Faculty of Humanities
School of Social Sciences
Department of Historical and Heritage Studies
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Dr Jackie Grobler of the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies wrote this book over a period of approximately three years. His primary aim was to determine and explain how the Boer community experienced the totality of the Anglo Boer War as it unfolded. No other publication on the war has had this objective as its primary aim.
The way in which the content of the book is presented is also unique. It takes the form of a fictitious newspaper, The War Reporter, that appeared on a weekly (and later a monthly) basis as the war progressed. The paper contains 'articles' on war events such as campaigns and battles, political intrigues, prisoners of war, concentration camps, commando life, treason and executions, as well as the bitter fate of uprooted civilians. The most important sources used by Dr Grobler were the diaries and memoires of people who participated in the war, as well as the actual newspapers of the time.
The fictitious newspaper was originally published in Afrikaans in the daily newspaper Beeld under the title of Oorlog-Beeld between 1999 and 2002. However, because of the larger potential market, the publisher decided to publish the book in English and Dr Grobler did the translation himself.
Hierdie boek is oor 'n tydperk van sowat drie jaar geskryf deur dr Jackie Grobler, Departement Historiese en Erfenisstudies. Die primêre doelwit was om vas te stel en uiteen te sit hoe die Boeregemeenskap die totaliteit van die Anglo-Boereoorlog beleef het soos wat dit verloop het. Sover bekend is daar geen ander publikasie oor die oorlog waarin hierdie doelstelling primêr is nie.
Die aanbiedingswyse in die boek is eweneens uniek. Dit is in die vorm van ‘n fiktiewe koerant wat weekliks (en later maandeliks) verskyn het soos die oorlog gevorder het. Dit bevat dan 'berigte' oor oorlogsgebeure, waaronder veldtogte en veldslae, politieke intriges, krygsgevangenes, konsentrasiekampe, kommandolewe, verraad en teregstellings en die bitter lot van ontwrigte burgerlikes. Die vernaamste bronne wat gebruik is, was die dagboeke en herinneringskrifte van deelnemers aan die oorlog asook werklike destydse koerante.
Die fiktiewe koerante is oorspronklik in 1999 tot 2002 in Afrikaans in die dagblad Beeld gepubliseer onder die titel Oorlog-Beeld. Die uitgewer het besluit om dit ter wille van ‘n groter potensiële mark eerder in Engels uit te gee en dr Grobler het dit self vertaal.
Contact person: Dr JEH Grobler.
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