Nederlandsch-Indische-Escompto-Maatschappij
or simply known as NIEM or just Escompto Bank, is the second largest Bank
operated in Dutch Indies during the colonial period. Escompto Bank formed in 1857
and continues to operated until 1958, while all of the Dutch companies were
nationalized by the government of Republik Indonesia. Then it changes into Bank
Dagang Negara (BDN), and following the 1997 economic crisis, this BDN merged
with another 3 govenments bank formed Bank Mandiri until nowadays.
A mozaic formed by decorated tiles illustrated the city coat of arms of Semarang and Surabaya. |
In Semarang, in Kota Lama section,
the office of Escompto Bank were very luxurious with the tower as its icon.
Located in Hoogendorpstraat or now known as Jalan Kepodang, the Escompto Bank
building with its tower always appeared rights in the form of photos or
postcards. There’s an unique characteristic over the Escompto Bank officebuilding.
In its wall, always there’s several city coat of arms illustrated by a mozaic formed by decorated tiles. In Batavia (Jakarta) we’d see the coat of arms
of Amsterdam, Semarang, Bandung, Surabaya and Batavia. In Semarang, only 2 city
coat of arms are illustrated in its wall, its Surabaya and Semarang. The
Escompto Bank building in Semarang, situated in the street that once crowd with
the business activity because of along the street in front of it, situated the
Head office of Oei Tiong Ham Concern, The Geo Wehry Co., Butterworth Co., and
so on.
De Escompto Bank, current condition. The Dome were dissapeared, but dont know when and why did its happend. |
A legitimate banknote from the
1941, has been left for until today. The banknotes belongs to NV Carl Schlieper
, an importeur for the guild tools from the Remscheid, Germany to the several
cities in Dutch Indies. The banknote stated the amount of 400 Yen and that
amount must be available on monday,February 17th 1941. The Bank have legitimate
it thus the cashier could took the cash for the owner of that banknote. But
then, the representatives from NV. Carl Schlieper never return to that place to
take out the cash. Even after the Escompto Bank changed into Bank Dagang
Negara, the cash still neatly stored in the bank safes. Now, this 400 Yen bills
were displayed as the collection of Museum Bank Mandiri Surabaya.
Nowadays this building seems to still
belongs to state-owned company property. With a lot of projects to developed
the Kota Lama section, we waits, when it will become a Museum Bank Mandiri
Semarang? We’ll be waiting for (again)
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