SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies

Date: 20 Feb 1984
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Sydney Vernon Petersen, one of the prominent South African poets and educationist of the 1940s, died in Germiston. His poetry was translated into English, Italian, Russian and German. In 1946 Petersen published a highly acclaimed novel, As die son ondergaan (When the sun sets). Although his profession was teaching, it was as a poet that Petersen became famous. He traveled extensively internationally as a guest speaker. Various honours were bestowed on him during his lifetime and posthumously.

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01Sonderling, N.E. (ed.) New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.2, Pretoria: Vista.
02Hein, W., S.V. Petersen in dialoog met sy intellektuele en sosiale omgewing.(abstract), from Africana Periodical Literature Biographical Database, [online], Available at www.africabib.org [Accessed: 30 January 2014]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538

South African History Online (2011) 'SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538 (Accessed: 18 August 2026).

South African History Online, SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538, (accessed 18 August 2026).

"SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "SA poet Sydney Vernon Peterson dies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012538.