Enjoying the Holiday through Observed the H.Spiegel Building

H. Spiegel building (left side) visible on a postcard from the Dutch-Indies era (source: Olivier Johannes) 

Happy New Year! Its 2013 already and this holiday, was really a breakthrough for my history passion because of I met a lot of people and saw a lots of chance also supports to preserve the historical asset in Semarang city. One of them is Mas Khrisna, an Architect who works for Balai Pelestarian Peninggalan Purbakala (eng: Historical Preservation Council) who have an ideas to increase the awareness of Semarang people about the importance of Kota Lama (eng: Old Town) preservation through an event this October. He choosed a building, formerly used by NV Spiegel, to become the site of this event who has a theme Kuno-Kini-Nanti (eng: previous-now-future), such a history exhibition like Pameran Sentiling 1914, but this in the large scale. As His plan to renovate then re-functioned this building, He want to socialize it to the people in Semarang, through this event  the importance of this building and all of the heritage asset in Old Town generally. Thus He need people to support it, and one of them were me and my friends from @lopenSMG. Tuesday, January 2^nd 2013, we were invited by Mas Khrisna to observe the current condition of Spiegel building, then here we go!

The Spiegel Building, front facade.
 taken on 2007

The Spiegel building, still in good contion from the outside, some of its details are remaining visible on its facade. There is a combination of decorative pattern in round shapes and horizontal lines on the facade walls.  The entrance is situated at the corner side of the building, faced directly to the street without any courtyard in front of it, a common building form in Kota Lama. Moving inside to the building, there’s a large hall with four green pillars who functioned as a 2^nd floor buffer. The floor was formed by marble, but the condition were badly damaged because of once its functioned as a workshop for the heavy equipment. Moving to the 2^nd floor, we’ll goonna walk through the wooden staircase which the condition is getting rotten. So as the condition on the 2^nd floor, who formed from teak wood, its also already getting rotten.  Thus mas khrisna iniciate to covers it by plastic sheet, in order to protect it from the raindrop who often come inside the building because of the leaked roof. Next I moved the balcony, and suddenly the scenery of Kota Lama on the evening fascinated me. Then I imagined, how it was on the past? Where Kota lama still as the centre of people activity in Semarang city.

Inside the Spiegel Building, upon the 2nd Floor,
its appears what Mas Khrisna did, with
covered the floor with plastic sheet in order
to protect the wooden floor from the raindrop.

Generally, the building condition are 80%. But to renovate it and brought it as it origin condition , its couldn’t be easy. There’s a lot of recast by its former owner, who functioned it as the workshop. Then another problem like leaked roof, that almost happened in every corner of the building also wooden structure which already rotten. Anyway, there’s nothing that couldn’t be realize if we give our best isn’t? Just like my favourite Javanese quotes from my friends Mas Gatot, “Dalan kui raono nek alase rak dibabat, desa kui raono yen alase ora dibuka, lan kutha kui rak kedaden nek raono desa” (eng: In the Jungle, there will be no way if the bush aren’t cleared away, there’s no village if the timberland aren’t opened, and there’s no town if there’s no village who formed it). Cheers up! The hardwork are heading in the way ;) 

Inside the Jiwaraya (NILMIJ) Semarang Building

The PC tile floor, formed a word "NILLMY" on the front terrace of Jiwasraya office Building, Kota Lama, Semarang.

A foggy morning on the beginning of December, and my friends invite me accompany her visiting the Jiwasraya office, or NILLMIJ, on the old town. She wanna make a coverage about this, and since I like this kinda activity, she wishes I could enrich the information. Messed up with the assignment of Economic International subject, I nearly refused this invitation, but after all with a little struggle finishing the assignment with an extra effort, Finally, I could go, and even the rain are make us wet, I have no regret at all ;)

A stained glass on the main hall, looks
so fascinated around the circular stairs,
and the artistic lamp.

I have posted abouth this building before here, but I haven’t entered the building and saw how inside. My friends, named Kuni was a campus journalist, so she have a press card as a legality to access any  information, what a smart card! Then we welcomed by floor structure formed word “NILLMY” in the terrace. Moving inside to the building, we accepted by Mr. Sis, a Jiwasraya employee then he showed also explained us about the story inside. Begin with the main hall, its already stacked with the new floor, continued with the fascinating circular stairs, with its artistic lamp, but actually its added on 1983. But we could see the original floor, on the 3rd floor, and on the balcony. I don’t know why, the floor on the old building always stacked with the brand new ceramic tile beside let it use the PC tile which for me, its more artictic then the ceramic tile.

Moving to the 2nd floor, Mr. Sis showed us the location where the elevator is “lying”. This was the first elevator in Indonesia, and this elevator, since Mr.Sis is in service in this office is already not active, even another source Mr.Mukidi a guard of this office told that on 1974 according the story of his senior, the elevator is already unactived. I looked nearly and found this elevator are OTIS Elevator product, one’s of the leading elevator company in the world until now. 

An old elevator, on the 2nd floor, this
was the first elevator in Indonesia (1916)

Then moving to the highest level, on the 3rd floor , the floor since the staircase is still in orginal form, with the PC tile. And yap we moving to the top balcony, and woooow! The scenery is so great, the view of old town from the high level. But also we saw, a real threat facing by this building on the next couple years. Due to the rain, and its hasn’t been renovated for a long time, the rainwater are absorbed in the structure, and made its fragile, and maybe the worst is the structure could be torned down.

Back to the inside, and prepared to get back, I asked my last question, is there any inauguration plaque in this building? Then Mr.Mukidi replied yes, it is, and he showed us the location, in the wall in front of the cashier. Its demolished on 1995, together with the works to stacked the floor. Mr.Sis also testified, that its formed like a small altar, and its made from the marble. Well its placed in the corner of the building and seems like it will make no interruption among the people who walks through this, so, why it must be demolished? At last once again I just only said, what a pity!

Looking down from the top floor (3rd floor), the main hall circled with circullated stair,
and on the left side of the sofa, below the stairs is where the inauguration plaque situated.

De Javasche Bank in Semarang

De Javasche Bank office on Bodjongsche Weg ( now Jalan Pemuda) on 1936 and a Five Gulden issued by De Javasche Bank on 1921 (Source: Tropenmuseum; catawiki  )

This November! There’s a statement issued by the Central Bank of Indonesia, that is Bank Indonesia (BI) to change the face value of Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), through redenomination. The central bank saw the value of IDR is too much considering from its nominal, and like it or not, IDR belong to one’s of the bad currencies in the world, so BI had a plan to simplified the face value, by divide it into 1000, so IDR 1000 will becoming IDR 1,  IDR 10.000 will becoming IDR 10, and so on. Well, I just imagine if this policy has been execute, I’ll buy the cigarettes in the store for only IDR 12 for a pack, haha, sounds weird for me. :D

De Javasche Bank office in Jalan Pemuda, currently used by Bank Jateng. 

Established in 1828, De Javasche Bank is a respond to the chaostic financial condition of Dutch-Indie government caused by the Java War, Lead by Pangeran Diponegoro, a Javanese aristocrat and religious leader from 1820-1825.  Millions gulden are spent for this war, to built the road, fortification, hiring both royal koninklijk army from the nederlands and the mercenaries from all parts of Indonesia. The Dutch-Indie government float a loan to fund this outside their income, that really unsignificance caused the war and all of the economic sector are concentrated in java island. That’s why De Javasche Bank established, is to maintained the loan.  There’s a unique characteristic in De Javasche Bank, where the commissioner are appointed only by the Governoor General, but the CEO are appointed by the shareholders. The Javasche Bank become  Naamlooze Venootschap (NV) or in English we rcognized it as limited liability company (Ltd) on 1881 through the commercial Code issued in Buitenzorg (Bogor).

After the independence of Indonesia, De Javasche bank still have a role as the central bank, since the newly born Indonesian Republic, haven’t the central bank yet. Through the Round Table Confrence, in The Hague, which is resulted the transfer of sovereignity from the Kingdom of Netherland into Indonesian Republic, there’s a point in the agreement to stated that the central bank is still hadled by De Javasche Bank until the government of Indonesian Republic have its own central bank. But in 1953, De Javasche Bank nationalized and still have a role as central bank, as we recognized nowadays as Bank Indonesia (BI).

De Javasche Bank, is the powerful bank and it can be seen from their asset. Just look in every major city in Indonesia, their office is must be luxurious, from Jogjakarta, Jakarta, Surabaya, even in Solo. But I just get confused why in Semarang, its not as luxurious as the others city? Well as we get the info from the colonial map dated 1920, De Javasche Bank office in Semarang located in Heerensrtrat, near Gereja Blenduk. But then when I saw the tropenmuseum collection, the office is located in front of Kantor Pos Besar on Bodjongsche Weg (central post office), but the photos is dated 1936. Its probable moved, from the old location in Hereenstrat to Bodjongsche weg. But now the Bank Indonesia office, is located in Imam Bardjo Street, near the central business district of Simpang Lima, so the office of central bank in Semarang is already moved three times if so.

De Javasche Bank office on Heerenstrat now Jalan Letjend Soeprapto (above) and the current condition of this building, now used as the office of Telkom Indonesia, a state owned telecommunication company (below).

De Zikel (Marba) Building, One Stop Shopping Services in the Old Days

An illustration made by Frits van Bemmel around 1930 depicting the crowd on the old model of self-service stores in East-Indies. (source: http://www.collectiontrade.nl/)

De Zikel Stores on 1920 (source: Leiden University Library)

Semarang as a main harbour city in Central Java region seems so attractive for the new businesses. Also for a Hamburg born entrepreneur, Adolf Zikel the founder of Toko Zikel & Co. , which believed as the first department store in Semarang. Adolf Zikel with His brothers, Bernhard Zikel, founded Zikel & Co. in the early 20th century, and in Semarang they start their shop by purchasing the former Genie-Atelier (Military Engineering Workshop) on the corner of the Heerenstraat, nowadays Jalan Letjend Suprapto  in the main artery of Kota Lama (Old Town)of  Semarang whereas was the main business district in the city of Semarang.  Long before Semarang, Adolf Zikel started His business in Medan, as its written in the articles of Bataviasch Nieuwsblad in December 16th 1890 when He sue His employee for a fraud in His shops in Medan which handled by Raad van Justitie (high court) of Medan.  But still unknown, when He’s started His business in Indonesia, or at that time was Dutch Indies.

The initial Toko Zikel in Semarang, bought by Zikel brothers to set up their shops in 1902. The buildings before was used as a Genie-Atelier, a workshop for Military Engineering Department. (souce: Leiden University Library)

Zikel & Co. seems gained success in Semarang, its even has its branch in Bandung, also in its main business district, in Groote Postweg or currently known as Jalan Asia Afrika. In 1906, they were not only act as a local shop, but took it to the next level as importer. Zikel & Co transform into NV. Impot Maatschappij Zikel & Co with the initial capital of 1000 Guilders, more than USD 55.000 in todays money.  But in that announcement  which published in Bataviasch Nieuwsblad dated December 5th 1906, it seems that Adolf were no longer involved in the business as His name not mentioned there, only Bernhard and Carl Zikel. Such an interesting name with this Zikel families? Since its start with Adolf, then Bernhard and Carl, which when we take initial of their name will be A B C Zikel, lol.

Adolf Zikel seems back to Europe prior His retirement, as in a obituary in one’s of the local newspaper in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Adolf was died there in 1919 and the obituary was presented by Bernhard and Carl Zikel. Zikel & Co. later in the 1920’s decade built its famous building right in the “heart” of the Kota Lama Semarang. A two story buildings with remarkable wall of an exposed red bricks, with a neoclassic style combined with tropical architecture soon become one’s of the notable building surround it. The buildings of Toko Zikel appears many times in the postcard issued about Semarang during colonial period, mostly taken from the east and its perfectly depicted Zikel & Co. with Koepelkerk and the old buildings of Borsumij with its famous gevel that changed into a simple art-deco style in 1939.

De Zikel or Marba Building on 2008.

De Zikel & Co or simply known at that time as Toko Zikel provides so many stuffs on their shop and mainly its imported stuffs. They provides stuffs from fashion, sportswares, housewares, groceries and even furnitures. Its fashion stuffs that provides for man, women, childern and babies was following the trends that emerged from times to times  which used mannequins to display it, something that consider as sophisticated at that time. The economic disasters in 1930’s that brought the period known as Great Depression also affected to the fate of this company. Mainly since during the period, the purchasing power were declined. Its indeed for Toko Zikel which provided such a luxury goods, this circumstances were disastrous.  The company then went into bankruptcy in 1932, and its announce to sell their property also in the same year.

The next owner of the building after its sold? There’s still no records about it, but perhaps the Yemenite businessman, Martha Badjunet, which then the buildings was bear His name as Marba, the acronym of His name. Today the building well-known as Marba , rather than Zikel and for its initial building in the corner of Jalan Letjend Suprapto, its more unrecognized as one’s of Toko Zikel buildings, as its not as famous as it which located in the centrum, nearby Taman Srigunting or before was Paradeplein, a park which as consider as main destination in Kota Lama Semarang.

The NILLMIJ Building, The First Modern-Style Buliding in Semarang

The office of Nederlandsch-Indische Levensverzekering en Lijfrente Maatschappij (NILLMIJ) in 1920.
(source: tropenmuseum)

Yesterday, my Friends, who coming from outside Semarang city and have studied here said, ‘I love this city very much”. When I asked why? He just replied that He felt such an unique atmosphere that he dont get it in his hometown, thats the power of acculturation, the blended between the old and modern. Well, that was totaly true. I also really love this city and the stories inside this city. Like here, in Kota Lama (old town) and its surrounding are interested to be investigated, hehe…though i’m not an professional historian, but i’ve tried to seek an information about the building in Kota Lama, even the building itself its already changed or broken down.

(source: skycrapecity)

So, now i’m gonna share about the first modern-architecture bilding that bulit in the Semarang city, that is the NILLMIJ Building or now known as Gedung Jiwasraya . At that time, in the early of 1910’s, there is a changed of building style, from indisch architecture into tropic-artdeco style architecture. The Office of NILLMIJ (Nederlandsch Indische Leven Sverzeking De Lifrente Maatschappij) is the first building in Semarang that built by its tropic-artdeco style architecture. Built by architect named Thomas Karsten (famous architect at that time) in 1916's.The buliding built in the front face of Koepelskerk (Blenduk Church), and Parade’s plein (Srigunting Park).

The NILLMIJ building has a typical of tropical-artdeco architecture with a small dome in the middle of the roof of the building. The building was symmetrical with the entrance located in the middle. If we observe closely, this building not facing the highway, but the oblique facing the Koepelskerk and Paradesplein, its just because karsten want to get the impression that this building oversee both the building (the church and park). The building was the first building in Semarang city with concrete material to form it, so its also one of the reason that this is the first modern-style buliding, beside viewed from its architectural design. Here's also the first building who using lift in Dutch-Indie.

The NILLMIJ or now known as Asuransi Jiwasraya
building taken from the north side.

Following the nationaization of the colonial assets, the building become the ofice of PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya after the Independence of Indonesia around 50's decades, but its still preserve as the first time been built. The open space in the front without wall, and open corridor in the form of a window, adorn the entire front facade of the building with the amount of 8 windows in each building wing, 4 windows at ground floor and 4 windows on the first floor. The window is protected cantilever to reduce incoming sunlight into the room. Above each window there is a big bouven with ornaments in the form of concrete orders. In front of the building there’s an open space in front of the bulding and there is a small park to reduce the harsh impression on the landscape surround it.

In 2002 the renovation of repairs and repainting damaged walls to make this building looks more clean and beautiful. Its already more than 90 years, but the building still strong existed in the old town, and become the eyewitness about the journey of insurance bussiness in Semarang city.

Gereja Blenduk and Taman Srigunting History at Glance

Taman Srigunting or Srigunting Park, the bigest open space in Kota Lama (eng: Old Town) ares and Gereja Blenduk, the domed shaped church marked as the landmark in the heart of this almost three-century old neigborhood. Taman Srigunting in the old days was known as Parade Plein. The name was taken from the parade of the Dutch-Indies Army that often held on this park which cames from the military baracks not so far from it to the north. But long before its turn into a park or lets say a public open space, it was a cemetery or in Dutch known as kerkhof. It can be understood if it was an kerkhof as in the old days, most of the cemetery for the European was next to the church. Even the word kerkhof itself was taken from the word kerk and hof which literaly translated as church yard.

Koepelkerk or Gereja Blenduk as seen from
Srigunting Park on 2007

From Sriguntings park, if we faced to the west side, we’ll see the building that become one’s of the Semarang city landmark, Koepelskerk or widely known as Gereja Blenduk. According to an arcticles written in Locale Techniek in 1939, the structure once was destroyed by fire, caused by lightning strike. Its completely devastated the church as well as its archives, thus no accurate data about this church on its early day of its establishment. However, a walled marble inscription mentions that the present church, has been completely renewed in the years 1894-1895 by H. P. A. de Wilde and W. Westmaas as the architect. Actually this church has a similiar exterior with the Willemskerk, present-day Gereja Immanuel in Jakarta. But the architecture of that church is more strictly classical than Gereja Blenduk of Semarang. With the smaller scale of the facade, the charming towers next to the main entrance and the elegant crowning from the dome, this church has more cheerful character, then her stately sister in Batavia, old name for Jakarta during the colonial period. From the list of pastors commemorated in one’s of the walled inscription , it appears that reverend Fredericus Montanus, preacher at Semarang from 1778 to 1814, inaugurated Gereja Blenduk on October 19th 1794, made this church even older than the Gereja Immanuel in Jakarta.

The Parade Plein, as it appears on 1915. The muziektent in the left side is used as a place for the music performance, its commonly existed in the city-park. (source: Leiden University Library)

Srigunting park, now becomes one’s of the popular public space in Semarang city. Every day, many people spent their time over there. To study, to take a rest, or just spent their time with their friends. Anyway, more people comes to Srigunting park, the littering problem also become a threat to the park. wish the people who visit this park also taking a responsibility to keep it cleanliness every time.