The Bond van Oudgeïnterneerdes en Politieke Gevangenes as a Direct and Long-Lasting Social Manifestation Related to the Internment Policy of the Union of South Africa, 1946–1985

Abstract

During the Second World War, the Union of South Africa implemented emergency regulations, including an internment policy, to curb anti-war efforts within South Africa. These regulations and internment policy affected one of the biggest anti-war organisations, the Ossewabrandwag (OB), and many of its members were detained during the war in internment camps. In 1946, the Bond van Oud-geïnterneerdes en Politieke Gevangenes (BOPG) was formed by individuals, mostly OB members, who were interned in South African internment camps. Using the BOPG collection that forms part of the Ossewabrandwag-archives, this article explores some similarities between the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH) and the BOPG in post-Second World War South Africa, it provides a brief historical background to the BOPG, and explores some key themes and focuses within the organisation. By framing the BOPG as a direct and long-lasting social manifestation related to the Union of South Africa’s internment policy, this article constitutes a first attempt at exploring the BOPG and understanding its role in the larger picture of South Africa’s Second World War experiences and memories.