MARITZ – SALMON GERHARDUS (MANIE)

Note:
GEN. MARITZ WAS A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE. AFTER PEACE WAS DECLARED  HE DID NOT WISH TO BE SUBJECTED TO BRITISH CONTROL AND MOVED TO GERMAN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA AND FROM THERE TO EUROPE. HE RETURNED TO THE TRANSVAAL AND WAS PROMPTLY DEPORTED BY THE BRITISH, BUT ALLOWED TO RETURN IN 1907. HE BECAME A MAJOR IN THE UNION DEFENCE FORCE, AND IN 1914 REBELLED, TOGETHER WITH AT LEAST 900 MEN, AGAINST THE DECISION OF THE UNION GOVERMENT TO ENTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR ON THE SIDE OF THE BRITISH. HE WAS CHARGED WITH HIGH TREASON IN 1923 AND SENTENCED TO A THREE YEAR JAIL TERM, BUT WAS RELEASED AFTER THREE MONTHS WHEN HERTZOG BECAME PRIME MINISTER.  IN 1939 HE PUBLISHED A BOOK ENTITLED MY LEWE EN STREWE IN WHICH HE DESCRIBES HIS LIFE AND POLITICAL OPINIONS.  HE DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS A LEADER OF MEN AND SUCCESSFUL FIGHTING GENERAL IN THE ANGLO-BOER WAR, BUT THE ANTI-SEMITIC RANTINGS DURING HIS LIFE, AND IN HIS BOOK, PREVENTED HIM FROM ACHIEVING GREATER HONOURS.
HIS BOOK DESCRIBES AN EVENT AT THE BATTLE OF COLENSO – WHERE HE WAS FIGHTING AS AN ORDINARY BURGHER – “WITH SOME OF THE KRUGERSDORP BURGERS WE STORMED THE CANNONS.  AT THE CANNONS ONE OF THE KRUGERSDORPER’S WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD, AND WHERE, ALSO, LAY  A BRITISH LIEUTENANT, WHO WAS PINNED UNDER A BADLY WOUNDED FALLEN HORSE , WHICH, IN ITS DEATH THROES WAS KICKING AGAINST THE LIEUTENANT’S HEAD.  MARITZ PULLED THE LIEUTENANT, WHOM HE LATER DISCOVERED WAS FREDDY ROBERTS, FROM UNDER THE HORSE.” – (TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL AFRIKAANS).
THE ENTRANCE TO THE REBECCA STREET CEMETERY IS AT  S25°44.363 E28°09.223