Before the gold, before the war, and before he became the most recognisable Boer in the world, Paul Kruger was a boy growing up on the South African frontier.
In this first part of a two-part series, we follow Kruger’s journey from the Great Trek through the turbulent years that shaped his character and beliefs. From the wagon trails of the eighteen thirties to the victory at Majuba and the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, this is the story of how a frontier farmer became President of the South African Republic.
Often remembered as a stubborn old statesman with a white beard and a pipe, Kruger was far more complex than the caricatures that appeared in British newspapers of the day. His life was shaped by faith, hardship, war and an unwavering belief in the independence of his people.
This episode explores the events that made Paul Kruger the man he became, and the foundations of a conflict that would eventually lead to the Boer War.
The rise of Paul Kruger begins here.
