Mikro pseudonym of Christoffel Hermanus Kühn (original) (raw)

Mikro

Mikro (Pseudonym of Christoffel Hermanus Kühn) 1903 - 1968 Author of 111 books in many different genres

Photo: Mikro in 1927, SU Archives
Christoffel Hermanus Kühn was born on 8 October 1903, on the farm Van Reenensplaas in the Williston district. He attended schools in Robertson and Carnarvon and studied Agriculture at Stellenbosch University (BSc). After several years as a teacher in Kuilsrivier and Ritchie he settled as a full-time writer from 1944 until 1949, when he joined the Oudtshoorn Teacher College as a lecturer for five years. He was chief editor of Boerdery in Suid-Afrika from 1956 -1960 and served as chief leader of the Landdiensbeweging (Farmers' Movement) of the Ministry of Agriculture until his retirement in 1964.
Mikro published several poems in Die Huisgenoot in 1930 and 1931. He wrote detective novels, adventure stories, youth and children's books, plays and satires, novels and an autobiography.
Stories taken from Gonnakolk and Soetwater were used for a television series (adapted by P G du Plessis).
Mikro was married twice. His oldest daughter, the writer Corlia Fourie, compiled a collection of 12 humorous stories or "fragments" from his work: Want die lewe is goed - keur uit die werk van Mikro, Lapa, 2003.
C H Kühn died on 17 April 1968, at Somerset West.Bokmakierie

Awards and Honours:

Hertzog Prize for Prose 1936 for Toiings and Pelgrims
W A Hofmeyr Prize 1956 for Die porseleinkat
Scheepers Prize for youth literature 1957 for Die jongste ruiter
National Publishers Award 1961

His books include:

**Novels:Toiings, 1934Pelgrims, 1935Vreemdelinge, 1944Die donker stroom, 1946Klaradynstraat, 1947Die Koperkan, Van Schaik, 1959Short stories:Rou rieme, 1935Oeslande, 1938Huisies teen die heuwel, 1942Waar die bokmakierie fluit, 1966Droomberg, 1967Die winkelvenster, 1967Novellas:**Elke huis het sy kruis, 1946Nog geen herberg, 1949Lente, 1952Die wa-as, 1952Die houtswaan, 1954Die porseleinkat, 1955Die nooiensuil, 1957Gonnakolk, 1957Die weduwee Meraai, 1959Drie vroue en 'n hond, 1961Kinders van Meraai, 1962 **Youth books and adventure:Die ruiter in die nag, Nasionale Pers, 1936Kaptein Gericke, Nasionale Pers, 1937Boerseun, Nasionale Pers, 1943Wagters in die nag, 1950Lente, Nasionale Boekhandel, 1953Die jongste ruiter, Nasionale Boekhandel, 1954Die wit arend, 1955Die eensame nag, 1956Die Kleingeld - Trilogy, 1956-1958Die kleingeldkommando, Van Schaik, 1956Die bont takbok - Tryptich, 1957-1958Die jongste veldkornet, 1963Die poskoetsrower, 1965Detective novels:Kompartement 1001E, 1939; Daar was nege, 1944; Die geheimsinnige M9; Moord na ete, 1948Plays:**Die dae van ons jare, 1956Die rooi lêer, 1961T in die blou kamer, 1963Twee goue beddens, 1963

Autobiography: Hy koop toe vir hom 'n pen, 1968