Hendrik Verwoerd

Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (September 8th 1901 - September 6th 1966) was a Politician afrikaner of South Africa, member of the national Parti and Prime Minister South Africa of 1958 with 1966.

Hendrik Verwoerd is often described as “great architect of the Apartheid”. He is also the founder of the Republic of South Africa.

Afrikaner of adoption

Hendrik Verwoerd (pronounce Iron-Vourt) was born in Ouderkerk on Amstel, close to Amsterdam to the Netherlands the September 8th 1901, wire junior by Anje Strik and Wilhelmus Johannes Verwoerd, Pasteur of the Dutch reformed church. His/her parents, sympathizers of the cause of the Boer S, emigrated in South Africa in 1903 whereas it was only 2 years old.

After 10 last years with the Cape where Hendrik Verwoerd is provided education for at the school Luthérien, the Verwoerd family moves in 1913 with Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia where Wilhelmus Verwoerd is named Pasteur of the reformed church of the city. Hendrik Verwoerd is then provided education for with the college of Milton where it obtains a purse which it must refuse when his/her parents decide in 1917 to return to South Africa and to be established in Brandtfort, in the free State of Orange.

The young person Hendrik Verwoerd is then impregnated resentment of Afrikaners against the Britannique S following the Guerre of Boers. Provided education for with the college of Wynberg, it is classified first with the examination of Matric (equivalent of the Vat) on the level of the province and is classified fourth on the level of the Union of South Africa.

In 1919, it continues higher learning in Théologie, Psychologie and Philosophie with the Université of Stellenbosch. Member of the council of the students of which he will be elected president, he is graduate in 1924 of a Doctorat with mention in philosophy and psychology. Allocatee of two fellowships, it gives up that of the Université of Oxford by Nationalisme anglophobe and the second, more modest prefers to him, in Germany.

In 1925, it unloads in Germany and continues its course in the German universities are of Hamburg, Leipzig and Berlin. In Hamburg, he marries Betsie Schoeman, a young coed met in 1922 with Stellenbosch, then carries out a round of the European countries before finishing his research with the the United States. It is at that time that it follows work of the German Anthropologue Eugen Fischer which promotes the separate development of the races.

In 1927, old 26 years, it returns to the university of Stellenbosch to teach the Psychologie then sociology.

During the great depression of the beginning of the year thirty, it is implied in several social activities of assistance to the white poor what leads it to enter actively in policy by the line of the political chessboard.

In 1937, he becomes the leader-writer of the newspaper in Afrikaans " Die Transvaaler" and to the national Parti of Daniel François Malan adheres.

In its leading articles of Transvaaler, Verwoerd affirms like burning a republican, anti Impérialiste and a Nationaliste without nuance, favorable to the Racial segregation and defying in the policy of integration of the Plain Parti. He is opposed then to important the Immigration in the course of the Juif S of Europe in South Africa which he perceives like a Trojan horse intended to reduce the preponderance Afrikaner within the white population and like an economic threat against the wages of Afrikaners.

In 1938, it publishes a poster condemning the mixed marriages between white and blacks.

In 1939, Verwoerd gives an opinion against the entry in war of South Africa at the sides of the allies

During the Second world war, the " Star" , anglophone and liberal newspaper of Johannesburg shows the " Transvaaler" of sympathy pro Nazi. Verwoerd attacked the Star in front of the courts for slandering but was débouté.

In 1947, its aversion against the British crown is such as in its leading article of the " Transvaaler" , he is unaware of the visit in the course of the royal family in South Africa, speaking " just; congestions caused by the visit of personalities étrangères" (" congestion caused by nap visitors from overseas").

Recognized like one of the most brilliant ideologists, Verwoerd is then candidate at the Parliament in 1948 and is elected with the Senate whereas its party gained the elections. It left its function of leader-writer of the " Transvaaler".

The great architect of apartheid (1948-1958)

In 1950, the Prime Minister Daniel Malan appoints it Minister for the tribal businesses to set up the complex legislation of the Apartheid that Verwoerd defined as a system of good neighborhood. It is a question for him of ensuring the perenniality of the cultural and political domination of the white based on a demography mainly white and afrikaner.

Theorist then expert of apartheid, Verwoerd will set up the system of the Bantoustan S intended in a more or less remote future to allow the blacks to reach self-determination then independence the center or the side of “white” South Africa. He speaks then about " nations séparées" , each one evolving/moving at its rate/rhythm. Accordingly, Verwoerd endeavors to cancel the residual rights to vote whose blacks profited with the mongrels in the Cape Province.

Its will to give their independence to African in separate states meets a very favorable echo within the white community but the hostility at the blacks which feel despoiled. It meets the same hostility apart from the country and is unable to include/understand it, persistent to justify each measurement taken within the framework of apartheid and to claim that the afrikaners want only the order and safety, each one at home. In load of African education, Verwoerd also imposes a teaching which he considers adapted to the lifestyle and the traditional economy of African. Impregnated biblical precepts, African is for Verwoerd only " cutter and water carriers of bois". In fact, the Africans will know an education with the reduction whereas a numerus clausus limit the number of African in the universities.

It is under its ministry into 1955 that: 80000 Africans are then expelled of the districts of Sophiatown, Martindale and Newclare towards new the Township of Soweto, pure creation of the laws of apartheid.

Maintained minister under the government of Johannes Strijdom, Verwoerd succeeded to him the September 2nd 1958.

The Prime Minister (1958-1966)

In answer to criticisms foreign on apartheid, it tries to redefine the concept while speaking about separate development and cynically starts to deteriorate the traditional justifications of the policy of apartheid based either on the race and the " baasskap" (paternalist domination) but on the citizenship. For him, the blacks can take part in the electoral process and elect their representatives. Only, they cannot make it that if they are citizens and affiliated either with such nation or particular tribe. However, in South Africa (and even more since the installation of the policy of apartheid), the blacks are listed like pertaining to such ethnos group, nation or tribe. In addition, some are henceforth citizens of Bantustans. By granting autonomy to the Transkei in 1960, Verwoerd polishes its policy enabling him to declare that " the tribal nations of South Africa, alive within the country, will have all of the equal political rights within their homelands" , initiating a kind of decolonization internal in South Africa and allowing the White, and Afrikaners in particular, to maintain their domination political on the remainder of the territory.

The February 3rd 1960, the Prime Minister Britannique Harold Macmillan in official visit in the Cape caused the consternation of the nationalists at the time of a speech in front of the members of Parliament. In connection with the Decolonization in progress on the African continent, Macmillan spoke about " wind of the changement" (" winds off changes) to which the South-African government could not remain deaf and blind. While implicitly inviting to reform and repeal the segregationist institutions, Macmillan was going to cause a process which was going to make it possible Verwoerd to concretize the republican aspirations of Afrikaners.

Verwoerd benefitted from this speech to plead the end of any allegiance in the United Kingdom and by bais of a Référendum, to call some with the introduction of the republic. To this end and to widen the electorate afrikaner, it lowered the 21 years right to vote to 18 years and granted to the white residents South-western African the right to come to a conclusion about the question.

Shortly after the Massacre of Sharpeville the March 21st 1960, the police and legislative arsenal of the mode hardens. At this point in time ANC and the Congrès African Side are prohibited by its government.

The April 16th 1960, Verwoerd was wounded by firearm by David Pratt, one unbalanced, at the time of the opening of the Rand Easter Show in Milner Park of Johannesburg. This attack reinforced the dash of sympathy of the White towards Verwoerd.

The October 5th 1960, the question is " Does C you support have republic for the Union? ". It is a majority of 52% of the voices which answers by the affirmative and for the republic.

With the conference of the countries of the the Commonwealth to London, Verwoerd, initially proposed to maintain South Africa within the organization as a République. But it met the hostility of the India, the new decolonized countries and John Diefenbaker, Prime Minister for the Canada. The March 15th 1961, Verwoerd announced that its country cancelled its adhesion in the Commonwealth.

The May 31st 1961, day of the birthday of the signature of the Treated of Vereeniging marking the end of the war of Boers, the République of South Africa is proclaimed and cancelled adhesion with the the Commonwealth (it will be restored in 1994).

In 1963, it opens its government with the non-afrikaners by recruiting two english-speaking in his government (first since 1948).

In 1964, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu are condemned to the life imprisonment.

At the time of the elections of March 30th, 1966, the National Party obtains 58% of the votes. Verwoerd appears to have succeeded in building a plain white community behind its program whereas the blacks can obviously see in him only the father of apartheid.

The September 6th 1966, Hendrik Verwoerd is stabbed with died in full Parliament by Dimitri Tsafendas. Dimitri Tsafendas, of Portuguese and Mozambican origin, escaped the Capital punishment because of his mental state. He is condemned to perpetuity and will die in psychiatric hospital in 1999. On this occasion, the declaration of the Prime Minister rhodésien, Ian Smith, showed the great incomprehension of the White towards the Blacks in this part of the world: " has those which knew it personally, and I belong to those which had this privilege, his deep sincerity in all that he undertook, its elegance and its kindness towards everyone, its defense of the Christian values, and its wise councils in times of peace and in the adversity will be largely regretted ". (" To those who knew him personally, and I count myself ace one off those who had this privilege, his deep sincerity in everything He undertook, his gentleness and his kindness towards all people, his championing off civilized and Christian ideals, and his wise counsels in times off peace and adversity will Be greatly missed ").

John Vorster, Minister for justice, succeeded Hendrik Verwoerd then and will inflect the doctrines of apartheid.

Until 2005, the parliamentary bench where Verwoerd at the time of its assassination had sat preserved the tasks of its blood. It was cleaned, officially, by inadvertency.

The heritage of Hendrik Verwoerd

Today, the period 1950-1966 when Verwoerd took part in the government is regarded as the golden age of apartheid.

Its name was venerated during the years which followed its death and was given to a city, Verwoerdburg and with multiple public places (airport, stoppings, avenues, buildings).

With the beginning of the year 1990, its name started to be synonymous with infamy.

Little time after the first multiracial elections, the white city of Verwoerdburg, close to Pretoria, renames Centurion whereas the stopping which carried its patronym takes the name of the river which it borders (Gariep). Its statue before the Parliament of Bloemfontein is unbolted whereas its portraits are withdrawn from the Parliament with those of the former Prime Ministers and presidents.

The building Hendrik Verwoerd of the university of Stellenbosh is débaptisé just like the hospital HF Verwoerd of Pretoria which becomes Pretoria Academic Hospital and the airport Hendrik Verwoerd de Port Elizabeth which takes the name of the city. However, these name changes are limited and in 2006, of many arteries of cities to be started with those of the Cape, of Johannesburg or Centurion continue to carry the patronym of the former Prime Minister and architect of apartheid. And it is only in March 2006 that the University of Free State made the decision of débaptiser the residence hall which carried the patronym of Verwoerd.

His wife, Betsie Verwoerd, continued to support the work of her husband and joined the Conservative party since 1982 then was established in the embryo of Volkstaat of Orania to the beginning of the year 1990.

In 1995, Nelson Mandela, first black President of South Africa, will come to visit him and take the with it.

Betsie Verwoerd died with the beginning of the year 2000, old of more than 100 years whereas his/her son-in-law, Carel Boshoff, manages the destiny of the community of Orania.

Wilhelm Verwoerd, one of its small sons, joined the ANC in the years 1980 and his Melanie wife elected was appointed of this party in 1994, re-elected in 1999, breaking the bonds with most of her family. She became then Ambassadeur of South Africa in Ireland.

In 2004, according to the probed South-Africans, Hendrik Verwoerd deserved the 19th place on the list of the 100 larger South-Africans thus preceding by the famous combatants against apartheid like Chris Hani, Oliver Tambo or Walter Sisulu.

External bond

Biography of SAhistory.org
Biography

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