Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs, DMS (17 November 1903 – 21 August 1978) served as the third state president of South Africa from 1975 to 1978.

[1][3]: 1  Resuming a career in South Africa, he became a lecturer and later a professor at the University of the Orange Free State, in Political Science and Philosophy.

He founded the Reddingsdaadbond organisation to promote the economic wellbeing of Afrikaners.

[3]: 1 After visiting the country in 1938, Diederichs became a staunch admirer of Nazi Germany.

[3]: 3  He served as the first chancellor of the Rand Afrikaans University[3]: 5  and ceremonial State President of South Africa from 1975 until his death, after a short illness, of a heart attack on 21 August 1978 in Cape Town.