Antjie Krog facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Antjie Krog
Krog in 2019
Born	1952 (age 72–73) Kroonstad, Orange Free State, Union of South Africa
Occupation	Writer, poet, critic, journalist
Language	Afrikaans
Nationality	South African
Alma mater	University of Pretoria
Literary movement	Postmodern Afrikaans poetry
Spouse	John Samuel
Children	4
Parents	Dot Serfontein

Antjie Krog, born in 1952, is a famous South African writer and professor. She is well-known for her Afrikaans poems and for reporting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This commission helped South Africa heal after the difficult time of apartheid. Her book Country of My Skull (1998) is also very famous. Since 2004, she has been a special professor at the University of the Western Cape.

Early Life and Education

Krog in 2021

Antjie Krog was born in 1952. She grew up on a farm in Kroonstad, Orange Free State. Her mother, Dot Serfontein, was also a writer. Antjie came from an Afrikaner family of writers.

A Young Poet's Bold Start

In 1970, when she was just 17, Antjie wrote a poem called "My mooi land" ("My beautiful country"). This was during the apartheid era, a time when people were separated by race in South Africa. Her poem spoke out against this system. It said, "I'm building myself a country where skin colour doesn't matter." This poem caused a big stir in her community and was even talked about in national news.

Soon after, her first book of poems, Dogter van Jefta ("Daughter of Jephta"), was published. Her anti-apartheid poem was later translated and shared by important leaders like Ahmed Kathrada.

Antjie Krog's University Studies

Antjie Krog studied at several universities. She earned a BA (Honours) degree from the University of the Orange Free State in 1976. She also received an MA in Afrikaans from the University of Pretoria in 1983. On top of that, she earned a teaching diploma from the University of South Africa.

Antjie Krog's Career Journey

Antjie Krog has had a varied career as a poet, journalist, and academic.

Poet and Activist in the 1980s

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Antjie lived in Kroonstad with her family. She taught at a high school and a teachers' college for black students. She was very active in politics, attending meetings and protests against apartheid. She even read a poem at a rally to free Nelson Mandela. Her experiences during this time, and the challenges she faced, are written about in her book Relaas van 'n moord (1995).

Reporting for the Truth Commission

From 1995 to 2000, Antjie Krog worked as a radio journalist for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). She led the team that covered the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) from 1996 to 1998. The TRC was set up to investigate human rights abuses during apartheid. Her reports from this time became the basis for her famous book, Country of My Skull (1998).

Author, Professor, and Thinker

In the last two decades, Antjie Krog has continued to write many books. She has published new poetry, prose books, and essays. She has also translated several books, including Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, into Afrikaans.

She has given lectures about the TRC in Europe and the United States. She has also taught about translation at Columbia University. Since 2004, she has been a special professor at the University of the Western Cape. She also writes literary criticism, which means she reviews and discusses other people's writing.

Antjie Krog's Personal Life

Antjie Krog is married to an architect named John Samuel. They have four children: Andries, Susan, Philip, and Willem. She also has 11 grandchildren.

Antjie Krog's Poetry

Antjie Krog published her first poetry book in 1970. Since then, she has published many more. Her poems often talk about her own life, love, and the role of artists. Since the 1980s, her poetry has also explored issues of race and gender politics. She mostly writes in free verse, which means her poems don't always rhyme or have a strict rhythm.

Her poetry is highly praised in South Africa. She has won three Hertzog Prizes, which are major awards for Afrikaans literature. Her poems have been translated into many languages, including English, Dutch, and French.

Antjie Krog's Prose and Non-Fiction

Antjie Krog is best known for her book Country of My Skull (1998). This book is based on her experiences reporting on the TRC. It combines her personal memories with factual reporting. A film was even made from the book in 2004.

Her book A Change of Tongue (2003) looks at the changes in South Africa and in her own life since the first democratic elections in 1994. It mixes personal stories with reports from others. The book also talks about her relationship with the Afrikaans language, which was linked to apartheid.

Begging to be Black (2009) is another book with a similar style. It continues to explore themes of identity and truth.

She also co-wrote an academic book called There Was This Goat (2009). This book tries to understand a difficult testimony given at the Truth Commission.

Plays and Theatre Adaptations

Antjie Krog has written one stage play called Waarom is dié wat voor toyi-toyi altyd so vet? (1999). This play is about two different groups of people trying to talk to each other.

Some of her books have also been turned into plays. For example, her book A Change of Tongue was adapted for the theatre in 2008.

Plagiarism Discussion

In 2006, another poet, Stephen Watson, said that Antjie Krog had used ideas from other writers without giving them credit. He claimed that her book Country of My Skull used phrases from an essay by Ted Hughes. He also said that a collection of poems she translated was similar to one he had published earlier.

Antjie Krog strongly denied these claims. She stated that she did not know about the Hughes essay until after her book was published. She also said that she had properly credited all her sources in her translated poetry collection.

Antjie Krog's Works

Poetry Books

Dogter van Jefta (1970)
Januarie-suite (1972)
Beminde Antarktika (1974)
Mannin (1974)
Otters in Bronslaai (1981)
Jerusalemgangers (1985)
Lady Anne (1989)
Gedigte 1989–1995 (1995)
Kleur kom nooit alleen nie (2000)
Verweerskrif (2005)
Mede-wete (2014)
Plunder (2022)

Collected Poems

Eerste gedigte (2004)
Digter wordende: 'n keur (2009)
'n Vry vrou (2020)

Selected Poems in English

Down to My Last Skin (2000)
Skinned (2013)

Poetry for Children

Mankepank en ander monsters (1989)
Voëls van anderste vere (1992)
Fynbosfeetjies (2007)

Poetry Collections She Edited

Die trek die dye aan (1998), with Johann de Lange
Met woorde soos met kerse (2002)
Die sterre sê 'tsau' (2004)

Prose and Non-Fiction Books

Relaas van 'n moord (1995)
Country of my Skull (1998)
A Change of Tongue (2003)
Begging to be Black (2009)
There Was This Goat (2009), with Nosisi Mpolweni and Kopano Ratele
Conditional Tense (2013)
Binnerym van Bloed (2025)

Theatre Play

Waarom is dié wat voor toyi-toyi altyd so vet? (1999)

Translations by Antjie Krog

Lang pad na vryheid (2000), from Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Domein van glas (2002), from Een Mond vol Glas by Henk van Woerden
Mamma Medea (2002), from Mamma Medea by Tom Lanoye
Black Butterflies: Selected Poems (2007), with André Brink, from Ingrid Jonker's poetry
Die Maanling (2021), from The Moonling by Tjaart Lehmacher and Paula Oelofsen

Awards and Honours

Antjie Krog has received many awards for her writing and contributions.

Poetry Awards

Eugene Marais Prize (1973)
Reina Prinsen Geerligs Prize (1976)
Rapport Prize (1987)
Hertzog Prize (1990, 2017)
FNB Vita Poetry Award (2000)
RAU-Prys vir Skeppende Skryfwerk (2001)
Protea Prize for best Afrikaans poetry (2006)
Elisabeth Eybers Prize (2015)

Prose Awards

Alan Paton Award for Non-Fiction (1999)
Nielsen Booksellers' Choice Award (1999, 2004)
Olive Schreiner Prize (2000)

Translation Awards

South African Translators' Institute Award (2001–03)

Journalism Awards

Foreign Correspondents' Association Award (1996)
Pringle Medal (1997)

(These journalism awards were shared with her SABC team.)

Lifetime Achievement and Other Honours

Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation Award (2000)
Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees Afrikaans Onbeperk Award (2004)
Central European University Open Society Prize (2005)
SALA Lifetime Achievement Award (2015)
Gouden Ganzenveer (2018)

She has also received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the University of Stellenbosch and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Images for kids

Krog in 2019
Krog in 2021