Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis deals with the history of the Berlin Missionary Society (BMS) that
commenced their work in 1834 in South Africa. Due to financial reasons the ZuidAfrikaansche
Zendinggenootskap (SASG), which coordinated missionary work in South
Africa, requested the BMS to take over their activities at the missionary station Zoar in
the Little Karoo. Their missionary work ofthe BMS rapidly extended to the neighbouring
Amalienstein, then Ladismith, Anhalt-Schmidt (Haarlem), Riversdale, Herbertsdale,
Mossel Bay, Laingsburg and Cape Town.
Culturally and ethnologically, the field of work of the missionaries of the BMS in the
northern provinces differed radically from that of their colleagues in the Western Cape.
By 1838 the coloured communities of the Western Cape were already well acquainted
with Western culture as well as with the Christian religion. This did not prevent the
missionaries from applying a strict pietistic and patriarchal approach towards the
coloured people they worked amongst. As the owners of the land on which these
missionary stations were established, the missionaries laid down strict rules and
regulations and were able to control the spiritual and material behaviour of the members
of their congregations.
Their approach had two important effects: The mlSSionanes, m emphasising the
important role of education, opened doors to better living conditions for the various
communities on a short term basis that eventually created socio-economic empowerment.
On the other hand, it led to opposition from within these communities, which in later
years would have a profound influence on the political mobilisation of the coloured
population of the Western Cape.
Financial problems and poverty became an integral part of the history of the BMS in the
Western Cape- and for that matter, in South Africa. This was especially apparent during
the first half of the twentieth century, when two world wars had a devastating effect on
their work. The effects during this time on the BMS and the communities they served were two-fold: Due to financial constraints, the BMS increasingly handed over spiritual
and educational work to local pastors and teachers. Secondly, the missionaries came to
associate themselves with the rise of Afrikaner nationalism. Their low profile in opposing
the developing policy of apartheid - and even tacit approval of it - not only led to a break
with the committee in Berlin, but also to the estrangement of many of their church
members.
In 1961, the year in which a republican form of government was established in South
Africa and the Berlin Wall was erected, the German Lutheran missionary societies
amalgamated to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa (ELCSA) and the
traditional missionary work of the BMS came to an end.
Compared with the missionary activities of the much larger Dutch Reformed Church in
the Western Cape, the role of the BMS may seem less relevant. When the impact of the
work of the missionaries and their dedicated coloured church members are considered,
their contribution to education and human development, is far bigger than their numbers
represent. This allows them a place in the history and development of the Western Cape
with its cultural diversity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif handel oor die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap (BSG) wat in 1834 in
Suid-Afrika begin werk het. Sendingwerk onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die
Wes-Kaap het in 1838 toevallig begin toe die Zuid-Afrikaanse Zendinggenootskap
(SASG) die BSG versoek het om weens finansiele redes die sendingbedrywighede by
Zoar in die Klein Karoo oor te neem. Van hier af het die sendingaksie vinnig uitgebrei na
die nabygelee Amalienstein en daama na Ladismith, Haarlem in die Langkloof,
Riversdal, Herbertsdale, Mosselbaai, Laingsburg en Kaapstad.
Kultureel en etnologies het die sendelinge in die Wes-Kaap se bedieningsveld radikaal
verskil van die van hulle kollegas in die noordelike provinsies. Die gekleurde
gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap was teen 1838 alreeds met die Westerse leefwyse en
kultuur bekend en was ook reeds in kontak met die Christelike boodskap. Dit het die
sendelinge in hierdie gebied - met hulle sterk pietistiese agtergrond - nie verhoed om 'n
sterk en streng patriargale benadering ten opsigte van hulle gemeentelede te volg nie. Om
woonverblyf op die sendingstasies te bekom moes lidmate van die BSG die reels en
regulasies wat die sendelinge neergele het, streng navolg. Hierdeur kon die sendelinge
beheer oor hulle gemeentelede se geestelike en materiele lewe uitoefen.
Hierdie benadering het twee belangrike uitvloeisels onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe
van die Wes-Kaap tot gevolg gehad. Eerstens het dit vir hierdie gemeenskappe
opvoedkundige deure oopgemaak wat hulle lewenskwaliteite op korttermyn verbeter het
en op 'n langer termyn hulle sosio-ekonomiese posisie verbeter het. Tweedens het dit
egter ook tot weerstand gelei waarin die stem van hierdie gemeenskappe vir die eerste
keer gehoor is en wat in later jare 'n beduidende invloed op die politieke toekoms van
hierdie gemeenskappe sou he.
Finansiele probleme en armoede het soos 'n goue draad deur die geskiedenis van die
BSG in die Wes-Kaap geloop. Dit was veral die geval gedurende die eerste helfte van die twintigste eeu toe twee Wereldoorloe 'n verwoestende effek op die genootskap se
werksaamhede gehad het. Dit het twee belangrike uitvloeisels tot gevolg gehad: Eerstens
was die genootskap gedwing om geestelike en opvoedkundige werk al hoe meer aan
gekleurde werkers oor te laat- wat op sigself 'n bemagtigingsproses tot gevolg gehad
het. Tweedens het die sendelinge van die BSG hulle al hoe meer met opkomende
Afrikaner nasionalisme - en dus die ontplooiing van apartheid - vereenselwig wat nie
alleen 'n breuk met die komitee in Berlyn tot gevolg gehad het nie, maar ook met hulle
gekleurde gemeentelede wat aan die ontvangkant van rassesegregasie en diskriminasie
was.
Teen die einde van 1961, wat saamgeval het met die oorgang na 'n republikeinse
staatsvorm in Suid-Afrika en die oprigting van die Berlynse Muur, het die verskillende
Duitse Lutherse sendinggenootskappe saamgesmelt om die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk
van Suid-Afrika (ELKSA) te vorm en het die tradisionele sendingwerk van die BSG in
Suid-Afrika tot 'n einde gekom.
Gemeet aan die omvang van die werksaamhede van 'n kerkgenootskap soos die NG Kerk
in die Wes-Kaap, veral tydens die twintigste eeu, mag die rol van die BSG gering
voorkom. Op die langtermyn gesien is die invloed van die Berlynse sendelinge (en hul
nageslag wat hulle permanent in Suid-Afrika gevestig het), asook die bruin lidmate van
die BSG, in hierdie streek buite verhouding groot; veral ten opsigte van onderwys en
opvoeding. Hiermee verdien die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap 'n staanplek in die ryk
skakering van die W es-Kaapse geskiedenis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50598 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | De Wit, Christoffel Hendrik |
| Contributors | Heese, H. F., Venter, C., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences . Dept. of History . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 291 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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