Editing F. W. de Klerk (section)

==Personality and personal life==

Glad and Blanton stated that de Klerk's "political choices were undergirded by self-confidence and commitment to the common good."{{sfn|Glad|Blanton|1997|p=583}} His brother Willem stated that de Klerk's demeanour was marked by "soberness, humility and calm",{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=1}} that he was an honest, intelligent, and open-minded individual,{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=23}} and that he had a "natural cordiality" and a "solid sense of courtesy and good manners".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=74}} He felt that de Klerk's "charisma" came not from an "exceptionally strong individualism" but from "his rationality, logic and balance".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=138}} He was, according to de Klerk, "a man of compromise rather than a political innovator or entrepreneur".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|pp=128–129}}

Willem stated that "he keeps an ear to the ground and is sensitive to the slightest tremors", and that it was this which made him "a superb politician".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|pp=22–23}} Willem also stated that his brother was "a team-man who consults others, takes them into his confidence, honestly shares information with his colleagues, and has a knack of making people feel importance and at peace".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=74}}

His former wife Marike described de Klerk as being "extremely sensitive to beautiful things", exhibiting something akin to an artistic temperament.{{sfn|Glad|Blanton|1997|p=579}}

Willem also noted that "in the most profound sense", de Klerk was driven by his concern for Afrikanerdom and "the survival of his own people in their fatherland".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=81}} De Klerk was deeply upset that many Afrikaners did not realise that his reforms to dismantle apartheid were carried out with the intention of preserving a future for the Afrikaner people in South Africa.{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|pp=81–82}}

With Marike, de Klerk had three children: Susan, who became a teacher, Jan, who became a farmer in Western Transvaal, and Willem, who went into [[public relations]].{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=143}} Willem stated that de Klerk had a close relationship with his children,{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=144}} and that he was "a loving man who hugs and cuddles".{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=141}}

De Klerk was a heavy smoker but gave up smoking towards the end of 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/political-veterans-on-the-mend-291484|title=Political veterans on the mend|website=Independent Online|location=South Africa|access-date=19 March 2021|archive-date=12 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112012851/https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/political-veterans-on-the-mend-291484|url-status=live}}</ref> He also enjoyed a glass of [[whisky]] or wine while relaxing.{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=155}} He enjoyed playing golf and hunting, as well as going for brisk walks.{{sfn|de Klerk|1991|p=155}}

De Klerk's [[Nobel Prize medal]] was stolen from his home in November 2022.<ref name=AP22>{{cite news|last=Magome|first=Mogomotsi|url=https://apnews.com/article/africa-cape-town-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-south-b560ea20b95c7bce442c40f7e32f26e1|title=Foundation says de Klerk's Nobel medal has been stolen|date=9 November 2022|work=[[AP News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313161646/https://apnews.com/article/africa-cape-town-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-south-b560ea20b95c7bce442c40f7e32f26e1 |access-date=13 March 2023|archive-date=13 March 2023 }}</ref>