focused more on his role in government.

Political career

As a politician, he was described as "enlightened and shrewd" and it was reported that he rivaled Paul Kruger in his influence over his countrymen. After the battle of Spion Kop, due to illness, he withdrew from the fighting and pursued his political career once more. He was elected to the

Volksraad The Volksraad was a people's assembly or legislature in Dutch or Afrikaans speaking government. Assembly South Africa *Volksraad (South African Republic) (1840–1902) *Volksraad (Natalia Republic), a similar assembly that existed in the Natalia Re ...

in 1887, later serving as chairman. In March 1900, following the death of

Piet Joubert Petrus Jacobus Joubert (20 January 1831 – 28 March 1900), better known as Piet Joubert, was Commandant-General of the South African Republic from 1880 to 1900. He also served as Vice-President to Paul Kruger from 1881 - 1883. He served in Fir ...

, he was elected

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

under President

. In September 1900, he succeeded Kruger as state president, after Kruger had left for Europe. During the military tribunal in May 1901, he advocated a cessation of hostilities, but his proposal was strongly opposed by President

Marthinus Theunis Steyn Martinus (or Marthinus) Theunis Steyn (; 2 October 1857 – 28 November 1916) was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman. He was the sixth and last president of the independent republic the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902. Ear ...

of the

Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...

. Burger remained president until the

Treaty of Vereeniging The Treaty of Vereeniging was a peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the Second Boer War between the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the United Kingdom on the other. This settlement provided f ...

on 31 May 1902. Following the end of the war, Burger visited Europe, including

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

. In 1905, Burger became a founding a member of the Het Volk Party and secured an uncontested seat on the Legislative Council. Burger was a delegate of the Transvaal to the National Convention in 1908 which lead to the forming of the Union of South Africa in 1910. After the Union of South Africa was established, Burger became a member of the South African Party under General Louis Botha and rose to Chairman of the Transvaal branch of the South African Party. In 1911, Burger became a member of the Transvaal Executive Committee and following his election to the Senate in 1913, Burger continued to serve as a senator until his death on 5 December 1918. In

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...

, in the Afrikaanderwijk, the Schalk Burgerstraat was named after him. He died in 1918 at Goedgedacht, near

Krugerspos Krugerspos is a hamlet 25 km north-east of Lydenburg and 25 km south-west of Ohrigstad Ohrigstad (Afrikaans for ''Ohrig city''), formerly Andries Orieg Stad, is a small town to the north of Lydenburg in the Limpopo province, South Afri ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burger, Schalk Willem 1852 births 1918 deaths Afrikaner people People from Lydenburg People of the Second Boer War Presidents of the South African Republic South African military personnel South African people of Dutch descent South African people of German descent South African Republic generals South African Republic military personnel of the Second Boer War South African Republic politicians Vice presidents of the South African Republic