Pieter Hendrik Kritzinger
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Pieter Hendrik Kritzinger (20 April 1870, 'Wildemanskraal',
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
,
Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...
District – 2 October 1930,
Cradock, Eastern Cape Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by road northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani ...
), was a
Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape Colony, Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controll ...
general and Assistant Commandant of the Forces of the
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
and Commander-in-Chief of the Boer Rebel Forces in the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
and noted guerrilla commander during the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
who led the Boer invasions of the Cape Colony during the Guerilla Phase of the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
. As a part of General Christiaan de Wet's Free State forces, Kritzinger's commando and its offsplits of commonado's, under the leadership of
Gideon Scheepers Gideon Scheepers (1878–1902) was a Boer military leader, scout and heliographer during the Anglo-Boer War (also known as the South African war). He is remembered for having been executed for war crimes. Early years Gideon Jacobus Scheepers wa ...
and
Johannes Lötter Johannes Cornelius Jacobus "Hans" Lötter (1875-1901) was a Boer commander who fought, and was executed by, the British during the Second Boer War. Along with Gideon Scheepers, Lötter was one of the most brutal guerrilla commandos in the Cape Co ...
, successfully launched attacks deep into the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
on the British troops. The British communications, railway and supply lines were severely disrupted.


Family

Pieter Kritzinger was a grandchild of the Kritzinger ancestor, Johan Jakob Kritzinger (1744-1798), of
Besigheim Besigheim () is a municipality in the district of Ludwigsburg in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated 13 km north of Ludwigsburg at the confluence of the Neckar and Enz rivers. The town has many old buildings and a t ...
in
Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Johan Jakob was granted the farm, 'Piesangriviervallei' by the
VOC VOC, VoC or voc may refer to: Science and technology * Open-circuit voltage (VOC), the voltage between two terminals when there is no external load connected * Variant of concern, a category used during the assessment of a new variant of a virus ...
in 1766 and today this farm is at the heart of the town of
Plettenberg Bay Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plet or Plett, is the primary town of the Bitou Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of the census of 2001, there were 29,149 population. It was originally named Bahia Formosa ("beautifu ...
in the
Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...
. Pieter Kritzinger was a great grandchild of A.B1. Jacobus Andreas (Andries) Rudolph Senior (1773 - 1809), who was the elder brother of A.B2. Gerhardus Jacobus (Gert) Rudolph (1797–1851), who was the last President of the
Natalia Republic The Natalia Republic was a short-lived Boer republic founded in 1839 after a Voortrekker victory against the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River. The area was previously named ''Natália'' by Portuguese sailors, due to its discovery on Christma ...
from 1842 tot 1843. Andries Rudolph was married to Johanna Magdalena Oosthuizen (1773 - 1864), the heiress of the farm, 'Paapenbietjesfontein aan de Baakensrivier', on which the city centre of
Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...
was laid out. 'Paapenbietjiesfontein' comprised the modern day city centre of Port Elizabeth, South End and Humewood, all the way to Happy Valley, where the Sakrivier formed the boundary with the neighbouring farm, 'Strandfontein', which at the time belonged to the Voortrekker leader,
Piet Retief Pieter Mauritz Retief (12 November 1780 – 6 February 1838) was a ''Voortrekker'' leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he assumed command of punitive expeditions in response to raiding parties from the adjacent ...
. Johanna was also the aunt of the Voortrekker leader
Gerrit Maritz Gerhardus Marthinus (Gert or Gerrit) Maritz (1 March 1797 – 23 September 1838), was a Voortrekker pioneer and leader, wagon builder. Gerrit Maritz was the son of Salamo Stefanus Maritz and Maria Elizabeth Oosthuizen. He married Agnita Maria O ...
, after whom the city of
Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...
was named. Pieter Kritzinger's grandfather, A.B1.C3. Jacobus Andreas Rudolph Junior (1798–1881), participated in the
Battle of Blood River The Battle of Blood River (16 December 1838) was fought on the bank of the Ncome River, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa between 464 Voortrekkers ("Pioneers"), led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Zulu. Est ...
in 1838. Pieter Kritzinger was the son of Wessel Kritzinger and his wife, Magdalena Rudolph. In 1882 he moved with his parents to the
Ladybrand Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State (South African province), Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipa ...
district of the Orange Free State and at the age of seventeen began farming on his own in the
Rouxville Rouxville is a small wool and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa and is situated on the N6 national route. The town is at the centre of the wool producing area of the Transgariep. Rouxville is situated near a number o ...
district. Wessel died in the
Bloemfontein Concentration Camp Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legislative capital Cape Town ...
on 20 April 1902.


Participation in Anglo Boer War

On the outbreak of the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
, as a burgher in the
Rouxville Commando Rouxville Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin With the Orange Free State Republic Rouxvi ...
under General J.H. Olivier, he took part in the invasion of the Cape Colony and took part in the
Battle of Stormberg The Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week, in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War. Background When the British first drew up a plan of campaign against the Boer r ...
on 10 December 1899. At the time, Kritzinger was engaged to a daughter of General J.H. Olivier, the victor of the Battle of Stormberg who led the humiliating defeat over Lieutenant-General
William Forbes Gatacre Lieutenant-General Sir William Forbes Gatacre (3 December 1843 – 18 January 1906) was a British soldier who served between 1862 and 1904 in India and Africa. He commanded the British Army Division at the Battle of Omdurman and the 3rd D ...
, the hero of the
Battle of Omdurman The Battle of Omdurman was fought during the Anglo-Egyptian conquest of Sudan between a British–Egyptian expeditionary force commanded by British Commander-in-Chief (sirdar) major general Horatio Herbert Kitchener and a Sudanese army of the M ...
in
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
. The Boer victory at the Battle of Stormberg, in which 135 British soldiers were killed and 696 captured was part of the British
Black Week Black Week refers to the week of 10–17 December 1899 during the Second Boer War, when the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. In total, 2,776 British ...
. Gatacre's reputation sank after Stormberg, and he returned to England and to his pre-war posting. As a result of Lord Roberts's successful campaign which led to the collapse of Boer resistance on the western front and the occupation of
Bloemfontein Bloemfontein, ( ; , "fountain of flowers") also known as Bloem, is one of South Africa's three capital cities and the capital of the Free State (province), Free State province. It serves as the country's judicial capital, along with legisla ...
on 13 March 1900, the commando's at Stormberg had to retreat hastily to the north and the
Rouxville Rouxville is a small wool and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa and is situated on the N6 national route. The town is at the centre of the wool producing area of the Transgariep. Rouxville is situated near a number o ...
commando also had to turn back. North-east of Bloemfontein he joined the Orange Free State main force under General Christiaan de Wet in the same month. Kritzinger participated in the Battle of
Sanna's Post Sanna's Post (a.k.a. Korn Spruit) was an engagement fought during the Second Boer War (1899-1902) between the British Empire and the Boers of the two independent republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic. Background In e ...
on 31 March 1900 and the Battle of Mostershoek at Reddersburg on 3 April 1900. Kritzinger was present when the Imperial Yeomanry under Colonel Basil Spragge surrendered to General Piet de Wet at Lindley on 31 May 1900. Thereafter he fought in the military operation in the north eastern Orange Free State until the surrender of General
Marthinus Prinsloo Marthinus Prinsloo (1838 - 1903) was an Orange Free State Boer farmer, politician and general in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). He was born of Nicolaas Frans Prinsloo (1813-1890) and Isabella Johanna Petronella Rautenbach (1819-around 1908) in ...
at the end of July 1900. When General Christiaan de Wet's commando temporarily retreated across the
Vaal River The Vaal River ( ; Khoemana: ) is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source near Breyten in Mpumalanga province, east of Johannesburg and about north of Ermelo and only about from the Indian Ocean. ...
, the
Rouxville Commando Rouxville Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin With the Orange Free State Republic Rouxvi ...
stayed behind in the vicinity of
Winburg Winburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. It is the oldest proclaimed town (1837) in the Orange Free State, South Africa and thus along with Griquastad, one of the oldest settlements in South Africa lo ...
and when General J.H. Olivier was taken prisoner during an attack on
Winburg Winburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. It is the oldest proclaimed town (1837) in the Orange Free State, South Africa and thus along with Griquastad, one of the oldest settlements in South Africa lo ...
on 27 August 1900, Kritzinger was elected as the commandant of the
Rouxville Commando Rouxville Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin With the Orange Free State Republic Rouxvi ...
. On General Christiaan de Wet's return from
Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name Transvaal. * South African Republic (1856–1902; af, ...
, Kritzinger and his commando once more joined the main force and his appointment was confirmed. In December 1900, Kritzinger's commando formed part of the force with which General Christiaan de Wet attempted to invade the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
. The plan was foiled and Kritzinger was instructed to try again with his own commando as soon as the
Orange River The Orange River (from Afrikaans/Dutch: ''Oranjerivier'') is a river in Southern Africa. It is the longest river in South Africa. With a total length of , the Orange River Basin extends from Lesotho into South Africa and Namibia to the north ...
was fordable. On 16 December 1900 he succeeded in entering the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
at Odendaalstroom. Pursued by British columns, Kritzinger at the end of December 1900 crossed the railway between
Noupoort Noupoort is a small town in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa. The town lies 54 km south of Colesberg and 45 km north of Rosmead Junction on the N9 National Route. It was laid out on a portion of the farm Caroluspoort, was ad ...
and
Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...
, where they derailed a train. The commando then moved southwards through the
Graaff-Reinet Graaff-Reinet is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the oldest town in the province. It is also the sixth-oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Simon's Town, Paarl and Swellendam. The town was the c ...
and
Murraysburg Murraysburg is an Afrikaans speaking town of approximately 5,000 people in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is situated in the far northeast of the municipality, about from the provincial capital Cape Town, and west of Graaff-Reinet. ...
districts, past Prince Albert to
Oudtshoorn Oudtshoorn (, ), the "ostrich capital of the world", is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located between the Swartberg mountains to the north and the Outeniqua Mountains to the south. Two ostrich-feather booms, during 1865–1 ...
in the
Little Karoo The Karoo ( ; from the Afrikaans borrowing of the South Khoekhoe !Orakobab or Khoemana word ''ǃ’Aukarob'' "Hardveld") is a semi-desert natural region of South Africa. No exact definition of what constitutes the Karoo is available, so its ext ...
. The Cape rebel
Gideon Scheepers Gideon Scheepers (1878–1902) was a Boer military leader, scout and heliographer during the Anglo-Boer War (also known as the South African war). He is remembered for having been executed for war crimes. Early years Gideon Jacobus Scheepers wa ...
, who was later executed by the British, was a member of Kritzinger's commando invading the Cape in December 1900. After this he changed direction and went northeastwards to
Somerset East Somerset East ( af, Somerset-Oos) is a town in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was founded by Lord Charles Somerset in 1825. The Blue Crane Route follows the national road R63 from Pearston, via Som ...
. There was a great deal of commotion along this route and colonial rebels joined his commando. His actions between December 1900 and April 1901 led to the escalation of the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
to parts of the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
which had hitherto been peaceful and caused the immediate intervention of an increasing number of mobile British units. In the Cradock and
Tarkastad Tarkastad is a Karoo semi-urban settlement situated on the banks Tarka River in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Tarkastad is on a plain to the north of the Winterberg mountain range on the R61 between Cradock and Queenstown and only ...
districts he was forced to divide his commando in two and retreat with one half to the Orange Free State. He succeeded in fording the
Orange River The Orange River (from Afrikaans/Dutch: ''Oranjerivier'') is a river in Southern Africa. It is the longest river in South Africa. With a total length of , the Orange River Basin extends from Lesotho into South Africa and Namibia to the north ...
near
Bethulie Bethulie is a small sheep and cattle farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. The name meaning ''chosen by God'' was given by directors of a mission station in 1829 which the town formed around. The mission building is the oldest s ...
on 29 April 1901. In April 1901 he was promoted by General Christiaan de Wet to the rank of General at the age of 31 years. However, his undertaking had lasting effects on the subsequent military operations, for henceforth the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
was also waged in British controlled areas and this gradually became an important theatre of war. The actions of a considerable number of rebel bands forced the British High Command to strengthen its forces in the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
at a time when it was hoped that the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
was nearing its end. The political outcome in the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
was even more serious, because the loyalty of the Cape
Afrikaners Afrikaners () are a South African ethnic group descended from Free Burghers, predominantly Dutch settlers first arriving at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th and 18th centuries.Entry: Cape Colony. ''Encyclopædia Britannica Volume 4 Part 2: ...
became involved. Kritzinger's services was recognised by General Christiaan de Wet when the latter appointed him Assistant Chief Commandant of the Orange Free State and Chief Commandant of the Colonial Forces in the Cape Colony on 7 May 1901. On 12 June 1901 Genl PH Kritzinger issues his 'Stormberg proclamation'. He declares that the Free State Occupation Proclamations of November 1899 are still valid and that the north-eastern part of the Cape Colony is still under the control of the OFS and that martial law is still applicable.Oosthuizen, A V, Rebelle van die Stormberge, J.P. van der Walt, 1994, , p.181


Capture

Kritzinger invaded the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
once again at
Norvalspont Norvalspont is a small town in Pixley ka Seme District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The name is Afrikaans for ''Norval’s ferry'', and named after an enterprising Scot who constructed a ferry here in 1848. The sett ...
on 19 May 1901. Invested with more authority than he had formerly had, he united the rebel units in the area under him, then rode southwards and sent out, in all directions and under competent leaders, smaller sections whose number continually increased. He occupied Jamestown in the
Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
on 2 June 1901, but found himself hard-pressed when mobile units descended upon him. He retreated to the
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
again on 14 August 1901 and went to the
Zastron Zastron is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, some 30 km from the border of Lesotho. It is situated at the foot of Aasvoëlberg (Vulture Mountain), named for the rare Cape vultures attracted by a feeding p ...
district where he annihilated a British unit under Colonel A Murray at the Battle of Kwaggafontein on 20 September 1901. Continually harried in the Southern
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
, Kritzinger's Commando invaded the
Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
for a third time at Sanddrif on 15 December 1901. Once again the enemy converged upon him from all sides and he was driven westwards in the direction of the railway line to the north. As he crossed the line on 16 December 1901 he was gravely wounded and taken prisoner while attempting to rescue a comrade, Lieutenant Gerrit Boldingh. Kritzinger safely reached the other side, but saw that Boldingh had been hit by a bullet, and turned back within a rain of bullet fire out of the nearby British
blockhouse A blockhouse is a small fortification, usually consisting of one or more rooms with loopholes, allowing its defenders to fire in various directions. It is usually an isolated fort in the form of a single building, serving as a defensive stro ...
to go and rescue him. According to the
Aliwal North Aliwal North (officially Maletswai) is a town in central South Africa on the banks of the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. It is a medium-sized commercial centre in the northernmost part of the Eastern Cape. History Sir Harry Smith, then ...
newspaper this act of bravery was worthy of a Victoria Cross, if Kritzinger had fought on the British side.


Court Case

After some weeks in hospital at
Noupoort Noupoort is a small town in the eastern Karoo region of South Africa. The town lies 54 km south of Colesberg and 45 km north of Rosmead Junction on the N9 National Route. It was laid out on a portion of the farm Caroluspoort, was ad ...
he was imprisoned as prisoner of war (POW) in the military prison at
Graaff-Reinet Graaff-Reinet is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is the oldest town in the province. It is also the sixth-oldest town in South Africa, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Simon's Town, Paarl and Swellendam. The town was the c ...
and tried by the Graaff-Reinet Military Tribunal in March 1902 on the charge of rebellion. Kritzinger's deputy commander,
Gideon Scheepers Gideon Scheepers (1878–1902) was a Boer military leader, scout and heliographer during the Anglo-Boer War (also known as the South African war). He is remembered for having been executed for war crimes. Early years Gideon Jacobus Scheepers wa ...
was executed at Graaff-Reneit shortly before on 12 January 1902, after being falsely accused as a Cape rebel, and on alleged war crimes. Scheepers has since achieved martyrdom status and an imposing monument was erected in his memory outside Graaff-Reinet. Kritzinger was acquitted by the Graaff-Reinet Military Tribunal after influential newspapers in England and the United States of America took up the cudgels on his behalf after the huge furore that Scheepers's death caused in the international news. One of the main petitioners for Kritzinger's release was WT Stead (the famous British newspaper editor who served as mentor to
William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...
and who died on the RMS Titanic). The release of Kritzinger was also debated in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
and various individuals and organisations sent petitions to the
Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
. Kritzinger was released after the British General Officer Commanding the 1st Division in the Second Boer War, Lord Paul Methuen, was released by General JH de la Rey, after he was captured by De La Rey at the
Battle of Tweebosch In the Battle of Tweebosch or De Klipdrift on 7 March 1902, a Boer commando led by Koos de la Rey defeated a British column under the command of Lieutenant General Lord Methuen during the final months of the Second Boer War. Background In order ...
on 7 March 1902.


First Overseas Trip

Initially, after the
Treaty of Vereeniging The Treaty of Vereeniging was a peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the Second Boer War between the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the United Kingdom on the other. This settlement provided f ...
was signed on 31 May 1902, he went in exile to
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and the
United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
in an attempt to prevent the undertaking of the oath of allegiance to the British throne. In the United States of America he got engaged to the Spanish heiress of a large Tin mine in Chihuahua,
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, but he called the engagement off when he moved back to the
Orange River Colony The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after Britain first occupied (1900) and then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War. The colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Unio ...
.


Second Overseas Trip

After having settled in
Ladybrand Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State (South African province), Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipa ...
in the
Orange River Colony The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after Britain first occupied (1900) and then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War. The colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Unio ...
, he soon thereafter again went to the United States of America to seek medical attention for his war wounds. With this trip, he was accompanied by his erstwhile private secretary, Rev RD McDonald, to also seek a publisher for his biography and to give public lectures on the effects and consequences of the Anglo-Boer War and the concentration camps on the burghers of the Orange Free State. An account of his wartime experiences was published in London in 1905 under the title 'In the Shadow of Death' - and is still in print to date.


Third Overseas Trip

Shortly after his return, he was again sent to Europe by the Orange River Colony's
Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, abbreviated NHK) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the original denomination of the Dutch Royal Family and ...
to raise funds for Christian National Education in the
Orange River Colony The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after Britain first occupied (1900) and then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War. The colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Unio ...
. On this voyage he had meetings with the Boer sympathiser,
Emily Hobhouse Emily Hobhouse (9 April 1860 – 8 June 1926) was a British welfare campaigner, anti-war activist, and pacifist. She is primarily remembered for bringing to the attention of the British public, and working to change, the deprived conditions insi ...
, WT Stead, Sir
Henry Campbell-Bannerman Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (né Campbell; 7 September 183622 April 1908) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. He served as the prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 190 ...
, who was British Prime Minister at the time, as well as the influential politicians, who would later become British Prime Ministers, such as
David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
and
Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...
in order to tell them of the great needs of the post-war
Orange River Colony The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after Britain first occupied (1900) and then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War. The colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Unio ...
. In the Netherlands, he was granted an audience by
Queen Wilhelmina Wilhelmina (; Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria; 31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World Wa ...
.


Marriage

He later settled on the farm, 'Fleurville' in Swaershoek Pass outside Cradock, after marrying Anna Dorothea Michau in 1907. Kritzinger's father-in-law was Senator Paul Willem Michau (1856 - 1919) of 'Orange Grove' in Swaershoek Pass, who was a second-generation MP for Cradock and the last President of the Senate of the Cape Colonial Parliament. Senator Michau was an ally of Sir
William Schreiner William Philip Schreiner (30 August 1857 – 28 June 1919) was a barrister, politician, statesman and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony during the Second Boer War. Early life Schreiner was born at Wittebergen Mission Station near Hersche ...
, who was the brother of the famous South African author
Olive Schreiner Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a South African author, pacifist, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is best remembered today for her novel ''The Story of an African Farm'' (1883), which has been highly acclaimed ...
and both families were close friends as they hailed from Cradock. After her death in 1920, Olive Schreiner was buried on Buffelskop, which is a mountainous hill at the back of 'Orange Grove'. In 1904 Senator Michau and Sir William Schreiner colluded forces and succeeded in overthrowing the Cabinet of the then Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, Sir
Gordon Sprigg Sir John Gordon Sprigg, (27 April 1830 – 4 February 1913) was an English-born colonial administrator, politician and four-time prime minister of the Cape Colony. Early life Sprigg was born in Ipswich, England, into a strongly Puritan fami ...
in an incident that is known as the Fall of the Fourth Sprigg Cabinet. Sir William Schreiner consequently became Prime Minister and Senator Michau was elected as President of the Senate. Senator Michau was also the founding president of the South African Agricultural Union, today known as
AgriSA Agri SA (Agri South Africa) is the biggest agricultural organisations in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of ...
in 1904.


Children

Kritzinger had three children, a son, Paul Michau, and two daughters, Lena and Juliana. Lena married Barry Orpen, whose mother, Eileen Orpen, donated seven farms (comprising 24 549 hectares) to the
Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends from north to south and from ea ...
and in whose honour the Orpen Gate and Orpen Rest Camp and the Orpen Museum at the Kruger National Park were named. Juliana was named after
Queen Juliana Juliana (; Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina; 30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. S ...
of the Netherlands, but died of meningitis in 1919.


Public life

Kritzinger played an important role in public life and served on various local bodies in the Cape Midlands. In 1929 he was elected a member of the Cape Provincial Council for Cradock and served as such until his death. When the fusion of the National Party and the
South African Party nl, Zuidafrikaanse Partij , leader1_title = Leader (s) , leader1_name = Louis Botha,Jan Smuts, Barry Hertzog , foundation = , dissolution = , merger = Het VolkSouth African PartyAfrikaner BondOrangia Unie , merged ...
took place in 1934, Kritzinger as a follower of General
JBM Hertzog General James Barry Munnik Hertzog (3 April 1866 – 21 November 1942), better known as Barry Hertzog or J. B. M. Hertzog, was a South African politician and soldier. He was a Boer general during the Second Boer War who served ...
became a member of the United Party was the Deputy Chairman of the United Party in the Cape at the time of his death.


Legacy

Kritzinger was one of the four commanders-in-chief during the Anglo Boer War, the others being General CR de Wet for the
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
, General
Louis Botha Louis Botha (; 27 September 1862 – 27 August 1919) was a South African politician who was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa – the forerunner of the modern South African state. A Boer war hero during the Second Boer War, ...
for Natal, and General JH de la Rey for Transvaal, and as such he played a significant in the Anglo Boer War. He is mostly remembered for the role which he played in the prolonging of the Anglo Boer War after the fall of Bloemfontein and Pretoria and for extending the War into a Fourth Phase, namely the Guerilla Phase, that lasted from 29 November 1900 until 31 Mei 1902. Various authors have written extensively on Kritzinger and his contribution to the Anglo-Boer War over the years, most notably Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
of
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
fame, in his book, 'The Great Boer War', where he devoted two chapters on Kritzinger, and described his style of military engagement as a "devil's dance".


References

* * Kruger, DW (ed) Dictionary of South African Biography, Volume III, Tafelberg Publishers, Cape Town, 1977.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kritzinger, Pieter Hendrik 1870 births 1930 deaths People from Port Elizabeth Afrikaner people South African people of German descent Orange Free State generals