Centenary of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners

South Africa, Paarl · 1975-08-14

Official

Click any photo to see it enlarged, and step through the rest.

front

info card_2

Cachet: The cachet shows an illustrated crest bordered by a twisted rope in gold and blue. A banner across the top reads "Verenigde Suid Afrika, ver moedertaal en vaderland" and at its centre sits a red heart bearing the words "Geloof, Hoop, Liefde" alongside a small Bible. Two smaller banners flank the heart, one reading "Kolonie Vrystaat" and the other "Transvaal Natal", representing the four regions the movement hoped to unite. Around the crest a horse, sheep, cow and bunches of grapes and wheat are worked into the border, standing in for farming life in the Cape, while a scroll beneath records "Die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners opgerig 14de Aug 1875".

Info card

DIE GENOOTSKAP VAN REGTE AFRIKANERS (Portrait card): DR. A. PANNEVIS — DS. S. J. DU TOIT — C. P. HOOGENHOUT — D. F. DU TOIT THE GENOOTSKAP VAN REGTE AFRIKANERS On 14 August 1875, a small group of men gathered in the house of Gideon Malherbe in Pastorie Avenue, Paarl. Their aim was to make the Afrikaner aware of the fact that he already possessed his own language, and that it was neither Dutch nor English, but Afrikaans. They were also imbued with a burning desire to translate the Bible into Afrikaans. The Reverend S.J. du Toit put it as follows: "Di Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners het syn ontstaan te danke aan die behoefte an 'n Bybel in di Folkstaal, ooreenkomstig di bevel fan di Here." (The Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners owes its inception to the need for a Bible in the language of the nation, in accordance with the Lord's command.) The motto of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners was: "Om te staan ver ons Taal, Ons Nasie en Ons Land." (To stand up for our language, our nation and our country.) Its desire was to educate the Afrikaner in all spheres and to make him feel proud of being an Afrikaner. One of their best known publications was Di Afrikaanse Patriot in which the editorial staff encouraged readers to write in Afrikaans. "Julle kan nou rym en dig dat dit nie maklik is nie - stuur julle gedigte, kêrels! Stuur mar! En die wat foute maak, dis niks nie, ons sal hom reg help." (You can rhyme and write poetry as much as you like - send your poems, fellows! Send them! And those who make mistakes, never mind, we will set you right.) The founding of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners was one of the most important milestones on the road to national maturity. This was the beginning of a language movement, but was also much more — it was the birth of a national movement. The work of the members of the Genootskap and that of the language crusaders after them was the guarantee for the emergence of a national character. Through this the Afrikaner discovered that he had his own language and national identity. Originally there was opposition and conflict but they pressed on fearlessly. They brought the Afrikaner to awareness and made him conscious of a national existence. Their exertions and struggles were crowned by the full acceptance and acknowledgment of Afrikaans and the Afrikaner nation. Bojo 4161 DIE GENOOTSKAP VAN REGTE AFRIKANERS Op 14 Augustus 1875 vergader 'n groepie manne in die huis van Gideon Malherbe in Pastorielaan, Paarl. Hulle wou die Afrikaner se oë oopmaak vir die feit dat hy reeds 'n eie taal het en dat dit nie Hollands of Engels is nie, maar Afrikaans. Hulle was ook vervul met 'n brandende begeerte om die Bybel in Afrikaans te vertaal. Ds. S.J. du Toit stel dit soos volg: "Di Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners het syn ontstaan te danke aan die behoefte an 'n Bybel in di Folkstaal, ooreenkomstig di bevel fan di Here." Die leuse van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners was: "Om te staan ver ons Taal, Ons Nasie en Ons Land." Hy wou die Afrikaner op alle terreine opvoed en hom laat trots voel om Afrikaner te wees. Een van hulle bekendste publikasies was Di Afrikaanse Patriot waarin die redaksie die lesers aangemoedig het om in Afrikaans te skryf. "Julle kan nou rym en dig dat dit nie maklik is nie - stuur julle gedigte, kêrels! Stuur mar! En die wat foute maak, dis niks nie, ons sal hom reg help." Op die pad na nasionale volwassenheid was die stigting van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners een van die belangrikste mylpale. Dit was die begin van 'n taalbeweging, maar dit was ook veel meer - dit was die begin van 'n volksbeweging. Die werk van die Genootskappers en die taalstryders wat na hulle gekom het, was die waarborg dat 'n eie volkskarakter kon ontwikkel. Die Afrikaner het daardeur ontdek dat hy 'n eie taal het en dat hy ook tot 'n eie volk behoort. Aanvanklik was daar teenkanting en stryd, maar hulle het onbevrees voortgegaan. Hulle het die Afrikaner wakker geskud en hom tot die bewustheid van 'n eie volksbestaan gebring. Hulle inspanning en stryd is beloon deur die volle aanvaarding en erkenning van Afrikaans en die Afrikanervolk.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 14 August 1975 in Paarl, SAPO reference PT 2.7. It marks the centenary of the founding of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, established in 1875 in the Paarl home of Gideon Malherbe by a small group including Reverend S. J. du Toit. The stamp shows the Gideon Malherbe House itself, which still stands in Pastorie Avenue and now houses the Afrikaans Language Museum. One of the group's earliest projects was the publication Di Afrikaanse Patriot, which actively invited readers to submit their own Afrikaans poetry.

Theme: Heritage

Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.04 (ZAR)

SAPO serial number: 2.7

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.