Jews in local government:

Jews played a prominent part in white Vryburg’s public life from the outset. In 1886 Charles Sonnenberg was one of four members elected to the Vryburg Village Management Council, as the locale was declared a township. Another German Jew, Daniel Abt was also one of the members of the council. In 1896 Charles Sonnenberg and Herman Rosenblatt served on the first town council. By 1897, Charles Sonnenberg was elected the Cape Parliament and represented the constituency.

 

Simon Lewis, who is based in the UK, and researching the Sonnenberg family shared news clippings from a trip Charles Sonnenberg (then MP for Vryburg) made to the USA. The 1897 trip took Charles and his wife to Washington, Richmond, Chicago, San Francisco, Buffalo, Boston and other cities. In the long article we learn about his (sympathetic) sentiments towards Paul Kruger and about his relations with Barney Barnato. His description of Vryburg is fascinating and in, today's terms, a tad bit inappropriate:

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Mr. Sonnenberg lives In the District of Vryburg, and he represents this with the district of Taungs, Kuruman, and Gordonia, in the Cape Colony Parliament. He speaks in enthusiastic terms of South Africa and its prospects. It is a good feild for emigration, he says, and British Bechuanaland is a particularly happy hunting-ground for the farmer. Living is very cheap, he says, but so is labor the natives being willing to work for very small wages.

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Herman Rosenblatt served as Vryburg's Mayor from 1898-1901 and 1904-1905. Affectionately known as "HR," he declined an extension in August 1905. HR retired to Oudtshoorn, where he passed away in 1916, aged 69. According to his death certificate, he suffered from chronic bronchitis. A street is named after him in Lenasia, Vryburg's Indian neighborhood. Incidentally, a street was named after Harry Joffe in Huhudi, the Black township.

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In December 1903 the town ran a large two day Bazaar in aid of the S. Mathews Church. As we can see from a copy of the bazaar booklet, preserved by Graham Brodovcky, Maurice Sonnenberg, second son of Charles and Jeanette (nee Rosenblatt), served on the Bazaar committee. Additionally, members of the Abt, Blumgart, Rosenblatt and Solomon families were also involved in the event. Later, Max Sonnenberg served as Mayor, from 1919-1920 and Theodore Sonnenberg served in that same role from 1925-1928 and again from 1934-1938, when he retired due to ill health.

 

Vryburg was not unique in this respect of having a Jewish mayor. Other small towns that had Jewish mayors include Theunissen (George Simon Rubenstein), De Aar (Arthur Adler), Upington (Clarence Robinson), Worcester (Eli Traub), Graaf Reinet (Edward Nathan), Graskop (Sam Shagan), Frankfort (Morris Segal), Paarl (Abel Volks and Jack Lichtenstein), Heilbron (Morris Greenman),  Bronkhorstspruit (Reggie Lazaris), Tzaneen (Jack Klaff), Windburg (Borris Kaplan), Ficksberg (Ben Borvey), Hopefield (Gaby Meltzer), Vryheid (Alec Baitz and Sidney Colley), Aliwal North (Benjamin Levy); Bedford (A.L. Levnyo), Harrismith (Sammel), Ladybrand (Philip Loewenstein) and Wakkerstroom (Louis Fine). This list at best is partial. 

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Max Sonnenberg also represented Bechuanaland as a Member of Parliament from 1919 to 1921. Sonnenberg was affiliated with Louis Botha and JC Smuts's South African Party (SAP). In his autobiography, Sonnenberg (p. 110) recounts that DF Malan - future Prime Minister of South Africa - claimed that "A Jew cannot represent Christians in Parliament" during a local sermon delivered in the build-up to an election.

 

Some other Jews who were prominent in provincial and national politics were: I. J. Mann, MEC for Ladismith, members of the Union Parliament (MPs), Morris Alexander, David Harris, Emile Nathan, C.P. Robinson, and Adolf Davis (Port Elizabeth, 1939-1952). Woolf Ehrlich (Orange River Colony Parliament - 1905) and Felix C. Hollander (Natal Provincial Council and Senator) rose to prominence. Transvaal Legislative Council Members included, Harry Solomon (1903) and Max Langerman (1904) as well Lionel Phillips and Sammy Marks. After the Union was formed, Philips was elected a national MP and Marks elevated to the Senate. Again, this list is limited.  

 

Local town councilors:

The Sonnenberg and Abt tradition of serving on the local town council was sustained. David Smollan also served on the town council in the 1920's as did Simon Lieberthal, who served from December 1924 to August 1945. In 1922, three of the nine Town councilors were Jewish: Ephraim Gluckman (who managed Solomon's Stores), Solomon Kaplan and David Smollan. Dr. Marcus Getz was on the Town Council in 1935, along with Simon Lieberthal. Two of the seven members, at that time, were Jews. Morris Bayer served at least two terms on the Vryburg District Council, representing Ward 6, in the late 1920's.

 

Many years later, Harold Scheckter served as an town councilor, from 1978-1988. Harold initially stood as an independent candidate in 1972, narrowly losing to the then mayor, Willie Else. In 1978 Harold unseated the mayor, fighting on a National Party (NP) ticket. His son, Steven Scheckter, reports that a neighbor, Mrs. Coetzee, advised Harold to pay his 10 Rand party membership fees if he wanted to win. In a climate of increasing polarization between conservative whites and extreme hardliners  - like the the Herstigte Nasionaale Party (HNP) and the Konservatiewe Party (KP) - a Jewish independent had little choice but to align with the Nats. The HNP enjoyed popularity with local hardliners as it was headed by Jaap Marais, who was born in Vryburg in 1922. As a town councilor, Harold assisted the local Muslim community get permission to slaughter Halaal in the local abattoir. 

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Sports and civil society:

Jews were active in Vryburg white civil society and sports. Members of the community were passionately involved in Rotary and the Freemasons. Brothers Harry and Joe Joffe were deeply immersed in the Freemasons organizations and the local Lodge, which was named the Stella Lodge. In his autobiography, Max Sonnenberg (p. 24) reports that he was Master of the local lodge. Julius Rosenblatt was the founder of the local Lodge and in the early years many local Jews were keen members of the Lodge. Julian Sussman of Jan Kemp Dorp was also an avid Mason. Local services for the High Holidays were held in the Lodge Hall.

 

Keen Rotarians included Harry Joffe, Max Brodovcky, Hymie Arenson, Norman Lazarus, Boytjie Rohloff, Mike Shapiro and Stephen Scheckter. Harry Joffee was a founder of the local Rotary club in 1955. Not all Jews who tried to join the Rotary Club were, however, accepted. Harold Scheckter - one prominent example. Growing up in the 1970 and 1980s, I recall that the Grand Hotel hosted local Rotary meetings. Mike Shapiro co-founded Round Table in Vryburg with Jock de Kock. Myra (Joffe) Sutin volunteered for the Red Cross, led by Ma De Kock.

 

Harry Joffe served as President of the local business chamber. His daughter Myra Sutin shared a letter to Harry from the Vryburg Chamber of Commerce.  Harold Scheckter served on the board of the local old age home. A few local Jews served on the School Board and the Hospital Board. As early as 1917 David Smollan was elected to this body. Rhita Muskat brought Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to Vryburg and was a general one-person humanitarian NGO, helping the frail and ill. Max and Rhita also ran a TB clinic in Huhudi.

 

Enlightened, but to a point:

In many Jewish households, as Selwyn Leibowitz corroborates, political debate was popular. In the Kombie, on the way to auctions our father, Isaac, used to rib the Boere. He had a tried and tested formula. He would assume the Progressive (PFP) position and challenge the Nats (Nationalists) in the car. Once they set out their verligte (liberal) arguments, the hard-line (KP and HNP) supporters would weigh in. He then sat back, as the two sides virulently argued. Little additional needling was required till we reached our destination.

 

Politically, Jews were, in the main, supporters of the old United Party (UP) and in a Vryburg context verlig. Later, the NP was presumably the default. All those who responded to a questionnaire on social issues noted that one’s parents recognized that system of Apartheid was unjust and unsustainable and made this clear within the confines of the home. That said, Vryburg Jewry did not produce a Joe Slovo or a Dennis Goldberg. The closest we came was the Lazarus family, whose aunt Ruth Lazarus was in exile in Paris. Ruth Lazarus worked at UNESCO and was in touch with Ruth First. Ruth Lazarus also corresponded with Shirley Graham Du Bois. Click here to see the letter. This meant that that Norman and Kit Lazarus were under surveillance in the early 1960's. Steven Scheckter recounts that Max Cohen was questioned during World War Two over this socialist's leanings.

 

In the main, the Jews of Vryburg played within the confines of the white hegemony and even here to a limited extent. From one article Anney Garnett found in the Northern News (26 September 1911) we see that Herman Rosenblatt took a stand against the decision by the then mayor to block an application made by a so-called colored to build a building. 

 

In later years Max and Rhita Muskat, who were quite involved in the United Party (UP). The party was long redundant when I was growing up and its remnants led by the charismatic Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert had few followers in the Bechuanaland.

 

The old scars of the once bitter UP/ NP rivalry however lingered. As late as the 1980's, I recall the slight of an Afrikaner calling a fellow verligte Afrikaner a Bloedsap. A so-called Bloedsap was a dyed-in-the-wool Afrikaans speaking proponent of the erstwhile United Party. In the years leading up to the transition to democracy, Steven Scheckter and Boytjie Rohloff attended the first meeting between white business leaders and the local UDF leadership in 1989. Steven Scheckter recalls: "George Mosiapo complained that, unlike us, he could not have his toast at breakfast, without the smell of shit. They had no sewerage, only buckets." As a consequence of this gathering, Steven was targeted by the Security Branch.

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Sports:

Throughout, Jews were active in the town's sporting life, as keen sportsmen and sportswomen. Bowls, tennis, hockey and rugby were very popular. Some local Jews were also prominent as sports administrators, reflecting their integration into the wider white community. Theodore Sonnenberg was the founder of the Vryburg Sports Club and served as its chair. He was made an Honorary Life Member. Oom Piet Leibowitz for many years served as President of the local bowling club and was instrumental in its establishment. His business partner, Hymie Arenson served as President of the Vryburg Rugby Club. Previously Jack (Jacob) Perel also served in this capacity. Remarkably, Jack was born in in Russia, which had no rugby tradition. David Smollan also played an active role in the local Vryburg rugby club. In a report carried in the Northern News, on 30 July 1927, his contribution was noted by Mr. Middlewick at Smollan's farewell. That same year, his son Fred was selected for Eastern Cape. Fred Smollan also represented Transvaal and Northern Transvaal and would later become a Springbok. David Smollan represented the Eastern Cape provincial side from 1896 to 1900. Later, Fred's son, Doug Smollan, would represent the Transvaal. Incredibly, Dave Smollan's great grandson, Paul, played rugby for SA Maccabi.

 

The fact that Jews were elevated to such a position in local rugby is striking. Rugby was, and remains, important to the Afrikaners and such prominent roles speak volumes for Jack Perel, David Smollan and Hymie Arenson as individuals and for the integration of Vryburg Jews. My father, Isaac Sussman, was a rugby referee in the local leagues in the 1970s and 1980s. I recollect driving to matches in the smaller towns near Vryburg. I visualize orange quarters and being eaten and water being drunk with plastic mugs from a bucket of water at half time. My most distinct memories are however of hearing the word "vuil jood" (filthy Jew) and other expletives whenever his refereeing decisions did not meet the local fans expectations. 

 

Quite a few local Jews were keen golfers. They included: Zalman Davidovitz, Joe Joffe, Mike Shapiro, Kit and Norman Lazarus, Max and Rhita Muskat, Max and Leah Cohen. Others were avid tennis players: including Mike and Miriam Shapiro and Chubbie Rauff. Marie Sussman and Boytjie (and Justin) Rohloff were Ramblers patrons.

 

Hockey also proved popular and many of the Jewish lads were good players, including the three Rauffs (David, Howard and Richard), Phil Toube and the three Rosenberg boys. Many played at provincial level and in the case of Winston Rosenblatt at the national level. Esme Rauff was also a keen hockey player. As early as 1911, the Smollan family sponsored an annual Hockey derby, between the Town team and the Cape Mounted Police. But the most popular of sports among Jews seems to have been bowls. Keen bowlers included Rose and Max Brodovcky, Anney and Piet Leibowitz, Aimy Kaiser, Max and Leah Cohen (who later focused on golf), Isaac van Gelderen, Chaim Sher, Joe Joffe and Isaac Sussman. 

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The supreme sacrifice:

The Second Boar War played out in Vryburg and no doubt affected the local Jews. Sadly we know little about this Period. In 1900, the London Jewish Chronicle reports that a "Private J. Abrahams, Vryburg Special Police, was accidentally severely injured." The connection between the wounded serviceman and Rosalie is not clear. A Kimberley lad, Richard Isaacs died in the Boer War 1902 in Vryburg. He was shot by Boers at Vlakfontein near Vryburg on 8 July. He died three days later in the local hospital, succumbing to his  injuries. Based on correspondence between the Board of Deputies and the local community there were three Jewish war graves in Vryburg - all killed during the Boer War. These graves were never found. I have yet to establish who the other two Jewish soldiers were. In 1906 a W. Goldberg applied to be a police constable in Vryburg. He may have been Jewish. 

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Four Vryburg Jews were killed in the two World Wars. 

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• Albert Isaacs took his own life on 2 September 1917 in Gillingham.

• Charles Melville Sonneberg, son of Maurice Sonnenberg died in 1918, aged 22 in France. He was born in Vryburg and his father was by then dividing his time between Port Elizabeth and Mafikeng. (See his death certificate).

• Abraham (Abe) Max Lazarus died on 13 August 1944 at the age of 26 in Italy.  Abe was born on 24 January 1917 and attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth from 1929-1933. He taught at Vryburg High School before being drafted and was active in the community. In a letter sent to his mother A.C. Wessels wrote, "Hammie and I lived in the same home for a few years and I, who am a Dutch South African, felt for him, a South African of Jewish extraction, the attachment one feels for a favorite younger brother. We all - English, Dutch and Jewish people-had worked and played with him. At School too and on the sports field he was one of the favorite masters on account of his loveable nature, his great and fine humanity. We all feel that he was a good Jew and at the same time an excellent South African. In making the supreme sacrifice, I feel he has made our land, South Africa, dearer to us." Taken from South African Jews In World War II, (January 1950), published by South African Jewish Board of Deputies. 

• Monty Perel died on 26 July 1944 at the age of 20 in Italy. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Perel who co-owned the Grand Hotel with  the Cohens in the late 1920's. By then, his parents were living in Potchefstroom. 

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Chubbie Rauff, Hans Julius Liebenstein, Louis Singer, Morrie Kaplan, L.S. Friedman (the lawyer), Solly Alufovitz, David Salmonson and Sam Joffee (from Delareyville) served in World War II.

 

Collective community work:

There was a very active Jewish Ladies Guild of Vryburg which catered at the weekly Friday stock fair and ran morning markets. As late as March 1985 the Stellelander reports on a market that raised R 335. The same page of the local paper reports on the passing of Harry Joffe. Communal fundraising efforts were not just for insular communal purposes, but the efforts of the Ladies Guild were also seminal in funding community life. 

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Michael Cohen notes that a big highlight in Vryburg was that each church congregation held an annual bazaar. "The Jewish bazaar was a highlight in the bazaar calendar and was extremely popular among all residents. Funds raised by the community were as far as I recall distributed to charities. The Jewish ladies would work for months soliciting prizes for the tombola stall and then baking cakes and tarts – some of the Vryburg folk would place order for food items a year in advance." Selma van Gelderen also recalls her mother helping "with bazaars organized by the Jewish ladies and then had a happening at the town hall." 

 

Vryburg Jews punched above their weight in general philanthropy. An analysis of the local contributions towards the Mayor's Fund in 1939 - as reported in the Stellelander - shows that 15 of the 39 supporters were Jewish individuals or businesses. A year later Maurice Grace raised a Holland Relied Fund and again members of the Jewish community were supportive - either in their personal capacity (K. Levin, H. Fish, A.M. Wald, L.S. Friedman, Dr. Getz, D. Blumberg, Mick Folb -spelt Foll, R. Raphael, H. Nailand and W. Lurie - presumably Willie who was married to Dorothy Brown from Kimberley) or through their companies (Solomons Stores, Die Boere Helpmekaar, Central Furnishers and Sebba and Company). In 1954, for example, Rabbi Kay received a letter shared by his daughter, Pearl Kaplan. The note acknowledges community's contribution to a flood relief effort. Joe Davidovitz fondly remembers the members of the Ladies Guild knitting socks for the soldiers during the Second World War. Knitting was very popular. Issy Lieberthal recalls that my grandmother, Gertie, had a "work room where she would do crochet work on a handmade wooden frame," and knit together with his late mother. They would sit and skinner (gossip)," he recalls.

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When the Portuguese refugees fled Angola, following the collapse of colonial rule in Portuguese Angola, in 1974, the Vryburg Jews joined other Church groups in providing food and refreshments outside the old jail. They had to pass through Vryburg on their way from Namibia - then South West Africa - to Johannesburg. 

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