Fransjohan Pretorius
{{short description|South African historian of the Second Boer War (1899-1902)}}
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| name = Fransjohan Pretorius
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|01|25}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
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| nationality = South African
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| occupation = Historian, emeritus professor
| period = 1989 - 2014 (- 2022)
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| spouse = Laurette Pretorius
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| awards = {{interlanguage link|Stals Prize|af|Stalsprys}} (1998)
{{interlanguage link|Jan H Marais Prize|af|Jan H. Maraisprys}} (2019)
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| alma_mater = University of Pretoria, Leiden University, University of South Africa
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| thesis_year = 1988
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| workplaces = University of Pretoria
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| main_interests = Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)
| notable_works = The Hall handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902 (1999, with Darrell Hall and Gilbert Torlage), A history of South Africa : from the distant past to the present day (2014), and Scorched earth (2017)
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Fransjohan Pretorius (born January 25, 1949, in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a South African historian and professor emeritus of History at the University of Pretoria. His main field is the history of the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), to which he contributed many scholarly books and articles, both as an author and editor.{{Cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523194634/http://www.tafelberg.com/authors/2903 |archive-date=2019-05-23 |url=http://www.tafelberg.com/authors/2903 |title=Author focus: Fransjohan Pretorius. Biographical info |date=2009 |access-date=September 6, 2024 |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://search.worldcat.org/nl/search?q=au=%22Pretorius%2C%20Fransjohan%22 |title=Pretorius, Fransjohan |last= |first= |date=2024 |website=worldcat.org |publisher=OCLC |access-date=October 5, 2024 |quote=}} His 1999 book, Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, was runner-up for the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award. The Afrikaans edition won three major awards. He received the Stals Prize from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (South African Academy for Arts and Science) in 1998, and is a former editor of 'Historia', the journal of the South African Historical Association.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/boer_wars_01.shtml |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=bbc.co.uk |title=The Boer Wars |first=Fransjohan |last=Pretorius |date=2011-03-29 |publisher=BBC}}
Education and career
Pretorius matriculated at the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies).{{Cite web
|url=https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24/stemme/aktueel/affies-se-ryke-geskiedenis-in-n-boek-van-41-kg-vervat-20230506
|title=Affies se ryke geskiedenis in 'n boek van 41 kg vervat
|publisher=Netwerk24
|date=6 May 2023
|access-date=6 March 2025
|language=af
}} He studied history at the University of Pretoria (UP) and so is a Tukkie (derived from Transvaalse Universiteitskollege, the original name of the University of Pretoria). He continued his studies at Leiden University and obtained a PhD in history at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 1989.{{Cite web |url=https://www.litnet.co.za/persverklaring-jan-h-maraisprys-toegeken-aan-die-historikus-fransjohan-pretorius/ |access-date=September 11, 2024 |title=Persverklaring: Jan H Maraisprys toegeken aan die historikus Fransjohan Pretorius |trans-title=Press release: Jan H Marais Prize awarded to historian Fransjohan Pretorius |publisher=LitNet. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns |date=2019-04-01 |website=litnet.co.za |language=af}} He was lecturer in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies from 1989 until his retirement in 2014 at the University of Pretoria.{{Cite web |url=https://www.up.ac.za/news/post_2816932-up-historian-wins-lifetime-recognition-award-for-contribution-to-afrikaans |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=up.ac.za |title=UP historian wins lifetime recognition award for contribution to Afrikaans |date=June 11, 2019 |publisher=University of Pretoria |author=Department of University Relationship}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.up.ac.za/historical-heritage-studies/news/post_2437602-b1-rating-for-professor-pretorius |title=B1 rating for Professor Pretorius |publisher=University of Pretoria, Historical & Heritage Studies |date=March 20, 2017 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=up.ac.za}}
Pretorius studied history at the University of Pretoria (UP) and so is a Tukkie (derived from Transvaalse Universiteitskollege, the original name of the University of Pretoria). He continued his studies at Leiden University and obtained a PhD in history at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in 1989.{{Cite web |url=https://www.litnet.co.za/persverklaring-jan-h-maraisprys-toegeken-aan-die-historikus-fransjohan-pretorius/ |access-date=September 11, 2024 |title=Persverklaring: Jan H Maraisprys toegeken aan die historikus Fransjohan Pretorius |trans-title=Press release: Jan H Marais Prize awarded to historian Fransjohan Pretorius |publisher=LitNet. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns |date=2019-04-01 |website=litnet.co.za |language=af}} He was lecturer in the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies from 1989 until his retirement in 2014 at the University of Pretoria.{{Cite web |url=https://www.up.ac.za/news/post_2816932-up-historian-wins-lifetime-recognition-award-for-contribution-to-afrikaans |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=up.ac.za |title=UP historian wins lifetime recognition award for contribution to Afrikaans |date=June 11, 2019 |publisher=University of Pretoria |author=Department of University Relationship}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.up.ac.za/historical-heritage-studies/news/post_2437602-b1-rating-for-professor-pretorius |title=B1 rating for Professor Pretorius |publisher=University of Pretoria, Historical & Heritage Studies |date=March 20, 2017 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=up.ac.za}}
Awards
In 1998 Pretorius received the Stals Prize for Cultural History from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK, South African Academy of Science and Art) and in 2001 the Prestige Prize from the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK, Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Associations). In 2019, he was awarded the annual Jan H. Marais Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Afrikaans as an academic language.
Personal life
Publications
=In English=
- 1999 – {{Cite book |title=Life on commando during the AngloBoer War, 1899-1902 |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=Human & Rousseau |location=Cape Town |date=1999 |isbn=9780798138086 |oclc=606262443}} 479 pages.
- 1999 – {{Cite book |title=The Hall handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902 |first1=Darrell |last1=Hall |first2=F. |last2=Pretorius |first3=Gilbert |last3=Torlage |publisher=University of Natal Press |location=Pietermaritzburg |date=1999 |isbn=9780869809433 |oclc=43789807 |language=en |edition=}}
- 2001 – {{Cite book |editor-first=F. |editor-last=Pretorius |title=Scorched earth |publisher=Tafelberg |location=Cape Town |date=2017 |isbn=9780624079675 |oclc=999307131 |edition=2e |language=en}}
- 2001 – {{Cite book |title=The great escape of the Boer Pimpernel Christiaan de Wet |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=University of Natal Press |location=Pietermaritzburg |date=2001 |isbn=9780869809945 |oclc=47896459 |language=en}}
- 2009 – {{Cite book |title=Historical dictionary of the Anglo-Boer War |first=Fransjohan |last=Pretorius |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Lanham, Maryland, USA |date=2009 |isbn=9780810860919 |oclc=267053121 |language=en}}
- 2014 – {{Cite book |editor-first=F. |editor-last=Pretorius |title=A history of South Africa : from the distant past to the present day |publisher=Protea Book House |location=Pretoria [South Africa] |date=2014 |oclc=903246390 |language=en}} 712 pages.
- 2023 – {{Cite book |title=Jan Smuts 1870-1950 : a photobiography |first1=Anton |last1=Joubert |first2=F. |last2=Pretorius |publisher=Protea Book House |location=Pretoria |date=2023 |isbn=9781485313847 |oclc=1372393402 |language=en}}
=In Afrikaans=
- 1991 – {{Cite book |title=Kommandolewe tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog, 1899-1902 |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=Human & Rousseau |location=Kaapstad |date=1991 |isbn=9780798127790 |oclc=29362270 |language=af}}
- 1999 – {{Cite book |title='N Oorlog om by stil te staan : die Anglo-Boereoorlog, 1899-1902 |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=SA Scientific Publications |location=Pretoria |date=1999 |isbn= |oclc=45964225 |language=af}}
- 2001 – {{Cite book |title=Verskroeide Aarde |first1=F. |last1=Pretorius |first2=Jan |last2=Schaafsma |publisher=Human & Rousseau |location=Kaapstad |date=2001 |isbn=9780798141918 |oclc=47896441 |language=af |edition=}}
- 2007 – {{Cite book |title=De la Rey : die leeu van Wes-Transvaal |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=Protea Boekhuis |location=, Pretoria |date=2007 |isbn=9781869191764 |oclc=157010033 |language=af |edition=2e}}
- 2012 – {{Cite book |title=Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika : van voortye tot vandag |editor-first=F. |editor-last=Pretorius |publisher=Tafelberg |location=Kaapstad |date=2012 |isbn=9780624054665 |oclc=806270649 |language=af}}
- 2020 – {{Cite book |title=Terugblik : 80 sketse uit 'n ryk verlede |first=F. |last=Pretorius |publisher=Protea Boekhuis |location=Pretoria |date=2020 |isbn=9781485310983 |oclc=1182562073 |language=af |edition=}}
References
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Category:Academic staff of the University of Pretoria
Category:Afrikaans-language writers
Category:Leiden University alumni
Category:People from Johannesburg
Category:South African academics
Category:South African historians
Category:South African writer stubs