hendrik verwoerd biography

1. Who is the person
2. Where was he/she born
3. When was he/ she born
4. What did his/her parents do? What else do you know about his/her parents?

1 answer

Hendrik Verwoerd was a prominent South African politician and the architect of apartheid, the system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.

  1. Who is the person: Hendrik Verwoerd served as the Prime Minister of South Africa from 1958 until his assassination in 1966. He is often referred to as the "father of apartheid" due to his significant role in formulating and implementing the policies that defined the system.

  2. Where was he/she born: He was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

  3. When was he/ she born: Hendrik Verwoerd was born on September 8, 1901.

  4. What did his/her parents do? What else do you know about his/her parents?: His father, Jacobus Verwoerd, was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church, while his mother, Maria Verwoerd, was a teacher. The family emigrated to South Africa in 1903 when Hendrik was just two years old, seeking better opportunities. The background of his parents in the church and education likely influenced Verwoerd's later ideals and his views on the role of culture and identity in society.

Verwoerd's upbringing and education in South Africa played a crucial role in shaping his political ideology and the policies he would later advocate.