It began in Paris: five years of the WIDF
De Waarheid retrospective (14 Dec 1950) on five years of the WIDF, founded in Paris in Dec 1945, describing its heroines and growth to 91 million members in 59 countries, the 1946 founding of the Dutch Women's Movement, the 1949 Asian women's conference in Peking and the Stockholm Appeal. Indonesian women are only name
Hungarian-language press, 1951: WIDF Korea commission, Trees Soenito Heyligers
Hungarian-language daily Uj Szo (1 June 1951, p. 2), search snippet only: a statement by 'Tress Soenito Heiligers', the Dutch woman delegate, about people hunted down and shot en masse; the context is the WIDF commission on Korea. The sweep identifies her as Trees Sunito, a woman later known as a lawyer in Indonesia; t
We Accuse: WIDF delegation report on US bombing in Korea (Friheten, 9 Aug 1951)
Page of the Norwegian communist daily Friheten (Oslo), 9 August 1951, with the last chapter of the Women's International Democratic Federation delegation's report on US bombing in Korea. It names the commission members, among them Trees Soenito Heyligers (Netherlands), and describes destruction at Kaichen. The same pag
We Accuse: WIDF delegation report on US bombing in Korea (Friheten, 9 Aug 1951)
Page of the Norwegian communist daily Friheten (Oslo), 9 August 1951, with the last chapter of the Women's International Democratic Federation delegation's report on US bombing in Korea. It names the commission members, among them Trees Soenito Heyligers (Netherlands), and describes destruction at Kaichen. The same pag
Hungarian-language press, 1951: WIDF Korea commission, Trees Soenito Heyligers
Hungarian county daily Somogyi Néplap, 14 Aug 1951 (snippet only). Lists the officers of the WIDF commission on Korea: the secretary from Czechoslovakia and, as deputy, Trees Soenito Heyligers of the Netherlands. The catalogue treats her as the Trees Sunito later named as Njono's defence counsel; that identification, a
Hungarian press, Aug 1951: WIDF Korea commission, Trees Soenito Heyligers
Hungarian county daily (Bekes Megyei Nepujsag, 22 Aug 1951); the search snippet lists WIDF Korea commission officers: vice-presidents Miluse Svatosova (Czechoslovakia) and Trees Soenito Heyligers (Netherlands), secretary Monica Felton. The sweep identifies her as Trees Sunito; only a snippet was retrieved, so Gerwani m
Hungarian-language press, 1951: WIDF Korea commission, Trees Soenito Heyligers
Hungarian county daily Zala, 15 Sep 1951; the search snippet names Bui Lan (China) and Trees Soenito Heyligers (Netherlands) in connection with the WIDF Korea commission. The sweep identifies her as Trees Sunito; only a fragmentary snippet was retrieved, so Gerwani membership is not shown.
US State Dept. report IR-6165, January 1953: Communism in the Free World - Indonesia section on Gerwis
US State Department Office of Intelligence Research report IR-6165, 'Communism in the Free World' (January 1953), a compilation of about 30 country studies of communist capabilities, held in the CIA reading room. The Indonesia study (IR-6165.3) covers PKI aims and tactics, labour, and front organisations. Section VI.A
Latest news from Indonesia (April 1953)
News roundup of Antara dispatches, Indische Courant voor Nederland, 18 Apr 1953, p. 4. Relevant: Maasje Siwi of Gerwis left Surabaya for Copenhagen for the WIDF conference; SOBSI and union leaders left for Peking; also 17 October affair follow-up and Chairul Saleh's expulsion from the Netherlands.
Izvestiia, 11 Jun 1953: at the World Congress of Women, Copenhagen
Izvestiia, 11 Jun 1953, p. 3. TASS and correspondent reports from the Copenhagen World Congress of Women. Indonesian women's moment: a Dutch delegate greeted Indonesian women, and Mrs Van Staveren, whose son refused to fight in Indonesia and was jailed for seven years, handed his portrait to Indonesian delegate Surasto
Sunday Worker, 28 June 1953, p. 12: World Congress of Women, Copenhagen (Indonesian delegates)
Sunday Worker, 28 June 1953, p. 12: account of the WIDF World Congress of Women in Copenhagen, describing delegates in the lobby (including 'exquisite Indonesians') and calls for peace. A moving scene has Indonesian and Dutch women embracing after a Dutch delegate said her people fought for liberty everywhere; Vietnam,
Dear sisters: Dutch Women's Movement greeting to Indonesian women
De Waarheid, 14 Aug 1953, p. 3: open letter from the NVB chair G. Blokker-de Groot congratulating 'dear Indonesian sisters' on the eighth anniversary of the Republic, praising Gerwis as a sister organisation of great significance in women's struggle for equality. Recalls the Dutch and Indonesian women's meeting at the
Australian women tell about World Congress
Tribune (Sydney), 14 Oct 1953, p. 6: three Australian delegates (Flo Davis, Joyce Egan, Fuchsia Lewin) describe the WIDF World Congress of Women, Copenhagen, June 1953 (1,187 women, 70 countries). They stress peace, equal pay and socialist-bloc childcare. Indonesia appears briefly: Indonesian women urge support for a K
Australian women tell about World Congress
Tribune (Sydney), 14 Oct 1953, p. 6: three Australian delegates (Flo Davis, Joyce Egan, Fuchsia Lewin) describe the WIDF World Congress of Women, Copenhagen, June 1953 (1,187 women, 70 countries). They stress peace, equal pay and socialist-bloc childcare. Indonesia appears briefly: Indonesian women urge support for a K
Short 1954 WIDF note 'Dutch-Indonesian Solidarity': Dutch women's movement raised funds for a delegate to attend the Gerwis national congress (March 25) and sold soap 'For peace and friendship between Indonesian and Dutch women'. Mrs. Umi of Gerwis's executive says the campaign strengthened solidarity and showed Dutch
Indonesian and Dutch delegates meet at WIDF Executive, Geneva (1954)
Caption (1954) from WIDF's magazine: Indonesian and Dutch delegates met at the Geneva WIDF Executive Committee. Mrs. Rie Lips of the Dutch women's movement was invited to the congress of GERWIS, described as the national organisation in Indonesia with 80,000 members.
Women of Indonesia prepare their congress: Umi Sardjono excerpts from Harian Rakjat
De Waarheid, 10 Mar 1954, p. 5: excerpts from an article by Umi (Sardjono), Gerwis board member, in Harian Rakjat preparing Gerwis's second congress. She lists invitations to women's groups in the USSR, China, Netherlands, India and WIDF, and stresses plantation and factory women, mass dismissals driving women into pro
Muntilan: committee to receive foreign women's delegations
De Locomotief, 30 Mar 1954: Muntilan sets up a committee led by the local Gerwis branch to receive a forthcoming visit (April) of representatives of the WIDF and Chinese, Indian, Australian and Dutch women's organisations, to be welcomed at Borobudur. Evidence of Gerwis's WIDF-linked international hospitality.
Java-Bode, 5 April 1954, p. 2: WIDF vice-president Monica Felton lectured in Jakarta on the Federation's work and its relevance to Indonesia, after attending the second Gerwani congress as a guest. Rie Lips Odinot (Dutch Women's Movement) and the Australian Democratic Women's organisation also spoke on their groups' wo
Men and women must build the state together
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 14 Apr 1954, p. 3: President Sukarno receives Gerwani delegates after their five-day congress in Jakarta, saying women's problems are solved by a just state built by men and women together. Dutch MP Rie Lips-Odinot raises West Irian; WIDF vice-president Monica Felton lectures; Australia
We need their friendship: 80 million Indonesians
Tribune (Sydney), 12 May 1954, p. 11: Allison Dickie, Union of Australian Women delegate, reports on the 1954 Indonesian women's congress. She describes Gerwis, the league of women 'more politically awake', whose work helped hundreds of thousands become literate and from which Gerwani developed; the six-day Gerwani Nat
We need their friendship: 80 million Indonesians
Tribune (Sydney), 12 May 1954, p. 11: Allison Dickie, Union of Australian Women delegate, reports on the 1954 Indonesian women's congress. She describes Gerwis, the league of women 'more politically awake', whose work helped hundreds of thousands become literate and from which Gerwani developed; the six-day Gerwani Nat
Lilly Wachter portrait: West German delegate at the Dutch Women's Movement congress
De Waarheid, 19 Mar 1956, p. 3: profile of Lilly Wachter (West Germany), attending the NVB congress for the WIDF. Recalls the 1951 WIDF commission to Korea, in which Trees Sunito-Heyligers represented the NVB, and how Wachter was jailed 25 days and fined 12,000 marks after signing its report blaming US forces. Sunito a
Sukarno: with two billion people's support Indonesia will win; West Irian (Renmin Ribao, 23 December 1957)
Renmin Ribao, 23 Dec 1957, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Sukarno receives WIDF vice-president Maria Maddalena Rossi, invited to Gerwani's Third National Congress, and says two billion people back Indonesia on West Irian; second item reports Djuanda placing the West Irian struggle under the National Security Council and the D
Sukarno: with two billion people's support Indonesia will win; West Irian (Renmin Ribao, 23 December 1957)
Renmin Ribao, 23 Dec 1957, p. 6 (Xinhua, Jakarta): Sukarno receives WIDF vice-president Maria Maddalena Rossi, invited to Gerwani's Third National Congress, and says two billion people back Indonesia on West Irian; second item reports Djuanda placing the West Irian struggle under the National Security Council and the D
IVth Congress of the Women's International Democratic Federation, Vienna, June 1958
WIDF volume on the IVth Congress, Vienna, 1-5 June 1958: speeches, reports and resolutions. Gerwani appears directly: Mudigdio, vice-president of Gerwani and head of the Indonesian delegation, speaks (pp. 89-92) for 663,740 members, citing equal-pay claims, the Third Gerwani Congress (December 1957), West Irian, work w
Dolgozó Nő, 1 Feb 1958: the ground burns under the Dutch (West Irian)
Dolgozó Nő, 1 Feb 1958. Article on West Irian and the Netherlands, presenting Dutch rule as colonial exploitation of a resource-rich territory that is part of Indonesia; it states Gerwani is highly active in the campaign to regain West Irian, supported by Asian and African women's groups and all 80 member federations o
Millions of Women Abroad behind the Indonesian People's Struggle for Independence
Api Kartini (1959) article on how the WIDF (GWDS) and millions of women abroad supported Indonesia's independence struggle, noting Gerwani as an Indonesian member. Recounts WIDF's 1947 message to the UN against the Dutch aggression, Dutch women's protests (Schoonhoven, NVB), 1949 actions and later solidarity on Irian B