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. 

De Escompto Bank in Semarang

De Escompto Bank office in Hoogendorpstraat or now known as Jalan Kepodang, Semarang, simply recognized by its dome-shaped tower. The year when photos taken between 1925-1930. (source: Leiden University Library)

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.

The tower with its dome that so famous as the landmarks along the Hoogendorpstraat were no longer existed. Dont know exactly when its been torned down, but now its changed into a simply roof. This art deco style building seems faced many renovation that changes the appearance of the building that built in 1912. Talking about the Escompto Bank, there’s an interested story about it in the Escompto Bank of Surabaya I got from National Geographic.

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) 

Bank of Taiwan, The Japanese Empire Wealth over Asia

A postcard depicted The Bank of Taiwan Building in Surabaya in Kembang Jepun, on the corner of Songgoyudan Street (left) and Slompretan Street (right). (date unknown - Source: Leiden University Library) 

The First Sino-Japanese War broke out between Qing Dynasty China and Japan in 1894 following a dispute over the sovereignty of Korea. Following its defeat, China ceded the islands of Taiwan and Penghu to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, signed on April 17, 1895.  One of the most notable features of Japanese rule in Taiwan was the "top-down" nature of social change. While local activism certainly played a role, most of the social, economic, and cultural changes during this period were driven by technocrats in the colonial government. With the Japanese Government as the primary driving force, as well as new immigrants from the Japanese Home Islands, Taiwanese society was sharply divided between the rulers and the ruled. The properity of Japan Empire were significantly growth in the late of 19th century, thus its colony were developed as well as the Japan itself. In order to maintain the currency used  in the colony, the Japanese Rule in Taiwan began to developed a local bank.  

The Bank of Taiwan office, in Jurnatan, on the west side
of the Jurnatan Central Station and the Bank of Taiwan logo's.
(Source: Krisna Wariyan and Wikipedia)

The Bank of Taiwan was established as Taiwan's central bank in 1899 by Taiwan's Japanese government. The bank's creation was authorized in 1897 by the Bank Act of Taiwan which encouraged Japanese enterprises, such as the Mitsubishi and Mitsui Groups, to invest in Taiwan. The money invested in the Taiwan Bank came directly from the Japanese government. The Taiwan Bank was the second largest Japanese bank in Southeast Asia.  The bank branches itself were created in other parts of Asia as the empire expanded, including areas in China and Southeast Asia. In Dutch-Indie, the bank firstly established in Surabaya in 1915, then followed by Semarang then Batavia, in the next few years. The branch of Bank of Taiwan in Semarang was in Jurnatan, by the side of Indische Motor Club office. Curently, the huilding was demolished and changed into Jurnatan business complex. The Architect firms of Karsten, Lutjens & Toussaint is the designer of this fancy building. One more, the Karsten's masterpiece, unfortunatelly the building was demolished around 1970's.

Since the Japanese seized the Dutch-Indies, the banking regulation were all taken over by the Japanese. Soon the Japanese Bank like Bank of Taiwan, and then Yokohama Specie Bank have a big roles taken over the banking system from the Nederlands Bank. A large number of Japanese companies were encouraged to launch into business in the Dutch-Indies, this also made those Japanese Bank gained a great chance to developed , but this did not last long. In March 1942  The Southern Development Bank was founded by Japanese Government. The Japanese Government urge to established the central bank in their occupied areas which would be empowered to issue banknotes. In fact, the SDB utilized both the YSB and the Taiwan Bank to establish its representations and branches, which means in fact that its business actually conducted through these banks. That’s why, the roles of Yokohama Specie Bank and the Bank of Taiwan reduced, those were become of mere bit players in the financial world in Dutch-Indies .

After the war is over and the Dutch-Indies turn into Republik Indonesia, the fortune didn’t improved. In the late of 50’s decades, while the Dutch-owned banks were all nationalized, under the spirit of inciting nationalism and independence and through Government Regulation No. 2 of 1959, other foreign banks (non-Dutch) were all liquidated, as well as Bank of Taiwan. Indonesia’s foreign and domestic political policies as well as the nationalization move by the Indonesian government sparked foreign customers to close their bank accounts and return to their home countries. A number of foreign individuals and companies shifted their banking activities to Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI). As a result, the amount of funds extended by the foreign banks dropped sharply. The extending of development and trading credits was finally taken over by the national banks. The nationalizing of the Dutch banks was a preliminary step of the national banks’ existence in the Indonesia’s economy.

Source:  

History of Bank Indonesia : Banking Period from 1953-1959

Indonesia and the War Myths and Realities (KITLV)

Internatio Building, the Battle of Surabaya Eyewitness

The wrecked car of AWS Mallaby, in front of Internatio building, behind the republican banner.
 (Source: imperial war museum)

Several days ago on November 10th , all of Indonesian people celebrated the National Heroes Day, due to commemorating the Battle of Surabaya where estimated 16.000 lives of “Arek-Arek Suroboyo” (Peoples of Surabaya) got killed in action. This bloodbath started when the uprising between the people of Surabaya and the Allied force are getting worst during the revolution for Independence.  Then, the incident in front of Internatio building who killed the Allied high rank general, AWS Mallaby later triggering the retaliation from Allied troops who launched high scale military operation recognize as the Battle of Surabaya. 

The Internatio building on 2011, owned by PT Tjipta Niaga,
but now is no longer used as office, its abandoned!

About the Battle of Surabaya events, well I guess most of us know how its happened from the history book during school time, isnt? But what about Internatio building? Why in the history book, its always be written if AWS Mallaby is killed in front of Internatio building? Eventhough when I’m visiting Surabaya, the building is no longer have a name as Internatio building. Then, I’m just realize that Internatio have a big reputation in the past, so the building name is so popular among the people.

The Internatio is a name of a trading company, one’s of the five biggest company in Indonesia during Dutch-Indie era until early post-Independence era.  Its existed from 1863 to 1970 and the background of the establishment of this company was the wish of the Twente cotton manufacturers to distribute their goods in Dutch-Indies,  which previously held by the Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM, nationalized and now become Bank Mandiri). Twente itself is prime cotton industry region and for long one of the most thoroughly proletarianised region of Netherlands. Then its established on 1863, and have a name Internationale Crediten en Handelsvereeniging Rotterdam. The objective of the company was to open trade market, finance exports in various forms, purchase and/ or rentaling ships and participating in cultural societies.  The company, operating worldwide but the fact, its only concentrated to operate in Dutch-Indie, Java island specifically. Its recorded that Internatio has 60 branch office and 2000 employers in all parts of Dutch-Indie. Some of Internatio possessions in the Dutch East Indies:

The Internatio building in Semarang, located in Kota Lama, 

around 1940.  (source : Tropenmuseum) 

1. Ament's sugar

2. Algemeene Industrial and Mining Directory

3. Agricultural Society Bantool

4. Culture Society Modjopanggoong

5. Culture Society Kenongo

6. Handelsmaatschappij Kehding van Nie

7. Paper Mill Padalarang

8. Rotterdamsche Culture Society

9. Sian Tin Operating Syndicate

10. Sumatra Rubber Company

11. Suikerfabriek Tandjong Tirto

12. Society for the Exploitation of Sugar Tjebongang

,and so on

The current condition of the former Internatio
building in Semarang, its turned into shopping
complex.

That’s explain why, Internatio is one’s of the big five trading company in Dutch-Indie beside, Borsumij, Geo Wehry, Lindeteves  and Jacobson van den Berg. After the Second World War and the independence of Indonesia,  Internatio expand their company to  Latin America and later in East Africa, because of the high sentiment of Dutch Company among the people in Indonesia in the middle of 50’s due to the West Papua conflict. Then on 1957, together with others Dutch company in Indonesia, the Internatio being nationalized like the others Dutch trading company and become PT Tjipta Niaga. Then, the glory of Internatio in Indonesia, is end. On 1970, its merged with International Wm. H. Müller & Co. to formed the Internatio-Muller Company.

In Semarang itself, the building of Internatio, which one’s of the largest office in the Old Town area, had been torned down. Actually its also burnt down during the early stage of Indonesian Revolutionary War, in 1945. Currently, the location where Internatio once stand for had changed into a shopping complex and a base for a public transport called angkot.

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).

Pasar Johar, the Traditional Market with Modern Structures

 Pasar Johar in 1938, from Djoernatan Weg (Jalan H.Agus Salim),  looks so clean and luxurious.  Far different from the current situation (Photos by: Troopenmuseum)

Market has an important role in the Economic sector of a city. Here could be calculated how the economic sector growth. The traditional market for me is the ideal place for the economic activity, because there was a nearly perfect economic competition models implemented here. Its not like in the supermarket, that the price is monopolized by the sellers, marginalizing the role of buyers as price takers. Well talking about Traditional market, in Semarang city there is a famous traditional market, Pasar Johar (pasar, eng: market), reputedly has been the largest in South East Asia in the past.

The history of Pasar Johar begin in 1860, when there is a market formed in the eastern side of the town square of Semarang (Aloon-Aloon Semarang) and its fenced by rows of johar (senna siamea) trees, Thus why this market called Pasar Johar. Considering the economic growth of Semarang city and also peoples demand of the sufficient market building, in 1933 its designed the compact, modern and large market by Ir. Thomas Karsten, where the shaped is adopted the shaped of Pasar Jatingaleh building.  This new building unites the role of five existed market at that time there was pasar johar, pasar pedamaran, pasar beteng, pasar jurnatan and  pasar pekojan.

Dutch soldier possed in front of Pasar Johar on 1945
(Photos by: H.J.Lankhuisen)

Its situated in the eastern edge of Aloon-aloon Semarang, maybe if we imagined its with nowadays situation its just like the shooping centre surround Simpang Lima Square, the shooping centre near the centre of crowd. Unfortunately, the aloon-aloon Semarang now is already changed into Yaik Permai shooping centre building. Back to the Pasar Johar, ithe main characteristic of this building is its six metres high foundation shaped like a mushroom, and the flat roof with elevation in some place as ventilation, makes the temperature cool even its have no air conditioner. This building fulfilling all the site that planned with no yard or open air place, makes its comply with Karstens purpose to efficencing the available land.

In 1960's, the north sides of building, meet  a change, and its added a wall around the fence, purposed to adding new room. This caused its appearance doesnt match with the past architecture and ventilation substandard. We can see the addition of structures seems like being forced, without considering the esthetic value of the building itself. We still could see it on the 2nd floor above the entrance Pasar Johar. What a pity!

The story of Nitisemito, "The Kings of Kretek"

The Bal Tiga factory in Jati, Kudus around 1936 and the Bal Tiga logo's, the cigarettes brand founded by Nitisemito

Last Weekends, me and my friends from university, pay a visit to Kudus city, the city which is located around 70 km away to the east from Semarang. We did our assignment from Ekonomi Pertanian (Aggricultural Economics) subject to collecting data from Sugar cane farmer and also sugar factory in Kudus to complete our assignment. 1,5 hours ridin’ my motorbikes, finally i reached this city on 10pm, and this is my first time i’m ridin’ my motorbike outside the city of Semarang alone, hehe.

Well, i’m not going to share about my experience there, but there’s one story that really interested me. That is about the Kudus city is so famous for its cigarettes, so this city also called as “Kota Kretek” (The city of kretek). The kretek it self was found by the javanesse, but nowadays, only small number of javanesse company handled this business, the others was controlled by chinesse. In fact in the early of 20 century, there was a Javanesse Tycoon named Nitisemito that ruled this business. Even if we pray in the great mosque of Kudus actually, Pekalongan, Magelang, and another city in Middle Java especially, we could find a stand pendulum clock with a Nitisemito cigarettes company, “Bal Tiga” trade mark. Seems that all of this clock are Nitisemito’s company gift. So, who is actually this man? What is he and his company story? Well, lets figure out

Nitisemito born from an ambtenaar (civil officer) family on 1863. His Father was a regent in Kudus City. Not like the others peeps who born from its kind of family, Nitisemito choose himself as a businessman. Firstly his business on textile, then in the early of 1910, he start his business in cigarettes business named Bal Tiga Cigarette. He concern on Kretek type of cifgarettes. Well, This is why he called as “The King of Kretek”, eventhough the founder of its kind of cigarettes actually not him, but a Kudus people also named Jamhari.

On that age, Nitisemito was already invented a promotional for his product like a modern company. He used a gift to interested the consumers. A couple of Bal Tiga pack can be exchanged with a goods like plate, a clock, until a bike! Also he promote his product through carious media that available, mostly through newspaper. His business start ruled the cigarettes market. A lot of Kudus people say that he wan owned a large scale of land in the Menara Region, a region that located in the heart of Kudus city.

A pendulum Clock, a gift from Nitisemito
on Masjid Jami Pekalongan 

His business start to declined since the Chinesse-Javanesse Riot on Kudus on 1918. The riot started when the chinesse beated the javanesse people when some of the javanesse insulting the chinesse festival. Well, many peeps also said that the riot actually caused by a unhealthy business rivalry between businessmen. This riot that known as “Peroesohan di Koedoes”, its really affected to all sector of industries in Kudus city. Many of house, warehouse, and factory was burnt down. Many of javanesse businessman also being arrested by the colonial police because of many of them blamed as the provocatore, mostly the businessmen that incorporated with Sarekat Islam (SI)organization.

The Bal Tiga Company fortunately can survive from its hard period, but suddenly a big problem shocked this company. The colonial government accused the company embezzling tax, and also many rumours there were an internal affairs inside the company. The company was didn’t developed well as in the past, moreover during the Japanesse occupation. The stories of this Javanesse tycoon ended when he died on 1953, and no one of his descendant become his successor. But the histories cant be bears his named as one of the succesfull javanesse businessman. Like most of the Kudus people remembered him