Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs

Nicolaas Johannes Diederichs, (17 November 1903 – 21 August 1978) served as the third state president of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.

Education and career

After completing school, he attended Grey University College between 1921 and 1925 where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Dutch & Ethics) and Master of Arts (Philosophy). As an economist, he educated himself overseas at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, the University of Cologne, the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin, and Leiden University, obtaining a doctorate from Leiden University and a D.Litt degree.

Political career

Diederichs was a National Party member of Parliament from 1948 to 1975, representing Randfontein until 1958 and then Losberg. He served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 1958 to 1967, as Minister of Mines from 1961 to 1964, and as Minister of Finance from 1967 to 1975. In the latter capacity he became known as "Mr Gold". He served as the first chancellor of the Rand Afrikaans University and ceremonial State President of South Africa from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town.

Honours

Diederichs was honoured with medals from various countries. He was awarded a gold medal from the City of Paris (1971), made a Knight of the Greater Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1973, and an Order of Merit from Paraguay in 1974. He was awarded honorary doctoral degrees from the University of the Orange Free State and the University of Stellenbosch.

Decoration for Meritorious Services

Depiction on coins

He is depicted on the obverses of the 1979 coins of the South African rand from 1/2 cent to 1 rand, which were struck as a memorial commemorative series.

Publications by Nicolaas Diederichs (selection)

Nicolaas Diederichs: Vom Leiden und Dulden. Bonn, 1930. (Dissertation Leiden University) N. Diederichs: Die Volkebond, sy ontstaan, samestelling en werksaamhede. Pretoria, 1933 N. Diederichs: Nasionalisme as lewensbeskouing en sy verhouding tot internasionalisme. Bloemfontein, 1936