FIRST EDITION
Dr. Claus Nordbruch:
VIR VRYHEID EN REG
Buitelanders aan Boere se kant tydens die Tweede
Vryheidsoorlog 1899-1902
Pretoria: Contact Publishers 2000, 158 bladsye, groot formaat (koffietafelboek), meer as 120 Photos in s/w en kleur
Hierdie pragtige kunswerk is in Afrikaans geskryf
In die boekhandel sedert 10 jaar uitverkoop
SPLINTERNUUT
Probably the best, but definitely the most comprehensive book on this specific topic ever written
Die skrywer lig die onderwerp van sy boek, nl. Die buitelandse vrywilligers, se aktiwiteite in besonderhede uit, maar deur middel van 'n slim teks toon hy hoe dit met die Boeremagte se operasies aaneenskakel. Die leser merk op dat die hele teks netjies soos 'n legkaart inmekaar pas. Die 126 foto's in die boek is heel besonders. Daar is bv. 'n foto van die personeel van die Duitse ambulans, foto's van Spioenkop, Magersfontein, blokhuise, treinontsporings, opgeblaase brûens, Boerehuise, wat afgebrand word, kanonne in aksie, hand tot hand gevegte, konsentrasiekampfoto's, ens. Die kleurprente is meestal herdrukke van baie skaars en duur prente wat 'n eeu gelede gedruk is. Die Afrikaner (Pretoria)
'n Boek van puik gehalte. Die enigste boek op die hele mark, wat intensief die mees onbekende bydrae van buitelanders gedurende die oorlog behandel. Op bladsy 144 is daar 'n pragtige volblad in kleur met die twee Boere Republieke se vlae - 'n blad wat kan geraam word en in elke trotse Boer se sitkamer kan pruik - met die woorde van Dr. Claus Nordbruch: LEWE ONTVANG 'N MENS TYDENS GEBOORTE - VIR JOU VRYHEID MOET JY VEG. Impak (Pretoria)
Die hardebandboek bevat 'n groot versameling foto's van die vrywilligers, illustrasies van die oorlogsjare (sommige in volkleur) en ander interessanthede. Die Burger (Kaapstad)
During the Anglo-Boer War, which broke out on October 11 one hundred years ago, many volunteers from all over Europe, and even America, came to the aid of the Boers. The narrative of these allies is retold by Dr Claus Nordbruch in this table-top, well-illustrated, trilingual and excellent publication.
THE CITIZEN (Johannesburg)
Der großformatige, dreisprachige Band spürt in Wort und Bild dem Schicksal der europäischen Freiwilligen im zweiten Burenkrieg nach. Dem Verfassser gelingt es, ein spannendes Kapitel dieses weltweit beachteten Krieges anschaulich nachzuerzählen. Zahlreiche seltene Bilddokumete sind beigefügt.
NATION & EUROPA (Germany)
Das sollten Sie in Ihrem Bücherschrank haben! Ein lesenswertes Buch!
ECHO (Cape Town)
Key words: de la Rey, de Wet, Concentration Camps, Vryheidsoorlog, Boer War, Maritz, Duise Korps, Ierse Korps, Villebois, ZAR
The Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, or the Second War of Independence, the War for Freedom or the English War as it was variously known to the Boers, and is still called by the historically conscious among their descendants, was something out of the ordinary compared to the wars of that time - e.g. the Franco-Prussian War (1870/71), the Spanish-American War (1898) or the Russo-Japanese War (1904/05). It was fought by protagonists who, except for the Boers themselves, were foreign to the battlefields. The black natives were only marginally involved in the conflict, except those who were, for the first time in recent war history, armed by whites to fight against whites. The Boer War was an unequal struggle fought by two Germanic nations at the southern tip of Africa. Citizens of other European nations supported both the nations at war. However, this book concerns itself only with those who fought on the side of the Boers.
The Anglo-Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899. The Boers of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (ZAR) did not have to face the all-powerful World Empire of Great Britain entirely on their own. In total, about 3000 volunteers from Europe (and some from America) joined the Boers in arms. Among them were farmers and adventurers, mineworkers and gold diggers, teachers and doctors, German counts, French mercenaries, Russian politicians, Irish fighters from the wars against the Red Indians in America and revolutionaries from Eire, Dutch attorneys and Scandinavian Berserks. This book is dedicated to these men, who distinguished themselves in an act untainted by our materialistic and decadent fun and games culture like noble heroes emerging from a nostalgic epic.
This book does not intend to rekindle grudges or create hatred towards former enemies. Most of the enemy soldiers and officers were obeying orders and suffered tribulations similar to those suffered by the Boers and volunteers. Boer or volunteer blood is not more red than English blood. English children missed their fathers just as much as their Boer contemporaries and the mothers of the volunteers grieved as much over the death of their sons as the English mothers. However, this war was brought on by English politicians and by contemporary standards was fought with terrible brutality.
Those who fell far away from home on the battlefields recorded in history - e.g. Elandslaagte, Magersfontein or Spioenkop - were European people. They died, above all, in the name of an ideal: freedom and justice. What better ideal to live for - or to die for?
