Theodor Amadeus Heinrich Dönges has deep roots in the Heidelberg community.
Dönges was born on August 28, 1869, in Carnarvon, Northern Cape.
He was the son of Reverent Michael Dönges.
At the age of 14, he went to Stellenbosch to study medicine.
Unfortunately, Dönges had trouble with his eyes and could not complete his medical studies.
A while after he had to stop his studies Dönges was offered a six-month practical course at the New Somerset Hospital.
It was here that Dönges decided to become a teacher.
In 1890 at the age of 21, Dönges travelled to Johannesburg.
The dust just became too much for him and he moved to Elsburg, Germiston where he opened a one-man school.
Dönges stayed on for just over two years. He then became headmaster at a government school in Germiston.
On November 27, 1894, Dönges applied for the position of headmaster at the Heidelberg Government School. During his time at the school, Dönges introduced house rules at the institution.
With the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War, Dönges joined the Heidelberg Commandos.
Due to his medical knowledge, he became head of the ambulance unit in the field. He was later promoted to veldkornet and was attached to a unit of the Heidelberg Commandos a special guard to the government in the field.
After the war, Dönges returned to Heidelberg. He found that the school was under the British Milner regime.
Due to his beliefs and the way he did things Dönges decided to not work at the school. He decided to become a lawyer and got work by working for General CF Beyers. Ds AJ Louw convinced Dönges to come back to Heidelberg in 1903 to become headmaster of the new Volkskool.
During his time at Volkskool, Dönges married Sara Salomina van Huysteen on October 18, 1906.
They had two sons and two daughters. In 1907 Dönges became inspector of education and from 1909 to 1929 he was head of the teachers’ training college in Heidelberg.
Dönges was a lifelong friend of DF Malan.
Dönges retired; but remained active in public life by becoming a senator before his death on October 19, 1951, at the age of 81.
His grave is alongside the commando plot in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
