Hi from South Africa

[Kazimiera]

Szkoda że twoi rodzice nie nauczyli cię ojczystego języka.

I had to use a translator, and I agree with you but there is a reason for it.

My family immigrated from Europe in the 1950's to what was then South West Africa (Namibia).

South Africa and Namibia was still run by the National Party and basically anything that was not Afrikaner or German (Namibia is a German colony) was seen as a threat.

So they arrived in Namibia and were seen as the "Rooi Gevaar" (Red Danger) Communists. My grandfather used to speak Polish and Russian to my mom unitl she was 5 but then refused to teach her any more because he didn't want her to be harrassed at school.

So they all focused on speaking German and embracing as much of the German culture as they could to convince the people that they were German even though they had a Polish surname. They learnt Afrikaans and spoke only German and Afrikaans.

They then moved to South Africa where I was born and as a result I speak English too. It is a pity that I cannot speak Polish and Russian and am quite sad about it. My mom can only remember a few basic Polish and Russian phrases.

Had they known how life would turn out in the end, my grandfather would have continued teaching her.

It is sad, but that is life. Those were the times and people had to adapt to the world around them.

[Kazimiera]

I feel a little lost sometimes.

I am in a country in which I have no real roots, yet I do not know anything else. And I would probably feel equally lost in Europe because I do not know it there.

I speak German, yet am not German by blood. (Which is why they banned me from Skadi - haha!)

I have South African citizenship because that is what my family applied for when they came to Namibia to fit in.

I was brought up German and culturally I feel I do not always fit in here. But I'm not German. It's a whole huge mess-up. I feel connected to Poland because that is where by family is from but I cannot speak Polish and therefore do no qualify to be Polish.

I really don't know what I am. Perhaps other people who have immigrated to other parts of the world feel the same way.

[The Lawspeaker]

Voel je enige verwantschap met de Afrikaners en de Engelstalige Zuid-Afrikanen ?

[Midori]

Welcome. I like your avatar :-)

[Nglund]

Hi everyone!

Hi.

I'm a first generation South African with Slavic roots (as far as I know, but who knows what else in the background!!!)

Ethnicity: Anglo African

Ah, I welcome you anyway.

[Óttar]

Willkommen im Forum.

[Kazimiera]

Voel je enige verwantschap met de Afrikaners en de Engelstalige Zuid-Afrikanen ?

Snaaks genoeg, nee.

Ek praat Engels maar het nie 'n druppel Engelse bloed nie. So al wat Engels aan my is is dat ek die taal praat. So ek voel nie 'n verwandskap met hulle.

Ek voel ook nie 'n verwandskap met die Afrikaners nie, want hulle is die mense wat my familie hel gegee het.

Dit is hoekom ek se ek is Anglo-African - 'n Engelssprekende Suid Afrikaner. Ek is nie 'n Afrikaner nie en voel nog minder 'n verwandskap met hulle as met die Engelse. Ek pas nie in by hulle denkwyse want hulle is meer konserwatief.

[Kazimiera]

Willkommen im Forum.

Vielen Dank!

Anglo-African is an English speaking South African and not an Afrikaner.

[Nglund]

Anglo-African is an English speaking South African and not an Afrikaner.

Not always.

Anglo-Africans are White African people of largely British descent who live or come from Sub-Saharan Africa and are Anglophone. A large majority live in South Africa. Along with Afrikaners, Anglo-Africans are officially grouped as White South Africans, comprising 39% of the total White South African demographic.

Source.

[European Loyalist]

welcome. you have quite an interesting background. I know many Anglo white South Africans (including a family who is good friends with ours) who came here after 1994 and they are great people.