De Strijd Tusschen Boer en Brit Author: C. R. de Wet (Christiaan Rudolf de Wet)
De Strijd Tusschen Boer en Brit (Collectible 1902 Antiquarian Africana)
The Monumental, Globally Celebrated Contemporary Dutch First Edition of General de Wet's Famous War Memoirs, Published Immediately Following the Peace of Vereeniging
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: De Strijd Tusschen Boer en Brit
- Author: C. R. de Wet (Christiaan Rudolf de Wet)
- Publisher: Höveker & Wormser, Amsterdam / Pretoria
- Publication Date: 1902
- ISBN-10: None Issued (Pre-ISBN Era)
- ISBN-13: None Issued (Pre-ISBN Era)
- Edition Details: First Edition, First Printing (Eerste Uitgawe). The original text block published prior to global translations.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium decorative pictorial cloth boards. Offered as found without a paper dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Large Octavo (8vo), 508 pages. Lavishly adorned with a striking photogravure frontispiece portrait of General de Wet. Folding map of the South African war theater not present.
- Language: Dutch
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Fair to Good (Split Heritage Preservation Grade)
- Exterior / Covers: Good (G). The original 1902 illustrated cloth boards are structurally complete and remain bright, showing standard, honest signs of age-related handling wear and edge scuffing from more than a century of shelf life. The pictorial layout on the cover is fully intact, and the gold lettering along the spine remains presentable.
- Binding / Structure: Poor to Fair (P/F). The book block has split away and become completely loose from the cloth cover casing immediately following the frontispiece portrait plate. Furthermore, the first 9 preliminary pages following the frontispiece have also become loose from the main structural binding cord and are slightly crumpled along their inner margins, requiring professional archival re-seating or careful storage placement.
- Interior: Very Good (VG). Despite the structural separation at the front hinge and the crumpled preliminary leaves, the rest of the internal 508-page text block is beautifully preserved. The pages, historical portrait plates, are remarkably clean, flat, and perfectly clear, completely free of user highlighting, ink annotations, or deep moisture staining.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Originally compiled immediately following the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging and published in Amsterdam in late 1902, De Strijd Tusschen Boer en Brit is the foundational masterpiece of Anglo-Boer War military literature. Written by General Christiaan Rudolf de Wet—the globally celebrated "Fighting General" whom the entire British military apparatus repeatedly failed to capture—this memoir traces the conflict from a raw Boer republican perspective.
Originally compiled immediately following the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging and published in Amsterdam in late 1902, De Strijd Tusschen Boer en Brit is the foundational masterpiece of Anglo-Boer War military literature. Written by General Christiaan Rudolf de Wet—the globally celebrated "Fighting General" whom the entire British military apparatus repeatedly failed to capture—this memoir traces the conflict from a raw Boer republican perspective.
The narrative provides a clinical, gripping, and deeply honest tactical breakdown of the campaign. De Wet details the opening conventional battles at Nicholson's Nek and the subsequent siege lines around Ladysmith, before pivoting into the grueling guerrilla phase following General Cronje's catastrophic surrender at Paardeberg. He lays bare the meticulous strategies behind his lightning-fast mobile operations, surprise raids on imperial supply lines, and the daring breakouts through Lord Kitchener's massive blockhouse networks and dragnets. Written with deep modesty, unvarnished honesty, and absolute clarity, this 1902 printing captures the true spirit and tactical genius of the commando system, making it an indispensable cornerstone centerpiece for any serious militaria library and advanced Africana collection.
Author Profile: Genl. C. R. de Wet
Generaal Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854–1922) was the most celebrated Boer general, guerrilla strategist, and statesman of the Orange Free State. Possessing no formal military academy training, his innate genially for mobile warfare, deception, and rapid commando movements made him a legendary figure across the globe and a persistent threat to the British Empire. Following the war, he served as a Minister of Agriculture in the Orange River Colony, stood as a founder member of the National Party, and later led the armed 1914 Rebellion. His combat memoirs remain some of the most heavily translated and influential military field diaries in global history.
Generaal Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854–1922) was the most celebrated Boer general, guerrilla strategist, and statesman of the Orange Free State. Possessing no formal military academy training, his innate genially for mobile warfare, deception, and rapid commando movements made him a legendary figure across the globe and a persistent threat to the British Empire. Following the war, he served as a Minister of Agriculture in the Orange River Colony, stood as a founder member of the National Party, and later led the armed 1914 Rebellion. His combat memoirs remain some of the most heavily translated and influential military field diaries in global history.
boer war collectible book de stryd tusschen boer en brit christiaan de wet hoveker wormser 1902 rare book anglo boer war fighting general free state commando guerrilla warfare history dutch text used copy pictorial cloth loose pages folding maps