Tossed Down by the Rising Waves (Sudjinah, Prison Memoir)
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.
Commemorative Volume of the Second Gerwis Congress, 25-31 March 1954
Commemorative volume of the second Gerwis congress (Jakarta, 25–31 March 1954): greetings, foreign women's federations' telegrams, general report, resolutions, and the unanimous 30 March 1954 decision to rename Gerwis as Gerwani. Includes new statutes and a WIDF memorandum to the UN.
Women Write to Us From Everywhere: Indonesia (Darmini, 1954)
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
Dawn Over the Equator: Monica Felton on the Second Gerwani Congress, 1954
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
FBIS, 4 April 1954: Indonesian women support Geneva talks
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
Untruthful communist business: Gerwani congress in Jakarta
De Maasbode, 5 Apr 1954: Sukarno receives at the palace women attending the Gerwani congress in Jakarta (described as a continuation of the communist Gerwis). The Dutch communist MP Mrs Lips-Odinot conveys the 'peace-loving' Dutch people's support; Sukarno says New Guinea is the main barrier to good relations. Shows Ge
Sukarno hopes for a communist Netherlands (Gerwani congress received by Sukarno)
Eindhovensch Dagblad front-page report (5 Apr 1954) that President Sukarno received delegates of a congress in Jakarta of 'Gewani' (a continuation of communist Gerwis). Dutch communist MP Rie Lips-Odinot expressed support for Indonesia's national struggle; Sukarno answered that good relations require resolving New Guin
Good relations with Netherlands only after return of Irian (Gerwani received by Sukarno)
Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (5 Apr 1954, p.1): President and Mrs Sukarno received Gerwani members (the former Gerwis) after their five-day Jakarta congress. Sukarno said a just state cannot be achieved by one sex alone. Dutch communist MP Rie Lips-Odinot, who attended, voiced Dutch sympathy; Sukarno replied that good r
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
Russian women visiting for the Gerwani congress
De Vrije Pers item (6 Apr 1954), citing Suluh Indonesia: three Soviet women (A. Kholopova of Moscow University, a poetess and a translator) arrived in Jakarta to attend the Gerwani congress and gave a talk on women's position in the USSR; the paper remarks they wore no lipstick and simple dresses.
Russian guests for 'Gerwani'
Java-Bode, 6 April 1954, p. 2: citing Suluh Indonesia, three Soviet women (A. Kholopova of Moscow University, poetess K. Sowilyowa, translator T. Gerinewa) arrived in Jakarta for the Gerwani congress and lectured at Podium on Soviet women's position and rights. The paper remarks on their lack of lipstick and simple dre
Visitors from Russia (delegation to the Gerwani congress)
One-sentence Het Nieuwsblad voor Sumatra item (7 Apr 1954, p.3): according to Suluh Indonesia, three Russian women arrived in Jakarta on Sunday to attend the congress of the Indonesian women's organisation Gerwani. Evidence of Soviet-bloc delegates at the 1954 congress.
Izvestiia, 11 Apr 1954: delegation of Soviet women in Indonesia
Izvestiia, 11 Apr 1954. TASS, citing Harian Rakyat: when a Soviet women's delegation led by A. Kholopova reached Surakarta (Solo), thousands of Gerwani members, students and housewives met it in a demonstration of friendship; the delegation received dozens of invitations in Surakarta and Yogyakarta.
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
Russian guests for Gerwani
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 14 Apr 1954, p. 2, citing Suluh Indonesia: three Soviet women (A. Kholopova of Moscow University, poet K. Sowilyowa, translator T. Gerinewa) arrive in Jakarta on 4 April for the Gerwani congress and lecture on Soviet women's rights; the paper remarks they wore no lipstick and simple dre
Position of women discussed
Java-Bode, 23 April 1954, p. 2: Gerwani held a Wednesday-evening meeting at Adhuc Stat to welcome foreign women's delegates. Australian delegate Allison Diekei, Dutch delegate Rie Lips and Soviet delegate Alexandra Kholopova spoke on women's position in their countries; Kholopova also described study opportunities for
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
A great and strong people fights for a better life: Rie Lips on Java
De Waarheid, 12 May 1954, p. 5: opening of an interview with Rie Lips, vice-chair of the NVB, back from six weeks on Java after the Gerwis/Gerwani congress. She rejects stereotypes of Indonesians as lazy, dirty or stupid, citing women who work in factories or walk hours to attend meetings of the women's movement, 'the
Gerwani central board (80,000 members) supports the WIDF at ECOSOC (Bintang Timur, 29 May 1954)
Bintang Timur (Jakarta daily), 29 May 1954, p. 2 of a multi-article issue; only one item concerns Gerwani. Its central board (DPP Gerwani), speaking for 80,000 members, protests to the UN against ECOSOC's removal of the WIDF from consultative status, citing a letter from WIDF president Eugenie Cotton, and demands reins
Ekaterina in Java: Soviet delegates and the Gerwani congress
De Nieuwsgier, 7 Aug 1954: a Dutch-Indonesian paper recounts that Russian delegates invited to the Gerwani congress arrived after it ended but toured Java with organisers. Ekaterina Sheveleva's Izvestia report praises roads built by colonisers, laments farmers' primitive tools and notes a women's union meeting at a rai
Meeting with Indonesian women: delegation returns from the Soviet Union
De Waarheid, 8 Sep 1954, p. 5: report on an Indonesian women's delegation passing through Amsterdam after five weeks in the USSR (three in Moscow). Members came from different organisations: Masjumi Islamic women (Samsudin), PM Ali Sastroamidjojo's sister, Partai Buruh, a ministry official, students, Wanita Taman Siswa
Peace: Soviet women visit Indonesia (account by Soviet delegates)
De Waarheid, 29 Sep 1954, p. 5: Dutch printing of an account from Soviet Woman by Soviet delegates Alexandra Cholopowa and Jekaterina Sjeweljowa on their three-week visit to Indonesia at Gerwani's invitation. They describe the word 'damai' (peace), women workers' and plantation conditions in East Java and Bandung, the
Working for Peace in Asia (Suharti, 1955)
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
Diane's Diary: New Homeland (Daily News, 9 February 1955)
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
Diane's Diary: New Homeland (Daily News, 9 February 1955), duplicate
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
PKI candidate list: Sulami, general secretary of DPD Gerwani East Java (Harian Rakjat, 23 February 1955)
Harian Rakjat, 23 Feb 1955, p. 3: PKI's list of candidates for the 1955 election (nos. 94-117 visible, with party and non-party 'takberpartai' candidates). No. 100 is Sulami, independent, general secretary of DPD Gerwani East Java; no. 101 Suwarinah, member of DPD Gerwani East Java. Same page: Ny. Mudigdio, vice-chair
Salatiga: International Women's Day, 1955
De Locomotief, 9 Mar 1955: Salatiga's women's federation (10 organisations) marks International Women's Day on 8 March in the people's building; Mrs Kaslah of Gerwani gives the opening speech and Mrs Sugijarto of Rukun Wanita explains the day's meaning, followed by remarks from agencies and parties.
Signature campaign against atomic war begins in Indonesia
De Waarheid, 9 Mar 1955, p. 2: Jakarta report on the start of a signature campaign against atomic war, signed by ministers, professors and Masjumi's Wiwoho. Gerwani called on all women to join, aiming for 10,000 signatures in 12 weeks. A Peace Committee delegation was received by Sukarno; wives of the Jakarta mayor and
Suara Kalimantan, 9 Mar 1955: 'International Women's Day'
Suara Kalimantan (Banjarmasin), 9 Mar 1955, p. 3: report on International Women's Day (8 March 1955), about 1,500 women, mostly Chinese-Indonesian, with a lecture on Clara Zetkin by Nj. Soeparsono and a speaker from Gerwani.