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The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB for short. English= Afrikaner Resistance Movement) is a White separatist movement founded, in 1973, by seven conservative Afrikaners. Since its inception the AWB has attracted criticism from both the National Party (who ruled South Africa under Apartheid), as well as liberal anti-Apartheid activists who demonised the movement’s aims in a bid to isolate conservative White South Africans from the mainstream of South African politics.

The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB for short. English= Afrikaner Resistance Movement) is a White separatist movement founded, in 1973, by seven conservative Afrikaners. Since its inception the AWB has attracted criticism from both the National Party (who ruled South Africa under Apartheid), as well as liberal anti-Apartheid activists who demonised the movement’s aims in a bid to isolate conservative White South Africans from the mainstream of South African politics.

The AWB’s founding members were [[Eugene Terre’Blanche]] (who subsequently occupied the post of leader and has remained leader to the present day), Jan Groenewald, JJ Jordaan, DJ Jordaan, Renier Oosthuizen and Piet Preller. All 7 men founded the group in the garage of Eugene Terre’Blanche’s home in Heidelberg in July 1973.  

The AWB’s founding members were [[Eugene Terre’Blanche]] (who subsequently occupied the post of leader and has remained leader to the present day), Jan Groenewald, JJ Jordaan, DJ Jordaan, Renier Oosthuizen and Piet Preller. All 7 men founded the group in the garage of Eugene Terre’Blanche’s home in Heidelberg in July 1973.  

The AWB’s origins lie in an earlier right-wing party, the Herstigte Nasionale Party (Re-constituted National Party), which vehemently opposed the liberal reforms of the Apartheid government from 1966 onwards. The HNP, by the May 1981 general election attracted massive support from within the White electorate, winning approximately one third of the Afrikaner vote.

The AWB’s origins lie in an earlier right-wing party, the Herstigte Nasionale Party (Re-constituted National Party), which vehemently opposed the liberal reforms of the Apartheid government from 1966 onwards. The HNP, by the May 1981 general election attracted massive support from within the White electorate, winning approximately one third of the Afrikaner vote (but only 16% of the overall White vote)

==Early years==

==Early years==

Until 1978 the AWB existed in a very small way, with no membership lists or cards (as part of an effort to avoid detection by the infamous secret service of the Apartheid government), however in 1979 a wealthy AWB member, Albert Hertzog, began to fund the rent of an office in Pretoria which began to serve as an AWB headquarters.  

Until 1978 the AWB existed in a very small way, with no membership lists or cards (as part of an effort to avoid detection by the infamous secret service of the Apartheid government), however in 1979 a wealthy AWB member, Albert Hertzog, began to fund the rent of an office in Pretoria which began to serve as an AWB headquarters.