African Broederbond

The leadership of the Broederbond, 1918.
Back (from left to right): Daniel HC du Plessis, J. Combrink, H. le R. Jooste.
Sitting: LJ Erasmus, Henning J. Klopper, Ds W. Nicol, JE Reeler

The Afrikaner Broederbond ( AB or Broederbond for short ) was a nationalist organization of the Afrikaans-speaking population (in contrast to the English-speaking) of European descent in South Africa , which is usually referred to as Boers . The culturally, economically and politically active association was founded as Jong Suid-Afrika in May 1918 and renamed Afrikaner Broederbond as early as 1919 . Between 1921 and 1993 this organization behaved in its self-image as a secret society .

It was founded in the wake of the Second Boer War with the aim of rallying the white Boer population defeated by Great Britain and bringing them to power. With the election victory of the Boer Party, the Nasionale Party , in 1948 , this goal was achieved politically.

The Broederbond was always in a very close relationship with the Nasionale Party (English National Party) and other political organizations of the Boers. It was thus an ideological center for the racist conditions ( apartheid ) in South Africa. In 1993, the goals were changed and the membership opened up to women and non-Buri population groups. In the course of this transformation, the Afrikaner Broederbond was renamed and has been called Afrikanerbond ever since .

Chairperson

to

• 1918–1924: Henning Johannes Klopper
• 1924-1925: William Nicol
• 1925–1928: Johan Hendrik Greijbe
• 1928–1930: JW Potgieter
• 1930–1932: Lodewicus Johannes du Plessis (also: Wikus du Plessis)
• 1932–1938: Johannes Cornelis van Rooy
• 1938–1942: Nicolaas Diederichs
• 1942–1952: Johannes Cornelis van Rooy
• 1952–1960: Hendrik Bernardus Thom (university professor, rector, chancellor at the University of Stellenbosch )
• 1960–1972: Pieter Johannes Meyer
• 1972–1974: Andries Petrus Treurnicht
• 1974–1980: Gerrit Viljoen (1985–1988 Minister of Co-operation and Development )
• 1980-1983: Carel Boshoff
• 1983–1993: Pieter de Lange , former rector of the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit

reception

• In Henning Mankell's novel The White Lioness , members of the Broederbond are the masterminds behind a fictitious planned assassination attempt on Nelson Mandela .
• The "Afrikaanse Broederbond" plays an important role in episodes 10-12 (second season, fifth episode) of the television series The Invisible Visor .

Web links

• Entry Afrikaner-Broederbond (AB) , on www.nelsonmandela.org (English)
• Entry Afrikaner Broederbond. What was the Afrikaner Broederbond . on www.africanhistory.about.com (English)
• Entry Afrikaner Broederbond, on www.sahistory.org.za (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Padraig O'Malley, Nelson Mandela Foundation : Afrikaner-Broederbond (AB) . on www.omalley.nelsonmandela.org (English)
2. ↑ biographical note