KRUGER, Paul (Kruger Stephanus Johannes Paulus)

(1825-1904)
Born October 10, 1825 in Kradoke (Cape Colony). During the Great Trek, his family moved to the north of the Orange River. After the recognition of the independence of the Transvaal by Britain Sendriverskoy convention Krueger attempted to create a union of Orange Free State and Transvaal. During the presidency of the Transvaal Kruger M. Pretorius became a general and commander of the armed forces (1864). Opposed the British annexation of the Transvaal in 1877, was dismissed from his post in 1878.
He became one of the leaders of the Boer rebellion against the British in 1880. According to the Pretoria Convention 1881, the Transvaal was granted the status of the State with limited self-government. In 1883, Kruger became president of the Transvaal Republic and tried to expand its borders, especially in an easterly direction, trying to capture the coastal areas under the control of Britain.

Kruger was determined to create in the Transvaal, an independent Afrikaner state. He declined to provide uitlenderam suffrage, insisting that the Transvaal Boers must maintain a predominant position in politics. Conflicts between the Boers and uitlenderami become one of the main causes of the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902.

Kruger remained president of the Transvaal until 1900. During the Anglo-Boer War, went to Europe, where he unsuccessfully tried to persuade the European powers to support the Boer republics in their conflict with Britain. Under the terms of the contract Ferinihingskogo 1902 Transvaal and Orange Free State lost their independence and came under the control of Great Britain.

Kruger died in Switzerland July 14, 1904.