J(ames) B(arry) M(unnik) Hertzog - General Hertzog

South African statesman and prime minister (1924–39), born in Wellington, Cape Colony, SW South Africa. He studied law at Stellenbosch and Amsterdam, became a Boer general (1899–1902), and was minister of justice (1910) in the first Union government. He founded the Nationalist Party in 1914, advocating complete South African independence, and in World War 1 opposed co-operation with Britain. As premier, in coalition with Labour (1924–9), and with Smuts in a United Party (1933–9), he renounced his earlier secessionism, but on the outbreak of World War 2 declared for neutrality, was defeated, lost office, and in 1940 retired.

James Barry Munnik Hertzog, better known as Barry Hertzog (born April 3, 1866 near Wellington, Cape Colony - died November 21, 1942 in Pretoria, Union of South Africa) was a Boer general of German Jewish ancestry and the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1939. He was the father of Apartheid which were the racist policies of the South African government against Black South Africans.

In the general election of 1924, his National Party defeated the South African Party of Jan Smuts and became the government. In 1934, the National Party and the South African Party merged to form the United Party.

Hertzog was a republican who believed strongly in promoting the independence of the Union of South Africa from the British Empire. His government approved the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and in 1937 after King Edward VIII abdicated as King of the United Kingdom (and thus King of South Africa), Hertzog insisted the South African parliament "approve" this decision in a vote.

General Hertzog

Hertzog received his law degrees from Victoria College in Stellenbosch, Cape Colony and the University of Amsterdam. He was appointed Minister of Justice in the new nation formed on May 31, 1910 called the Union of South Africa. In 1913 he led a secession of the Old Boer and anti-imperialist section from the South African party.

At the outbreak of the South African rebellion in 1914, he kept aloof, not opposing either side.

Preceded by: Jan Smuts

Prime Minister of South Africa 1924–1939

Succeeded by: Jan Smuts