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Neville, superb postcards, especially the one titled "wounded" is very poignant. The entry for Anton Hoffmann in the book about ABW illustrators mentions "at least 5" in this series. Knowing the Germans, Victory (Sieg) probably was the final of the lot. Comparing artwork, it seems most likely that Mr. Lorenz copied Hoffmann and not the other way around. Although very talented, Lorenz misses the finesse of Hoffmann (face, teeth, gunsling, cartridge belt etc).

A selection of Continental postcards (mostly German) depicting various named Boers.


1. Zwei Transvaal-Buren / Willie Klesse, Lyedenburg / Thomas de Scally, Klerksdorp / (Transvaal).
2. GRUSS AUS SÜD-AKRIKA! / MAX SLEMA / der Transvaal-Bure und Frau.
3. Gruss aus Süd-Afrika! / MAX SLEMA / der Bure mit silbernen Schädel. / In der Schlacht bei Modder-Spruit unter General Lucas Meyer wurde er von einer englischen Granate getroffen, welche ihm einen Theil seines Schädels wegriss. Seine Operation ist durch die deutsche Feld-Ambulanz gemacht worden.
4. CORNELIS BROEKSMA, / held en martelaar voor de barmhartigheid, 30 Sept. 1901 door Englischen gefusileerd, omdat hij niet zweg van de wreede ellende in de vrouwenkampen.
5. J. Thornburn und Bandeni, sein Sohn.
6. Max et Alice Slema & Charles van Niekerk.
7. Die afrikanischen Vorposten C. van Niekert (sic).
8. Andries Venter (Grösse 2m 10) / Ehemaliger Transvaal-Artillerist und Leibgardist des Präsidenten Krüger, Theilnehmer Gegen Jameson’s Einfall und des Transvaal-Krieges bis zu seiner Verwundung und Gefangennahme bei Ladysmith.
9. Andries Venter (Grösse 2m 10) / Ehemal. Transvaal-Artillerist u. Leibgardist des Präsidenten Krüger, Theilnehmer des Jameson’s Einfall und des Transvaal-Krieges bis zu seiner Verwundung und Gefangennahme bei Ladysmith.
10. Franz Knie als Transvaalbure.
11. Mevrouw Eloff en Zusters.

Various printers/publishers, including: Paul Krütze, Dresden, Rosenstr. 9; A & F Leempcel, Rue des Bogards, 42, Brux.; Kunstanstalt Karl Braun u. Co., München 6334, ges gesch; Uitg. A.W. Segboer, Delft.











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CORNELIS BROEKSMA, held en martelaar voor de barmhartigheid, 30 Sept. 1901 door Englischen gefusileerd, omdat hij niet zweg van de wreede ellende in de vrouwenkampen.



Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 16th September 1901

The trial of Mr Broeksma, a Hollander, formerly Public Prosecutor at Johannesburg, on charges of breaking the oath of neutrality and treason, was begun at Johannesburg on Thursday. It excites great intertest. The evidence consists entirely of documents found in the prisoner’s house, including correspondence with Dr Krause, now under remand in London.


Western Morning News, 16th September 1901

THE TRIAL OF MR BROEKSMA.

JOHANNESBURG, Thursday [12 Sept].

The trial of Mr Broeksma commenced today before a special military court composed of Colonel Ball and Majors McLeod and Harkness. The court was thronged, the trial exciting more interest than any other has done in Johannesburg since the sensational Valtheim case. The defence raised an objection to the legality of the constitution of the Court, but this was overruled.

The prisoner was charged on four counts, namely, breaking the oath of neutrality, treachery, high treason, and inciting to break the oath of neutrality. He pleaded not guilty.

The evidence proved that the police on searching the house of the prisoner found pamphlets and nearly 30 documents comprising copies of letters to Mt Steyn, Mr Reitz, and Dr Williamson, addressed to the care of the American Consul at The Hague; also “A warning to our leaders and burghers on commando”, and a letter to “His Honour Mr Kruger, President of the South African Republic, at present on leave in Europe”.

Other letters were produced purporting to come from Dr Krause in London to the prisoner, and one from the prisoner to Dr Krause, and also an envelope addressed to Charles Brooks (supposed to be the prisoner’s alias), care of Mr Garden, American Consul at Johannesburg. The writing on this envelope is believed to be that of Dr Krause.

The reading of the pamphlet occupied an hour. It was dedicated to Mr Steyn, Generals Botha and De Wet, and all true Afrikanders, and inveighed against “Roberts the Englishman, Chamberlain the wretch, and all their clique”, and “Milner and all other jingoes”. The document, which is somewhat prolix, draws a comparison between the present war and the American War if Independence. The rest of the papers consist of correspondence and documents, including letters to Dr Williamson, care of the American Consul at The Hague, and a man named Dettora, both of whom appeared to have acted as intermediaries in passing on correspondence to Dr Krause, who apparently was constantly writing to Mr Kruger, Mr Broeksma, and others. The warning to the leaders and burghers on commando stated that £2,000 had been placed on their heads by the British.

Profound sensation was caused in the Court when a typewritten document was read signed “Louis Botha”, and purporting to be a proclamation to the officers of the two Republics desiring them not to be uneasy over Lord Kitchener’s proclamation, and adding that after deliberation among the fighting generals it had been decided that after September 15th Lord Kitchener, his staff, and all British officers should be declared outlaws, and all burghers, whether in the Cape Colony, Natal, the Free State, of the South African Republic, were ordered to kill by shooting any armed Englishman whom they encountered.

Another letter, dated from London in March last, and signed “F.K.” (the initials of Dr Krouse), mentions the writer’s scorn of the arrogance and pride of the British, stigmatises Lord Milner as “such a scoundrel”, and concludes by saying “There will be a better Ireland in South Africa after the war”. In a further letter, dated June 10th, the writer mentioned that he had been given a brief in the case of Beit versus Markham – “of course, for the defendant”. “F.K.” also informed “Brooks” that he had sent the bottles of medicine to Dr Williamson without a single one having been opened. It is inferred that these bottles contained correspondence.

Several witnesses followed, and a printer named Vankhy gave evidence of the printing of 2,000 of the pamphlets to the order of the prisoner for £33.

The prisoner appears to realise the seriousness of his position, and looks wretchedly ill and much frightened. Intense interest is taken in the trial by the Johannesburgers.


Evening Mail, 18th September 1901

BRUSSELS, Sept. 16.

In regard to the evidence given in the proceedings on the 12th inst. in Mr Broeksma’s trial at Johannesburg, in which it was stated that letters to and from Mr Krause had passed through the American Consul at The Hague, a positive contradiction of the statement is given by the American Legation at The Hague, which points out that there is no American Consulate there. It is added that no such person as Dr Williamson is known at The Hague.


Langport & Somerton Herald, 21st September 1901

THE TRIAL OF BROEKSMA.

Johannesburg, Sunday [15 Sept].

The court was again crowded on the concluding day of the trial of Mr Broeksma, the interest in the case being unflagging in consequence of the number of people of note mentioned in connection with it. The Crown Prosecutor’s speech was listened to with the closest attention. He contended that it proved that the prisoner conspired with Dr Krause, now in custody in London, in order to forward treacherous documents from Leyds and other Boer authorities in Europe to the enemy in the field; that he was in treacherous communication with Kruger, Reitz, Krause and Mr Steyn; that he was the author of published and circulated an inflammatory pamphlet inciting Africanders to continue their resistance to His Majesty’s forces; that he advised burghers who had surrendered to break their parole obligations; that he stigmatised the English as barbarians, scoundrels, and murderers of women and children; that he characterised the war as low and dirty; and that he assumed the aliases of Charles Brooks and Captain Green, and under those names received treacherous letters from Leyds and others, and carried on a treasonable correspondence since June, 1900, after accepting out leniency and being allowed to remain at large on taking a simple oath of neutrality. Several of the documents put in against the prisoner referred to Leyds as “L”, and the defence maintained that the prosecution had no right to assume that the letter meant Leyds. Objection was also taken to a military court trying a civilian. Mr Crots delivered a long speech for the defence, arguing strenuously in favour of the prisoner’s innocence. The case will now be laid before Lord Kitchener.


Yorkshire Post, 3rd October 1901

EXECUTION OF MR BROEKSMA.

Johannesburg, Monday [30 Sept].

Yesterday Mr Broeksma was informed that sentence of death had been pronounced against him. He broke down on hearing the announcement, but at 5.45 this morning, when he was told that the sentence was to be carried out immediately, he received the news calmly. The chaplain offered spiritual consolation, and the prisoner was then led out and shot. Death was instantaneous. The burial took place at 7.30 this evening.


Manchester Courier, 12th October 1901

EXECUTION OF BROEKSMA.

THREATENED REPRISALS BY BOTHA.

The Brussels correspondent of the “Morning Post” understands, on good authority, that Botha has informed Lord Kitchener that he proposes to make reprisals for the execution of Broeksma. Botha, it is said, had a long conference with De Wet and Steyn recently on the Natal frontier.


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Remarkably, some of the Boers who were engaged by Frank Fillis for his Earl's Court show in April 1899, took leave to return to South Africa to fight the British, and then re-joined the company in June/July 1900. Max Slema was one of these men.




"MAX SLEMA, the Boer with the silver skull. During the Battle of Modder-Spruit, under General Lucas Meyer, he was hit by an English shell, which tore off part of his skull. The operation was carried out by the German field ambulance".



Manchester Weekly Times, 15th June 1900

When Mr Frank Fillis, who has been styled “the Barnum of South Africa”, determined on showing the stay-at-home Briton what life in South Africa is like, he evidently fully appreciated the fact that nothing short of absolute realism in every detail would satisfy. …….

It is all made doubly interesting by the fact that many of the people engaged in the great show have been in reality actors in the stirring events they depict. On a recent visit to the Rangers’ ground, one of the officials very courteously gave me some interesting details relative to the more prominent of the “dramatis personae”. “That”, said he, pointing at a lithe, graceful red-shirted Boer with an intelligent face, and neatly trimmed black beard, who swept past us on his swift little Transvaal pony. “That is Max Slema. He was with us at Earl’s Court, but when the war broke out, he went back to his own country to fight against us. Oh, no, he owes us no personal grudge; in fact, he always speaks in very high terms of the English. No, sir; it was just a matter of patriotism with him – says he shouldn’t have much opinion of any man, English, Dutch, or Black, who wouldn’t fight for his country. He was in the scrimmage at Nicholson’s Nek, where, after fourteen hours’ hard fighting in the trenches, an English bullet found him. Went clean through the top of his head; in at one side and out at the other. He didn’t know much about the fight after that. When he came to himself, he found himself in hospital in Delagoa Bay. The doctors managed to pull him through, but it was little short of a miracle. When he was strong enough to get about, he came back to England and rejoined us. Been in any fights? Oh, yes, no end of skirmishing with the Matabele, but he doesn’t count that”.

“Do you see that big fellow over there? Just going to take his shot at the bottles. Well, that’s Andries Venter. He’s a Pretoria man. Yes, sir, you’re right, he’s a giant and no mistake; stands six feet seven in his stockings, and as a simple as a baby. He’s fought under Cronje, helped to quash the Jameson Raid, and fought for the English against the Matabele”.


Manchester Courier, 19th June 1900

BOER AND BRITON IN SALFORD HOSPITAL.

A Boer named Max Slema, who is engaged in the Savage South Africa Exhibition, now located at Lower Broughton, was shot in the head at Nicholson’s Nek. His injury was not regarded as serious, but during his stay in Manchester his skull has been trepanned. On Saturday during the course of the performance he had the misfortune to fall and sustained concussion of the brain. He was removed to Salford Royal Hospital, where his is now detained as an in-patient. A singular circumstance in connection with the case is that Slema has for a companion in his ward a British soldier who was at the relief of Kimberley.


The Era, 7th July 1900

SAVAGE SOUTH AFRICA is going well in its fifth week at Salford. Several Boers have rejoined the show after having been engaged in the present Transvaal War, which they left a few weeks ago, and managed to reach Manchester viâ Delagoa Bay, Marseilles, Paris, &c. Max Slema, a Boer who was shot in the head at Nicholson’s Nek, has undergone an operation at the Salford Royal Hospital, and is again appearing at the show.

Liverpool Daily Post, 10th September 1900
It will be good news to the sight-seeing and pleasure-going public of Liverpool to learn that the remarkable exposition known as “Savage South Africa” will visit Liverpool for a short season, commencing Monday, September 17th. Mr J. Hardacre, who is the managing director of this great Earl’s Court show, has arranged for the exhibitions to take place on the large ground in Balmoral Road, Fairfield. …….
Max Slema, who fought with the colonial forces in the Matabele campaign, is included in the company.


Liverpool Mercury, 15th September 1900

“SAVAGE SOUTH AFRICA” IN LIVERPOOL.

One of the sensations of the Savage South Africa Exhibition, which comes to Liverpool next week, is the realistic representation of the battle of Elandslaagte, in which a number of Boers take part, and are to be seen making their trenches. It is interesting to know that Peter Visser, who represents the commandant, is the son of Commandant Visser, now fighting in the war, while Max Slema, another picturesque Boer, is a native of Mooifontein, and fought against the British in the war, and was shot in the head at Nicholson’s Nek. His head has lately been trepanned by an eminent Manchester doctor.


Darlington North Star, 19th April 1901

SAVAGE SOUTH AFRICA AT MIDDLESBROUGH.

A NOVELTY TO TEES-SIDE.

Mr Frank E. Fillis and Mr J. Pitt Hardacre’s Savage South Africa “Show”, which on Monday next enters upon a two weeks’ tenancy of the Middlesbrough Football Field, will prove an extremely interesting, not to say novel, attraction for the public of Middlesbrough and Tees-side.
Mr Fillis’s long sojourn in South Africa and his intimate knowledge of the men and manners of that country has enabled him to establish a show in which he faithfully depicts the life of the people of that quarter of the globe, thus affording instruction as well as amusement.
Matters South African, especially those in any way connected with the Boers, have at present a lively interest for Englishmen, and as in “Savage South Africa” reproductions of scenes from the veldt play a prominent part, the show should be well patronised. Several Boers take part in the production, amongst them being James Keighry, an Irish Boer, who was ex-President Kruger’s State coachman; Andries Venter, one of Cronje’s force at the capture of the Jameson Raiders, Max Slema, who was present at Nicholson’s Nek; the brothers du Plessis, sons of the late Commandant du Plessis; Piet Visser, son of the chief detective of the Transvaal, and brother of Commandant Visser.
A reproduction of the battle of Elandslaagte will be found to be a realistic scene.


Shields Daily Gazette, 2nd May 1901

One of the performers in the “Savage South African Show”, now touring the provinces, is a Boer named Max Slema, who is stated to be a native of Mooifontein, and who fought against the British during the present war. He was found, says the Northern Echo, in the trenches by the German Ambulance Society, and had had a portion of his skull blown away by a shell; at least, this is the story vouched for. He was got through to Delagoa Bay, and came to England via Marseilles, and his head was subsequently trepanned by a Manchester surgeon. He wears a silver skull cap.


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Even Russia showed her support for the Boer cause in the form of postcards.

This card has the caption "Германц Смитц / Капитанъ Буровъ / Изъ Трансвааля Іоганнѐсбрг" (which seems to translate as "Hermann Smitz/Schmitz / Boer Captain / From Johannesburg, Transvaal"). I have been unable to find any record of this man, but suspect he might have been a German volunteer.


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Could well be German - the ammunition he carries looks to me like 6.5m rimmed (Mannlicher), which was a European hunting calibre in the 1890s, but not a Boer calibre of any significance. He wasn't by any chance one of the 5 POWs who escaped in Colombo harbour by swimming to a Russian ship?