Stephanus Johannes Paulus "Paul" Kruger was a South African🇿🇦 politician. He was one of the dominant political and military figures in 19th-century South Africa, and President of the South African Republic (or Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900, elected 4 times. Nicknamed Oom Paul ("Uncle Paul"), he came to international prominence as the face of the Boer cause—that of the Transvaal and its neighbour the Orange Free State—against Britain during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. He has been called a personification of Afrikanerdom, and remains a controversial and divisive figure; admirers venerate him as a tragic folk hero, and critics view him as the obstinate guardian of an alledgedly unjust cause. Here he's overlooking Church Square in Pretoria in front of 'Ou Raadsaal'. The Ou Raadsaal housed the Volksraad, the parliament of the South African Republic, from 1891 to 1902. Outside South Africa, Paul Kruger is mainly known as the name giver for the famous Krugerrand Gold Coin and Kruger National Park. His statue here, as also his grave on the Heroes Acre just a few kilometres further west, was several times attacked & vandalised, sprayed with colors or busts broken, due to his still controversial historic character. 🧐 -- #Pretoria #PaulKruger #SouthAfrica #SuidAfrika #Afrikaans #Afrikaaners #Boer #Krugerrand #OuRaadsaal #PaulKrugerStatue #UnclePaul #Controversial #Controversy #ControversialHistory #Transvaal #Oranje #Freestate #BoerCause #Boerwars #Buren #Volksraad #OomPaul #HeroesAcre (at 40 Church Square) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8l8KrDjJNE/?igshid=hvaitedr7unp
