Episode 266: The Wakkerstroom Boer-Zulu Alliance and the death of Prince Napoleon

About this episode

This episode discusses the Boer-Zulu alliance during the British war in South Africa and the birth of Albert Einstein, highlighting historical and cultural contexts.

As the British tried to wrap up their war against the Zulu in South Africa, further afield the happy sound of a baby being born could be heard in Germany. Not just any baby. Albert Einstein was born at 11.30 in the morning on March 14, 1879 in Ulm. His birth was not without drama; his family initially worried about his development because the back of his head was unusually large, and his grandmother feared he would have delayed development based on the sound of his cry. His mother Pauline was deeply concerned when Albert didn't start talking until he was three. Then when he started speaking, he had a habit of repeating sentences to himself, which led the family maid to nickname him "Der Depperte" (the dopey one). When Albert was five and sick in bed, his father Hermann gave him a magnetic compass. This invisible force fascinated Albert and is often cited as the spark for his lifelong obsession with physics. A compass is what the British surveyors carried, so too did some Boers of the Wakkerstroom District. The area wasn’t as stable as British Army Lieutenant Colonel Evelyn Wood had supposed. Sure, the hyena of Phongola chief Mbilini — had been killed but the abaQulusi still…

People in this episode

Host: Desmond Latham

Topics covered

• Boer-Zulu Alliance
• Albert Einstein
• British colonialism
• South African history
• 19th century conflicts
• Cultural impacts of war

Keywords

• Wakkerstroom
• Zulu
• Albert Einstein
• British Army
• Transvaal
• 19th century
• Boers
• history
• South Africa

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: British Army, abaQulusi, Boers

Places: South Africa, Germany, Ulm, Wakkerstroom, Transvaal

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