D.G. Conradie

D.G. Conradie (1879–1966) was a teacher, lawyer, journalist, politician and translator of dramas.

Biography

Born David Gideon Conradie on 24 Augustus 1879 near Ceres in the Cape, he went to school in Prince Alfred Hamlet and Ceres, matriculating in 1898. His further studies began at the Victoria Kollege in Stellenbosch, where he obtained a B.A. Degree in 1901. After teaching for a while, he continued his studies (now in the law) at Trinity College, Dublin finishing his LL.D. degree in 1907.

He began practising as a lawyer in Bloemfontein, and also became involved in what is known as the "Tweede Afrikaanse Taalbeweging" ("Second Afrikaans Language Movement"), inter alia becoming the secretary of the Literature section of the association known as Onze Taal-beweging in 1908. In 1909 he was appointed Director of Education for the Orange Free State, but in 1911 he returned to his legal practice in Bloemfontein (1911-1914), Reitz ( 1915 tot 1925) and then from 1925 onwards in Bloemfontein once more. In his period at Reitz he had become involved in Afrikaner politics as a founder member of the National Party and the local chairman, and this led to an illustrious career that ultimately saw him appointed the Administrator-General for South West Africa in the run up to World War 2. He returned to his legal practice for a while in 1943, settling in Port Elizabeth, and subsequently became a member of Parliamnent for Uitenhage, and for a time Adjunct-Speaker and Chairman of Committees.

He had married Johanna Catharina Rossouw on 17 July 1911, and the couple had four sons and a daughter. After his wife died, he married Joey von Abo, but they divorced soon after. He passed away in 30 September 1966.

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

In his early days he contributed to the language struggle by translating a number of dramas into Afrikaans. Among the translations are Fyne Beskuite (for Die Afrikaanse Taalvereniging in 1908); Di Neef als Oom (1909) Dr Wespe (1813).

In 1921 he briefly served as the editor of Die Volksblad in Bloemfontein.

Sources

https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/D.G._Conradie

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp. 481

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