Johannes Van Rensburg
Encyclopedia
Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg (known as Hans) (September 24, 1898-September 25, 1966) was a South Africa
n lawyer, and leader of the Ossewabrandwag
.
He was born in Winburg and died in Cape Town
and was a descendant of the Loyalist Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg. He received his MA
in German
from University of Stellenbosch, and his bachelor's and doctor's degrees in law from University of Pretoria
.
Van Rensburg qualified as a solicitor
and was hired as the personal secretary of Tielman Roos
, the Minister of Justice. In 1933, he became Secretary of Justice (under Smuts
as Minister). As Secretary, he traveled overseas. In Germany
, he met Adolf Hitler
, Hermann Göring
, and other top Nazi
officials. He was greatly impressed with Hitler's leadership and the discipline he observed in Germany.
In 1938, he helped organize the Ossewabrandwag as a vehicle for Afrikaner
nationalism though often at odds with the National Party, the main driver of Afrikaner Nationalism. Van Rensburg was the commander general of the Ossewabrandwag from 1941 until 1952. Like most members of the Ossewabrandwag, he was regarded as a Nazi sympathizer during the Second World War.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n lawyer, and leader of the Ossewabrandwag
Ossewabrandwag
The Ossewabrandwag was an anti-British and pro-German organization in South Africa during World War II, which opposed South African participation in the war...
.
He was born in Winburg and died in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
and was a descendant of the Loyalist Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg. He received his MA
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
from University of Stellenbosch, and his bachelor's and doctor's degrees in law from University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
.
Van Rensburg qualified as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and was hired as the personal secretary of Tielman Roos
Tielman Roos
Tielman Johannes de Villiers Roos was a right wing South African politician and sometime Cabinet minister.-Labour politics:...
, the Minister of Justice. In 1933, he became Secretary of Justice (under Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
as Minister). As Secretary, he traveled overseas. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, he met Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
, and other top Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
officials. He was greatly impressed with Hitler's leadership and the discipline he observed in Germany.
In 1938, he helped organize the Ossewabrandwag as a vehicle for Afrikaner
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
nationalism though often at odds with the National Party, the main driver of Afrikaner Nationalism. Van Rensburg was the commander general of the Ossewabrandwag from 1941 until 1952. Like most members of the Ossewabrandwag, he was regarded as a Nazi sympathizer during the Second World War.