Thomas Francois Burgers Staatspresident 1872-1877 - M.S Appelgryn

Thomas Francois Burgers (Appelgryn)

A Masterful Scholarly Revision of the Transvaal Republic’s Misunderstood Intellectual President

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Thomas Francois Burgers: Staatspresident van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek 1872–1877
• Author: Prof. M. S. Appelgryn
• Publisher: HAUM (Hollandsch-Afrikaansche Uitgevers-Maatschappij), Pretoria
• Publication Date: 1979
• ISBN-10: 0798604212
• ISBN-13: 9780798604215
• Edition Details: True First Edition, First Printing
• Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth-bound hardcover with gold spine gilt and a pictorial dust jacket
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 281 pages. Fully documented with primary archival references, map outlines, and an extensive biographical source appendix.
• Language: Afrikaans

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good to Fine (VG/F)
• Exterior: Hardcover cloth binding is exceptionally clean, robust, and square. Minimal to no shelf friction present along the base edges. Gilt spine lettering is bright, sharp, and pristine.
• Interior: The text block is immaculate. Internal pages are crisp, bright white, and completely free of inscriptions, library stamps, underlining, or highlighting. A beautiful, unread collectible copy.
• The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Condition: Complete, vibrant, and unchipped. Shows almost no visible wear, maintaining sharp edges and crisp corner alignment.
• Preservation: Carefully protected with a brand-new, clear plastic cover sleeve to maintain its collector-tier condition.

Synopsis & Historical Significance

Published in 1979, Thomas Francois Burgers is arguably the most rigorous academic biography examining the tragic and controversial presidency of the ZAR’s second state president.

Written by Prof. M. S. Appelgryn, the monograph challenges traditional nineteenth-century myths, offering a objective reassessment of Burgers' progressive, liberal intellectual ideals. Appelgryn analyzes Burgers' massive structural reforms, his attempts to build an independent Delagoa Bay railway line, and his complex theological battles with the conservative burghers—all culminating in the bankruptcy of the republic and the sudden British annexation by Sir Theophilus Shepstone in 1877. This scarce, high-fidelity monograph is a vital academic resource for any library focusing on the early Transvaal Republic.

Author Profile: Prof. M. S. Appelgryn

Professor M. S. Appelgryn is an eminent South African academic, historian, and longtime professor of history at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Renowned for his meticulous archival approach, Appelgryn specialized in nineteenth-century Transvaal constitutional history and state formation, earning deep respect among antiquarian scholars for his ability to unearth primary diplomatic correspondence.