Die kentering in die kultuurbeeld van die Ossewa-Brandwag, 1939-1940

Abstract

The change in the cultural image of the Ossewa-Brandwag, 1939-1940

In this article the cultural activities of the Ossewa-Brandwag (OB) are reviewed against the background of the expansion of Afrikaner nationalism. The founding enthusiasm of the OB was essentially an indication to supporters that the awakening of the nation as a result of the Voortrekker centenary fes tiv ities found their manifestation in the movement. The aim of the OB ira.v therefore defined as the country-wide unifying of all Afrikaners, driven hy patriotism to uphold the traditions of the nation towards the protection and promotion of the spiritual life of the nation. This founding aim and aspiration of the movement was influenced by various factors: the OB had, for example, been outspokenly republican and also developed as a political force since 4 September 1939. After this dale, the movement, having been stamped as a cultural organization since its foundation, began to display a militant protest character. As of September 1939 the self-imposed cultural aims o f the OB have to be viewed as a means to a political end.