Between 1899 and 1902 the Dutch public was captivated by the war raging in South Africa between the Boer republics and the British Empire. Dutch popular opinion was on the side of the Boers: these descendants of the seventeenth-century Dutch settlers were perceived as kinsmen, the most tangible result of which was a flood of propaganda material intended as a counterweight to the British coverage of the war. The author creates a fascinating account of the Dutch pro-Boer movement from its origins in the 1880s to its persistent continuation well into the twentieth century. Kuitenbrouwer offers fascinating insights into the rise of organisations that tried to improve the ties between the Netherlands and South Africa and in that capacity became important links in the international network that distributed propaganda for the Boers. He also demonstrates the persistence of that stereotypes of the Boers and the British in Dutch propaganda materials had lasting effects on nation building both in the Netherlands and South Africa of the period.

About the Author
Vincent Kuitenbrouwer is assistant professor at the History Department of the University of Amsterdam. He is specialized in the history of modern imperialism with a particular focus on colonial media.

Reviews
"Kuitenbrouwer licht de adhesie met de zaak der Boeren grondig door en laat zien dat zich achter de voorstelling van spontane identificatie met een edel, geknecht volk een georganiseerde propaganda bevond. Hij laat, evenals de historicus Gerrit Schutte dat eerder deed, ook zien dat de relatie tussen de Afrikaners en de uit Nederland naar de Transvaal gehaalde ambtenaren allerminst warm was. Nederlanders kwamen als betweterig over. De ingewikkelde verhouding tussen de Transvaal en Nederland doet Kuitenbrouwer goed uit de doeken. Deze mooie studie zal zeker tot verder historisch onderzoek leiden." - Hans Ester, Nederlands Dagblad (24-8-2012)



Book Information
ISBN 9789089644121
Author Vincent Kuitenbrouwer
Format Paperback
Page Count 408
Imprint Amsterdam University Press
Publisher Amsterdam University Press
Weight(grams) 773g