An Afrikaner History For All Times? Hermann Giliomee's The Afrikaners: Biography of a People

Abstract

1 H. Giliomee, The Afrikaners: Biography of a People (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 2003). 2 Johannesburg: Voortrekkerpers/Perskor, 1967-1984. These volumes cover Afrikaner history from 1652 to 1948. Scholtz, a widely-read and prolific writer, has a broad focus on the topic and also takes cognizance of world events. Although not uncritical of the Afrikaner's shortcomings, he strongly identifies with Afrikaner nationalism and shows considerable bias towards leftist ideologies and certain personalities, including Generals Botha and Smuts. The work is based on primary and secondary research, but Scholtz's sources are limited in variety and balance compared with those of Giliomee's Afr/kaners. Other attempts to write and encompass Afrikaner history include J. Fisher's The Afr/kaners (London: Cassell, 1969), and S. Patterson's The Last Trek: A Study of the Boer People and the Afrikaner Nation (London: Routledge, 1957). Both are popularly written and contain valuable insights, but cannot be regarded as academic studies. W.A. de Klerk's The Puritans in Africa: A History ofAfrikanerdom (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976) includes interesting comparisons of Afrikaner Calvinism with similar characteristics of European peoples, but is not a comprehensive Afrikaner history. The academic G.H.L. Le May's The Afrikaners: An Historical Interpretation (Oxford: Blackwell, 1995), which is largely a political narrative, is disappointing, with insufficient analysis.