'n Kultuurhistoriese studie van die Duitse Nedersetting Philippi op die Kaapse Vlakte

Abstract

Up to the arrival of the so-called "Second Wave" of German settlers to the Cape, the cape Flats was to a great extent uninhabited because it was seen as an inhospitable semi-desert. The colonial Government of the late nineteenth century however felt dat such an area of land in so close a vicinity of an urban region should be made usefull. As a result of the success the German settlers had who arrived in the years 1858/62 in the Eastern Cape (the so-called "First Wave" of German immigrants), it was decided to try the same in the Western Cape. A few German settlers together with their families have already settled themselves on the edge of the Cape Flats and showed that one could farm with vegetabels in this region. They were Germans who were brought to the Cape by the Hamburgh shipping company Godeffroy and Son. They came under contract and had to work for a fixed period at certain appointed employers. These Godeffroy immigrants settled in the vicinity of Wynberg after the expiration of their contracts because a Lutheran church was already established there. They indirectly formed the basis of the German settlement to follow. In 1877/78 the next group consisting of families and part of a Colonial immigratioh project, arrived. Many of these immigrants were settled on Crown Land in the Boland, but a significant number were settled on the Cape Flats. The third group arrived in 1883, again consisting of family groups and as part of a Colonial iimmigration project. Most of the members of this group were allocated on land and the Cape Flats. The last two groups were part of the "Second Wave" of German immigrants. By far mast of the immigrants were peasants and artisans originating from Northern Germany. The Godeffroy immigrants were mostly Prussians and the immigrants of the Second Wave mostly Heidjern from the Luneburger Heath in Lower Saxony. These three groups would fuse into a close community thanks to their common background and religion, as well as the first years' struggle for survival on the then inhospitable Flats. The settlers established three Lutheran congregations and three schools. This study looks at the settlement, the life and work of these settlers and their immediate descendants, as well as the way of life of generations to follow, who had to combat other problems than those their ancestors had to deal with. The Colonial government's belief that the Flats could be a source of fresh produce for the growing Cape Town, proved to be right. The region established itself as the "Fresh produce larder of cape Town". Today many descendants find themselves in all the different social spheres throughout South Africa. A substantial number of descendants of the settlers however still live and farm on the properties their forefathers established. The farming area, although considerably smaller than the original settlement area, is of strategical and economical importance today because of the huge amount of vegetables which is being produced almost inside the city boundaries for the daily growing population of Cape Town.