Verraaiers

Verraaiers (''Traitors'') is an Afrikaans film written by Sallas de Jager and directed by Paul Eilers in 2012.

The film

Verraaiers is set during the Boer War and tells the story of Kommandant Jacobus van Aswegen, who learns of the British Army’s plans to undertake a scorched earth policy to pressure the Boers toward an early surrender. Instead of calling the men in his household to arms, van Aswegen returns home to protect his wife and young family, before opting out of the war and branding himself, and his sons, traitors of the state. Upon learning of van Aswegen’s retreat and refusal to participate in the bloodshed, the Boers capture the van Aswegen men and they are tried for treason.

The film stars Gys de Villiers (Kommandant Jacobus van Aswegen), Vilje Maritz (Carel-Jan van Aswegen), Deon Lotz (Generaal Koos de la Rey), Beáte Opperman (Martha Machlachlan), and Paul Loots (Carel).

The film's history

Verraaiers is based on the true story of the Theunissen family, who lived during the early years of the Boer War. The Theunissen family’s tale was first portrayed in Albert Blake’s novel, Boere Verraaiers, written in 2010 before Sallas de Jager adapted the screenplay for the film. Today, the family are buried alongside the other one thousand, four hundred and ninety prisoners of the concentration camp located in Klerksdorp.

Sources

Email submission by Taryn Tavener-Smith on 2 January 2024.

Go to ESAT Bibliography