Paul Kruger 1


Paul Kruger (Stephanus Johannes Paulus) was the last President of the South African Republic and regarded by many as the greatest figure produced by Afrikanerdom. He came from a family of German immigrants. Born in the Eastern Cape in 1825, it is believed that he was born on the farm Bulhoek near Steynsberg, but later research suggests that this could be wrong and that he was, in fact, born on the farm Zoutpansdrift near Venterstad. The young Paul spent the first 10 years of his life looking after his Father’s stock and reading the bible.

In 1836 his family joined the Great Trek. They eventually settled in the Transvaal, and at the age of 16, Paul was given his own farm near Rustenburg. He married Maria du Plessis at 17 and moved with his family to the Eastern Transvaal. They returned to Rustenburg later, where his wife and young son died. Later he married for the second time, and his wife Gezina du Plessis produced 7 daughters and nine sons, many of whom died in infancy.

Paul Kruger participated in several native wars and was renowned for his bravery and his leadership qualities. He became recognised and was made Commandant General of the South African Republic.  In 1873 he resigned his post and retired for a time to his farm. In 1874 he was elected to the Transvaal Executive Council and soon afterwards became the Vice President.

In 1877 following the annexation of the Transvaal by Britain, Kruger became leader of the resistance movement against the British. In that same year, he led a deputation to Britain and again in 1878. After the First Boer War outbreak, Kruger played an important role in negotiating with the British, resulting in the restoration of Transvaal independence. At the age of 55, Paul Kruger was elected President of the Transvaal Republic.

After the Second Boer War outbreak in 1889, Kruger attended the last session of the Volksraad. With the advance of Lord Roberts and his army on Pretoria, Kruger remained underground for some time before arriving in Mozambique to board a warship sent by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Unfortunately, he had to leave his wife behind as she was ill at the time. They were never reunited, and she died in 1901.

Paul Kruger then travelled through Europe to Holland, and he remained there until the war ended. After receiving the news that the Vereeniging treaty had been signed, he moved to Switzerland, where he died on the 14th July 1904. He was buried in The Hague, Netherlands, after the embalming of his body. Permission was sought from the British Government to bring his body to South Africa for reburial. After permission was received, a second burial took place on the 16th December 1904 at the Church Street Cemetery, Pretoria, in the Heroes acre section.

A statue of Paul Kruger was erected in Church Square in Pretoria. He left behind quite a legacy, and the Krugerrand coin is named after him, and his face appears on it.  The Kruger National Park is also named after him.

Paul Kruger
Paul Kruger

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