Manie Maritz
Manie Maritz (1876–1940), also known as Gerrit Maritz, was a Boer General during the Second Boer War and a leading rebel of the 1914 Maritz Rebellion.[1]
Contents
Early years
Maritz was born in Kimberley, Northern Cape and christened Salmon Gerhardus Maritz.[1]
Second Boer War
He fought bravely in the Second Boer War and was promoted by General Smuts in the field, to the rank of General, but his promotion was not confirmed. After the peace treaty of 1902, he left the country for Madagascar and later for German South-West Africa.[2]
Inter war years
He returned to the Orange Free State and later joined the Union Police (then still also known as the ZARPs) He also had a reputation as a violent and cruel policeman.[2]
After purchasing his discharge from the ZARPs, Maritz was offered a commission in the ACF (Active Citizen Force). He accepted the commission and was sworn as an officer loyal to the British King. He passed through the Military Training School, at Bloemfontein and, at the beginning of August 1914, he was appointed with the rank Lieutenant Colonel in command of the Union border, in the direction of Kakamas and Upington. His posting and promotion came after initial recommendation and subsequent repeated urgent demands from Commandant-General Beyers to the Minister of Defence.[3]
Rebellion during the First World War
Maritz betrayed his sworn country[4] and joined Germany. He was a commissioned German General,[5] wore German battle uniform with German General insignia,[6] and commanded various German officers as well as non-commissioned officers of the German Army. He was also one of the prime agitators and one of the rebel leaders of the 1914 Maritz Rebellion.[1]
Post rebellion
In 1915, as a traitor to the Union,[7] Maritz fled to Europe only to return to the Union of SA in 1923. He published a libelous pamphlet for which he was arrested and charged. He pled guilty, was convicted, and received a lenient sentence of a 75 pound fine. He was known to be an agent for Hitler and promoted the ideals of the Third Reich.[8]
Death
He died in Pretoria on 19 December 1940[1] and is buried in the Pretoria West Cemetery.[9]
In popular culture
The character General Manie Roosa, in James Rollins and Grant Blackwood's novel The Kill Switch (2014), is "very loosely based on the real-life Boer leader Manie Maritz.[10]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 EB editors 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kraus 1944, p. 108.
- ↑ Union of South Africa 1915, p. 8.
- ↑ Union of South Africa 1915, pp. 63-67.
- ↑ Union of South Africa 1915, p. 26.
- ↑ Kraus 1944, p. 220.
- ↑ Kraus 1944, p. 217.
- ↑ Kraus 1944, p. 338.
- ↑ eGGSA Library website
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
References
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Further reading
- 1. Boer Rebels and the Kaiser,s Men, Die Boervolk van SA, 25 August 2009.
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