Daniël Francois Malherbe: Afrikaans Linguist
South Africa, Bloemfontien · 1981-10-22
Unofficial first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
Click any photo to see it enlarged.
front
This cover is postmarked on 22 October 1981 in Bloemfontein. It marks a century since the birth of D.F. Malherbe, one of the leading figures in the early Afrikaans language movement and a three time winner of the Hertzog Prize for prose. Malherbe grew up in a household steeped in the cause. His father helped found the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners, and Malherbe went on to become an authority in philology, delivering his influential 1906 lecture Is Afrikaans 'n dialekt at Wellington and later helping compile the first set of Afrikaans spelling rules. He also served as one of the language advisors for the Afrikaans Bible translation. One detail worth noting is the postmark design on this cover. It shows a small fisherman's cottage, a reference to Malherbe's best known novel Hans die Skipper. It is an unusually specific piece of imagery for a philatelic date stamp, tied directly to a single work of fiction rather than the man's broader career.
Description of the Cachet
This cover uses no illustrated scene. Instead the cachet is a bold portrait sketch of D.F. Malherbe himself, rendered in dark red line work against a grey background. He is shown in profile, balding and bearded, with the careful cross hatching giving the image the look of an engraved print rather than a photograph. Beneath the portrait the years 1881 to 1981 appear in gold script, marking his birth centenary. His signature style name D. F. Malherbe is printed below in a flowing handwritten font, giving the cover a personal, literary feel appropriate to a man remembered above all as a writer. The design leans entirely on the portrait and typography to carry its weight. There is no background scene competing for attention, which suits a cover honouring someone whose legacy rests on words rather than imagery.
Information Card
D.F. MALHERBE Daniël Francois Malherbe was born at Dal Josafat, in the Paarl district, on 28 May 1881. He attended the well-known Gedenkschool der Hugenoten and matriculated at Wellington. After graduating at the Victoria College in Stellenbosch, he taught for some years and then went to Germany for further studies. In 1906 he attained his doctorate magna cum laude with a dissertation on Das Fremdwort im Reformationszeitalter. Back in South Africa, Dr Malherbe became principal of the school at Carnarvon. In 1910 he was appointed professor of modern languages at the Grey University College in Bloemfontein, and from 1929 to 1934 he served as Rector of the University. After his retirement in 1941 he devoted himself to writing. He died on 12 April 1968. Dr Malherbe's father was one of the founders of the "Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners" and the young Malherbe grew up in the atmosphere of the movement to promote Afrikaans, with its religious undertones, its emphasis on patriotism, and its struggle for the recognition of Afrikaans as an independent language. When he returned from Germany, the Second Language Movement had just begun. As an authority in the field of philology, Malherbe was well-prepared to take a leading role in the "taalstryd". He delivered his famous lecture Is Afrikaans 'n dialekt? on 12 October 1906 at Wellington and acted as champion for Afrikaans through medium of the newly-founded Afrikaanse Taalvereniging and through numerous articles in magazines and newspapers. In Bloemfontein Dr Malherbe became a member of the society "Onze Taal", and took an active part in the struggle for Afrikaans in the Free State. The Afrikaanse Studenteetaalvereniging was founded in 1911 under his guidance and chairmanship. As one of the founders of the Academy for Language, Literature and the Arts, Dr Malherbe assisted in the compilation of a set of Afrikaans spelling rules. When the translation of the Bible into Afrikaans was undertaken, he became one of the language advisors. He also translated several Dutch hymns into Afrikaans. D.F. Malherbe is best remembered as an artist of the written word. He was awarded the Hertzog prize three times for prose: in 1928 for Die Meulenaar, in 1930 for Hans-die-Skipper and in 1939 for Saul die Worstelheld and Die Profeet. As a poet he was most productive and some of his poems, such as "Slaap" and "Rooivierkspreu", became classics of Afrikaans poetry. As a dramatist he strove to fulfil the need for plays that could easily be performed, and wrote several full-length dramas and one-act plays. His book Afrikaanse spreekwoorde en verwante vorme (Afrikaans proverbs and related forms) is a standard work on linguistics. Malherbe's best-known novel is Hans-die-Skipper and for this reason a sketch of the cottage of this old fisherman was used for the special date-stamp. Afrikaans: D.F. MALHERBE Daniël Francois Malherbe is op 28 Mei 1881 in Dal Josafat in die Paarl-distrik gebore. Hy gaan skool aan die bekende Gedenkskool der Hugenoten en matrikuleer op Wellington. Nadat hy aan die Victoria Kollege op Stellenbosch gegradueer het, gee hy 'n paar jaar lank onderwys en vertrek toe na Duitsland vir sy doktorale studie. In 1906 promoveer hy magna cum laude op 'n proefskrif Das Fremdwort im Reformationszeitalter. Terug in Suid-Afrika word dr. Malherbe skoolhoof op Carnarvon. In 1910 word hy aangestel as professor in moderne tale aan die Grey-universiteitskollege in Bloemfontein, en van 1929 tot 1934 was hy die eerste hooglenaar in Afrikaans en dien hy in 1941 tot hom op sy skryfwerk toe. Hy is op 12 April 1968 oorlede. Dr. Malherbe se vader was 'n stigterslid van die Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners. Die jong Malherbe het dus opgegroei in die denkmilieu van die Afrikaanse Beweging: die godsdienstige atmosfeer, die klem op patriotisme, die stryd om Afrikaans as selfstandige taal erken te kry. By sy terugkeer uit Duitsland het die Tweede Taalbeweging pas begin. As taalwetenskaplike was hy uitstekend toegerus om 'n leidende rol in die "taalstryd" te vervul. Hy lewer sy beroemde lesing Is Afrikaans 'n dialekt? op 12 Oktober 1906 in Wellington en tree op as taalkampvegter vir Afrikaans deur middel van die pas gestigte Afrikaanse Taalvereniging en deur middel van talle tydskrif- en koerantartikels. In Bloemfontein word dr. Malherbe lid van die vereniging "Onze Taal" en hy neem aktief deel aan die taalstryd in die Vrystaat. Die Afrikaanse Studente-taalvereniging is in 1911 onder sy leiding en voorsitterskap gestig. As stigterslid van die Akademie vir Taal, Lettere en Kuns werk hy mee aan die opstel van Afrikaanse spelreëls. Met die vertaling van die Bybel in Afrikaans was hy een van die taaladviseurs. Hy het ook verskeie Nederlandse gesange in Afrikaans vertaal. D.F. Malherbe word veral as woordkunstenaar onthou. Die Hertzogprys is drie keer aan hom toegeken vir prosa: in 1926 vir Die Meulenaar, in 1930 vir Hans-die-Skipper en in 1939 vir Saul die Worstelheld en Die Profeet. Hy was hoogs produktief as digter en party van sy gedigte, soos "Slaap" en "Rooivierkspreu", het klassiek geword in die Afrikaanse poësieskat. As dramaturg het hy probeer om die verskeie vollengte dramas en eenbedrywe geskryf. Met Afrikaanse spreekwoorde en verwante vorme het hy 'n standaardwerk op die gebied van die taalkunde gelewer. Malherbe se bekenste boek is Hans-die-Skipper, en daarom is 'n sketse van dié ou visserman se huisie vir die spesiale datumstempel gebruik.
Theme: Heritage
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.05 (ZAR)
Estimated value: ~US$0.1
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 177 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
