krygsraad, noun

/ˈkreɪxsrɑːt/
Forms:
kriegsraad, krijgsraadShow more Formerly also kriegsraad, krijgsraad, krijsraad.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch krijgsraad Council of War, krijg war, strife + raad council.
1. obsolete. Under Dutch rule at the Cape: the Council of Burgher Officers (see burgher sense 1 a).
c1795 W.S. Van Ryneveld in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1897) I. 248The Council of Burgher Officers under the name of Burgher council of War (Krijgs Raad), was composed of the officers of cavalry and infantry, together with the commandant of the Garrison as their President.
c1795 W.S. Van Ryneveld in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1897) I. 251The College of Officers of the Burgher Militia, or Krijgsraad.
2. In historical contexts. Especially in the former Boer republics: a war council; a meeting of such a council; a court-martial of such a council. Also figurative.
1880 Grocott’s Penny Mail 28 Dec. 3Paul Kruger had a meeting of the Krysoraad [sic] and it was unanimously resolved to starve the garrison with women and children out.
1881 E. London Dispatch & Frontier Advertiser 22 Jan. 2The Friend gathers from a reliable man..that Major Clarke and High Sheriff Raaff are to be tried by Krijgsraad, and that their fate will be decided by twenty-two jurymen.
1881 G.F. Austen Diary (1981) 23Today the Krygsraad made demand on the merchants of the town for the supply of various articles of consumption..for the rise of the Boer army.
1882 C.L. Norris-Newman With Boers in Tvl 192There were great rejoicings that night throughout all the camps, and an important Kriegsraad was held to consider the final terms of peace offered by General Wood.
1885 J. Nixon Complete Story Tvl 220A number of them were brought up before the ‘krijgsraad,’ or council of war, on a charge of high treason.
1899 J.P. Fitzpatrick Tvl from Within 186It lay with the Commandant-General and Krijgsraad (or War Council) to decide what should be done with the prisoners.
1901 P.J. Du Toit Diary (1974) 40We arrived at Syferpan, where a Krygsraad (Council of war) was held. It transpired that a general attack on Lichtenburg was decided upon. At sunset we trekked, not knowing whither.
1909 Lady S. Wilson S. Afr. Mem. 102The magistrate wrote me a miserable letter, saying his office had been seized by the Boers, who held a daily Kriegsraad there, and that he had received a safe-conduct to depart.
1916 E.H. Spender General Botha 64He was now readily, in spite of his youth, granted a right to speak in the ‘Krijgs-raad.’
1927 E.N. Marais Rd to Waterberg (1972) 164Within a short while — a very short while — I shall appear before the Great Court martial (Krygsraad), where false evidence will avail no man.
1927 E.N. Marais Rd to Waterberg (1972) 165He stipulated that he would only surrender if he received a written undertaking from the Triumvirate that he would be tried by a Krygsraad of his own people; he refused to be tried by a British court martial.
a1930 G. Baumann in Baumann & Bright Lost Republic (1940) 166Besides receiving all telegrams, seeing people who wished to interview the ‘Krygsraad’ (War Council), receiving coded messages..I had to inaugurate the Red Cross Department and the Scout Corps.
1933 W.H.S. Bell Bygone Days 279When war was imminent in 1899, he joined the Vryheid Commando and was appointed to the staff of his old friend General Lucas Meyer and became a member of his Krijsraad (war council).
1957 B. O’Keefe Gold without Glitter 25Get hold of Kornet de Villiers, and three of the senior burghers to sit with me on the kriegsraad.
1969 J. Meintjes Sword in Sand 41At a krygsraad De la Rey had painstakingly outlined to the men under his command what he had in mind.
1973 J. Meintjes Voortrekkers 86As Commandant, Potgieter was also chairman of any Krygsraad or council of war, while Maritz was chairman or president of the Volksraad or parliament.
1977 R.J. Haines in R.J. Bouch Infantry in S. Afr. 1652–1976 1Each administrative district had a council of war, a Krygsraad, of superior officers who generally supervised the militia and junior officers.
1979 T. Pakenham Boer War (1982) 542The Krijgsraad took place at Blijdschap, near Reitz. The leaders decided to seize the first chance to launch a concentrated attack.
1987 W. Steenkamp Blockhouse 7The average commando was democratic to the point of virtual anarchy...Battle-plans were usually discussed and voted on at a ‘krygsraad’ or council of war at which every man had his say.
1990 C. Laffeaty Far Forbidden Plains 97The Krygsraad cannot even afford to feed the burghers for long, let alone equip them.
the Council of Burgher Officers (see burgher sense 1 a).
a war council; a meeting of such a council; a court-martial of such a council. Also figurative.
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