Johan Hendrik Breytenbach (1917 – 3 January 1994) was the official

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

n state

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

for the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

. Book review. Book review. He was employed by the National Archives in

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

and studied the Second Boer War since 1940. In 1959 the Minister of Education, Arts and Science appointed Breytenbach state historian for the Second Boer War, supervised by the Department of History of the

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria (, ) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and ''de facto'' capital of South Africa. The university was established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johan ...

. When Breytenbach died in 1994, he had published five volumes of his ''Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902'' (in

Afrikaans Afrikaans is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language spoken in South Africa, Namibia and to a lesser extent Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Argentina where there is a group in Sarmiento, Chubut, Sarmiento that speaks the Pat ...

, translated title: The History of the Second War of Independence in South Africa, 1899–1902) between 1969 and 1983, with two further volumes at the planning stage. Using Breytenbach's notes, the State Archives finalised and published Volume 6 posthumously in 1996, concluding with a treatment of the Battle of Bergendal (21-27 August 1900). Apart from this major work Breytenbach published many books and articles on South African history.

Quotes

Breytenbach on the reason to undertake ''Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902'': Breytenbach justified Boer general Piet Cronjé's controversial surrender to the British at the

Battle of Paardeberg The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg ("Horse Mountain", 18–27 February 1900) was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near ''Paardeberg Ford (crossing), Drift'' on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free St ...

on 27 February 1900:

Publications

Breytenbach's publications, all in Afrikaans, include: * 1940: ''Andries François du Toit, sy Aandel in die Transvaalse Geskiedenis'', Proefskrif Pretoria : Unisa, 1940. In 1942 in Series: Argiefjaarboek vir Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis. * 1940: ''Gedenkalbum van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog'', Editor. Kaapstad, Nasionale Pers, 1940. * 1943: with Beyers, Coenraad; Venter, P. J.; Franken, J. L. M.; Thom, H. B.; Botha, C. Graham: ''Argief-jaarboek vir Suid-Afrikaanse Geskiedenis/ Archives Year Book for South African History (Sixth Year)'', Authority of the Minister of the Interior, 1943. * 1948-1949: ** 1948: ''Die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog I. Voorspel tot die stryd'', Nasionale Pers Beperk, Kaapstad, 1948. ** 1949: ''Die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog II: Ontplooiing van die Boere-offensief Oktober 1899'', Nasionale Pers Beperk, Kaapstad, 1949. * 1949: ''Die betekenis van die tweede Vryheidsoorlog; vyftig jaar: 11 Okt. 1899 -- 11 Okt. 1949'', Johannesburg: F.A.K., 1949. Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge. Derde Uitgawe 2002, with A. E. Breytenbach: Die Volkskomitee vir die Herdenking van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, 2002. . * 1949-1956: with Pretorius, H. S., and Joubert, D. C.: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Argiefstukke; Notule Van Die Volksraad van die Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek (volledig met alle bylae daarby)''. Dl. I (1949): 1844-1850, dl. II (1950): 1850-1853, dl. III, dl. IV (1952): 1859-1863, dl. V (1953): (1864-1866), Dl. VI (1956): 1866-1867. Cape Times Ltd. for the Government Printer, Cape Town. * 1950: ''Kommandant Danie Theron: Baasverkenner van die Tweede Vrijheidsoorlog'', Kaapstad: Nasionale Boekhandel Beperk, 1950. * 1952-1953, with van der Vyver, W.B.: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Argiefstukke; Oranje-Vrystaat No. 1 : Notule van die Volksraad van die Oranje-Vrystaat. Deel 1 (1854 - 1855)'', ''South African archival records. Orange Free State'', two volumes, Government Printer, Parow, Cape. * 1954: ''Die Geskiedenis van die Krugerstandbeeld'', Pretoria : Die Krugergenootskap, 1954. Nasionale Kultuurhistoriese en Opelugmuseum, Pretoria, 1979. * 1958: ''Notule van die Natalse Volksraad (volledig met alle bylae daarby)'', Staatsdrukker, Parow 1958-1987. Reeks: Suid-Afrikaanse argiefstukke. Vol. 1: Notule Natalse Volksraad (met bylae) 1838-1845; Vol. 2: Records of the Natal Executive Council 1846-1848; Vol. 3: Records of the Natal Executive Council 1849-1852; Vol. 4: Records of the Natal Executive Council 1853-1856; Vol. 5: Records of the Natal Executive Council 1856-1859; Vol. 6: Records of the Natal government house despatches 1845-1846. * ** ** ** ** ** ** * 1980: with Jan Ploeger: '' Majuba gedenkboek : uitgegee ter herdenking van die Boere se stryd ter verkryging van hul onafhanklikheid 'n eeu gelede'', Roodepoort : Cum Boeke / CUM Books, 1980. / .

References

External links

Scans of Breytenbach: ''Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 18991902''

* Full-text PDF scans for * Full-text PDF scans for * Full-text PDF scans for {{DEFAULTSORT:Breytenbach, Johan Hendrik 1917 births 1994 deaths Afrikaner people People of the Second Boer War South African academics South African historians