Johannes Van Rensburg

Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg (known as Hans) (September 24, 1898-September 25, 1966) was a South African leader of the Ossewabrandwag.

He was born and died in Cape Town and was a descendant of the Loyalist Johannes Frederik Janse Van Rensburg. He received his MA in German at the University of Stellenbosch. He went on to study Law and gained his Legum Baccalaureus at Pretoria and later returned to the University to complete the qualifications for a Doctorate.

Van Rensburg qualified as a solicitor and was hired as the personal secretary of Tielman Roos, the South African Minister of Justice. In 1933, he became Secretary of Justice and in this capacity he traveled overseas and met Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, and other top Nazi officials. He was greatly impressed with Hitler's presence as a leader as well as the discipline he witnessed. He, like most members of the Ossewabrandwag, was a Nazi sympathiser during the second world war.

Van Rensburg was the commander general of the Ossewabrandwag from 1941 until 1952.

References

* "Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890" edited by Philip Rees, 1991, ISBN 0-13-089301-3
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/1266/historical-LeaderOssewaBrandawag.htm The Leader of the Ossewa Brandwag web page; info, links]