Commemoration committee for Kartini Day
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1955-03-29, p. 2, much unreadable): school-youth committee for Kartini Day celebrations in Bandung, initiated by the Taman Siswa pupils' association, with IPPI and school boards, planning sport, an exhibition of handicrafts and a reception. Named board members are pupils; neither Gerwani nor S
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10): feature on a Muslim feminist campaign against polygamy, starting with the Pakistani PM Mohamed Ali's second marriage and spreading to Java. Says Fatmawati Sukarno was recruited and that Hartini was pregnant during the Bandung Conference. A snippet names Mme Suharti, president of the 'very
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy (extract)
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10), snippet extract of the polygamy feature: unrest in Indonesia over Sukarno's marriage to Hartini, in which Mme Suharti, president of the 'very communist-leaning' Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani), took advantage; Hartini's pregnancy surfaced as the Bandung Conference drew attention.
Theft by Dutch imperialism: one cow per farmer per year (Aidit speaks in Bandung)
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1955-05-31, p. 2): PKI election rally at Tegallega, Bandung, with tens of thousands present. Candidates Eddy Abdurrachman and Mrs. Suwarti open, she stressing women's interests; D.N. Aidit criticises post-RTC governments and the Madiun executions of Musso and Sjarifuddin without trial. Archive
Other speakers at the PKI meeting: Umi Sardjono explains choosing PKI
De Nieuwsgier report (31 May 1955, p. 2) on a PKI anniversary/election rally in Jakarta where Aidit spoke. Mrs. Oemi Sartono (Umi Sardjono), described as a non-party Gerwani member, said she chose the PKI because it is a choice of being for or against the people; non-party candidate Astrawinata also spoke.
The Ali cabinet: PKI mass meeting with Umi Sardjono
De Locomotief, 1 June 1955: report of a PKI mass meeting in Jakarta where Aidit backs the Ali cabinet and urges peaceful election campaigning. Mrs Umi Sardjono, introduced as a non-party Gerwani member and PKI candidate, says she chose the PKI because it is a choice of being for or against the people. Date: the party's
A home
Fragmentary Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item 'Een tehuis' (1955-06-02, p. 2): proposal for a children's home with expert carers for neglected children of working or ill parents. The plan arose at a meeting of main women's organisations, including Perwari, Budi Isteri and Gerwani, in Bandung; a founding committee formed on
The PKI is 35 years old
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 8 Jun 1955, p. 2: report on the PKI's 35th-anniversary rally at Merdeka Square, Jakarta. Umi Sardjono, general chairwoman of Gerwani, attacks feudalism and large landownership; Aidit speaks on Muslim-nationalist-communist unity and Dutch profits, with slogans against Dutch and landlords
Solidarity with strikers at Public Works
Brief Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1955-08-13, p. 2): during the Public Works workers' strike, the women's organisation Gerwani declared solidarity with the strikers, as did the metalworkers' union SBIM and the SOBSI branch in Bandung.
A village cast its vote
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad reportage (1955-09-30, p. 2) from the village of Tjoblong-Sekeloa, Bandung, on the 29 September 1955 election: 1,147 voters at a bamboo polling place. A child-minding and first-aid post near the booths is run by a committee of eleven women: one from Muslimat, two from Wanita Demokrat and eight
Better roads
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item 'Betere wegen' (1956-01-03, p. 2): at the Wanita Demokrat's instigation, the village of Tjoblong in North Bandung sets up a road-improvement committee led by lurah Ateng Sutisna. Members include PSII, PKI, Wanita Demokrat, Gerwani, Permai, PNI, NU and the local guard; first project i
The committee
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1956-08-06, p. 2): composition of the Bandung 17 August committee, chaired by the mayor, with vice-chairs from Masyumi, PNI, PKI and NU. Treasurers are Mrs. Kamarga (Perwari), Mrs. S. Sriwenda (Parkiwa) and one more Gerwani member still to be named. Also a basketball tournament anno
Mrs Soong Ching Ling at Institute for the Deaf-Mute
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1956-08-20, p. 2): report of Soong Ching Ling's visit to Bandung, including the Institute for the Deaf-Mute and a dinner with Governor Sanusi. At nine in the evening a women's delegation led by Gerwani called on her, after which the evening continued with singing and dancing.
Installation of transitional council
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad (1956-09-13, p. 2): installation of Bandung's transitional municipal council by Governor Sanusi Hardjadinata. A photo caption lists members, including Mrs. Rd. Moesmini of Gerwani, Miss Sari Banon Jachja (NU) and Mrs. Amartiwi Moh. Saleh (PSI); the council serves one year.
Statements
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1956-11-12, p. 2): a campaign of protest statements and telegrams against the British-French and Israeli attack on Egypt (Suez) is sent to the Indonesian government and British and French embassies by SOBSI, Sarbupri, Lekra West Java, Gerwani, OBSI Sumatra, KBKI Bandung, SBII and Pe
Election committee
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1956-11-20, p. 2): the Constituent Assembly forms a five-member committee to arrange the election of its chairman: Slamet (PNI), Ali Imbido (NU), Muh. Hidajat (Masyumi), Mayrengsay (Partai Katolik) and Mrs. Suwarti (PKI), identified in the archive as Suwarti Bintang Suradi.
Chairmanship of the Constituent Assembly
Java-Bode, 20 November 1956, p. 2: Constituent Assembly meeting in Bandung to elect its chair; five candidates (Abidin, Dachlan, Njoto of the PKI, Wilopo, Yamin) are reduced to Dachlan (Islamic front) and Wilopo (Pancasila front) after three withdrew. Mrs Suwarti (PKI) sits on the five-member election committee. No Ger
Bandung in brief
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad 'Bandung in short' column (1957-01-02, p. 2), partly unreadable. Relevant items: Gerwani's regional congress will end with a reception on 3 January at the Gedung Jajasan in Bandung to announce its decisions; Gerwani Tasikmalaya sent a statement to the Constituent Assembly wanting the constituti
Bandung in brief: Gerwani reception
Short Algemeen Indisch Dagblad item (1957-01-02): to conclude its regional congress, Gerwani will hold a reception on 3 January at 19.30 at the Gedung Jajasan in Bandung, at which the congress decisions will be announced.
'One-man factions' in parliament disappointed
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad political roundup (1957-03-02, p. 2) on Sukarno's 'conception' of gotong-royong cabinet: one-man MP factions complain of exclusion, Nasution meets Sukarno, PNI Surabaya rallies, Natsir attacks the plan. An 'Adhesion' item says declarations of support came from the youth council DPI, Gerwani Ban
'The fathers are not pure': Mrs Fatmawati Sukarno: 'Let me form a cabinet'
Dagblad voor Noord-Limburg, 30 Mar 1957: Fatmawati, Sukarno's first wife, who left the palace after his 1954 marriage to Hartini 'to the great indignation of the Indonesian women's organisation', proposes in an open letter that a non-party woman form the new cabinet ('the fathers are not pure'). Page also covers anti-c
Classified advertisements, Java-Bode 1 April 1957
Java-Bode, 1 April 1957, p. 3: a page of classified advertisements (bookkeeper wanted, midwife wanted, tractor and car for sale, bank holiday notice, pharmacy opening). The 'Trimurti' in it is N.V. Trimurti, a firm seeking typists, not S.K. Trimurti. No relevance to Gerwani or Indonesian politics.
Bandung in brief
Algemeen Indisch Dagblad 'Bandung in short' column (1957-10-19, p. 2) of local news. Relevant: Gerwani, which now has fifteen kindergartens across West Java, has begun a one-month emergency course to train teaching staff, with theory taught by Miss Sri Sulistiewaty of IPPI. Other items cover rice distribution, a Red Cr
Captain Cook with strangely quiet children: the Dutch house, a cold deserted harbour
Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant, 20 January 1958, p. 3: reporter's account of the arrival at IJmuiden of the Captain Cook with about a thousand Dutch and Indo-Dutch evacuees expelled from Indonesia after the December 1957 takeover of Dutch enterprises. It records broken families, fears and a claim that communist union cars
New anti-Dutch demonstrations
Ons Noorden (17 May 1960): amid anti-Dutch demonstrations, the oil union Perboem and the PKI-affiliated women's organisation Gerwani urge the government to seize remaining Dutch capital in mixed enterprises such as Shell, BPM and Unilever. Demonstrations continue in Bandung, Surabaya and Semarang.
How it turns out - that's what matters!
Algemeen Dagblad feature by H.N. Appel from Jakarta (1964-04-10) on Indonesia's new elite, its revolutionary rhetoric and economic hardship. Briefly describes women as playing a small, decorative role in a 'men's society', noting Sukarno's second wife Hartini at a party. Gerwani is not mentioned.
Prisoners Tell of Indonesian Plan (Canberra Times, 31 December 1964)
Canberra Times, 31 Dec 1964, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): two captured Indonesian soldiers claim Indonesia is forming a Malayan government and army in exile in Sumatra during Konfrontasi. Final paragraphs report about 500 housewives, led by Mrs Subandrio of the Indonesian Women's Congress, protesting prices in Jakarta. Gerwani n
ANP news report, 11 October 1965 (Indonesia: Gerwani headquarters burned in Aceh)
ANP radio bulletin, 11 Oct 1965: the army arrests all PKI board members in Bandung, and in Aceh demonstrators burned down the headquarters of Gerwani. Also notes the evacuation of American embassy families from Jakarta. Early evidence of anti-Gerwani violence outside Java.
Evening Post (Wellington), 12 Oct 1965, NZPA-Reuter report: Communists flee into Central Java hills from an Army dragnet; branch officials detained; US embassy dependants withdrawn. Mobs ransacked Communist youth, women's and trade-union offices in Jakarta; per Radio Malaysia quoting Radio Jakarta, a crowd burned the G
Armed Java Reds Flee to Hills to Escape Dragnet (Evening Post, 12 October 1965), headline clipping
Headline-only clipping 'Armed Java Reds Flee to Hills to Escape Dragnet' from the Evening Post of 12 Oct 1965; the Gerwani passage is not in this fragment.