English typescript prison memoir by Sudjinah, Gerwani translator and journalist (c. 2000): courier in 1945-49, WIDF secretariat in Berlin, Gerwani HQ in 1965, capture in 1967, torture and detention at Bukit Duri and Tangerang. Key Gerwani survivor memoir.
CIA report, 30 April 1951, on 'Women Communists in Indonesia': Chinese and Indonesian women's links, the Stockholm peace appeal, and Gerwis chair 'Sri Mangunsarkoro' protesting France's ban on the WIDF. Early foreign surveillance of Gerwis's WIDF ties.
One-line FBIS item (6 Apr 1952): the Movement of Awakened Indonesian Women (Gerwis) will send delegates to the International Conference for the Defense of Children in Vienna, 12-16 April. Evidence of Gerwis's international children's and WIDF-circle activity.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (31 May 1952) on a Peking meeting for International Children's Day welcoming delegates returning from the Vienna children's conference. Mme Suwarti of Indonesia described the miserable life of Indonesian people and children under American imperialist exploitation and praised New China's car
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (4 Jun 1952) on day two of the Peking preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference. Suwarti of Indonesia chaired the late-morning session; Surjonegoro of Indonesia made a statement. Greetings read from the All-China Democratic Women's Federation and other Chinese bodies and fro
FBIS-monitored Xinhua report (11 Oct 1952) on a session of the Asian and Pacific Peace Conference in Peking: Dr Chen Wen-kuei's indictment of US bacteriological warfare, then speeches by delegates from India, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Chile, Vietnam. Umi Sardjono, a woman delegate from Indonesia, said Indone
CIA report, 6 July 1953, on Gerwis commissars assigned to West Java areas (Djatinegara, Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bandung), with background on Kartinah and Kartowijono and their ties to Perwari, peace and WIDF activity. Names regional Gerwis leaders.
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
FBIS item (20 Apr 1953): MP Tjugito (OCR) and Suharjo, secretary-general of SABDA, left Jakarta as SOBSI delegates to May Day in Peking. S.K. Trimurti left with the SOBSI delegation and would attend the women's congress in Copenhagen (World Congress of Women). Shows Trimurti's travel in the WIDF circuit.
FBIS item (4 May 1953): first group of Indonesia's delegation to the International Women's Congress in Copenhagen (from 5 June) left Jakarta by ship on 4 May: a SARBUPRI central committee woman (name garbled, Suranto), Maasje Siwi and Kartinah, both of Gerwis. Records named Gerwis delegates to the WIDF congress.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (4 Jul 1953): eighteen Chinese delegates to the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen), led by deputy leader Chang Yun, returned to Peking on 4 July with ten foreign women delegates invited to visit China, including Kartinah of Indonesia (Kartinah Kurdi, Gerwis). Shows the post-Copenhagen China
Short 1954 item in WIDF's 'Women Write to Us From Everywhere' by Darmini, Assistant General Secretary of Gerwani. She reports the Gerwani congress as a success, with WIDF representative Monica Felton present and foreign delegates (Dutch, Australian, Soviet) touring the country, a first in Indonesian women's movement hi
Monica Felton (WIDF Vice-President) writes in 1954 on the Second Congress of Gerwani, which she attended: 349 delegates, 80,000 members, a meeting with President Sukarno, resolutions on West Irian, the 1955 elections, a nationwide marriage law, democratic rights and support for the government against armed gangs. She s
WIDF 1954 profile of Miss Darmini of GERWIS, reporting to a WIDF meeting. Membership rose from 6,000 at the 1951 first congress to 37,000 by 1953 and about 600,000 prior to the March 1954 second congress (as printed); the Union of Railway Workers' Wives affiliated. She describes campaigns on women's rights, maternity l
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio item (11 Mar 1954): two delegates of the Soviet Anti-Fascist Women's Committee will attend the Second Gerwis Congress in Jakarta, 24-31 March, at the invitation of the Gerwis central committee; delegates from other Eastern-bloc countries will also attend. Evidence of Gerwis's socialist-bloc
FBIS item (12 Mar 1954): the Gerwis congress committee invited women's organisations in Britain, the Netherlands, the USSR, India, China and Australia to the congress due 24-31 March; the People's Republic of China reportedly said it could not send a delegation.
FBIS-monitored Xinhua item (4 Apr 1954): at its congress (25 Mar-1 Apr, Jakarta) the Indonesian women's movement, Gerwani, pledged support for the Geneva Conference and demanded prohibition of weapons of mass destruction. Says Gerwani is the new name of the women's democratic federation (Gerwis), a permanent WIDF membe
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
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
1955 article by Suharti (Suharti Suwarto), Vice-President of Gerwani, based on her speech at the WIDF Council in Geneva. Links the Bandung Conference to peace; says Gerwani had 281,000 members; calls for reunion of Western Irian; reports women's election preparations, winning the right to be polling officers, support f
Daily News (Perth), 9 Feb 1955, p. 18, 'Diane's Diary' women's column. The second item reports Mrs A. Dickie, a Presbyterian minister's wife, who was the Union of Australian Women's delegate to a conference in Djakarta 'conducted by the Indonesian Women's Movement' (about 500 women) in April 1954, then toured Java and
Daily News (Perth), 9 Feb 1955, p. 18, 'Diane's Diary' women's column. The second item reports Mrs A. Dickie, a Presbyterian minister's wife, who was the Union of Australian Women's delegate to a conference in Djakarta 'conducted by the Indonesian Women's Movement' (about 500 women) in April 1954, then toured Java and
CIA intelligence survey of the PKI's history, structure and front organisations, May 1955, before the September 1955 elections. Section III.E (report pp. 49-50) profiles Gerwani: founded 1950 as Gerwis, renamed Gerwani at the March 1954 congress, 25,000+ members, S.K. Trimurti general chairman and Umi Sardjono chairman
Umi Sardjono's general report for the Gerwani DPP Executive to the 3rd DPP Plenary (16-19 June 1956), published by DPP Gerwani. Reviews the 1955 election campaign (23,480 new Gerwani workers; five Gerwani members elected, including Umi Sardjono and Salawati), marriage-law and anti-polygamy casework (86 of 115 cases res
1956 page of speeches to the WIDF Council: Teng Ying-chao (China), Hajrah Begum (India) and Suharti, Gerwani Vice-President and MP. Suharti reports Gerwani membership grew from 281,000 to 565,147, its cooperation at the Palembang Women's Congress (March 1955), International Children's Day events, and delegations demand
1956 WIDF bulletin item on Indonesia: the Gerwani Central Council's report on cooperation with other women's organisations, overcoming mistrust, membership rising from 281,000 to 565,147, local marriage-rights actions, rural work with peasant groups, the All-Indonesia Women's Congress adopting Gerwani's proposed Charte
Indian Daily Mail, 27 May 1956 (lead only). A delegation of Indonesian working women arrived in Moscow at the invitation of the Soviet trade-union council (VTsSPS), led by Setiati Surasto, secretary for economic affairs of an Indonesian agricultural (peasant) organisation. Solidarity with the socialist bloc.
CIA compilation 'WIDF: A Compilation of Available Basic Information' (Oct 1956). In its affiliate list it gives Gerwani (Gerakan Wanita Indonesia) claimed strength of 281,000 (Feb 1955) and 565,147 (Apr 1956), with president Umi Sardjono and vice-president Suharti Suwarto (p.20); the WIDF Council list shows Indonesian
Excerpt from the WIDF Information Bulletin No. 14 (1957): Mme Suwarti (Suwarti Bintang Suradi), member of the Gerwani executive, reports on social insurance and protection for mothers and children in Indonesia. She notes obstacles for women officials, company rules such as Shell-BPM ending employment on marriage, lack
WIDF magazine 1957 'We Saw and Heard at the Council Meeting' with delegate speeches at the Helsinki Council. Umi Sardjono, President of Gerwani (640,000 members), reports a nationwide marriage-law campaign, the 1955 elections (five Gerwani members in parliament, six in the Constituent Assembly, 52 provincial councillor