The German-speaking South Africans of Kroondal - Die deutschsprachigen Südafrikaner von Kroondal
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ต.ค. 2024
- Founded over 140 years ago by German missionaries and farmers, the village of Kroondal is situated on the northern edge of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Today, after six generations, many of its 400 residents continue to embrace their German language and cultural heritage as part of their South African identity.
This documentary introduces some key aspects of Kroondal's past, present and future. The German school and the Lutheran church, both established in the late 19th century, are the guardians of the community's linguistic and cultural traditions.
While Kroondal remains a farming area known for its tobacco, grain, and sunflower production, the region also draws visitors to the Cradle of Humankind, a unique paleoanthropological site. In recent decades, it has become a popular destination for recreational activities for visitors from the nearby urban centres of Pretoria/Tshwane and Johannesburg/iGoli.
However, the region also holds the world's largest deposit of platinum, and while mining generates jobs and income to the region, mining activities are gradually encroaching upon the village centre of Kroondal. This expansion not only threatens the future of farming in the area but also poses existential risks to the survival of the Kroondal community.
For more information on the Kroondal German project, see www.sheenashah....
Lived close to kroondal and went to many farmers markets and and bought many wionderful sausages and german delicasies. Great to see you still going strong. Fond memories. 🌹🌹❤️
I am 85, grew up in Piet Retief and in our area was a lot of German little dorpies. Braunschwa, Wittenberg and many more. When their children had to go to high school, they stayed in the schools hostels and some of them was in our class. I remember them as well mannered, they spoke German to one another and it never bothered us. I still think fondly of them, were never trouble makers.
Dit noem mens nou ’n goeie stukkie suid afrika. Ons het ’n fantasiese middag ete by die brouery gehad en ek kan dit hoog aanbeveel.
Das freut mich sehr das doch noch so ein wenig Heimat überall in Südafrika erhalten geblieben ist. Auch wir pflegen die Sprache und möchten weiter die Kultur aufrechterhalten. 😊 Mit herzlichen Gruß nach Kroondal, von Olifantsfontein.
Eine sehr nett gemachte Doku, sehr informativ für jemanden der noch nie zuvor von dieser deutschsprachigen Gemeinde gehört hat. Schön das ich Matthias, den Mitproduzenten, im Flugzeug treffen durfte. 😊 Macht weiter so...💓
I am proud of these people who kept there orriginal identity. Great I love it.God Bless
Lovely very interesting. In KZN we have Wartburg and Hermansberg.
My goodness, what a revelation of a community. I would love for my daughter to go to the school to learn both Afrikaans and German. That would be so enriching | I hope the community can keep the mining at bay.
We grew up on a farm near Kroondal. Our favorite shop was Aug Bherens in Kroodal
Wunderbar!! Habe herrliche Erinnerungen an die Bazaare (ob Kirche oder Schule) in Kroondal. Ich hatte Verwandtschaft in Rustenburg, ihnen gehörte die Werda Schlachterei, es war die Sebecke Familie! Wir Frauen kamen immer in unsern Dirndln zum Bazaar!!❤
What a beautiful documentary thank you ,what a wonderful place
My skoondogter se Mami, Marga Lubbe, woon in 'n woonstel in Kroondal se aftreeoord. Haar materne ouma was 'n Behrens, wie se broer August 'n winkel begin het. Was jare bekend as Aug Behrens.
My seun en skoondogter is daar in die Duits Lutherse kerk getroud.
Pragtige gemeenskap. Hul hou elke jaar 'n groot vleisfees, wat mense van veraf lok, omdat die gehalte van hul vleis so goed is.
I trained as a nure inthe 60 ïn Rustenburg! , WE OTEN VISIT Kroondal one of our nursing sisters was engaged to a member of the Kroondal community her sur rname was Ludick❤ .........
Well done residents of Kroondal (from a British subject). Excellent principles and moral code.
Lovely post! I have fond memories of the town as my grandfather, Oscar Glatthaar, grew up in Kroondal. As a child, driving through Kroondal, I can remember the Behrens strore where you could literally buy everything that you can think of.😄
Kosbare mense! Ek het lank langs hulle gewoon tot en met 1990 en was al 39 jr oud voor ek agtergekom het daar was een of twee van hulle wat nie van Afrikaners gehou het nie. Dit was ‘n baie traumatiese ervaring vir my, want dit was eers toe dat ek besef het hulle is nie maar net Afrikaners wat Duits by die huis praat nie. Oom Victor Hesse het in 1964 vir my skoolgehou en hy was ‘n baie besonderse mens gewees! Hy was ‘n goeie voorbeeld van hoe die geheel sekerlik nog steeds is.
I grew op on the Platina mine nearby Kroondal and my dad bought groceries and everything he needed at Aug Behrens shop. Wonder if it still exists.
Hallo. Yes Aug Behrens is still going strong. It's now Aug Behrens , Spar. But they still have a German character.
@poppieferreira1 I used to call on Aug. Berens as a rep 50 yes ago.
They used to have a "Deutscher Tag" once a year, which in my youth ee used to visit from Pretoria.
I went to the German school in Pretoria, then only a primary school in Visagie Street in the city.
Lots of German place names in the Eastern Cape. Berlin, Brauschweig, Hamburg, Potsdam etc and lots of descendants of the 1858 German settlers including me.
Fascinating
Interesting, I never knew of this German speaking community in South Africa
There are a couple in KZN too, like Wartburg
There are also lots of German speeking people in mpumalanga.
There are heaps and I was astonished not to find the same in Australia. I myself went to a German school in Pretoria . My Boys attended German primary schools in Vryheid and Kroondal
Yes and small pockets of us Germans scattered around in the Western Cape too. 😁🥂🥳
Me neither. I am very surprised that I have never heard of this German community. Wil definitely go and visit Kroondal soon.
I lived in Rustenburg for nearly 20 years and know Kroondal very well. Photos on this site show a large dam in the background. Where did that suddenly come from????
That's the restaurant at the Hartebeespoortdam
Ich hoffe, dass sich nicht alles dem Abbau von Bodenschätzen und dem Profit unterordnen muss. Ich drücke euch die Daumen, I keep my fingers crossed. 👍👍
Greeting from Namibia, I must also try and learn German
Ons is so bly julle is hier 😊
❤❤❤
Wow, I never knew this, the only German communities I ever visited are the ones in Suid Wes (Namibie) during the War. All of them were fluent in both Afrikaans and Gernan. You learn something new everyday.
Ek ken die Duitse Skool het kinders geken wat in die Skool was
Ek onthou nog die vanne, Klingenberg, Brase, Bohmer, Rabe, Dedekind, en nog wat ek nie meer kan onthou nie.
A dying community unfortunately