Jan Smuts: Die Afrikaner

Jan Smuts: Die Afrikaner is an Afrikaans-language study of the life and identity of Jan Christiaan Smuts by Piet Meiring, published by Tafelberg in Cape Town in 1974. With some 218 pages, this volume presents Smuts not merely as a statesman but as an Afrikaner whose life spanned battlefields, politics and philosophy. The book explores how Smuts’s Afrikaner heritage influenced his worldview, how he navigated the legacy of the Boer War and British influence, and how he embraced both national and international roles in the first half of the 20th century.

Meiring’s narrative delves into Smuts’s early years in the Cape Colony, his service in the South African War, his rise as a political leader in the Union of South Africa, his contributions during the World Wars, and his international engagements with the League of Nations and United Nations frameworks. The book pays attention to his dual identity as soldier and thinker, capturing the tension between Afrikaner nationalism and global diplomacy. It gives readers insight into how Jan Smuts’s notion of “holism” and his belief in a united humanity were rooted in his Afrikaner upbringing and the changing South Africa of his time.

For readers of South African history, Afrikaner biography and political personalities, Jan Smuts: Die Afrikaner offers a prepared, accessible, and culturally grounded portrait. The 1974 edition provides a concise yet richly textured account of a man whose influence stretched far beyond his own country. This volume is particularly useful for Afrikaans-readers and those interested in how national identity and internationalism can intertwine in one extraordinary life.

Condition – Near Fine

Very well kept condition with minimal and light foxing of front endpage.