In the series Heritage highlights, AfriForum sheds light on heritage landmarks and projects in the country where communities themselves step in to preserve our unique cultural and historical heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of all the monuments in the country, the one that personally touches me the most is the National Women\u2019s Memorial in Bloemfontein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prof Piet Strauss and Prof Andries Raath, respectively the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the National Women\u2019s Memorial Commission, are here to tell us more about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alana:<\/strong> Professors Piet and Andries, thank you very much for your participation in Heritage highlights! Please tell us briefly about the history of the memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professors:<\/strong> The last President of the Republic of the Orange Free State, M.T. Steyn, was the driving force behind the idea to create the Women\u2019s Memorial in Bloemfontein. After the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), he propagated the idea of \u200b\u200ba memorial as sign of Afrikaners\u2019 tribute and respect for the thousands of Afrikaner women and children who had suffered and died in British concentration camps and elsewhere during the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As far as Steyn was concerned, the memorial embodies the God-given humanity, dignity and contribution of these women and children \u2013 qualities that can also be found in other women and children. The statement on the memorial, aan onze heldinnen en lieve kinderen<\/em>, meaning \u201cto our heroines and dear children\u201d, originated from him. He also used these words elsewhere to refer to the same women and children. The memorial, with its 36-meter-high needle, was unveiled on 16 December 1913. At the time, it stated that 26 370 women and children had died. However, recent studies indicate that the actual number may be as many as 34 051 \u2013 a figure that drastically exceeds the average annual death rate of Boer women and children in the Orange Free State and Transvaal in the years preceding the war<\/p>\n\n\n\n Faith in the providence of God is a central theme of the memorial \u2013 the words Uw wil geschiede<\/em> (\u201cThy will be done\u201d) appear above the number of deaths as the overarching message of the Women\u2019s Memorial. It does not endeavour to explain the suffering of women and children, but acknowledges: Your Will is good. God knows best.<\/p>\n\n\n