Maritz rebellion

Maritz rebellion
Part of South West Africa Campaign of World War I
The Battle of Mushroom Valley, one of the most decisive battles in the Maritz Rebellion
Date 15 September 1914 – 4 February 1915 (4 months, 2 weeks and 6 days) Location South Africa 25°43′00″S28°14′00″E / 25.7167°S 28.2333°E / -25.7167; 28.2333 Result South African government victory Rebellion suppressed South Africa occupies German South West Africa Rise of the National Party
Belligerents
British Empire   South Africa	South African Republic Supported by:   German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Jan Smuts Louis Botha	Manie Maritz Christiaan de Wet  (POW) C. F. Beyers   † Jan Kemp   Jopie Fourie
Strength
32,000	12,000
Casualties and losses
101 killed and wounded	124 killed 229 wounded [1] 1 executed

The Maritz rebellion, also known as the Boer revolt, Third Boer War, ^[2] or the Five Shilling rebellion, ^[3] was an armed pro-German insurrection in South Africa in 1914, at the start of World War I. It was led by Boers who supported the re-establishment of the South African Republic in the Transvaal. Many members of the South African government were themselves Boers who had fought with the Maritz rebels against the British in the Second Boer War, which had ended twelve years earlier. The rebellion failed, with 124 rebels killed and 229 wounded out of 12,000. The surviving ringleaders received heavy fines and prison terms. One of them, Jopie Fourie, was executed.

Contents

• Prelude
• First World War starts
• Rebellion
• Aftermath
• See also
• References
• Sources
• Further reading
• External links

Prelude

At the end of the Second Boer War twelve years earlier, all former Boer combatants had been asked to sign a pledge that they would abide by the peace terms. Some, like Deneys Reitz, refused and were exiled from South Africa. Over the following decade many returned home, and not all of them signed the pledge upon returning. At the end of the Second Boer War, those Boers who had fought to the end were known as Bittereinders .

A German journalist who interviewed the former Boer general J. B. M. Hertzog for the Tägliche Rundschau wrote:

Hertzog believes that the fruit of the three-year struggle by the Boers is that their freedom, in the form of a general South African Republic, will fall into their laps as soon as England is involved in a war with a Continental power.

—  ^[4]

Paraphrasing the Irish Nationalists' "England's misfortune is the bitter enders' opportunity," the "bitter enders" and their supporters saw the start of World War I as that opportunity, particularly since England's enemy, Germany, had been their old supporter.

First World War starts

The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in August 1914 had long been anticipated, ^[5] and the government of the Union of South Africa was well aware of the significance of the common border South Africa shared with the German colony of South-West Africa. Prime Minister Louis Botha informed London that South Africa could defend itself and that the imperial garrison could depart for France; when the British government asked Botha whether his forces would invade German South-West Africa, the reply was that they could and would.

South African troops were mobilised along the border between the two countries under the command of General Henry Lukin and Lieutenant Colonel Manie Maritz early in September 1914. On 19 September 1914 another force occupied the German port of Lüderitz . ^[6]

Rebellion

The Commandant-General of the Union Defence Force, Brigadier-General Christiaan Frederick Beyers was opposed to the South African government's decision to undertake offensive operations. He resigned his commission on 15 September 1914, ^[7] writing "It is sad that the war is being waged against the 'barbarism' of the Germans. We have forgiven but not forgotten all the barbarities committed in our own country during the South African War", referring to the atrocities committed during the Boer War. A nominated senator, General Koos de la Rey, who had refused to support the government in parliament over this issue, associated himself with Beyers. On 15 September they set off together to visit Major JCG (Jan) Kemp in Potchefstroom, who had a large armoury and a force of 2,000 men who had just finished training, many of whom were thought to be sympathetic to the rebels' ideas.

Although it is not known what the purpose of their visit was, the South African government believed it to be an attempt to instigate a rebellion, as stated in the Government Blue Book on the rebellion. ^[8] According to General Beyers it was to discuss plans for the simultaneous resignation of leading army officers as protest against the government's actions, similar to what had happened in Britain two years earlier in the Curragh incident over the Irish Home Rule Bill. On the way to the meeting de la Rey's car was fired upon by a policeman at a road block set up to look for the Foster gang. ^[9] De la Rey was hit and killed. At his funeral, however, many Nationalist Afrikaners believed and perpetuated the rumour that it was a government assassination, which added fuel to the fire. ^[10] Their anger was even further inflamed by Siener van Rensburg and his controversial prophecies. ^[11]

Lt-Col Maritz, who was head of a commando of Union forces on the border of German South-West Africa, allied himself with the Germans. He then issued a proclamation on behalf of a provisional government. It stated that "the former South African Republic and Orange Free State as well as the Cape Province and Natal are proclaimed free from British control and independent, and every White inhabitant of the mentioned areas, of whatever nationality, are hereby called upon to take their weapons in their hands and realize the long-cherished ideal of a Free and Independent South Africa." ^[12] It was announced that Generals Beyers, de Wet, Maritz, Kemp and Bezuidenhout were to be the first leaders of this provisional government. Maritz's forces occupied Keimoes in the Upington area. The Lydenburg commando under General De Wet took possession of the town of Heilbron, held up a train and captured government stores and ammunition. Some of the prominent citizens of the area joined him, and by the end of the week he had a force of 3,000 men. Beyers also gathered a force in the Magaliesberg; in all, about 12,000 rebels rallied to the cause. Meanwhile, General Louis Botha had around 32,000 troops to counter the rebels, of which about 20,000 were Afrikaners.^{[ citation needed ]}

The government declared martial law on 12 October 1914, ^[13] and forces loyal to the government under the command of General Louis Botha and Jan Smuts proceeded to destroy the rebellion. General Maritz was defeated on 24 October and took refuge with the Germans. The Beyers commando was attacked and dispersed at Commissioners Drift on 28 October, after which Beyers joined forces with Kemp, but drowned in the Vaal River on 8 December. General de Wet was captured in Bechuanaland on 1 December 1914, with 52 others on a farm called Waterbury. His remark when captured was: "Thank God it was not an Englishman who captured me after all". His grandson, Dr Carel de Wet, then Minister of Health, consecrated a monument at this spot on 14 February 1970. General Kemp, having taken his commando across the Kalahari Desert, losing 300 out of 800 men and most of their horses on the 1,100 kilometre month-long trek, joined Maritz in German South-West Africa, but returned after about a week and surrendered on 4 February 1915.

Aftermath

After the Maritz rebellion was suppressed, the South African army continued their operations into German South West Africa and conquered it by July 1915.

Compared to the fate of the ringleaders of the Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916, the leading Boer rebels got off relatively lightly with terms of imprisonment of six and seven years and heavy fines. Two years later they were released from prison, as Louis Botha recognised the value of reconciliation.

One notable exception was Jopie Fourie, a Union Defence Force officer who had failed to resign his commission before joining the rebellion. Fourie's Commando had inflicted 40 percent of the casualties on government forces and fired on them during a brief truce. In one instance, Fourie's men shot and killed a soldier, William Allan King, who had been tending to a wounded man. Ironically, Fourie and King had been good friends before the rebellion. ^[14]

Fourie was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in the courtyard of Pretoria Central Prison on 20 December 1914. In a letter written hours before his execution, Fourie wrote, "The tree which has been planted and which is wetted with my blood will grow large and bear delightful fruit." ^{[15] [14]}

See also

• African theatre of World War I
• Jan Smuts and the Old Boers
• Leliefontein massacre (also involved Manie Maritz)

Related Research Articles

The South West Africa campaign was the conquest and occupation of German South West Africa by forces from the Union of South Africa acting on behalf of the British imperial government at the beginning of the First World War. The South African Prime Minister Louis Botha took the unusual move of leading his troops into battle as commander-in-chief, to the frustration of his cabinet.

Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey, better known as Koos de la Rey, was a South African military officer who served as a Boer general during the Second Boer War. De la Rey also had a political career and was one of the leading advocates of Boer independence. His death at the hands of the South African Police under controversial circumstances had a major role in sparking the Maritz rebellion.

Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.

Nicolaas Pieter JohannesJanse van Rensburg was a Boer from the South African Republic – also known as the Transvaal Republic – and later a citizen of South Africa who was considered by some to be a prophet of the Boers. Consequently, his nickname became "Siener". Van Rensburg's visions were typically wrapped in a patriotic, religious format, and have been interpreted by believers as predictions of future events. During the Boer War he became a trusted companion, if not advisor to General de la Rey and President Steyn. The extent of his influence with these figures is disputed, though the devoutly religious de la Rey seemed to have considered him a prophet of God.

Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM was a prominent South African and Commonwealth statesman and military leader. He served as a Boer general during the Boer War, a British general during the First World War and was appointed field marshal during the Second World War. In addition to various cabinet appointments, he served as prime minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 to 1924 and from 1939 to 1948. He played a leading part in the post war settlements at the end of both world wars, making significant contributions towards the creation of both the League of Nations and the United Nations.

Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 to 1924 and from 1939 to 1948. He played a leading part in the post war settlements at the end of both world wars, making significant contributions towards the creation of both the League of Nations and the United Nations.

The African theatre of the First World War comprises campaigns in North Africa instigated by the German and Ottoman empires, local rebellions against European colonial rule and Allied campaigns against the German colonies of Kamerun, Togoland, German South West Africa, and German East Africa. The campaigns were fought by German Schutztruppe, local resistance movements and forces of the British Empire, France, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal.

This is the history of South Africa from 1910 to 1948.

The Natal Light Horse was an irregular South African Armed Forces regiment formed by Colonel John Robinson Royston in August 1914 during the First World War after petitioning General Jan Smuts for special permission to do so. Opening recruiting officers in Pietermaritzburg and Durban, a full roster of six hundred men was recruited within ten days. All of those enlisted had seen previous military service, including several Australians who had served under Royston during the Second Boer War and opted to remain in South Africa at the end of that conflict.

Jan Christoffel Greyling Kemp was a South African Boer officer, rebel general, and politician.

ManieMaritz, also known as Gerrit Maritz, was a Boer officer during the Second Boer War and a leading rebel of the pro-German 1914 Maritz Rebellion. Maritz was also a participant in the Herero and Namaqua genocide. In the 1930s, he became an outspoken Nazi sympathizer and proponent of Nazi Germany.

Christiaan Frederik Beyers was a Boer attorney, politician and general during the Second Boer War and one of the leaders of the pro-German Maritz rebellion against the government of the Union of South Africa.

Josef Johannes "Jopie" Fourie was a Boer soldier. A scout and dispatch rider during the Boer War, he later took part in the Maritz Rebellion of 1914–1915 against General Louis Botha, the prime minister of South Africa. For his involvement, he was found guilty of treason and executed by firing squad.

Andries Gerhardus de Wet was a South African soldier and founder of the Vrykorps in German South West Africa which tried to overthrow the British-aligned government of the Union of South Africa to establish German rule.

South Africa's participation in the First World War occurred automatically when the British Government declared war on Germany in August 1914. Due to her status as a Dominion within the British Empire, South Africa, whilst having significant levels of self-autonomy, did not have the legal power to exercise an independent foreign policy and was tied to the British declaration.

Philip Rudolph Botha was a Second Boer War general, like his younger brothers Louis (1862-1919), Christiaan (1864–1902) and Theunis Jacobus (1867–1930).

Barend Daniël Bouwer was a South African general in the Boer War (1899-1902) and the First World War (1914-1918).

Petrus Johannes Liebenberg was a South African Boer politician for Potchefstroom and a general in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). He successfully invaded the Cape Colony, failed to prevent the British relief of Mafeking, and fought to the end up to the Battle of Rooiwal. During the First World War Liebenberg criticised the policy of the Botha government to attack German South West Africa but did not condone the Maritz rebellion.

Joachim Christoffel Fourie was an Anglo-Boer War Combat General and Assistant Commander-in-Chief for the South African Republic. He should not be confused with his colleagues, the Second Boer War generals Christiaan Ernst Fourie (1858-1943) and Petrus "Piet" Johannes Fourie (1842-1916), and his son and namesake Joachim Christoffel Fourie (1877-1958), military commander of the Carolina Commando in the South West Africa campaign (1914-1915) in the First World War.

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

• Wessels, André: Afrikaner (Boer) Rebellion (Union of South Africa), in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War.