Karyadi Bunker, Tell Me Your Stories...

The Karyadi bunker, newly discovered from the excavation on 2012

Accompanying my Dad's doing his healthcare on Karyadi's hospital, remind me about the newly discovered bunker in the parking lots of Karyadi Hospital. Its made me so curious, since there was a lots of story about bunker. Peoples in Semarang city, most of them must heard about the story of bunker that connecting, Lawang Sewu  to HBS Mugas (Now SMA Negeri 1 Semarang) or the story of bunker that connecting from the Willhelmina Zikenhuis (Now RS Bakti Wira Tamtana) to Lawang Sewu also, and another story that still until now there's no evidence to proof all of that stories.

I curious then I walked to find out where is the bunker is, then I found it, its situated near the parking lot in the backyard of the hospital. Its still in the construction area of a project to build the new building inside the hospital. After asking for permission to the wokers, then I could enter and exploring the bunkers. But unfortunately, its under my expectation, the bunker itself only have a length less than 4 meters. Hmmph, is it any further extension behind the wall, could be, but I belive there's an extensions behind it.

As we know, post World War I [1914-1918], the government of Netherlands Indies prepared the breezing of Pacific War, as the Japanese threaten. They prepared their militaries in the colonies well, they strengthen their armies, their armouries, radars, also the shelters. We could see the examples in Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, etc, in the major cities of Indonesia they have thier own bunkers, as shelters to the Japanese air raid.

But its couldnt have any significant role while Japanese commanded by Admiral Takeo Takagi with their quick invasion capturing Philippines then Tarakan and finally crush the Naval of Western power coalition( Dutch, British, French, US) well known as Allied force on Java Sea, 27th of February 1942, one's of a major naval battle of the Pacific theatre of Second World War. Then, the Japanese landed their military in Java, and forced the General Ter Poorten, as the commander of Allied force in Java to surrender. Then the Japanese occupation of Dutch Indies begin.

The bunkers as seen from the west side.

Inside the bunker, I believe, there was an extension
behind it.

The Early Hospital in Semarang (Part II) : RSUP Dr.Kariadi

The main hall of Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekenhuis (CBZ)  in 1929. (Photos by: Troopenmuseum)

If you think good health is expensive, then try ill health, because If you are sick, no matter how rich you are, how powerfull you are, everything you have would be going nothing. A proverb that show us how the healthiness is so important even its the main things in the human's life. Related to this the healthcare facility is so important, and now i'll continue my story about "The Early Hospital in Semarang" , which is before i've post about the St. Elizabeth hospital, now i'll share the information about Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekenhuis (CBZ) or now known as RS Dr.Kariadi (RSDK).

The main hall of RSUP dr.Kariadi in 2012

In the 1919, a doctor name N.F Liem who worked in Semarang, have an ideas to merged the City Hospital (Stadverband Ziekenhuis) which is located in Old Town with the City Auxiliary Hospital (Hulp Stadverband Ziekenhuis) who located in the town square . The plan itself is to build the central hospital in the outskirt of Semarang city. Anyway, dr. N. F. Liem, who born in Muntok, Bangka in 1872, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Indonesia book, written by Myra Sidharta and Claudine Salmon, is the first Chinese Indonesian doctor in Western Medicine. Back to the story of establishment of RSUP Dr.Kariadi, then after several surveys, its choosed the location for it in Kalisari. It takes five years to built it and officialy opened on September, 9th 1925 and its named Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekehuis (CBZ). On that time the CBZ could accommodated 500 patient who were takes care in the big ward contains of 45 patient. Beside that its already served the specialities is already exist, like the internist, surgery, obstetrics, ophthalmologist, dermatologist and many more, strengthening the name of the CBZ itself to become the leading hospital in Semarang city. The complex of CBZ it also designed compact, so its make the nurse, doctor, and the hospitals employee could take the quick action, related if there’s emergency condition. Considering the medical personel are so rare, so its built a drom and office for the medical personel of CBZ around the CBZ itself. Following the Japanese occupation of East Indie on 1942, this hospital changed its name into Pusat Rumah Sakit Rakyat (PURUSARA). Then when the revolution for independence declared on 1945, this hospital also become one’s of the republican based for struggling.

The Pavilion of "de wachtdokter" or the waiting doctor on CBZ in 1929 (Photos by: Tropenmuseum). 
And the picture below is the current condition, currently used as cafetaria and stationary. 

The famous story related to this hospital about revolution for indepence is the story about dr.Kariadi, which later his name immortalized for the official name of this hospital in 1964, from Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat (RSUP) Semarang into Rumah Sakit Dokter Kariadi (RSDK). Dr. Kariadi is one’s of the doctor who’s in charge in PURUSARA start from 1942, right after he finished his duty to become medical personel in the city of Martapura in Borneo(Kalimantan) island. In PURUSARA he’s in charged as the head of malaria laboratory. Following the surrender of Japanese into Allied force in August 1945, there was an status quo in East Indie because there was vacuum of power. The tension between the republican militia and the Japanese force who’s refused to hand over their weapon are continuously happened and make the city condition getting worst. Then on October 14th 1945, there’s happened the massacre of Japanese force in Boeloe prison by the militia, and its make the Japanese force in anger and respond this brutality with others brutality, they burnt down the Pandean Lamper and Tegal Kangkung kampoong. Then there’s a rumours that the Japanese poisoned the Siranda Reservoir. It’s an extremely dangerous action if its ignored so Dr. Kariadi, accompanied by militiamen from the Tentara Pelajar Corps, with a car goes to checked about the truth of that rumour. Unfortunately, the Japanese army killed him together with the militiamen in the middle of their way to Siranda. The dead body of dr.Kariadi are abandoned in the hospital for two days because of in the following day there’s happened the clash between Japanese and the Republican Militia, known as Pertempuran Lima Hari Lima Malam. On October 17th 1945, finaly the body of dr.Kariadi finaly buried, but its in the yard of PURUSARA, considering the hard situation. On the 1961, the remains of dr.Kariadi dead body, moved into the Giri Tunggal Cemetery, and re-buried with the military ceremony.

Now the RSDK become one’s of the leading hospital in Semarang. With the extensive development, this hospital now served more than a thousand of patient every day and also projected as the international hospital.

The Bust of dr.Kariadi in the main hall

The Early Hospital in Semarang (Part I) : St. Elisabeth Hospital

Elisabeth Ziekenhuis, or now known as RS St. Elisabeth around 1947 (source: sepatoeroesak.nl)

In the city of Semarang in early 1920's there's only 2 hospitals, Central Burgelijk Zienkenhuis (CBZ), which is a government hospital (now RS dr.Kariadi) and Juliana Zienkenhuis which is a privately owned hospital (now RS Bhakti Wira Tamtama). At that time, both hospitals are no longer able to accommodate the patient who increasing significantly by the presence of various types of disease outbreaks that often hit the city of Semarang and claimed many casualties. Its really need one new hospital to built to overcome the problem.

A Dutch soldier being treated at Elisabeth Ziekenhuis,
the photos taken on 1947 (source: sepatoeroesak.nl) 

According to RS St. Elisabeth official sites its written that the sisters of the catholic brotherhood St.Francis in Semarang strive to accomplish their goals to establish a new hospital in Semarang. Well, the preparation itself is begun a couple years before by collecting funds from the noblemen in Semarang municipal government and from the center of the Sisters of St. Francis. On 3 September 1923 the funds used to purchase land former Chinese cemetery in the area covering 34.000 in the Nieuw Tjandi(Candi Baru) Region, with beautiful landscape, and quiet area(at that time actually, now is so crowd,haha) it’s a best place for a the hospital. Since laying the first stone on March 9, 1926 by Mgr.APF Van Velsen SJ, the development is carried out by three contractors Ir.Karsten, Ir.Zoetmulder, Ir.Peters and Ir. Keliverda. Prices of building materials has increased remarkable during Ir.Kersten development, so that required substantial additional funding. But finally, the building construction is completed on August 8, 1927. Various preparation for the inauguration held among others by placing 50 beds and other equipment. On October 18, 1927, St. Elisabeth Hospital was officially opened by Mgr. Van Velsen, SJ, accompanied by Fr. P. Hoeberechts, SJ and Mr.Van Gulk, the Resident of Semarang City. (Source:St.Elizabeth official page)

A ward on St. Elizabeth Ziekenhuis
(source: sepatoeroesak.nl)

The hospital continue to serve the people until the Japanese occupation in 1942, whereas this hospital was taken over and used as a military office. Well, at that time, all of the Dutchman were sent to the Internment camp. In Semarang City itself the Internment camp was established in Lamper Region, Bangkong(on the Sedes Sapientiae Senior High School), Halmahera Region, and so on. The Dutch nuns from the St.Elisabeth hospital also being taken and 9 of them died in the camp. Folowing Japanese surender in 1945, the St. Elisabeth opened again on 1 September 1945 in a state of disarray and lack of energy. But since the Semarang city was controlled strongly by the Dutch troops during the Independence War of Indonesia, the hospital also become one’s of the important hospital for the Dutch troops. After the war was over in 1949, the St.Elizabeth hospital continued to serve da people and together with the others hospitals in Semarang, providing the best healthcare to the society.

Paul Acket (source: wartajazz)

There's a interesting story about this hospital related with Jazz. How come?Well, this hospital become the born place of the founder of Rotterdam North Sea Jazz Festival, Paul Acket. According to the story Mr.Sambudi in Jazzngisoringin session, Paul Acket's parents actually residenced a plantation in Pemalang City, a city 135km to the west from Semarang. When the time to engender is come closer, since, the medical support is not as good as in Semarang city so Paul Acket's parent decided to go to Semarang by train and engender their babies in St.Elizabeth Hospital.

Paul was not alone, beside him, there's also famous jazz figure born in this hospital. In 1950, this hospital also become the born place of Daniel Sahuleka, the famous Jazz artist. 2 weeks later, little Daniel with their families moved to Winterswijk, Netherlands, a land where he grow up and start his career as musician.

Maybe, Paul and Daniel is just one of a thousand stories related with this hospital. Well, do u have any stories too? Lets share :)