Hofmeyer Hall
Photo by Willem Malherbe
- click for enlargement
Langenhoven sculpture
by an unknown Italian artist
See also Artist's portraits
of famous Stellenbosch Authors
Langenhoven at the Hofmeyer Hall
Hofmeyer Hall Photo by Willem Malherbe - click for enlargement | Langenhoven sculpture by an unknown Italian artist See also Artist's portraits of famous Stellenbosch Authors | List of works Langenhoven at the Hofmeyer Hall |
Cornelis Jacob Langenhoven was born on 13 August 1873 on the farm Hoeko near
Ladismith, Cape Province. His mother died five days later and Cornelis was
raised by his aunt and uncle. He received his first education from several
governesses and the Dutch Meester Bloemkolk. After schools in Ladismith and
Riversdale he studied at the Victoria College in Stellenbosch (BA 1895). At
that time Stellenbosch did not have a Law Faculty. Langenhoven became
apprentice solicitor in Ladismith and, in 1899, obtained - after private
studies - a LL.B. at the University of Good Hope in Cape Town. He then worked
as an attorney in Cape Town and in Oudtshoorn.
1912: Editor of the Oudtshoorn newspaper Het Zuid-Westen. Langenhoven made a stand for the acceptance of Afrikaans in general and as
the first language in schools instead of Dutch.
In 1914 he became Member of Oudtshoorn's Provincial Board of Directors and
later Senator of the Cape.
Langenhoven remained in close contact with his beloved Stellenbosch and Alma
mater and returned often to give one of his fiery speeches.
He was married to Magdalena Maria (Vroutjie) Hugo and they had a daughter,
Engela.
He died on 15 July 1932 at Oudtshoorn. His home was turned into
a museum in 1955. In 1973, on the occasion of the centennary of his birthday, a
sculpture of Langenhoven by Olgo Pieri was installed in his memory at the
University of Stellenbosch and a sun dial built after his design (from 1926).
Langenhoven was 'n aartsrebel, 'nonkonformis, maar tewens iemand met 'n sterk prinsipiële gerigtheid. J du P Erlank
| His own words written on his tombstone: Soek nie om sy verdienst na te gaan |
Langenhoven wrote South Africa's anthem Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (1918), the first detective novel in Afrikaans, Donker Spore (1926), the first translation into Afrikaans of Omar Khayyam's Rubáiyát, and
retold stories from the Bible.
His autobiography: U dienswillige dienaar, was published in 1932. A collection of his essays that appeared in Die Burger was published posthumously in 1941: Aan stille waters.
Langenhoven's Versamelde werke, were published first in 14 volumes (Cape Town, 1933 -1937 and later in 16
volumes (from 1949).
 Loeloeraai |  Beste Spookstories |  J.P. Scannell: Spreuke Van Langenhoven |
| Including: Stukkies en brokkies, a collection of poetry, stories and essays, 1911 (later enlarged: Ons weg deur die wêreld, 1913) Afrikaanse verjaardag-boekie, 1912 Sonde met die bure, 1921 Doppers en Filistyne, 1921 Die Lig van verre dae, 1924 Herrie op die óu tremspóór, 1925 Skaduwees van Nasaret, 1927 (was awarded the Hertzog Prize) 'n Fragment uit 'n onuitgeebare boek Lied van die harlekyn Pessimisme en optimisme Plays: | Children's books and ghost stories: Die eensame hoop, 1922 Brolloks en Bittergal, 1925 Mof en sy mense, 1926 Die Krismiskinders, 1927 Die boekie sonder naam, 1928 Verhaaltjies, 1931 Geeste op aarde, 1924 Legal, historical and political works: On the use of Afrikaans: |
| Liefdesonsin: 'n wiegeliedjie Lamtietie, damtietie, doedoe my liefstetjie, "Doedoedoe bladertjies,So sing die windjie vir blaartjies en blommetjies. Bo uit die boompie kom nog 'n gesangetjie, Soet soos 'n soentjie op kindjie se wangetjie – Soet soos 'n stem uit die snaar van vioëltjie, Sus daar 'n wieglied uit bekkie van voëltjie. "Tietewiet, koeroeroet –So noem die voëltjie haar kuikentjies kindertjies. Onder die boom uit kom nog 'n gesangetjie, Rein soos 'n traantjie oor kindjie se wangetjie: Hoor dan die orreltjie onder die boompietjie: Luister die wieglied van ruisende stroompietjie: "Trippetrip, koeloeloem.Sus immer, suis immer, ruis immer, rus nimmer. Luister die blêrtjies en luister die loeietjies: "Mêê" sê die bokkies en "Boe" sê die koeietjies. Doedoe maar kalwertjies, doedoe maar lammertjies, Weg van die moedertjies, eensaam en jammertjies. Kalfies en lammertjies –Moedertjies huil oor die kalfies en lammertjies. Bo in die bloue lug flikker die sterretjies – Hemelse brandwaggies, lampies van verretjies, Wakend oor windjies en wolkies en stroompietjies, Wakend oor mensies en diertjies en boompietjies. "Wees maar gerustetjies,Vuurvliegies, lugliggies, ewige sterretjies! Vér op die oseaan, wyd op die watertjies – Vér van geselletjies, vrindjies, of matertjies – Skommel die skepies, verlate en eensaampies, Saggies gesus in die seewieg gemeensaampies. Seewiegie, sus hulle!Sussende, suisende, wiegende watertjies. Swaar teen die remhoogte sukkel die waentjie – Ossies is moeg, dit is laat in die aendjie – Goeie moed, ossies, nog effentjies vorentoe – Bo gaan ons uitspan en slaap tot na morentoe! Los van die krammetjie,Dan na die lêplek, geduldige ossietjies! Kindjie se pappa kom aan met die waentjie – Nader na mamma en kindjie elk aendjie – Pappa vra: "Praat hul van Pappa vanaendjie?Kook hy sy keteltjie daar by die vlammetjie. Ossies se kossies is bossies en polletjies, Pappa eet droë brood, Mamma kry bolletjies. Wielietjies woeletjies, tolletjies rolletjies! Pappa kom huis toe, sy waentjie is volletjies. Huis toe na Mammetjie,Pappa kom huis toe na kindjie en Mammetjie. Hier is die boompie vir Moeder se blommetjie, Hier is die wieg as die slapenstyd kommetjie – Wieg vir die kleintjie in Moeder se arrempies – Saggies en veiligies, liefies en warrempies. Doedoe dan, liefstetjie,Wiegies maar, sussies maar, kindjielief tapies maar! Onskuldig ogies en voetjies en handetjies! Wie weet hoe vér moet my kleintjie nog ganetjies, Ver deur die wêreld se kronkels en gangetjies! Bly tog maar kleintjies en bly dit maar langetjies. Bly maar by Moedertjie,Doekies dan, doekies in Moeder se arrempies! | Die Stem van Suid-Afrika Uit die blou van onse hemel, uit die diepte van ons see, Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, ons sal offer wat jy vra In die merg van ons gebeente, in ons hart en siel en gees, Vaderland! ons sal die adel van jou naam met ere dra: In die songloed van ons somer, in ons winternag se kou, Op jou roep seg ons nooit nee nie, seg ons altyd, altyd ja: Op U Almag vas vertrouend het ons vadere gebou: Soos ons vadere vertrou het, leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer: |
Hofmeyer Hall, 39, Church Street. At Langenhoven's time known as the CVJ Hall (Cristelijke Jongelieden Vereniging - Young Christians' Association).
The Church Council of the Moeder Kerk renamed the classicist hall , with its Ionic columns and Greek pediment, after the man, whose Bible classes led to the erection of the building (in 1900): N J Hofmeyer, one of the first two professors of the Stellenbosch seminary.
Ex students, of some 50 or 60 years ago, remember the CVJ Hall primarily as a venue for well-attended meetings of the debating societies and student mass meetings.
There was, for instance, the night in March 1930 when C J Langenhoven addressed the Union Debating Society. Having been introduced by the chairman, Langenhoven took a step forward, stared intently over the heads towards the back of the hall, pointed dramatically at the door behind us, and called out in a loud voice: "My friend, what lies around the corner?" We, foolish young students, spun around in concert to see who the friend might be. But with this trick, Langenhoven had caught our attention, and once the laughter had subsided, proceeded to deliver a brilliant talk on all that might await us "around the corner."
Text by Ters van Huyssteen
www.StellenboschWriters.com © Rosemarie Breuer