Dorethea van der Merwe | |
|---|---|
| Died | 1921 |
| Cause of death | Hanging |
| Nationality | South African |
| Other names | Dorethea Kraft Dina van der Merwe[1] |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Criminal status | Guilty |
| Motive | Financial |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Penalty | Hanging |
| Details | |
| Victims | Louis Tumpowski |
| Date | 1918 |
| Country | Union of South Africa |
Dorethea van der Merwe (also known as Dorethea Kraft and sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Dorothea") was the first woman hanged under the Union of South Africa. In 1921 she was convicted of the murder of Louis Tumpowski. He had been murdered on her farm, Treurfontein ("Sorrow fountain"), in Lichtenburg, Transvaal in 1918.