Was Mata Hari, The Famous Exotic Dancer and Spy Ever Performed at Semarang?

Semarang Stadschouwburg in 1925, see the different from whats remains now. Before it has two entrance, north and south, where currently its southern entrance along with some of its structure demolished, make a way for the establishment of Marabunta building. (Source: Leiden University Library)

Two colossal ant statues perched on top of the building in Jalan Cendrawasih, former Oosterwal Straat in Kota Lama Semarang. The building that currently empty after before its used as a restaurant, indeed became a landmark in the blocks. These two ant statues was the reason, especially for thos who visited Semarang by train and get off at Tawang Station and passing the Jalan Cendrawasih on their way towards the city centre. They’ll definitely cross this one-way street, and then this building will be dimly visible on their left side.

 

Marabunta building with its giant ant statue on top of it in 2017.

This building, simply known as Marabunta, was quite popular with the story about the building that once became an Schouwburg (eng: Opera House)  that easily to be spotted in the neigborhood. A lots of articles, TV shows or just a simply post on social media mentioned that Marabunta, was a building built from the colonial period. Well, its not that old actualy, You can easily found the proof on its entrance  where there’s an inauguration inscription about the building, and its mentioned that Marabunta was inaugurated in 2006. Considered to be a new building in the Kota Lama Semarang then which means as an Old City where most of the buildings built either in the end of 19th century or early 20th century. The inscription plaque was also a little bit confusing, since Marabunta itself has actually been built in 1995 and in 1999 it was functioned as a cafe as locals said.

But out of the confusion, real Schouwburg building was next to Marabunta, a building thatcurrently abandoned, roofless and filled with bushes. This neglected structure was the Stadschouwburg building that in the old days has 2 entrance the north and the south. About third part of the property destroyed and Marabunta was built on top of it, as well as dissapeared its south entrance. The building of Schouwburg was also popular with the name of Komedie building because of the Toneel shows that most of the time having comedy theme and its performed regularly over there. Even the name of the road of Oosterwaal Straat where the Schowburg located, also have another name as Komedie Straat. Its still  unrevealed when it was built, but on the map of Semarang in 1845, the Schowburg has been embedded in the map. This building was once a military dormitory owned by Kodam (Military Regional Command) IV Diponegoro , but currently it was a private ownership. One of the locals that used to resided there as Her Father served as army told me that once the Schouwburg when its turns into dormitory once experiencing a fire that also badly damaged its rear structure.  

Schouwburg condition taken in 2014 (photos by: Muhammad Vikram) 

Schouwburg also has a more spectacular story that widely popular among the people of Semarang particularly. There was a belief that World War I espionage, famous for its erotic dances, Mata Hari once held a show in Semarang, specificaly in this Schouwburg. Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, the real name of Mata Hari its indeed lived in the Dutch East Indies for a couple years. She got Her pseudonym as Mata Hari, a malay word means The Sun since 1897 during her study of traditional Javanese dance and culture in Malang, where She also lived there from 1897 to 1902. After returning to Europe, Mata Hari then widely known as a dancer and soon She got a popularity  with the courage to wear an ancient outfit where She got inspiration from the reliefs from the temples while She were in Java. An outfit that exposed the curve of Her body, and for the Europeans public at that time, its considered to be a “very brave” or even inapropriate, but once again by the westeren standard at that time. Seeing upon Her career as a dancer which just start upon Her return to The Netherlands, it was very unlikely that Mata Hari had ever performed in Semarang, nor there had been strong records and evidence that he had visited the city of Semarang.

Inside the Schouwburg building in 2016,
taken from its rear courtyard.

However, there is an interesting story from this building that many people missed. Its the story of R.A. Kartini, the heroes of Woman Emancipation in Indonesia which is during Her childhood had watched shows in this building together with Her others two sister.  Mentioned in the book titled Door Duisternis Tot Licht (eng: From the Darkness to the Light) a summarize of Kartini’s letter and diary made by J.H. Abendanoen. On page 248, Kartini tells that for the first time in Her life, She was outside Her residence without being accompanied by Her parents or Her guards . "I remember one night, my sister and I went to a show at the Semarangsche Schouwburg, and this was the first time I was in the midst of a crowd without the presence of any of my other sisters, We both felt strange in the midst of that atmosphere," Kartini wrote.

Of course this story should be widely known by the public as well, not only the story about Mata Hari that less accurate. The story of the courage given by R.M.A.A. Sosroningrat, Kartini's father who was a regent of Japara to give her daughters the opportunity to see the outside world in the midst of a common seclusion tradition when it was applied to daughters of nobility before marriage was remarkable. Do not let this story be forgotten, as well as the Schouwburg which neglected and slowly turns into ruins.

A Guidance to Become Such An Amateur Detective

Hello World!

First all i'd like to say thank's to http://semarang.nl

Because of what?Because of this site, i could found the oldest (i thought ) maps of semarang city which is describes the condition of Semarang city on the colonialization era perfectly. It's very usefull for us, especially for them who want to know more about history.

Talking about the maps, the maps gives us a lot of information such as the famous places at that time even the name of the street. The condition is not too far different from the nowadays condition.

For example, the Bodjong road on that moment is already exist. Along the Bodjong rd, we can see on the mapa that there is a tram tracks along the street. But, sometimes, we couldn't found some sites. Simpang Lima squares? of course there is no Simpang Lima square drawed on the maps. The main road in Semarang like Jalan Pahlawan? I couldnt found it here. But whatever is it, its enough to be a guidance to trace back several historical places in Semarang.

Want to see more, visit http://semarang.nl and it will brings u a lot of information abut the history of Semarang

Just waiting for my my journey report here fellas ;)

Tot Ziens!