Jules Ellenberger

Jules Ellenberger was a South African-born civil servant in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, where he held several senior posts including Resident Commissioner from 1923 to 1927. He was also known for recording and preserving oral histories of the Batswana people.

Early life and education

Ellenberger was born on 16 January 1871 in a cave in what is now Lesotho. He was the son of D. F. Ellenberger, an Alsatian missionary and historian of the Paris Mission Society. He attended the Lovedale missionary school in South Africa and later pursued studies in France.

Colonial service

Ellenberger joined the colonial administration of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, serving in various posts including district commissioner at Gaborone, Ngamiland, and Mafeking. Between 1902 and 1916, he was Assistant Commissioner of the Southern Protectorate and from 1916 to 1923 he was Government Secretary.
In 1923, Ellenberger became Resident Commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, succeeding his brother-in-law James MacGregor. He served until 1927, when Charles Rey replaced him.

Contributions to oral history

Ellenberger played a significant role in collecting and preserving the oral histories of the Batswana. He worked with chiefs and community elders to record traditions, genealogies and cultural practices. These records informed later ethnographic and historical studies and remain valuable for understanding Tswana social and political life.

Family and legacy

Ellenberger’s son, Vivien Frederick Ellenberger, who died in 1977, also served in the Protectorate’s civil service and wrote on the history of the BaLete and BaTlokwa.
Jules Ellenberger lived to the age of 102, making him one of the few centenarians among colonial administrators of his era. His administrative work and oral history documentation left a long-lasting legacy in the study of Botswana’s history.