"Om die fakkel verder te dra" : die rol van die jeugvleuel van die Ossewa-Brandwag, 1939-1952

Abstract

Die Ossewa-Brandwag (OB) was die grootste van 'n aantal nasionalisties-politiese bewegings wat onder Afrikaners in Suid-Afrika tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlogtydperk bestaan het, en wat na nasionaal-sosialisme geneig het. Hierdie artikel handel oor die rol van die OB se jeugvleuel, wat aanvanklik as die Jeugfront, en later as die Boerejeug bekendgestaan het. Die oorsprong, stigting, doelstellings, organisasie en aktiwiteite daarvan word in meer besonderhede bespreek. Alles was gerig op volksdiens in belang van die Afrikanervolk. Van die middel van die 1940’s af, het die Nasionale Party (toe bekend as die Herenigde Nasionale Party) die politieke steun van al meer Afrikanernasionaliste verkry, ten koste van die OB. In 1948 het dié party die parlementêre verkiesing gewen en die nuwe regering geword. Aangesien die OB sy bestaansrede verloor het, is dit (insluitend die jeugvleuel) in 1952 ontbind. Gedurende die kort bestaan van die Boerejeug, het dit, ten spyte van goeie leierskap en deeglike organisasie, nooit daarin geslaag om sy ideale op groot skaal te verwesenlik nie, aangesien veranderende omstandighede dit nie toegelaat het om die populêre volksbeweging te word wat dit gestig is om te wees nie. Daardie eer het die Nasionale Party en sy geaffilieerde organisasies te beurt geval. Die nalatenskap van die OB en sy jeugvleuel, veral die republikeinse ideaal, het egter bly voortbestaan in die ideale van die Nasionale Party en het versmelt in die breë stroom van seëvierende Afrikanernasionalisme.

The Ossewa-Brandwag (OB) was the largest of a number of nationalist political movements which existed in the Afrikaner society in South Africa during the period of the Second World War, and which were inclined towards national socialism. This article deals with the role of its youth wing, first called the Jeugfront (Youth Front) and later the Boerejeug (Boer Youth) of the OB. The origin, establishment, objectives, organisation and activities of this youth wing are discussed in some detail. Everything was geared towards volksdiens (service to the people) in the interest of the Afrikaner people. From the mid-1940s, the National Party (then called the Herenigde Nasionale Party) gained the political support of more and more Afrikaner nationalists, at the expense of the OB, and won the parliamentary elections to become the new government in 1948. Having lost its raison d’être, the OB, including its youth wing, was disbanded in 1952. During its brief existence, the Boerejeug, never managed to realise its ideals on a grand scale, despite its good leadership and thorough organisation, because changing circumstances did not allow it to become the popular volksbeweging (people’s movement) it set out to be. That honour went to the National Party and its affiliated organisations. However, the legacy of the OB and its youth movement, especially its republican ideal, was perpetuated in the National Party and was merged into the broad stream of triumphant Afrikaner nationalism.