Where is The Exact Place of De Locomotief Office?

De Locomotief office that situated in Hoogendorpstraat 20-22 just like its written in its headlines (see the inzet). Hoogendorpstraat currently became Jalan Kepodang, and this photos is taken on 2007, long before the 2nd floor part is collapsed in early of 2015.

De Locomotief was the first newspaper published in Semarang. It was established in the middle of 19th century and led by Pieter Brooshooft, an ethical political activist. The daily was originally named Semarangsch Nieuws en Advertentieblad. In 1863 it was renamed De Locomotief, after the passage of the first train in Semarang. The paper was closed, but in 1947 De Locomotief was re-opened again. According to Rukardi Achmadi, a notable Semarang historian In 1957 due to the Indonesian confrontation with the Dutch related to the Papua Barat (eng:West Guinea) issue , the newspaper was closed and the building was taken over by Tempo Media Group, and there they runs the newspaper named Suluh Marhaen until its banned by the government under Soeharto regime on 1966 due to its political affiliations. 

De Locomotief office condition, shortly after I got information about the exact
place of this from Indische Literarire Wandelingen but its already in ruins.

Trace back De Locomotief office, Senarai Bangunan dan Kawasan Pusaka Kota Semarang (List of the Heritage Building and Area in Semarang) issued in 2006 stated that the building currently used as Bank Mandiri KCP Kepodang. Its a national bank branch that situated in the crossroad between Jalan Kepodang and Jalan Suari. Then in wikipedia.org, also stated that place is supposed to be the location of De Locomotief Hoofdredactie. But if we check through the photo’s archive  of KITLV and Tropenmuseum either. The building that currently used as Bank Mandiri KCP Kepodang isn’t the De Locomotief daily office. Its a Nederlandsch Indische Handelsbank, a Dutch private bank that established in 1863 and nationalized by the Indonesian government in 1957 and renamed into Bank Umum Negara (BUNEG). BUNEG then changed its name into Bank Bumi Daya and following the major restructurisation of the national banking company in 1999, Bank Bumi Daya mergered with three others bank, Bank EXIM, BAPINDO and Bank Dagang Negara formed Bank Mandiri. Thus the asset now belongs to Bank Mandiri. So its became clear that building isn’t De Locomotief office. 

Inside the ruins of De Locomotief building. On the
opposite is the former office of one's of the largest
export-import company during the colonial period
Geo Wehry & Co.

In the headlines of De Locomotief its written that the address of the office is in Hoogendorpstraat 20-22, Semarang. Currently the place that used to be named as Hoodendorpstraat is changed into Jalan Kepodang, but the problem is, is it the numbering of the building still following the numbering during the colonial period? Then in June 2015, I got the answer!  A website named “Indische Literaire Wandelingen” doing the documentation of several building in Kota Lama (eng: old town) Semarang. Its seems like they do it in the 90’s decade (seen from the photos and comparation of the condition of the building), and there, they written about De Locomotief office is located in Jalan Kepodang 20-22, so the numbering  is just the same as during the colonial period.

Unfortunately, when I got there to make a documentation, the 2nd floor part is already collapsed! What a pity! The owner took the teak wood of the 2nd floor, because of some of its got stolen before. Its became a fatality due to the construction of the building still in the old ways, that floor is also use a function as wall holder. Then during our wet season, the wall getting fragiled and collapsed. Only the 1st floor is remained, like a ruins in World War 2 film scene.  Luckily i have a documentation about this building in 2007, but I take it from a bit far distance. At least, I can show to the people how’s look like, De Locomotief  office. A place where ethical politics figure like Conrad Theodore van Deventer struggled for the better condition of the indigenous people of Indonesia through the newspaper. Without De Locomotief activities, I simply cant imagined about how the history of Indonesia would written. Surely its a really important building as a part of our struggle for independence, but now its forgotten and slowly perished.

NB. This article firstly published on November 9th 2012, but then due to these new fact about the exact position of the De Locomotief office, so I completely change the old version of the articles. 

The Remains of Hotel Tjandi and A Story of Divorce Drama

Hotel Tjandi, the current condition are photos in the left side taken on April 2013 and on the right side were the condition on the same sites, the zweembad (eng:swimming pool) on 1927, with the luggage label of Hotel Tjandi.
(source: Leiden University Library | e-bay)

Hello World!

This afternoon in the middle of my daily activity, I've visited the remains of Hotel Tjandi, one's of the best hotel in Semarang during colonial period. Visiting the remains of the glorious Hotel Tjandi actualy kind of weird since there's nothings left, only its fences and its decayed-swimming pools remains. The funny fact that the ruins of the swimming pool that once made this hotel famous, now used as the volley ball fields. The Tjandi Hotel according to the advertisement in De Locomotief, a  popular newspaper based on Semarang opened in September 25th 1888. The Hotel claimed has sophisticated view of the city of Semarang and Java Sea. The hotel initialy contains 16 spacious rooms that also has a telephone connection, water pipeline facility (which at that time consider as very luxury) and also provided with restaurant that served fresh milk. The Tjandi Hotel which located in 300 feet above sea level was only eight minutes away from Djomblang tram station, made it always easily accessible. The hotel even has its own car rental, located in the opposite of Djomblang tram station, where there are also available buses to the city or to southern part of the city to be reached. 

There's not so many articles regarding this Hotel Tjandi, mostly the articles was about the murder that happens in this hotel that also reported by De Locomotief . I've translatted and edited the content of the events that exacted 84 years ago happened as follows, so sorry before if its not appropriated translated. (See the original one's here)

Hotel Tjandi on 1910 (Source: Leiden University Library)

OCHTENDBLAD, A (eng: Morning Paper).  25 Aug. 1929

De moord in het Tjandi-hotel te Semarang 

(eng: The murder in the Tjandi hotel in Semarang)

Echtscheidingsdrama.

(eng: Divorce Drama)

Just as telegraphic reported, its happened in the pleasant Hotel Tjandi in Semarang on Monday 22 July at 12.15 PM a drama play. With four shots , three of which exceeded target, has certain A. N. van den Worm Mr. W. van Zuylen , a member of the orphan room there, deprived of life. The perpetrator writes for The Locomotive daily he choose on silent midday , while Mr Van Zuylen with his wife received Mr. Oei visits then together have a afternoon tea drinking. Suddenly appeared in the middle of the three unsuspecting men the aforementioned with a revolver in hand, caused the fatality for Mr. Van Zuylen. Shortly after committing the crime, the perpetrator were explained the shots as the following :

Mr. J. Blom, superintendant of the hotel, in the hall of the hotel waiting for the afternoon . He suddenly heard a bang. Soon afterwards he heard screaming from the Northwest Appear corner of the hotel , from the direction of the rooms occupied by Mr. Van Zuylen and his expectant wife , Mrs . Keyer . Mr Blom rushed there and saw Van den Worm standing with revolver in hand, while Mr. Van Zuylen lay on the ground in a pool of blood . At a distance Mr. Blom, with a little bit frightened , look assigns Van den Worm and cried far, "Give me that thing! ". Van den Worm replied "Here it is , and here you have some spare cartridges as well. I shot him . Call the police after all" .

Mr Blom then went to the phone with Van den Worm to warn the police, still felt shocked and amazed because of how come the perpetrator commited a crime then call the police for what he done? Van den Worm was now quiet in the hall of the hotel and said among other things, "Look yet again that this man were supposed to be dead! Otherwise he goes there next time anyway". A moment later it was called : "I have over ten years . I have already said that he was coming. That was a honor , like Van Rijn .

So hows the crime has taken place, please read as followings,

On that day the inhabitants of the rooms on the northern wing of the hotel  along with heavy looping fit. A lady , who stood at the window of her room , glanced , who surely the man was who found it necessary at this hour of afternoon rest with so heavy steps on the hotel gallery to march. She saw a man who had his right hand in his pocket  pass . Sometime later there were shots 

For the room of Mr. Van Zuylen were Mr van Zuylen near the door with the face and on his right sat Mrs.  Keyer and left, with his back were Mr. Oei . To the provisional statements show ,Van den Worm with rushing mighty pass to the corner came behind and walked to Mr. Oei 's called something like, " Where are my children?" . Immediately afterwards or perhaps simultaneously pulled a revolver and four shots fired . In two or three seconds, that was the drama happened.

The current condition of the front fences of Hotel Tjandi,
the buildings were already demolished on 1997. 

The reason for this heinous crime should be sought in a love affair .The perpetrator, Van den Worm , a man of 51 years , was formerly married to Mrs . Keyer , with whom he has three children. This marriage, which was very unfortunate, was disbanded last year. It was during this marriage and be the occasion of a violent scene in the house of the family Van den Worm, then the story goes when Mr. Van Zuylen met Mrs. Keyer . He lived in a pavilion at the home of Van den Worm. Mrs Keyer anyway, threatened Mr. Van Zuylen in such a manner that later made Mr.Van den Worm dislike it. Then Mrs . Keyer is fled to the pavilion where Mr Van Zuylen lived . Start form that time, the separation process started.

The victim of this crime , Mr. W. van Zuylen, was a quiet , calm and modest man. A hard worker , who diligence in the course of years of committees in the orphan room service. He lived a quiet life and would soon be married with mrs . Keyer , the former wife of Mr. Van den Worm, with whom he had lived for long time and even the peoples already applied Her as Mrs. Van Zuylen. Mr. Van den Worm apparently very strongly affected by these separation. So it seems that he had to "avenge" not to have to lose. 

A member of policemen did the research about the case, led by Mr. Wird Barendregt , commenced the perpetrator, seens from how he came and how he performedsimiliar with the Van Rijn case, another murder case in Madiun , which Mr Van den Rijn shoted notary Heyman Cohen till dead , apparently has been inspired the Van den Worm. Currently, Mrs. Keyer still suffered by the murders on that noons and it is transferred to St. Elizabeth Hospital on the evening. It will certainly take a considerable time to recover.