Figure 1.--The photograph shows a group of South Afrrican Penkopss. It looks like a group about 2000, but we have a few details.

We have very limited information on South Africa. The only nationalist group that we know of is the Penkops.

The Penkiops

There were Boer child soldiers who fought the British during the Boer War. There were known as the Penkiops. I was surrised to find that there is a youth group in South Africa called the Penkops. We have, however only limited information on them. We have no information on the history of the organiation or its current size. Hopefully our South African readers will provide some information to us. Presumably this is primarily a group for Afrikaaner boys.

Boer War (1899-1902)

The Boer War, or South African War as it is sometimes called, is today an obscure footnote in history. At the time it was a major turning point in history. Not only did it occur at the transition from the Victorian to the Edwardian era, but it helped to confirm the growing opinion in England that it was the rising power of Germany under the mecurial Kaiser Wilhelm II that posed a danger to Britain rather than the traditional English enemy--France. This was a major transition in English thinking that had enormous repersusions in the 20th century. The War also convinced many that major reforms were needed to modernize the Army. The Boer War brought the term concentration camp" to the 20th century. A more happy impact was indirectly the War was involved in the founding of the Scouting movement. The British casualties were much higher than anticipated and the civilian casualties were even higher. European public opinion was incensed and the British began to see their Empire in a new light.