Anna Petronella van Heerden (1887–1975), was the first Afrikaner woman to qualify as a medical doctor.[1] Her thesis, for which she obtained a doctorate in 1923, was the first medical thesis written in Afrikaans.[2] She practiced as a gynecologist, retiring in 1942.[2] She also served in the South African medical corps during World War II.[3]
Van Heerden was born on 26 April 1887 in Bethlehem, Orange Free State.[2][3] Her parents were Francois Willem van Heerden and Josephine Ryneva Beck Horak. She was the middle child with an older brother Alexander Charles and a younger brother Frankie.[4]
She was educated at the Huguenot Seminary in Wellington and Victoria College in Stellenbosch. She studied at the University of Amsterdam from 1908 to 1915 where she completed her medical degree.[3][5] Van Heerden served as an intern at the Volkshuishospitaal in Bloemfontein in 1916 and had her own practice in Harrismith from 1917. She specialised in gynaecology in London from 1921 before returning to Amsterdam to complete her PhD.[5] After obtaining her doctorate in 1923 with a thesis entitled, Die sogenamde adenioma van die ovarium (in English: The so-called adenoma of the ovary), she moved to Cape Town where she practiced as a gynaecologist. Van Heerden served in the South African medical corps during World War II and in 1942 she retired from her practice.[2]
Other interestsedit
Politicsedit
She served on the main committee of the Cape National Party in 1924 and took an active role in the dispute over the national flag. She also campaigned for women's suffrage.[2]
Archaeologyedit
In 1931 Van Heerden took part in the excavations at Wadi el Maghara at Mount Carmel in Palestine that were led by Dorothy Garrod.[2]
Publicationsedit
Van Heerden published two autobiographical texts, Kerssnuitsels (1962) (Candle Snuffings) and Die sestiende koppie (1965) (the sixteenth Cup),[1][2] and other works, including:Waarom Ek ‘n Sosialis Is (1938) (Why I'm as Socialist),[4]Geslagsregister van die familie Van Heerden (1969) (Family Tree of the Van Heerden Family) and Dames XVII (1969) (Ladies XVII).
Van Heerden's memoirs received little academic attention until after 2000. Since then some studies have been made of her limited works. Lizelle Smit presented a masters dissertation on "South African Women’s Life Writing" in 2015[4] and some of the points relating to Van Heerden covered in this research are: 1) her subtle manipulations of the autobiographical content to convey important issues to Afrikaner-youth of the time; 2) her changing presentation of feminist issues and her lesbian sexual identity, especially in light of the fact that South Africa didn't accept the existence of lesbians for most of Van Heerden's life; and 3) her critique of gender inequality.[6][4]
Later lifeedit
Van Heerden spent some of her later life after retirement working on a farm where she raised cattle. She was often seen at cattle auctions, actively participating, which was unheard of for a woman at that time in South Africa.[1][7] Van Heerden never married and she died in Cape Town on 10 January 1975.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcViljoen, Louise (2008). "Nationalism, gender and sexuality in the autobiographical writing of two Afrikaner women". Social Dynamics. 34 (2). Scholar.sun.ac.za: 186–202. doi:10.1080/02533950802280063. S2CID 145461112. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^ abcdefghWomen Marching Into the 21st Century: Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo. HSRC Press. 2000. pp. 206–. ISBN978-0-7969-1966-3.
^ abcJean van der Poel (5 April 2007). Selections from the Smuts Papers: Volume VII, August 1945-October 1950. Cambridge University Press. pp. 446–. ISBN978-0-521-03370-1.
^ abcdSmit, Lizelle (March 2015). "Narrating (Her)Story: South African Women's Life Writing (1854-1948)" (PDF). Scholar.sun.ac.za. p. 38. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
^ abpubmeddev; FB, Lammes (10 October 2013). "Van Heerden: the first female doctor in South Africa. - PubMed". Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (in Dutch). 157 (41): A5421. PMID 24103131.
^Smit, Lizelle (28 April 2017). "'Speaking' and 'silence' in the memoirs of Petronella van Heerden". Literator. 38 (1). AOSIS. doi:10.4102/lit.v38i1.1298. ISSN 2219-8237.
^"Petronella van Heerden". Vrystaat Confessions. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
April 11, 2024
anna, petronella, heerden, 1887, 1975, first, afrikaner, woman, qualify, medical, doctor, thesis, which, obtained, doctorate, 1923, first, medical, thesis, written, afrikaans, practiced, gynecologist, retiring, 1942, also, served, south, african, medical, corp. Anna Petronella van Heerden 1887 1975 was the first Afrikaner woman to qualify as a medical doctor 1 Her thesis for which she obtained a doctorate in 1923 was the first medical thesis written in Afrikaans 2 She practiced as a gynecologist retiring in 1942 2 She also served in the South African medical corps during World War II 3 Anna Petronella van HeerdenBorn 1887 04 26 26 April 1887Bethlehem Orange Free StateDied10 January 1975 1975 01 10 aged 87 Cape Town South AfricaAlma materUniversity of AmsterdamKnown forfirst Afrikaner woman to qualify as a medical doctorScientific careerFieldsGynecologyInstitutionsPrivate practiceSouth African medical corps WWII ThesisDie sogenamde adenioma van die ovarium 1923 Contents 1 Education and career 2 Other interests 2 1 Politics 2 2 Archaeology 2 3 Publications 3 Later life 4 ReferencesEducation and career editVan Heerden was born on 26 April 1887 in Bethlehem Orange Free State 2 3 Her parents were Francois Willem van Heerden and Josephine Ryneva Beck Horak She was the middle child with an older brother Alexander Charles and a younger brother Frankie 4 She was educated at the Huguenot Seminary in Wellington and Victoria College in Stellenbosch She studied at the University of Amsterdam from 1908 to 1915 where she completed her medical degree 3 5 Van Heerden served as an intern at the Volkshuishospitaal in Bloemfontein in 1916 and had her own practice in Harrismith from 1917 She specialised in gynaecology in London from 1921 before returning to Amsterdam to complete her PhD 5 After obtaining her doctorate in 1923 with a thesis entitled Die sogenamde adenioma van die ovarium in English The so called adenoma of the ovary she moved to Cape Town where she practiced as a gynaecologist Van Heerden served in the South African medical corps during World War II and in 1942 she retired from her practice 2 Other interests editPolitics edit She served on the main committee of the Cape National Party in 1924 and took an active role in the dispute over the national flag She also campaigned for women s suffrage 2 Archaeology edit In 1931 Van Heerden took part in the excavations at Wadi el Maghara at Mount Carmel in Palestine that were led by Dorothy Garrod 2 Publications edit Van Heerden published two autobiographical texts Kerssnuitsels 1962 Candle Snuffings and Die sestiende koppie 1965 the sixteenth Cup 1 2 and other works including Waarom Ek n Sosialis Is 1938 Why I m as Socialist 4 Geslagsregister van die familie Van Heerden 1969 Family Tree of the Van Heerden Family and Dames XVII 1969 Ladies XVII Van Heerden s memoirs received little academic attention until after 2000 Since then some studies have been made of her limited works Lizelle Smit presented a masters dissertation on South African Women s Life Writing in 2015 4 and some of the points relating to Van Heerden covered in this research are 1 her subtle manipulations of the autobiographical content to convey important issues to Afrikaner youth of the time 2 her changing presentation of feminist issues and her lesbian sexual identity especially in light of the fact that South Africa didn t accept the existence of lesbians for most of Van Heerden s life and 3 her critique of gender inequality 6 4 Later life editVan Heerden spent some of her later life after retirement working on a farm where she raised cattle She was often seen at cattle auctions actively participating which was unheard of for a woman at that time in South Africa 1 7 Van Heerden never married and she died in Cape Town on 10 January 1975 2 References edit a b c Viljoen Louise 2008 Nationalism gender and sexuality in the autobiographical writing of two Afrikaner women Social Dynamics 34 2 Scholar sun ac za 186 202 doi 10 1080 02533950802280063 S2CID 145461112 Retrieved 23 March 2015 a b c d e f g h Women Marching Into the 21st Century Wathint Abafazi Wathint Imbokodo HSRC Press 2000 pp 206 ISBN 978 0 7969 1966 3 a b c Jean van der Poel 5 April 2007 Selections from the Smuts Papers Volume VII August 1945 October 1950 Cambridge University Press pp 446 ISBN 978 0 521 03370 1 a b c d Smit Lizelle March 2015 Narrating Her Story South African Women s Life Writing 1854 1948 PDF Scholar sun ac za p 38 Retrieved 29 October 2019 a b pubmeddev FB Lammes 10 October 2013 Van Heerden the first female doctor in South Africa PubMed Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde in Dutch 157 41 A5421 PMID 24103131 Smit Lizelle 28 April 2017 Speaking and silence in the memoirs of Petronella van Heerden Literator 38 1 AOSIS doi 10 4102 lit v38i1 1298 ISSN 2219 8237 Petronella van Heerden Vrystaat Confessions 6 April 2019 Retrieved 29 October 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anna Petronella van Heerden amp oldid 1179832926, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
