Die Groot Trek: Die Eerste Drie Jaar – Vegkop (Deel 1 – 1836) - Prof. G.D.J. Duvenhage
Die Groot Trek: Die Eerste Drie Jaar – Vegkop (Deel 1 – 1836)
Scarce Historiography of the Voortrekker Migration and the Battle of Vegkop
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Die Groot Trek: Die Eerste Drie Jaar – Vegkop (Deel 1 – 1836)
- Author: Prof. G.D.J. Duvenhage
- Publisher: Privately Published / Historical Research Publication (South Africa)
- Publication Date: Circa 1986–1988 (First Edition)
- ISBN: None Issued (Scarce, privately printed monograph distribution)
- Edition Details: First Edition, Standard Hardcover / Softcover Release (Volume 1 of the definitive Great Trek trilogy).
- Binding: Original publisher's illustrated boards / heavy card wraps.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo). Fully illustrated with historical military battle maps, local topographical layouts, and archival trekking references.
- Language: Afrikaans
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Cover: Displays standard shelf-pull wear concentrated at the crown and heel of the spine. Exhibits slight overall shelfwear and minor surface friction to the face and rear panels. Edges remain square and the binding is completely stable.
- Interior: Very Good Plus (VG+). The text block is exceptionally clean, tightly bound, and crisp. Internal pages, maps, and diagrams are free from foxing, dealer pencil marks, ink annotations, or dog-ears.
- The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)
Synopsis & Historical Value
Die Groot Trek: Die Eerste Drie Jaar – Vegkop is a highly focused, academic examination of the opening phase of the Great Trek, focusing strictly on the pivotal year of 1836. Professor Duvenhage provides a meticulous, hour-by-hour reconstruction of the Battle of Vegkop, where Hendrik Potgieter’s laager successfully repelled the massed assaults of the Matebele forces under Kalipi. This scarce collectible book relies heavily on primary source journals, offering critical insights into the strategic defensive military formations, weaponry, and geopolitical rifts that defined the early Voortrekker frontier.
Author Profile: Prof. G.D.J. Duvenhage
Professor G.D.J. Duvenhage was an eminent South African historian, academic, and researcher specializing in 19th-century frontier history and Afrikaner migrations. Holding long-standing academic positions, Duvenhage was widely respected for his exhaustive archive-driven research methodologies. His multi-volume series on the first three years of the Great Trek remains a foundational resource for military historians and antiquarian book collectors seeking deep, un-romanticised tactical data on early South African conflicts.
