Dr Ernst Werner Giesekke

Dr Ernst Giesekke (1941 - 2010)

Brief overview:

Ernst (69) a retired scientist and philanthropist was murdered on his farm, Good Hope, in Ficksburg on 23rd January 2010. Free State police were questioning three men on Saturday afternoon in connection with the murder of a Ficksburg farmer, earlier in the same day. Sergeant Majang Mosupa said the incident occurred at around 05:00 on Saturday at the farm Good Hope. She said the farmer's wife Dorothy Gieseke was alone in the house when she was surprised by three men armed with a firearm and screwdriver.

"They threatened her and demanded money and firearms from her and when they could not get any they took her handbag and cellphone." Mosupa said the woman managed to press the panic button inside the house and the three suspects ran away without hurting her. Police said when the woman went outside to look for her husband she found him dead. He earlier went outside to feed animals and water some plants. Mosupa said a blood covered stone was found at the scene with which the attackers apparently hit Ernst, on the head. "His throat was also cut with a sharp object." Mosupa said a search for the attackers started immediately and three men, between the age of 16 and 30, were found not far from the farm.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
  • This was the third farm murder in the district within the last two years

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

Giesekke, Ernst Werner (1941–2010)
Ernst Giesekke was brutally murdered on his farm on 23rd January, 2010, by callous thieves who gained little for themselves but have caused continuing distress to family, neighbours and friends.

Ernst was born on 30th March, 1941, at Tshakhuma, Venda, Limpopo, of missionary parents. His father, Rev. DW Giesekke, became Bishop of the Lutheran Church while his mother, Mrs Elisa Kopp-Giesekke, was a social worker and teacher. The family lived in the mission station house at Tshakhuma, where Ernst attended Levubu Primary School, and then went on to Pietersburg (now Polokwane) High School. Thereafter, he undertook science degrees at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, graduating in due course in 1965 with a Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry. Even in his first year at Wits, he was recognised as an exceptional student with a strong work ethic and proved, as well, to be an exceptional researcher with a keen academic mind. During 1966/7 he undertook post-doctoral research in nuclear magnetic resonance at the University of Illinois.

True to his heritage, he accepted a teaching post at the then University College of Fort Hare where he was appointed Professor of Physical Chemistry and Head of Chemistry. In 1969, he met and married Dorothy Evelyn (Eve) Hillhouse, who was then a librarian at Rhodes University. Two daughters, Cathy and Christine, were born to the family. The period at Fort Hare was difficult, with a heavy teaching load and little opportunity for research. During that time, he was also responsible for the design and construction of the new chemistry building , and managed the chemical stores! These onerous responsibilities together with his conscientiousness brought about a protracted period of physical ill-health, from which he slowly recovered.

After 11 years at Fort Hare, he accepted a post at Mintek (then National Institute of Metallurgy) in Johannesburg as Chief Scientist in the Mineral and Process Division in order that he might return to chemical research. His work at Mintek was wide-ranging, and he became an expert in mineral flotation and, more generally, in surface chemistry, producing numerous important research reports in this area. In 2001, he retired from Mintek as Head of the Process Chemistry Division.

Ernst and Eve retired to Ficksburg in the Eastern Free State where they worked hard, under trying conditions, in successfully developing a Lavender and Berry farm. It was on this farm that he was mercilessly attacked and murdered, the third farm murder in the district within the last two years.

His colleagues and friends mourn this tragic and needless loss of a true gentleman, a valuable and valued friend and colleague, and offer their sincere condolences to Eve, Cathy, Christine and other family members.

• From: https://www.wits.ac.za/alumni/obituaries/obituary-content-by-year/ Giesekke, Ernst (1941 – 2010) Thieves murdered Ernst Werner Giesekke (BSc Hons 1963, PhD 1965) on his farm in Ficksburg, in the Free State, on 23 January 2010. He was 69.

Born in Venda, Limpopo province, on 30 March 1941, Giesekke grew up on a mission station and attended Pietersburg (Polokwane) High School. After graduating, he researched nuclear magnetic resonance at the University of Illinois, USA, returning to South Africa to teach at the University College of Fort Hare, where he was Head of Chemistry and Professor of Physical Chemistry.

Responsibility for the design and construction of the new chemistry building, managing the chemical stores and a heavy teaching load brought about a protracted period of poor health, from which he slowly recovered.

After 11 years at Fort Hare, Giesekke accepted the post of Chief Scientist in the Mineral and Process Division of the National Institute of Metallurgy (Mintek) in Johannesburg, where he was able to resume his chemical research. While at Mintek, he became an expert in surface chemistry and mineral flotation. In 2001, he retired as Head of the Process Chemistry Division.

• From: http://www.gradnet-db.wits.ac.za/obits.html

Links to Media articles:

• https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Cops-quiz-3-over-farmers-mu...
• https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/pretoria-news/20100125/282...
• http://archive.fo/ph28W
• https://www.wits.ac.za/alumni/obituaries/obituary-content-by-year/
• http://censorbugbear-reports.blogspot.com/2010/01/farm-attacks-jan-...
• https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000194961122848

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Aug 21 2019, 13:35:42 UTC