Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz was born on 28 July 1923 in Kimberley, South Africa. Scholtz was the eldest of ten children. His mother was a "house mother", as he would put it and his father a saddler. Scholtz passed standard 5 (Grade 7) at Beaconsfield Coloured School in Kimberley. However, he had to leave school and work as a carpenter with his uncle in order support his family after his father broke his hip and became bedridden. His mother got him the job.
CareerEdit
Poverty compelled him to join the army in October 1940. He had to present himself as being 21 although he was only 17. It was a requirement for joining the Cape Corps that he have a driver's license. He however did not have one thus joining the artillery entity instead. Here he was accepted as a white and conceded to this, as he puts it, "to feed his family not to be accepted as a white man". This experience had a lasting impact on him: being a soldier in a whites only battalion, he carried this secret for five years. Then he returned after having served in Kenya, Ethiopia and Egypt, alas, too late for his father had passed on. He had spent twenty months in the north of Italy as a prisoner of war before he escaped.
12 June 1948 he married Gazina Ortell from Siena, who became the mother of his twelve children, in a court in Kimberley. He worked for a while in Swaziland and Botswana, using the trade taught to him earlier in his life and settled as a building contractor in Mafikeng, South Africa (then Bophuthatswana). As a result of the Apartheid legislation he could never realise his lifelong ideal of owning a cattle farm although he could afford to acquire a farm in cash.
In 1995 Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz debuted, at the age of 75, with his novel Vatmaar. Although the novel has an Afrikaans mindset he wrote it initially in English, in neat, fully handwritten hardcover books before his daughter Elizabeth translated it. He worked on the story for a period of three years before sending it to David Phillip Publishers in Cape Town, who then forwarded it to Kwela Books (Afrikaans Publishing Company) as the story did not translate so well. Kwela Books was a newly established company with the goal of finding new talent. Annarie van der Merwe of Kwela Books decided that it was an Afrikaans story so it should be published in Afrikaans.
Scholtz wrote two more books while waiting for the publication of Vatmaar, which were published later: Langsaan die vuur: vyf lewensverhale (1996) and Afdraai: ’n kroniek van seermaak en seerkry(1998).
Death and afterwardEdit
On 17 November 2004 Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz died[1] from acute asthma after spending the last two months being blind as well. Yet he will always be remembered for Vatmaar.[2]
Published worksEdit
Vatmaar (1995)
Langsaan die vuur (1996)
Afdraai (1998)
AwardsEdit
2002: Patrick Petersen Memorial Prize, Afrikaans Writers Society
ReferencesEdit
^Chris van der Merwe: AHM Scholtz: 'n Huldeblyk. 29 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine LitNet, 7. December 2004.
^Erika Terblanche: AHM Scholtz (1923–2004). LitNet, 14. November 2008.
Biography at publisher's website. Back page of the novel Vatmaar 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
October 23, 2023
andrew, henry, martin, scholtz, this, article, relies, excessively, references, primary, sources, please, improve, this, article, adding, secondary, tertiary, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, 2008, learn, when, remove,. This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz 28 July 1923 Kimberley 17 November 2004 Mafikeng was a South African writer Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life and education 1 2 Career 1 3 Death and afterward 2 Published works 3 Awards 4 ReferencesBiography EditEarly life and education Edit Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz was born on 28 July 1923 in Kimberley South Africa Scholtz was the eldest of ten children His mother was a house mother as he would put it and his father a saddler Scholtz passed standard 5 Grade 7 at Beaconsfield Coloured School in Kimberley However he had to leave school and work as a carpenter with his uncle in order support his family after his father broke his hip and became bedridden His mother got him the job Career Edit Poverty compelled him to join the army in October 1940 He had to present himself as being 21 although he was only 17 It was a requirement for joining the Cape Corps that he have a driver s license He however did not have one thus joining the artillery entity instead Here he was accepted as a white and conceded to this as he puts it to feed his family not to be accepted as a white man This experience had a lasting impact on him being a soldier in a whites only battalion he carried this secret for five years Then he returned after having served in Kenya Ethiopia and Egypt alas too late for his father had passed on He had spent twenty months in the north of Italy as a prisoner of war before he escaped 12 June 1948 he married Gazina Ortell from Siena who became the mother of his twelve children in a court in Kimberley He worked for a while in Swaziland and Botswana using the trade taught to him earlier in his life and settled as a building contractor in Mafikeng South Africa then Bophuthatswana As a result of the Apartheid legislation he could never realise his lifelong ideal of owning a cattle farm although he could afford to acquire a farm in cash In 1995 Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz debuted at the age of 75 with his novel Vatmaar Although the novel has an Afrikaans mindset he wrote it initially in English in neat fully handwritten hardcover books before his daughter Elizabeth translated it He worked on the story for a period of three years before sending it to David Phillip Publishers in Cape Town who then forwarded it to Kwela Books Afrikaans Publishing Company as the story did not translate so well Kwela Books was a newly established company with the goal of finding new talent Annarie van der Merwe of Kwela Books decided that it was an Afrikaans story so it should be published in Afrikaans Scholtz wrote two more books while waiting for the publication of Vatmaar which were published later Langsaan die vuur vyf lewensverhale 1996 and Afdraai n kroniek van seermaak en seerkry 1998 Death and afterward Edit On 17 November 2004 Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz died 1 from acute asthma after spending the last two months being blind as well Yet he will always be remembered for Vatmaar 2 Published works EditVatmaar 1995 Langsaan die vuur 1996 Afdraai 1998 Awards Edit2002 Patrick Petersen Memorial Prize Afrikaans Writers SocietyReferences Edit Chris van der Merwe AHM Scholtz n Huldeblyk Archived 29 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine LitNet 7 December 2004 Erika Terblanche AHM Scholtz 1923 2004 LitNet 14 November 2008 Biography at publisher s website Back page of the novel Vatmaar Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrew Henry Martin Scholtz amp oldid 1129372361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
