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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, 1934
Pelgrims, 1935
Vreemdelinge, 1944
Die donker stroom, 1946
Klaradynstraat, 1947
Die Koperkan, Van Schaik, 1959
Short stories:
Rou rieme, 1935
Oeslande, 1938
Huisies teen die heuwel, 1942
Waar die bokmakierie fluit, 1966
Droomberg, 1967
Die winkelvenster, 1967
Novellas:
Elke huis het sy kruis, 1946
Nog geen herberg, 1949
Lente, 1952
Die wa-as, 1952
Die houtswaan, 1954
Die porseleinkat, 1955
Die nooiensuil, 1957
Gonnakolk, 1957
Die weduwee Meraai, 1959
Drie vroue en 'n hond, 1961
Kinders van Meraai, 1962
Youth books and adventure:
Die ruiter in die nag, Nasionale Pers, 1936
Kaptein Gericke, Nasionale Pers, 1937
Boerseun, Nasionale Pers, 1943
Wagters in die nag, 1950
Lente, Nasionale Boekhandel, 1953
Die jongste ruiter, Nasionale Boekhandel, 1954
Die wit arend, 1955
Die eensame nag, 1956
Die Kleingeld - Trilogy, 1956-1958
Die kleingeldkommando, Van Schaik, 1956
Die bont takbok - Tryptich, 1957-1958
Die jongste veldkornet, 1963
Die poskoetsrower, 1965
Detective novels:
Kompartement 1001E, 1939; Daar was nege, 1944; Die geheimsinnige M9; Moord na ete, 1948
Plays:
Die dae van ons jare, 1956
Die rooi lêer, 1961
T in die blou kamer, 1963
Twee goue beddens, 1963
Autobiography: Hy koop toe vir hom 'n pen, 1968


Photo: Mikro in 1927, SU Archives    Bokmakierie by Jill Adams
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