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.

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