• General Notes

  [Helen Martins' (Little Hell-'Owls ') first husband was johannes Pienaar, brilliant son of Uncle Graatjie Pienaar, quiet, sturdy and strong; ... he was intelligent and brilliant. Married Helen Martins: Artist and matching temperament! Also a teacher. She didn't want to have children, was "afraid" they would be "black"! When he came home at lunchtime, he would find Helen sitting up in a fruit tree. She told my parents about it. Then divorce.]
  
  Johannes was a very brainy guy . ... He came first in the Union of South Africa in
  exams - I don't know if it was matric . . ,. He was an expert in languages, and got his
  His cousin Dan Pienaar could expand on Johannes' future academic career:
  "He got an MA in languages when my Dad was still at school. He used to help my Dad with such things as Latin and Maths. At one time he was studying for three completely different degrees at the same time. He went to America, and became a Professor, and he introduced psychology to one University. When he died there was a great oration, a long piece, in a newspaper about him."
  

Details of Willem's family with Helena (Joodjie) Elizabeth Martins