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eventREF E-0012538Revised

20 February 1984

SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies

SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies

Updated
30 Sep 2019
SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies

Sydney Vernon Petersen, one of the prominent South African poets and educationist of the 1940s, died in Germiston. His poetry was translated into English, Italian, Russian and German. In 1946 Petersen published a highly acclaimed novel, As die son ondergaan (When the sun sets). Although his profession was teaching, it was as a poet that Petersen became famous. He traveled extensively internationally as a guest speaker. Various honours were bestowed on him during his lifetime and posthumously.

How we know this

  1. 01Sonderling, N.E. (ed.) New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.2, Pretoria: Vista.
  2. 02Hein, W., S.V. Petersen in dialoog met sy intellektuele en sosiale omgewing.(abstract), from Africana Periodical Literature Biographical Database, [online], Available at www.africabib.org [Accessed: 30 January 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538

South African History Online (2011) 'SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538 (Accessed: 16 October 2026).

South African History Online, SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538, (accessed 16 October 2026).

"SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538.

Also on 20 February

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  5. 1981Prime Minister P.W. Botha announces Ciskei will become independent on 4 December 1981
  6. 1992De Klerk announces a referendum to test his political reforms
  7. 1993President F. W. de Klerk rings in cabinet changes
  8. 2002Hundreds die in a train fire in Egypt

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