Mattheus Uys Krige and his contribution to the Second World War
Mattheus Uys Krige (1910-1987) can certainly be counted among the most dynamic literary figures of the 20th century. He distinguished himself as an author, poet, playwright, translator, broadcaster and lecturer. He also served as contributor for a number of prominent newspapers, including Die Vaderland, The Rand Daily Mail, Die Suiderstem and Die Burger. Besides his native Afrikaans, he communicated in perfect English and had command of Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German, French and Portuguese. [i] In his biography, Die goue seun. Die lewe en werk van Uys Krige J.C. Kannemeyer describes Krige as a cosmopolitan world traveller, a nonconformist and liberal who explored other literary and political avenues than the majority of his contemporaries. Indeed, he travelled so extensively that from 1945 until the early 1970s he was probably the most well-known Afrikaans author abroad. His departure from traditional Afrikaner nationalism and particular focus on the outside world is also unique among authors of his generation. [2] Aside from his considerable literary contributions, Krige played a vital role in South Africa’s war effort during the Second World War (WWII) as war correspondent and public figure. This article discusses his role in WWII and examines how he came to hold convictions so different from his contemporaries concerning both the war itself and South African politics in general. Therefore, this article focuses exclusively on the period c. 1910-1945 and investigates Krige’s youth and war experiences.
Early Years c. 1910 – 1930
Mattheus Uys Krige was born on 4 February 1910 on the farm “Bontebokskloof” in the Swellendam district. He was the second son of Jacob (Japie) Daniel Krige and Susanna (Sannie) Hermina Uys. Both parents were involved in the community they formed part of, serving on school councils and the like. [3] Even a cursorybrief investigation into his background clearly demonstrates that Krige did not come from the typicaltextbook Afrikaner nationalist home often associated with this period.
Japie Krige, born on 5 July 1879 in Franschhoek, was a talented athlete as well as an accomplished cricket and tennis player. He achieved fame, however, as a Springbok centre. According to some critics, he can be considered one of the greatest Springbok players of all time. He played professional rugby for the Western Province and formed part of the 1906 Paul Roos Springbok team that toured through Britain and France. He obtained a BA degree from Victoria College (present-day Stellenbosch University) and became a magistrate. As a magistrate, he became known for his thoroughly considered verdicts and his insight into human nature. [4]
Sannie Uys has been described as an artistic dreamer with a love for literature and music. Born on 8 February 1886 she became a teacher and loved playing the piano. Interestingly, she spoke predominantly English to her children, although her family was Afrikaans. She is characteriszed as reserved and sensitive. Krige clearly received some of his literary talent from her. At a late stage in her life, she began publishing short stories. Her work impressed, among others, the literary critic D. J. Opperman. [5] Krige continually encouraged her writing and they clearly shared a special bond. During high school, he writes the following about his poems: “My mother says she reads them, to her they are so nice, and so I’m not writing for you, but rather me and her alone.” [6]
Krige was one of six children. His elder brother Jacobus (Bokkie) was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and studied English at Oxford. His younger brother Arnold was also widely travelled and the youngest brother, Francois, became a respected artist. He exhibited in Venice and illustrated many books, including some of Krige’s works. Interestingly, Krige would turn out to be the only one among the brothers to have children of his own. Krige’s youngest siblings were two girls. Maria Magdalena (Mizzi) who showed considerable ability as an actress, although she died young, and Suzanna Hermine, the youngest, who would marry Revel Fox. It is important to note that all four brothers enlisted in the Second World War and achieved distinction in North Africa. Bokkie became an air force colonel, Krige a war correspondent, Arnold an intelligence officer and Francois a war artist. [7]
Krige spent his early childhood in the country, mostly in the Karoo and Cape area. Although his father’s occupation as a magistrate necessitated that the family relocate on what was almost a regular basis, his childhood seems mostly secure. [8] Later in life, Krige wondered whether these regular moves during childhood contributed to his own yearning for new destinations and his concern about things on an international scale. In 1920, the Kriges moved to Stellenbosch. Uys Krige shared some of his most treasured memories with this town. Some years later, he wrote, “for the golden glow that lies over my youth, I owe so much to Stellenbosch.” He could not imagine a happier, healthier and more natural and spontaneous childhood and youth than that which he enjoyed in Stellenbosch. [9]
His youth was filled with family holidays spent with grandparents and other relatives. The Krige grandparents lived in Onrust. There, he came to love the beach and ocean. The Uys grandparents remained on the farm “Bontebokskloof” where he was born. There the children spent many playful hours while listening to their grandparents’ retellings of adventures from the South African War. Many of Krige’s poems and short stories contain settings that can be associated with these family vacations or residences of relatives. On the whole then, his upbringing seems to have been peaceful and happy. [10]
Krige showed potential as a writer from an early age. As young as fifteen, he was already contributing English prose and Afrikaans poetry to reviews like The Cape, The Sunday Times, The Cape Argus and De Goede Hoop. He matriculated at “Hoër Jongenskool” which would later become the well-known Paul Roos Gymnasium and went on to study law at Stellenbosch University. This choice was possibly influenced by his father’s occupation as a magistrate. However, while at university, his interest in literature only increased. [11] During this time, he was strongly influenced by J. M. L. Franken, a professor of French language and literature, as well as Lydia van Niekerk, who guided him into Dutch literature. Krige soon began translating some French short stories for Die Huisgenoot and his desire to experience Europe and particularly French culture first-hand was awakened. During his student years, he also published in Die Stellenbosse Student and Die Nuwe Brandwag. Although he graduated with a law degree after the normal three years of study, he had, by then, decided to pursue a career in writing rather than law. [12]
After graduation, Krige left the area of his youth for Johannesburg. Although he was to remain there for only a year, this period was important, since it placed him on a course towards Europe and new experiences. In Johannesburg, Krige’s desire for new experiences that which was foreign and exotic was born. As his numerous subsequent trips abroad would demonstrate, this desire remained with him throughout his life. He enjoyed the city and all it had to offer; so different from what he had known to date. About the city, he wrote to his parents, “the air of Joburg takes one like champagne. This city has so many aspects; Chinatown where I can drink opium, Vrededorp, the Arab and Portuguese quarters.” [13]
On March 1, 1930, he began working at The Rand Daily Mail as a junior reporter. He absorbed all that Johannesburg had to offer, the good, the bad, and the ugly; even admitting in a letter to Bokkie that he knew all the “crooks, illegal alcohol sellers, gamblers and dagga smokers” in Vrededorp. Importantly, it was also here that Krige developed his criticism of the practices of the Afrikaner establishment. This too, would remain with him his whole life. By August 1930 though, even cosmopolitan Johannesburg was becoming too small and Krige expressed an increasingly fervent desire to travel to Europe. [14]
First European adventure c. 1931 -1939
On 30 June 1931, he finally departed on the Dunbar Castle from Cape Town to Southampton. His motivation for leaving lay, at least partly, in the search for an own identity. In a final letter to his parents before departure, he confided: “Sometimes I tire of being introduced as ‘Japie Krige’s son’ as if I don’t have a personality of my own.” A period of four and a half years spent in different European countries and cities; and certainly, in a vast variety of varying circumstances, now lay ahead for Krige. At times, he would struggle with intense melancholy and depression. This characteristic was apparently inherited from his mother, known for her reserved nature and sensitivity. [15]
At a time when many of his fellow poets found their inspiration in England, Holland and Flanders, Krige discovered his affinities with the cultures of the Romance language countries. His initial impression of England was unfavourable. The weather was terrible, his money quickly depleting and his elder brother, at this time studying at Oxford, away on holiday in Austria. He would be similarly disappointed in Holland, which he visited briefly some years later. Thus, in his choice of European destinations, he also varied from many of his contemporaries. [16]
Krige coincidently learned from a sporting journalist that he might feel more at home in the south of France. There, sunshine would be a more frequent visitor. He might even earn some money playing rugby, especially since the French rugby team had just defeated England for the first time. This, in combination with his desire to experience French culture that remained from his years at university, convinced him to move to France. [17]
He subsequently settled in Provence and played rugby for the Toulon club. This club was the most prestigious in France and had won the 1930-1931 national championships. The morning after he played his first game, he opened the newspaper to find himself on the front page. Accordingly, he was known as a French rugby star before publishing a single important line of poetry. [18] Indeed, he became the darling of the French sporting press with his “blonde mane of hair.” [19] Out of rugby season, he kept himself afloat with an assortment of odd jobs, only to resume playing and coaching when the winter returned. These odd jobs even included being a dishwasher in a Monte Carlo restaurant and a film extra, appearing as a trumpeter in “Don Quixote.” During this period, he also wrote regularly, often in bars and restaurants and sent articles on Provencal life to the South African press. [20]
In 1932, Krige met Roy Campbell, a fellow South African author. They shared a mutual enthusiasm for Provence and French poetry and Krige quickly became a regular visitor in the Campbell home. In some respects, Campbell served as a poetic mentor for Krige. He provided an example and gave advice and recommendations. He urged Krige to explore the world’s great literary works and this added greatly to Krige as an individual and an author. Their friendship clearly had a lasting effect on him in many respects. [21]
A new period began for Krige when he moved in with the Campbells in February 1933. The Campbells subsequently asked him to act as tutor for their two daughters, Theresa and Anna, and he spent his free time reading and learning Spanish. [22] He was happier in their household than he had been in Europe to date. At the end of August, he also reported with overwhelming joy to Bokkie that some of his poetry had been accepted for publication in the Dutch magazine Helikon. For Krige, this is the first real recognition of his poetry and upon hearing of it, he “wept tears of joy.” [23]
However, in the background of this peaceful, happy period, the Great Depression of the 1930s was taking hold of Europe and financial troubles loomed for the Campbells. Living costs were on the rise in France and Campbell was working on Marine Provence, which would ultimately never be published. In order to aid the Campbells, Krige received several loans from Bokkie, who still studied at Oxford. Nevertheless, faced with ever-increasing expenses and debts they feared they could not pay, the Campbells, along with Krige, finally decided to move to Barcelona at the end of November 1933. [24]
They arrived in Spain only thirty months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Shootings in the streets, bomb explosions and massive political demonstrations formed the background of Krige’s experiences here. This is clear in the first part of Sol y Sombra (sun and shadow), his collection of sketches from this period. [25] On 13 December 1933, Krige reported to his parents: “here, the bomb is an ordinary, daily, phenomenon.” [26] While in Spain, Krige initially felt removed from South Africa. His long absence eventually caused him to miss his homeland and his focus on a variety of European languages led to some trouble with writing Afrikaans. [27] Spain also reminded Krige increasingly of South Africa and he acknowledged that he perceived many parallels between South Africa and Spain. Importantly, he recognized these parallels not only in terms of the landscape, but also on a political level. [28]
Krige’s time in Spain was significant for various reasons. In Barcelona, he first discovered himself as a prose writer and Madrid gave him his first tastes of the possibilities in theatre. The Spanish political situation also gripped Krige’s imagination and he recognized part of their struggle reflected in the South African situation. J. A. Berthoud explains: “Spain did to his heart and feelings what France had done to his mind and taste.” [29] In Spain, his political consciousness was awakened and his republican sympathies formed. In a radio broadcast some years later, Krige admitted, “my debt to Spain, for the blessings I received from her during those first two years, is unpayable.” [30]
Krige eventually parted ways with the Campbells, who became too poor to afford a tutor. By all indications, he enjoyed his time with them tremendously. Despite the sharply contrasting political perspectives they would embrace in future, when Krige supported the Spanish Republic and Campbell backed Franco; they maintained a great friendship and mutual respect for each other. Campbell used his influence to gain South African support for Krige’s first publication. [31] Krige, in turn, maintained, “I shall always be grateful to Campbell for the part he played in the first phase of my career as a writer.” [32] Twenty-eight years later, when he wrote a preface to a selection of Campbell’s poetry he declared: “when all the cliques, claques and coteries of our time have settled into their rightful little grooves, Roy Campbell will stand out as one of the finest lyrical voices of his generation.” [33]
Krige subsequently went to live in Barrio Chino, the underworld district of Barcelona where food and housing were cheapest. Here, he was surrounded by beggars, pimps, prostitutes and political refugees from almost every country in Europe. Anti-fascists, communists, Nazis, anarchists and spies could all be found here. Krige described it as a “boiling pot of intrigue, plot and counterplot.” In this environment, Krige met and befriended Alberto Colini. Colini was an Italian author, journalist, communist, and political refugee, wholeheartedly opposed to Mussolini and the Fascist ideology that was gaining ground in his homeland. [34] Krige was fascinated by his political ideas and his admiration for Colini becomes evident in a number of his letters.
During this period, Krige became extremely poor. [35] He began writing a series of articles, based directly on his own experiences, for the South African press. Although at least six of these were accepted for publication, payments took a minimum of three months to reach him. [36] In a letter to his parents, he admitted that the word “hunger” had gained deeper meaning for him and that he had forgotten the taste of a cup of coffee. In fact, he faced such dire circumstances that he even sold some of his clothes. [37] Colini, experienced as he was in the art of survival as a refugee, aided Krige for a time. Colini, in turn, was supported by a syndicate of beggars. This assistance, in combination with occasional gifts from grocers and the payments Krige eventually received for his articles kept him afloat. [38] During this period, Krige also sent the final manuscript, out of which his first publication, Kentering, would be formed to Bokkie. [39]
Thereafter, Krige grew increasingly restless and decided to move to Valencia. Here, he experienced the full impact of Spanish literature and was surrounded by talented poets and playwrights. Particularly Garcia Lorca made a profound impression on him. He would later translate some of Lorca’s works into Afrikaans. Thus, Krige became part of the “outburst of artistic creation” that Spain was experiencing despite her political disintegration. [40]
From 1934 onwards a longing to return home gradually took hold of Krige. [41] The breakup of a serious romantic relationship with a Spanish girl, Eulalia, (Emilia) possibly intensified this desire. Indeed, Krige was so serious about her that he wrote to his family with plans to marry. The cause of the break in the relationship is unclear. Krige, however, returned to South Africa alone in December 1935, four and a half years after he arrived in Europe and a mere six months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. [42]
During his entire stay in Europe, Krige remained aware of current affairs in South Africa. He regularly wrote to his parents and enquired after the snippets of news he heard mainly from Dutch newspapers, regarding South Africa. His letters also contained requests for them to send news sources, specifically Die Huisgenoot. He expressed his approval that his parents did not support the new coalition government. His strong republican, anti-English and anti-Smuts feelings also became evident in his letters. On 4 March 1935, he wrote to his father, “to remain sheltered under the wings of the English means only one thing, death, and especially spiritual death.” These views, however, would soon change with a larger and more aggressive threat looming on the horizon. [43]
Upon his return to South Africa, Krige stayed with his parents for some months. He worked at Die Vaderland for a short period before moving to Cape Town at the end of 1936 and being employed by Die Suiderstem. He met Lydia Lindeque, a promising local actress, while in Johannesburg, and they were married on 27 January 1937. Krige observed international politics with increasing concern from their home in Cape Town. [44]
Krige’s time abroad likely gave him a marked advantage over many of his contemporaries. He had first-hand knowledge of the situation in Europe and was therefore better equipped to interpret the subsequent multifaceted events. Back in South Africa, he eagerly followed the news and discerned the volatile situation in Europe. Initially, he was passionately opposed to South Africa’s participation in another war in which tens of thousands of South Africans would die and the population would have new reasons for “thankfulness” towards Britain. [45]
However, in South Africa, Krige would come to other convictions. He would support the Smuts government’s war effort, be appointed by Smuts himself as Afrikaans Broadcaster on the Bureau of Information, and finally participate in the war first-hand as a war correspondent. One important reason for this change of heart was the events in Spain just prior to the Second World War. In his foreword to the sketches dealing with his time in Spain, Sol y Sombra, Krige explained how he lived alongside the common man while in Spain and shared their sun and shadow, their hopes and troubles. “However,” he continued, “Their greatest shadow – Franco’s temporary destruction in 1939 of the people’s aims and ideals, I experienced along with them only through my imagination.” [46]
The Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 alerted Krige to the dangers that fascism held, and he greatly sympathised with the Spanish population. Furthermore, he realised that Mussolini had been a powerful figure in Italy since 1922, and that support for fascism in Germany had only risen since Hitler came to power in 1933. Through Spain, he saw that fascism could lead to the destruction of Western values and that the future of democracy in Europe was being threatened. This was possibly one of his primary motivations for getting involved in the Second World War. [47]
Indeed, Krige was gripped with the Spanish situation and the Republican cause to such an extent that he seriously considered enlisting in the International Brigade. However, the Spanish ambassador dissuaded him from doing this by pointing out that the Republican cause needed advocates abroad, and particularly in South Africa, where the Afrikaans nationalist press was portraying Franco as a nationalist hero. To this end, Krige spoke and wrote about the conflict, daring to interpret its cause, and the dangers of Fascism, publically. In 1937, he also became a member of a committee that raised money to aid Spanish children. His first child, Maria-Eulalia, was also born on Christmas Day of that year. The conflict in Spain failed to stir strong emotions locally and Krige’s efforts to raise awareness among the South African population were met mostly with apathy. He observed with great disillusionment how “they all sided with Franco after July 1936 and merely shrugged their shoulders at all these horrific events.” Despite Krige’s lack of success in rousing the interest of others, it remains significant to note the lengths he was willing to go to in order to express his convictions. [48]
By the beginning of 1939, it was clear to many informed observers, including Krige, that a second world war, in which many countries would be involved, had become unavoidable. Nevertheless, Britain’s declaration of war plunged the South African cabinet into crisis. Although Smuts emerged victorious, and South Africa subsequently declared war on Germany on 6 September 1939, a variety of passionate and diverse emotions was present among the population and tensions were high. In this atmosphere, Smuts declared that no conscription would be introduced and participation in the war would be strictly voluntary. [49] The 1914 Rebellion, which occurred after South Africa entered the First World War, was still fresh in the nation’s memory and may have played a role in this decision. Nevertheless, more than two million South Africans, from all races, ultimately joined the war effort. [50]
The divisions caused by the war were exacerbated by the fact that the Nazi propaganda radio “Zeesan” also broadcasted in Afrikaans and had a significant local audience. In fact, most nationalists had greater trust in “Zeesan” broadcasts than those from local radio. On “Zeesan,” Hertzog was praised for his opposition to the government and the population was reminded of British cruelty during the South African War. Instructions were also given on how the population could sabotage the war effort and thus aid Germany. [51]
At the end of 1939, Smuts appointed Krige as Afrikaans broadcaster for the newly established Bureau of Information. It was designed to counteract the propaganda from “Zeesan.” Krige broadcasted on both the fall of Holland and the collapse of France. His opposition to Nazi Germany thus became public knowledge. The Nationalist Press reacted strongly to his views. He was ridiculed in a number of newspaper headlines and his “Afrikanerdom” was pulled into question, since a “true Afrikaner” would not support Britain. [52] It is important to realise, when considering this reaction that at the beginning of the war, only two prominent Afrikaans authors of the period, Jan van Melle and C. Louis Leipoldt, shared Krige’s stance of wholehearted opposition to the Nazi regime. [53]
In June 1940, Mussolini’s entry into the war spread the conflict to African soil. Since Krige had no military training, he requested to be sent to the front as a war correspondent. He arrived in Nairobi in November 1940 and caught up with Dan Pinaar’s forces at Harrar. He was among the first six men to enter Addis Ababa after it was captured, but he fell ill with the end of the campaign in May 1941 and returned to South Africa. [54]
However, Krige soon became restless. He returned to the front and arrived in Cairo, as war correspondent in the Egyptian Campaign, by September 1941. He formed part of the fifth South African Brigade that captured Sidi Rezegh on 19 November; but they were overwhelmed by Nazi units by November 23 and Krige was among the captured. Due to his knowledge of European languages, Krige quickly became a leader among the group of prisoners. He repeatedly brought their needs under the attention of their captors and reported their grievances. Many soldiers later testified with gratitude that, if not for Krige, their situation would probably have been worse. [55]
Thereafter, Krige spent the majority of two years in a prisoner of war camp in Sulmona, central Italy. While in the camp Krige learned Italian, read five or six Italian newspapers per day and used what he read to compile a personal English newspaper for the camp. This paper boosted morale among the men and was fairly accurate. It predicted, for instance, that Stalingrad would not fall. [56]
It is evident through his personal correspondence and writings that his war experiences had a profound impact on him as an individual and became a turning point in his life. Furthermore, with regard to his convictions concerning the war, Krige clearly refused to toe the line many of his contemporaries held. When South Africa entered the war on the side of the Allies Krige was one of only three prominent Afrikaans authors, alongside Dutch born Jan van Melle and veteran poet C. Louis Leipoldt who declared themselves decidedly opposed to Hitler. [57]
Thereafter Krige settled in Johannesburg and held a series of interviews, lectures, speeches and radio broadcasts focused on his war experiences. He also published a number of works concerned with this period, including The Way Out, an autobiography. Here, he provided details of his escape and the numerous occasions on which he received aid from the Italian population while he fled German pursuit and sought the Allied forces. In August 1944, Krige returned to Cairo to continue working as war correspondent. He would travel extensively to a variety of countries before finally returning to South Africa in March 1946.
Krige’s war reporting is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it must be understood in context. He expressed Allied support and anti-Nazi opinions at a time when the majority of Afrikaans speakers held a different view. Furthermore, he attempted to influence the public to see the situation from his perspective, at times to the detriment of his career or reputation. He realized the seriousness of the conflict and its consequences for the future and sought to communicate this to his audience. He was not willing to dismiss the conflict as merely European in nature like many of his contemporaries did. Instead, he regarded it as “something that affects the whole world, the entirety of humanity.” He believed that he was in the midst of a “universal tragedy” and part of a struggle that would “determine the fate of millions and set the course of the whole world during this century.” [58]
Moreover, Krige’s writings are consistently very detailed. He explained the movements and maneuversmanoeuvers of the troops, the reactions of the locals, the overall progress of the North Africa campaign and their contribution to the war effort. He also often added small details about daily life; such as the beauty of nature or a specific sunset, conditions in the camp, the weather, and jokes among the men, the boredom, or the food. He also repeatedly drew attention to the camaraderie among the men, their friendliness and sense of humour, in spite of the pending danger. [59]
These details may appear irrelevant or romantic, but in order to understand their significance it is important to remember that both his articles and radio broadcasts were intended for the public during the war. His focus on detail may therefore have served a dual purpose. Firstly, it allowed the South African public to imagine, at least partially, what daily life was like for their sons or lovers in the North African campaign. His focus on nature may also have functioned as a distraction from the harsh nature of war. Thereby, the public’s certainty could be strengthened and their worries alleviated with the knowledge that their loved ones were indeed not in such bad circumstances and would be home, and safe, soon.
Moreover, Krige’s writings demonstrate his consistently anti-fascist beliefs. However, he did not allow his hatred of fascist beliefs to turn into hatred for the individuals subscribing to the fascist ideology. On the contrary, his writings frequently contain details that lend humanity to the “enemy” and the war situation. He told of many instances of kindness and humanity between the opposing sides. This is particularly significant when considering the clear line between “friend” and “foe” that war necessitates a soldier to draw.
For Krige though, the “foe” was never nations or individuals, but rather ideologies and ideas. He admitted that “[there are those] whose political views horrify me, but whose essential humanity I could never have the audacity or self-righteousness to consider for a moment inferior to my own.” Perhaps his views on war as a whole can be best summarized by the following quote from Joseph, a character that would appear in his 1968 drama “Muur van die Dood.” (Wall of Death) “You can’t really hate people, at most you can hate only some of their thoughts and ideas and hope and pray that they get rid of these thoughts and ideas with time. But actually you have to like people, this way, you will find it easier to understand them.” [60]
Important dates
1933 - Visit to Spain, December
1935 - Kentering, first collection of poems, published
1939 - Appointed by Smuts as Afrikaans Broadcaster on Bureau of Information
1940 - Becomes war correspondent in the Abyssinian Campaign, arrives in Nairobi in November
1941 - War correspondent in Egypt, arrives in Cairo in September
1941 - Allies capture Sidi Rezegh, November 19
1941 - Captured at Sidi Rezegh, November 23
1943 - Escape from prisoner of war camp in Sulmona, Italy, September
Endnotes
[1] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 13. ?
[2] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 17, 21. ?
[3] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 25, 44. ?
[4] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 38-39. and C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 15-16. ?
[5] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 43-45. ?
[6] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.p. 11. ?
[7] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 17, 35-36. ?
[8] Ibid. p. 17. ?
[9] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 49-50, 62. ?
[10] Ibid. pp. 52-54. ?
[11] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 18-19. ?
[12] D. J. Opperman: Digters van Dertig. pp. 260-263. ?
[13] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 12. ?
[14] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 13-15. and J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp.
[15] J. C. Kanne5meyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.pp. 14-15. ?
[16] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 22. ?
[17] Ibid. pp. 22-23. ?
[18] Ibid. pp. 23-24. ?
[19] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.p. 15. ?
[20] N. Purdon: Interview with Uys Krige. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RO 6(2). and A. J. Friedgut: “Uys Krige’s Human Laboratory,” The Forum, 9 September 1944, pp. 25-27. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (12). ?
[21] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 25. ?
[22] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. pp. 178, 194-195. ?
[23] Ibid. pp. 255-256. ?
[24] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 17-18. ?
[25] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 27-28. ?
[26] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. p. 297. ?
[27] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 20-21. ?
[28] D. J. Opperman: Digters van Dertig. pp. 289-290. and J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 24. ?
[29] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 30-31. ?
[30] U. Krige: Spanje. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RP(1). ?
[31] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 22-23. ?
[32] N. Purdon: Interview with Uys Krige. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RO 6(2). ?
[33] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 26. ?
[34] Ibid. pp. 28-29. ?
[35] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 21-22. ?
[36] U. Krige: “Ons letterkunde en ander dinge, Uys Krige gesels,” Weekblad. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.3 (153a-d). ?
[37] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. pp. 301-302. ?
[38] U. Krige: “Ons letterkunde en ander dinge, Uys Krige gesels,” Weekblad. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.3 (153a-d). ?
[39] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 23. ?
[40] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 29-30. ?
[41] Ibid. ?
[42] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 28-29. ?
[43] Ibid. p. 24. ?
[44] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 245-247, 252, 261-262. ?
[45] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. p. 439. ?
[46] U. Krige: Sol y Sombra, Spaanse sketse. p. 5. ?
[47] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 286-288. ?
[48] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 286-288. ?
[49] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 287-292. and C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 35. ?
[50] L. Thompson: A history of South Africa. p. 177. ?
[51] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 293. ?
[52] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 383-384. ?
[53] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 35. ?
[54] Ibid. p. 36. ?
[55] “The Germans at Sidi Rezegh, Story of 12 South Africans.” The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (46). ?
[56] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 38-39. ?
[57] Ibid. pp. 35-39. ?
[58] U. Krige: My werk as oorlogkorrespondent. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RW (23). ?
[59] U. Krige: ‘n Kaptein gesels. Radio Broadcast, 28 December, 225. The Krige Collection, RW. (27/1).and U. Krige: “The campaign in Italian Somaliland and Abyssinia,” Gordonia News, 23 June 1941. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (59). ?
[60] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 298. ?
Mattheus Uys Krige and his contribution to the Second World War
Mattheus Uys Krige (1910-1987) can certainly be counted among the most dynamic literary figures of the 20th century. He distinguished himself as an author, poet, playwright, translator, broadcaster and lecturer. He also served as contributor for a number of prominent newspapers, including Die Vaderland, The Rand Daily Mail, Die Suiderstem and Die Burger. Besides his native Afrikaans, he communicated in perfect English and had command of Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German, French and Portuguese. [i] In his biography, Die goue seun. Die lewe en werk van Uys Krige J.C. Kannemeyer describes Krige as a cosmopolitan world traveller, a nonconformist and liberal who explored other literary and political avenues than the majority of his contemporaries. Indeed, he travelled so extensively that from 1945 until the early 1970s he was probably the most well-known Afrikaans author abroad. His departure from traditional Afrikaner nationalism and particular focus on the outside world is also unique among authors of his generation. [2] Aside from his considerable literary contributions, Krige played a vital role in South Africa’s war effort during the Second World War (WWII) as war correspondent and public figure. This article discusses his role in WWII and examines how he came to hold convictions so different from his contemporaries concerning both the war itself and South African politics in general. Therefore, this article focuses exclusively on the period c. 1910-1945 and investigates Krige’s youth and war experiences.
Early Years c. 1910 – 1930
Mattheus Uys Krige was born on 4 February 1910 on the farm “Bontebokskloof” in the Swellendam district. He was the second son of Jacob (Japie) Daniel Krige and Susanna (Sannie) Hermina Uys. Both parents were involved in the community they formed part of, serving on school councils and the like. [3] Even a cursorybrief investigation into his background clearly demonstrates that Krige did not come from the typicaltextbook Afrikaner nationalist home often associated with this period.
Japie Krige, born on 5 July 1879 in Franschhoek, was a talented athlete as well as an accomplished cricket and tennis player. He achieved fame, however, as a Springbok centre. According to some critics, he can be considered one of the greatest Springbok players of all time. He played professional rugby for the Western Province and formed part of the 1906 Paul Roos Springbok team that toured through Britain and France. He obtained a BA degree from Victoria College (present-day Stellenbosch University) and became a magistrate. As a magistrate, he became known for his thoroughly considered verdicts and his insight into human nature. [4]
Sannie Uys has been described as an artistic dreamer with a love for literature and music. Born on 8 February 1886 she became a teacher and loved playing the piano. Interestingly, she spoke predominantly English to her children, although her family was Afrikaans. She is characteriszed as reserved and sensitive. Krige clearly received some of his literary talent from her. At a late stage in her life, she began publishing short stories. Her work impressed, among others, the literary critic D. J. Opperman. [5] Krige continually encouraged her writing and they clearly shared a special bond. During high school, he writes the following about his poems: “My mother says she reads them, to her they are so nice, and so I’m not writing for you, but rather me and her alone.” [6]
Krige was one of six children. His elder brother Jacobus (Bokkie) was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and studied English at Oxford. His younger brother Arnold was also widely travelled and the youngest brother, Francois, became a respected artist. He exhibited in Venice and illustrated many books, including some of Krige’s works. Interestingly, Krige would turn out to be the only one among the brothers to have children of his own. Krige’s youngest siblings were two girls. Maria Magdalena (Mizzi) who showed considerable ability as an actress, although she died young, and Suzanna Hermine, the youngest, who would marry Revel Fox. It is important to note that all four brothers enlisted in the Second World War and achieved distinction in North Africa. Bokkie became an air force colonel, Krige a war correspondent, Arnold an intelligence officer and Francois a war artist. [7]
Krige spent his early childhood in the country, mostly in the Karoo and Cape area. Although his father’s occupation as a magistrate necessitated that the family relocate on what was almost a regular basis, his childhood seems mostly secure. [8] Later in life, Krige wondered whether these regular moves during childhood contributed to his own yearning for new destinations and his concern about things on an international scale. In 1920, the Kriges moved to Stellenbosch. Uys Krige shared some of his most treasured memories with this town. Some years later, he wrote, “for the golden glow that lies over my youth, I owe so much to Stellenbosch.” He could not imagine a happier, healthier and more natural and spontaneous childhood and youth than that which he enjoyed in Stellenbosch. [9]
His youth was filled with family holidays spent with grandparents and other relatives. The Krige grandparents lived in Onrust. There, he came to love the beach and ocean. The Uys grandparents remained on the farm “Bontebokskloof” where he was born. There the children spent many playful hours while listening to their grandparents’ retellings of adventures from the South African War. Many of Krige’s poems and short stories contain settings that can be associated with these family vacations or residences of relatives. On the whole then, his upbringing seems to have been peaceful and happy. [10]
Krige showed potential as a writer from an early age. As young as fifteen, he was already contributing English prose and Afrikaans poetry to reviews like The Cape, The Sunday Times, The Cape Argus and De Goede Hoop. He matriculated at “Hoër Jongenskool” which would later become the well-known Paul Roos Gymnasium and went on to study law at Stellenbosch University. This choice was possibly influenced by his father’s occupation as a magistrate. However, while at university, his interest in literature only increased. [11] During this time, he was strongly influenced by J. M. L. Franken, a professor of French language and literature, as well as Lydia van Niekerk, who guided him into Dutch literature. Krige soon began translating some French short stories for Die Huisgenoot and his desire to experience Europe and particularly French culture first-hand was awakened. During his student years, he also published in Die Stellenbosse Student and Die Nuwe Brandwag. Although he graduated with a law degree after the normal three years of study, he had, by then, decided to pursue a career in writing rather than law. [12]
After graduation, Krige left the area of his youth for Johannesburg. Although he was to remain there for only a year, this period was important, since it placed him on a course towards Europe and new experiences. In Johannesburg, Krige’s desire for new experiences that which was foreign and exotic was born. As his numerous subsequent trips abroad would demonstrate, this desire remained with him throughout his life. He enjoyed the city and all it had to offer; so different from what he had known to date. About the city, he wrote to his parents, “the air of Joburg takes one like champagne. This city has so many aspects; Chinatown where I can drink opium, Vrededorp, the Arab and Portuguese quarters.” [13]
On March 1, 1930, he began working at The Rand Daily Mail as a junior reporter. He absorbed all that Johannesburg had to offer, the good, the bad, and the ugly; even admitting in a letter to Bokkie that he knew all the “crooks, illegal alcohol sellers, gamblers and dagga smokers” in Vrededorp. Importantly, it was also here that Krige developed his criticism of the practices of the Afrikaner establishment. This too, would remain with him his whole life. By August 1930 though, even cosmopolitan Johannesburg was becoming too small and Krige expressed an increasingly fervent desire to travel to Europe. [14]
First European adventure c. 1931 -1939
On 30 June 1931, he finally departed on the Dunbar Castle from Cape Town to Southampton. His motivation for leaving lay, at least partly, in the search for an own identity. In a final letter to his parents before departure, he confided: “Sometimes I tire of being introduced as ‘Japie Krige’s son’ as if I don’t have a personality of my own.” A period of four and a half years spent in different European countries and cities; and certainly, in a vast variety of varying circumstances, now lay ahead for Krige. At times, he would struggle with intense melancholy and depression. This characteristic was apparently inherited from his mother, known for her reserved nature and sensitivity. [15]
At a time when many of his fellow poets found their inspiration in England, Holland and Flanders, Krige discovered his affinities with the cultures of the Romance language countries. His initial impression of England was unfavourable. The weather was terrible, his money quickly depleting and his elder brother, at this time studying at Oxford, away on holiday in Austria. He would be similarly disappointed in Holland, which he visited briefly some years later. Thus, in his choice of European destinations, he also varied from many of his contemporaries. [16]
Krige coincidently learned from a sporting journalist that he might feel more at home in the south of France. There, sunshine would be a more frequent visitor. He might even earn some money playing rugby, especially since the French rugby team had just defeated England for the first time. This, in combination with his desire to experience French culture that remained from his years at university, convinced him to move to France. [17]
He subsequently settled in Provence and played rugby for the Toulon club. This club was the most prestigious in France and had won the 1930-1931 national championships. The morning after he played his first game, he opened the newspaper to find himself on the front page. Accordingly, he was known as a French rugby star before publishing a single important line of poetry. [18] Indeed, he became the darling of the French sporting press with his “blonde mane of hair.” [19] Out of rugby season, he kept himself afloat with an assortment of odd jobs, only to resume playing and coaching when the winter returned. These odd jobs even included being a dishwasher in a Monte Carlo restaurant and a film extra, appearing as a trumpeter in “Don Quixote.” During this period, he also wrote regularly, often in bars and restaurants and sent articles on Provencal life to the South African press. [20]
In 1932, Krige met Roy Campbell, a fellow South African author. They shared a mutual enthusiasm for Provence and French poetry and Krige quickly became a regular visitor in the Campbell home. In some respects, Campbell served as a poetic mentor for Krige. He provided an example and gave advice and recommendations. He urged Krige to explore the world’s great literary works and this added greatly to Krige as an individual and an author. Their friendship clearly had a lasting effect on him in many respects. [21]
A new period began for Krige when he moved in with the Campbells in February 1933. The Campbells subsequently asked him to act as tutor for their two daughters, Theresa and Anna, and he spent his free time reading and learning Spanish. [22] He was happier in their household than he had been in Europe to date. At the end of August, he also reported with overwhelming joy to Bokkie that some of his poetry had been accepted for publication in the Dutch magazine Helikon. For Krige, this is the first real recognition of his poetry and upon hearing of it, he “wept tears of joy.” [23]
However, in the background of this peaceful, happy period, the Great Depression of the 1930s was taking hold of Europe and financial troubles loomed for the Campbells. Living costs were on the rise in France and Campbell was working on Marine Provence, which would ultimately never be published. In order to aid the Campbells, Krige received several loans from Bokkie, who still studied at Oxford. Nevertheless, faced with ever-increasing expenses and debts they feared they could not pay, the Campbells, along with Krige, finally decided to move to Barcelona at the end of November 1933. [24]
They arrived in Spain only thirty months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Shootings in the streets, bomb explosions and massive political demonstrations formed the background of Krige’s experiences here. This is clear in the first part of Sol y Sombra (sun and shadow), his collection of sketches from this period. [25] On 13 December 1933, Krige reported to his parents: “here, the bomb is an ordinary, daily, phenomenon.” [26] While in Spain, Krige initially felt removed from South Africa. His long absence eventually caused him to miss his homeland and his focus on a variety of European languages led to some trouble with writing Afrikaans. [27] Spain also reminded Krige increasingly of South Africa and he acknowledged that he perceived many parallels between South Africa and Spain. Importantly, he recognized these parallels not only in terms of the landscape, but also on a political level. [28]
Krige’s time in Spain was significant for various reasons. In Barcelona, he first discovered himself as a prose writer and Madrid gave him his first tastes of the possibilities in theatre. The Spanish political situation also gripped Krige’s imagination and he recognized part of their struggle reflected in the South African situation. J. A. Berthoud explains: “Spain did to his heart and feelings what France had done to his mind and taste.” [29] In Spain, his political consciousness was awakened and his republican sympathies formed. In a radio broadcast some years later, Krige admitted, “my debt to Spain, for the blessings I received from her during those first two years, is unpayable.” [30]
Krige eventually parted ways with the Campbells, who became too poor to afford a tutor. By all indications, he enjoyed his time with them tremendously. Despite the sharply contrasting political perspectives they would embrace in future, when Krige supported the Spanish Republic and Campbell backed Franco; they maintained a great friendship and mutual respect for each other. Campbell used his influence to gain South African support for Krige’s first publication. [31] Krige, in turn, maintained, “I shall always be grateful to Campbell for the part he played in the first phase of my career as a writer.” [32] Twenty-eight years later, when he wrote a preface to a selection of Campbell’s poetry he declared: “when all the cliques, claques and coteries of our time have settled into their rightful little grooves, Roy Campbell will stand out as one of the finest lyrical voices of his generation.” [33]
Krige subsequently went to live in Barrio Chino, the underworld district of Barcelona where food and housing were cheapest. Here, he was surrounded by beggars, pimps, prostitutes and political refugees from almost every country in Europe. Anti-fascists, communists, Nazis, anarchists and spies could all be found here. Krige described it as a “boiling pot of intrigue, plot and counterplot.” In this environment, Krige met and befriended Alberto Colini. Colini was an Italian author, journalist, communist, and political refugee, wholeheartedly opposed to Mussolini and the Fascist ideology that was gaining ground in his homeland. [34] Krige was fascinated by his political ideas and his admiration for Colini becomes evident in a number of his letters.
During this period, Krige became extremely poor. [35] He began writing a series of articles, based directly on his own experiences, for the South African press. Although at least six of these were accepted for publication, payments took a minimum of three months to reach him. [36] In a letter to his parents, he admitted that the word “hunger” had gained deeper meaning for him and that he had forgotten the taste of a cup of coffee. In fact, he faced such dire circumstances that he even sold some of his clothes. [37] Colini, experienced as he was in the art of survival as a refugee, aided Krige for a time. Colini, in turn, was supported by a syndicate of beggars. This assistance, in combination with occasional gifts from grocers and the payments Krige eventually received for his articles kept him afloat. [38] During this period, Krige also sent the final manuscript, out of which his first publication, Kentering, would be formed to Bokkie. [39]
Thereafter, Krige grew increasingly restless and decided to move to Valencia. Here, he experienced the full impact of Spanish literature and was surrounded by talented poets and playwrights. Particularly Garcia Lorca made a profound impression on him. He would later translate some of Lorca’s works into Afrikaans. Thus, Krige became part of the “outburst of artistic creation” that Spain was experiencing despite her political disintegration. [40]
From 1934 onwards a longing to return home gradually took hold of Krige. [41] The breakup of a serious romantic relationship with a Spanish girl, Eulalia, (Emilia) possibly intensified this desire. Indeed, Krige was so serious about her that he wrote to his family with plans to marry. The cause of the break in the relationship is unclear. Krige, however, returned to South Africa alone in December 1935, four and a half years after he arrived in Europe and a mere six months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. [42]
During his entire stay in Europe, Krige remained aware of current affairs in South Africa. He regularly wrote to his parents and enquired after the snippets of news he heard mainly from Dutch newspapers, regarding South Africa. His letters also contained requests for them to send news sources, specifically Die Huisgenoot. He expressed his approval that his parents did not support the new coalition government. His strong republican, anti-English and anti-Smuts feelings also became evident in his letters. On 4 March 1935, he wrote to his father, “to remain sheltered under the wings of the English means only one thing, death, and especially spiritual death.” These views, however, would soon change with a larger and more aggressive threat looming on the horizon. [43]
Upon his return to South Africa, Krige stayed with his parents for some months. He worked at Die Vaderland for a short period before moving to Cape Town at the end of 1936 and being employed by Die Suiderstem. He met Lydia Lindeque, a promising local actress, while in Johannesburg, and they were married on 27 January 1937. Krige observed international politics with increasing concern from their home in Cape Town. [44]
Krige’s time abroad likely gave him a marked advantage over many of his contemporaries. He had first-hand knowledge of the situation in Europe and was therefore better equipped to interpret the subsequent multifaceted events. Back in South Africa, he eagerly followed the news and discerned the volatile situation in Europe. Initially, he was passionately opposed to South Africa’s participation in another war in which tens of thousands of South Africans would die and the population would have new reasons for “thankfulness” towards Britain. [45]
However, in South Africa, Krige would come to other convictions. He would support the Smuts government’s war effort, be appointed by Smuts himself as Afrikaans Broadcaster on the Bureau of Information, and finally participate in the war first-hand as a war correspondent. One important reason for this change of heart was the events in Spain just prior to the Second World War. In his foreword to the sketches dealing with his time in Spain, Sol y Sombra, Krige explained how he lived alongside the common man while in Spain and shared their sun and shadow, their hopes and troubles. “However,” he continued, “Their greatest shadow – Franco’s temporary destruction in 1939 of the people’s aims and ideals, I experienced along with them only through my imagination.” [46]
The Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 alerted Krige to the dangers that fascism held, and he greatly sympathised with the Spanish population. Furthermore, he realised that Mussolini had been a powerful figure in Italy since 1922, and that support for fascism in Germany had only risen since Hitler came to power in 1933. Through Spain, he saw that fascism could lead to the destruction of Western values and that the future of democracy in Europe was being threatened. This was possibly one of his primary motivations for getting involved in the Second World War. [47]
Indeed, Krige was gripped with the Spanish situation and the Republican cause to such an extent that he seriously considered enlisting in the International Brigade. However, the Spanish ambassador dissuaded him from doing this by pointing out that the Republican cause needed advocates abroad, and particularly in South Africa, where the Afrikaans nationalist press was portraying Franco as a nationalist hero. To this end, Krige spoke and wrote about the conflict, daring to interpret its cause, and the dangers of Fascism, publically. In 1937, he also became a member of a committee that raised money to aid Spanish children. His first child, Maria-Eulalia, was also born on Christmas Day of that year. The conflict in Spain failed to stir strong emotions locally and Krige’s efforts to raise awareness among the South African population were met mostly with apathy. He observed with great disillusionment how “they all sided with Franco after July 1936 and merely shrugged their shoulders at all these horrific events.” Despite Krige’s lack of success in rousing the interest of others, it remains significant to note the lengths he was willing to go to in order to express his convictions. [48]
By the beginning of 1939, it was clear to many informed observers, including Krige, that a second world war, in which many countries would be involved, had become unavoidable. Nevertheless, Britain’s declaration of war plunged the South African cabinet into crisis. Although Smuts emerged victorious, and South Africa subsequently declared war on Germany on 6 September 1939, a variety of passionate and diverse emotions was present among the population and tensions were high. In this atmosphere, Smuts declared that no conscription would be introduced and participation in the war would be strictly voluntary. [49] The 1914 Rebellion, which occurred after South Africa entered the First World War, was still fresh in the nation’s memory and may have played a role in this decision. Nevertheless, more than two million South Africans, from all races, ultimately joined the war effort. [50]
The divisions caused by the war were exacerbated by the fact that the Nazi propaganda radio “Zeesan” also broadcasted in Afrikaans and had a significant local audience. In fact, most nationalists had greater trust in “Zeesan” broadcasts than those from local radio. On “Zeesan,” Hertzog was praised for his opposition to the government and the population was reminded of British cruelty during the South African War. Instructions were also given on how the population could sabotage the war effort and thus aid Germany. [51]
At the end of 1939, Smuts appointed Krige as Afrikaans broadcaster for the newly established Bureau of Information. It was designed to counteract the propaganda from “Zeesan.” Krige broadcasted on both the fall of Holland and the collapse of France. His opposition to Nazi Germany thus became public knowledge. The Nationalist Press reacted strongly to his views. He was ridiculed in a number of newspaper headlines and his “Afrikanerdom” was pulled into question, since a “true Afrikaner” would not support Britain. [52] It is important to realise, when considering this reaction that at the beginning of the war, only two prominent Afrikaans authors of the period, Jan van Melle and C. Louis Leipoldt, shared Krige’s stance of wholehearted opposition to the Nazi regime. [53]
In June 1940, Mussolini’s entry into the war spread the conflict to African soil. Since Krige had no military training, he requested to be sent to the front as a war correspondent. He arrived in Nairobi in November 1940 and caught up with Dan Pinaar’s forces at Harrar. He was among the first six men to enter Addis Ababa after it was captured, but he fell ill with the end of the campaign in May 1941 and returned to South Africa. [54]
However, Krige soon became restless. He returned to the front and arrived in Cairo, as war correspondent in the Egyptian Campaign, by September 1941. He formed part of the fifth South African Brigade that captured Sidi Rezegh on 19 November; but they were overwhelmed by Nazi units by November 23 and Krige was among the captured. Due to his knowledge of European languages, Krige quickly became a leader among the group of prisoners. He repeatedly brought their needs under the attention of their captors and reported their grievances. Many soldiers later testified with gratitude that, if not for Krige, their situation would probably have been worse. [55]
Thereafter, Krige spent the majority of two years in a prisoner of war camp in Sulmona, central Italy. While in the camp Krige learned Italian, read five or six Italian newspapers per day and used what he read to compile a personal English newspaper for the camp. This paper boosted morale among the men and was fairly accurate. It predicted, for instance, that Stalingrad would not fall. [56]
It is evident through his personal correspondence and writings that his war experiences had a profound impact on him as an individual and became a turning point in his life. Furthermore, with regard to his convictions concerning the war, Krige clearly refused to toe the line many of his contemporaries held. When South Africa entered the war on the side of the Allies Krige was one of only three prominent Afrikaans authors, alongside Dutch born Jan van Melle and veteran poet C. Louis Leipoldt who declared themselves decidedly opposed to Hitler. [57]
Thereafter Krige settled in Johannesburg and held a series of interviews, lectures, speeches and radio broadcasts focused on his war experiences. He also published a number of works concerned with this period, including The Way Out, an autobiography. Here, he provided details of his escape and the numerous occasions on which he received aid from the Italian population while he fled German pursuit and sought the Allied forces. In August 1944, Krige returned to Cairo to continue working as war correspondent. He would travel extensively to a variety of countries before finally returning to South Africa in March 1946.
Krige’s war reporting is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it must be understood in context. He expressed Allied support and anti-Nazi opinions at a time when the majority of Afrikaans speakers held a different view. Furthermore, he attempted to influence the public to see the situation from his perspective, at times to the detriment of his career or reputation. He realized the seriousness of the conflict and its consequences for the future and sought to communicate this to his audience. He was not willing to dismiss the conflict as merely European in nature like many of his contemporaries did. Instead, he regarded it as “something that affects the whole world, the entirety of humanity.” He believed that he was in the midst of a “universal tragedy” and part of a struggle that would “determine the fate of millions and set the course of the whole world during this century.” [58]
Moreover, Krige’s writings are consistently very detailed. He explained the movements and maneuversmanoeuvers of the troops, the reactions of the locals, the overall progress of the North Africa campaign and their contribution to the war effort. He also often added small details about daily life; such as the beauty of nature or a specific sunset, conditions in the camp, the weather, and jokes among the men, the boredom, or the food. He also repeatedly drew attention to the camaraderie among the men, their friendliness and sense of humour, in spite of the pending danger. [59]
These details may appear irrelevant or romantic, but in order to understand their significance it is important to remember that both his articles and radio broadcasts were intended for the public during the war. His focus on detail may therefore have served a dual purpose. Firstly, it allowed the South African public to imagine, at least partially, what daily life was like for their sons or lovers in the North African campaign. His focus on nature may also have functioned as a distraction from the harsh nature of war. Thereby, the public’s certainty could be strengthened and their worries alleviated with the knowledge that their loved ones were indeed not in such bad circumstances and would be home, and safe, soon.
Moreover, Krige’s writings demonstrate his consistently anti-fascist beliefs. However, he did not allow his hatred of fascist beliefs to turn into hatred for the individuals subscribing to the fascist ideology. On the contrary, his writings frequently contain details that lend humanity to the “enemy” and the war situation. He told of many instances of kindness and humanity between the opposing sides. This is particularly significant when considering the clear line between “friend” and “foe” that war necessitates a soldier to draw.
For Krige though, the “foe” was never nations or individuals, but rather ideologies and ideas. He admitted that “[there are those] whose political views horrify me, but whose essential humanity I could never have the audacity or self-righteousness to consider for a moment inferior to my own.” Perhaps his views on war as a whole can be best summarized by the following quote from Joseph, a character that would appear in his 1968 drama “Muur van die Dood.” (Wall of Death) “You can’t really hate people, at most you can hate only some of their thoughts and ideas and hope and pray that they get rid of these thoughts and ideas with time. But actually you have to like people, this way, you will find it easier to understand them.” [60]
Important dates
1933 - Visit to Spain, December
1935 - Kentering, first collection of poems, published
1939 - Appointed by Smuts as Afrikaans Broadcaster on Bureau of Information
1940 - Becomes war correspondent in the Abyssinian Campaign, arrives in Nairobi in November
1941 - War correspondent in Egypt, arrives in Cairo in September
1941 - Allies capture Sidi Rezegh, November 19
1941 - Captured at Sidi Rezegh, November 23
1943 - Escape from prisoner of war camp in Sulmona, Italy, September
Endnotes
[1] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 13. ?
[2] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 17, 21. ?
[3] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 25, 44. ?
[4] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 38-39. and C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 15-16. ?
[5] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 43-45. ?
[6] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.p. 11. ?
[7] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 17, 35-36. ?
[8] Ibid. p. 17. ?
[9] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 49-50, 62. ?
[10] Ibid. pp. 52-54. ?
[11] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 18-19. ?
[12] D. J. Opperman: Digters van Dertig. pp. 260-263. ?
[13] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 12. ?
[14] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 13-15. and J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp.
[15] J. C. Kanne5meyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.pp. 14-15. ?
[16] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 22. ?
[17] Ibid. pp. 22-23. ?
[18] Ibid. pp. 23-24. ?
[19] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens.p. 15. ?
[20] N. Purdon: Interview with Uys Krige. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RO 6(2). and A. J. Friedgut: “Uys Krige’s Human Laboratory,” The Forum, 9 September 1944, pp. 25-27. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (12). ?
[21] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 25. ?
[22] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. pp. 178, 194-195. ?
[23] Ibid. pp. 255-256. ?
[24] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 17-18. ?
[25] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 27-28. ?
[26] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. p. 297. ?
[27] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 20-21. ?
[28] D. J. Opperman: Digters van Dertig. pp. 289-290. and J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 24. ?
[29] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 30-31. ?
[30] U. Krige: Spanje. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RP(1). ?
[31] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 22-23. ?
[32] N. Purdon: Interview with Uys Krige. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RO 6(2). ?
[33] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 26. ?
[34] Ibid. pp. 28-29. ?
[35] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 21-22. ?
[36] U. Krige: “Ons letterkunde en ander dinge, Uys Krige gesels,” Weekblad. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.3 (153a-d). ?
[37] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. pp. 301-302. ?
[38] U. Krige: “Ons letterkunde en ander dinge, Uys Krige gesels,” Weekblad. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.3 (153a-d). ?
[39] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. p. 23. ?
[40] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 29-30. ?
[41] Ibid. ?
[42] J. C. Kannemeyer (red.): Die Veelsydige Krige, vyf studies oor die skrywer en die mens. pp. 28-29. ?
[43] Ibid. p. 24. ?
[44] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 245-247, 252, 261-262. ?
[45] S. P. van Aardt: Uys Krige se familiebriewe uit Frankryk en Spanje 1931-1935, teksuitgawe met historiese orientering, teoretiese verantwoording en annotasies. p. 439. ?
[46] U. Krige: Sol y Sombra, Spaanse sketse. p. 5. ?
[47] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 286-288. ?
[48] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 286-288. ?
[49] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. pp. 287-292. and C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 35. ?
[50] L. Thompson: A history of South Africa. p. 177. ?
[51] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 293. ?
[52] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 383-384. ?
[53] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. p. 35. ?
[54] Ibid. p. 36. ?
[55] “The Germans at Sidi Rezegh, Story of 12 South Africans.” The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (46). ?
[56] C. van Heyningen and J. A. Berthoud: Uys Krige. pp. 38-39. ?
[57] Ibid. pp. 35-39. ?
[58] U. Krige: My werk as oorlogkorrespondent. Radio Broadcast, The Krige Collection, 225.RW (23). ?
[59] U. Krige: ‘n Kaptein gesels. Radio Broadcast, 28 December, 225. The Krige Collection, RW. (27/1).and U. Krige: “The campaign in Italian Somaliland and Abyssinia,” Gordonia News, 23 June 1941. The Krige Collection, 225.ko.23 (59). ?
[60] J. C. Kannemeyer: Die goue seun, die lewe en werk van Uys Krige. p. 298. ?