Daniel François Malherbe

South African writer

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Born:: May 28, 1881, Paarl, Cape Colony, S.Af.

Died:: April 12, 1969, Bloemfontein, Orange Free State

Notable Works:: “En die wawiele rol”; “Saul”; “Vergeet ril”

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Daniel François Malherbe (born May 28, 1881, Paarl, Cape Colony, S.Af.—died April 12, 1969, Bloemfontein, Orange Free State) was a South African novelist, poet, and dramatist whose work helped establish Afrikaans as the cultural language of South Africa. He published many volumes of poetry and drama but is known primarily as a novelist for such works as Vergeet nil (1913; “Don’t Forget”), an extremely popular novel about the South African (Boer) War; Die Meulenaar (1936; “The Miller”); Saul (1933–37), a biblical trilogy; and En die wawiele rol (1945; “And the Wagon Wheels Roll On”), which describes the Great Trek. He served as professor of literature at the University of Bloemfontein (1922–42).

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