S. F. N. (Stefanus François Naudé) Gie

Born in Worcester in 1884, S. F. N. Gie studied at Victoria College in Stellenbosch and later continued his education in Amsterdam and Berlin, where he earned a doctorate in history. He first worked as a teacher and school inspector, then became principal of the Teachers' Training College in Graaff-Reinet.

In 1918, he was appointed the first professor of South African History at Stellenbosch University. Sources describe him as an important early professional historian of Afrikaner life and history, and also note his role in promoting Afrikaans as a language of instruction at Stellenbosch. He was not only an academic: he also took part in amateur theatre as an actor and director.

Later, Gie moved into government and diplomacy. He served in senior education administration in South Africa and was then posted abroad as the country's representative in Berlin, Stockholm, and finally Washington, D.C., where he died in 1945.