Nico Diederichs Explained

Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs
Office:3rd State President of South Africa
Honorific-Suffix:DMS
Predecessor:Jacobus Fouché
Jan de Klerk (acting)
Primeminister:Johannes Vorster
Successor:Marais Viljoen (acting)
Johannes Vorster
Office2:Minister of Finance
Predecessor2:Ebenhaezer Dönges
Successor2:Owen Horwood
Party:National Party
Birth Date:1903 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Ladybrand, Orange River Colony (now South Africa)
Death Place:Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
Citizenship:South African citizenship
Spouse:Marga Potgieter (1908–1996)
Children:4
Alma Mater:University of Munich
University of Cologne
Leiden University
Nickname:Nico
Term Start:19 April 1975
Term End:21 August 1978
Term Start2:1967
Term End2:1975

Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs, (17 November 1903 – 21 August 1978) served as the third state president of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.[1] [2]

Education and career

After completing school, he attended Grey University College between 1921 and 1925 where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Dutch & Ethics) and Master of Arts (Philosophy).[3] As an economist, he educated himself overseas at universities in Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Leiden, obtaining a doctorate from the University of Leiden and a D.Litt degree.[1] [3] Resuming a career in South Africa, he became a lecturer and later a professor at the University of the Orange Free State, in Political Science and Philosophy.[3] During the 1930s and 1940s he became a prominent figure in Afrikaner nationalist circles. He founded the Reddingsdaadbond organisation to promote the economic wellbeing of Afrikaners.[3]

After visiting the country in 1938, Diederichs became a staunch admirer of Nazi Germany.[4]

Political career

Diederichs was a National Party member of Parliament from 1953 to 1975. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1958 to 1967, as Minister of Mines from 1961 to 1964, and as Minister of Finance from 1967 to 1975.[3] In the latter capacity he became known as "Mr Gold".[3] He served as the first chancellor of the Rand Afrikaans University[3] and ceremonial State President of South Africa from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town.

Honours

Diederichs was honoured with medals from various countries. he was awarded a gold medal from the City of Paris (1971), made a Knight of the Greater Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1973, and an Order of Merit from Paraguay in 1974.[3] He was awarded honorary doctoral degrees from the University of the Orange Free State and the University of Stellenbosch.[3]

Depiction on coins

He is depicted on the obverses of the 1979 coins of the South African rand from 1/2 Cent to 1 Rand, which was struck as a memorial commemorative series.

Publications by Nicolaas Diederichs (selection)

References

Specific
Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Biography of Diederichs, Nicolaas . Archontology.org . 2012-10-12.
  2. Web site: Presidency in South Africa . SouthAfricaWeb.co.za . 2012-10-12 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004233917/http://www.southafricaweb.co.za/page/presidency-south-africa . 4 October 2013.
  3. Book: South African Panorama 1974-08: Vol 19 Iss 8. August 1974. Information Service of South Africa. English.
  4. (2009). Oxwagon Sentinel: Radical Afrikaner Nationalism and the History of the'Ossewabrandwag. LIT Verlag Münster, pp. 212-218.