Kroondal, North West

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The Lutheran Church in Kroondal.

© Daan Prinsloo

The Kroondal Mission Station is one of 22 German Lutheran missionary congregations established in the former Transvaal province and it was from this mission that the town of Kroondal grew.

It was founded in 1896 by German missionaries and farmers on Jan Michiel van Helsdingen’s farm, Kroenendal, originally built in 1843. The mission employed workers who later formed part of the surrounding farm community.

In 1889 the mission settlement was divided into plots and a school was built. Two of its pupils went on to excel in later years: Louis Botha became South Africa's first prime minister; while JD du Toit achieved fame as renowned Afrikaans poet Totius.

The Kroondal church, which replaced the original mission, was constructed in 1962. Today it occupies the town centre while the old church has been converted into the town library. Once a month the service is in Afrikaans. On all other Sundays the service is conducted in German.

The Kroondal church also boasts a brass band, choir, women’s support group, bible study group, Sunday school, youth group and a senior citizens’ group. The church in turn supports the library and an old-age home.

Today German is still the most spoken language and Kroondal reflects its German heritage in the form of architectural influences, culture and food.

Some of the more popular attractions include the old Lutheran Church – a national monument built in 1896 and later restored – and the water mill.

After serving the community for generations, the mill, owned by successive generations of the Ottermann family, closed in 1994 when operations were moved to Rustenburg.

The Kroondal Mill was later restored to its former glory and today houses a restaurant where one can sip coffee and marvel at the building’s original milling equipment.