Coenie Rudolph

Coenie Rudolph (1919-1981) was a teacher of Afrikaans, editor of various journals, a poet and playwright.

Also known as Coenraad Frederik Rudolph or C.F. Rudolph

Biography

Born Coenraad Frederik Rudolph on 24 June 1919 in Standerton (in the Eastern Transvaal, currently known as Mpumalanga), he grew up on the farm Kaalspruit nearby. He obtained his early schooling at the small farm school at Kaalspruit and completed high school at Standerton Hoërskool.

He went on to train as teacher at the Pretoria Teachers' Training College (or Pretoriase Normaalkollege in Afrikaans), obtaining a teacher's diploma, then completed a BA at the University of Pretoria and in 1956 die M.A. degree (cum laudum).

In 1946 he began teaching, initially as English teacher in Nigel, but then switched to Afrikaans teacher in Groblersdal. In 1952 he was appointed as a lecturer in, and later head of, the Afrikaans departement at the Pretoria Onderwyskollege, becoming influential in the field of teaching methodology, especially on issues of communication and literary texts, become ng involved in compiling a number of handbooks for language teaching.

Over the years he was the founder and co-editor of the educational journal Klasgids ("class guide") in 1965 and from 1966 tot 1972 the editor of the journal Tydskrif vir Letterkunde.

In 1945 he married composer, playwright and author Anna Rudolph (néé Anna Lemmer Badenhorst Swart) of Lydenburg, with whom he had three daughters and a son - all of them musical. The family often performed together and cut a number long playing records of their performances.

Coenie Rudolph died on 9 September 1981 in Pretoria.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Particularly wrote musicals and once act plays, and in the 1960s he and his wife were encouraged DALRO to produce works for schools and amateur groups.

His stage plays include Die Erfenis, Die Grenspos, Sy laaste erfenis, Die Drie Broers, Die Speelgoedkas in 1969

Radio dramas include Rachel van die Hoëveld, Broers, Die duif van die terebinte en Twee ou vyande.

Among the musical plays and operettas co-written by him are a cantata for the launching of the Afrikaanse Gesangeboek ("Afrikaans Hymn book", 1944), a festival operetta for the Pretoria Teachers' Training College's 50th anniversary, Lodilla, Die Silwer Sambreeltjie (1970), My Suiderland and Jolige Jonkheid.

He wrote two film scripts, ’n Eeu van Onderwys ("A century of education") for television and a film about the author Eitemal.