Loose and fast from the Republic
De Locomotief, 13 May 1948: satirical column by an 'Indonesian collaborator' on life in the Republic. It says former Minister of Labour S.K. Trimurti, after the fall of the Amir cabinet, is 'a wiser but sadder woman' who no longer speaks publicly, and that Republican women were reluctant to speak at meetings. Hostile,
Irony in the RIS parliament
Trouw (25 Feb 1950), ANP report on the first session of the RIS parliament: ironic laughter from republican members at Dutch congratulatory telegrams, cautious talk of inter-parliamentary cooperation. Mrs Mudigdo (listed as Partai Sosialis member, not seated as such) says she would like to meet Dutch women MPs, seconde
Last phase of parliament: the constitution
De Locomotief, 25 July 1950: report on the last phase of the RIS parliament, opened by Sartono, and the draft unitary constitution. Mrs Moedigdio (Mudigdio) of the Socialist Party is one of the members who say parliament must keep the right of amendment. Text is partly garbled; no Gerwis reference.
Merdeka, 10 March 1951: 'Gelanggang Wanita' women's column
Merdeka, 10 Mar 1951, p. 3: women's column reporting that Jakarta's International Women's Day on 8 March 1951 was not commemorated by Indonesian groups for lack of Kowani consensus, while 1,500 Chinese women met with Ny. Aidit of Gerwis present.
Indonesia celebrates International Children's Day: 25,000 came instead of 4,000
De Waarheid, 19 Jul 1951, p. 5: correspondent's report on Indonesia's first International Children's Day, held in Jakarta on 1 June 1951 with some 25,000 children instead of the expected 4,000. Initiated by the young women's organisation Gerwis, supported by Chinese groups, Pemuda Rakjat, SOBSI and the Peasants' Union
Reshuffle of the Women's Front in parliament (Harian Rakjat, 14 February 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 14 Feb 1952 (four-page issue; p.3): a short item that the parliamentary Women's Front (Front Wanita) was reshuffled, with Mrs Sukemi now chair and N. Suwarti secretary, replacing chair Mrs Mudigdo and a secretary whose name is garbled. Also a garbled note on a Gerwis Kebayoran branch meeting, a Soviet wo
ACDWF telegrams for 8 March 1952, including Cai Chang to Gerwis (Renmin Ribao, 6 March 1952)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Mar 1952 (p. 4): All-China Democratic Women's Federation (Cai Chang) telegrams for International Women's Day to the WIDF, Soviet, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, German and Burmese women's bodies and to the Indonesian Gerwis. The Gerwis message praises Indonesian women's role in the independence s
ACDWF telegrams for 8 March 1952, including Cai Chang to Gerwis (Renmin Ribao, 6 March 1952)
Renmin Ribao, 6 Mar 1952 (p. 4): All-China Democratic Women's Federation (Cai Chang) telegrams for International Women's Day to the WIDF, Soviet, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, German and Burmese women's bodies and to the Indonesian Gerwis. The Gerwis message praises Indonesian women's role in the independence s
Abadi, 10 March 1952, p. 3: International Women's Day in Jakarta
Abadi, 10 Mar 1952, p. 3: Antara report on Jakarta's International Women's Day celebration by nine women's organisations with Gerwis as general secretariat (about 1,000 attended, incl. MPs Mudigdo and Susilowati); Perwari asks for a woman minister.
Gerwis sends Suwarti and Darmini to child-defence conference in Vienna (Harian Rakjat, 8 April 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 8 Apr 1952, p.3-4: Gerwis, led by Umi Sardjono (PB Gerwis), hosts a reception in Jakarta for organisations and officials, including Health Ministry's Dr Syulianti, to prepare a national committee for child defence; Trimurti speaks on child labour and schooling. Gerwis delegates Suwarti and Darmini (alrea
Gerwis protests at the Egyptian consulate
Java-Bode, 16 Apr 1952, p. 1: Gerwis hands a letter to the Egyptian consulate protesting the Cairo governor's ban on women voting in Egyptian elections, communicated to Doria Shafik of the Daughters of the Nile, and urges its withdrawal.
Gerwis protests Egyptian ban on women voting
De Nieuwsgier, 17 Apr 1952: Gerwis hands a letter to the Egyptian consulate protesting the Cairo governor's decision that women may not take part in Egyptian elections, and urges Egypt to withdraw it. Early example of Gerwis's international women's-rights solidarity.
Dissolution meeting of the 8 March Committee at Gerwis building, Mrs Sutanti Aidit (Harian Rakjat, 19 April 1952)
Harian Rakjat, 19 April 1952. On p. 5 a short report says the 8 March (International Women's Day) Committee held its dissolution meeting at the Gerwis building, Gang Lontar, Jakarta, chaired by Ny. Sutanti Aidit of Gerwis; delegates of Gerwis, Pemuda Puteri Indonesia, Perwari, PWKI and other women's bodies adopted a re
Women's congress in Jakarta initiated by Gerwis
De Nieuwsgier, 31 Mar 1953: on Gerwis's initiative a conference of women's organisation representatives from across Indonesia will meet in Jakarta on 2-3 April to collect data on Indonesian women's social, economic and political struggle, discuss the WIDF world women's congress in Denmark in June and consider sending a
To the congress in Denmark: delegation chosen for Copenhagen
Aneta report in De Vrije Pers (7 Apr 1953): at a Gerwis-initiated meeting of women's organisations (2-3 April, Jakarta) it was decided to send a delegation to the WIDF women's congress in Denmark in June. Delegates include S.K. Trimurti, Kandjinah and Maasje Siwi of Gerwis, plus Wanita Demokrat and others.
Alger republicain: Indonesian women's movement Gerwis prepares the World Congress of Women
Alger républicain (11 Apr 1953, p.4): a short item reports that the Indonesian women's movement Gerwis called on its 141 national branches to put on the agenda for preparing the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen, June 1953) women's rights, recruitment of new members, social and economic work, and strengthening the ch
Alger republicain: Indonesian women's movement Gerwis prepares the World Congress of Women (extract)
Alger républicain (11 Apr 1953, p.4; clean snippet extract): a short item reports that the Indonesian women's movement Gerwis called on its 141 national branches to put on the agenda for preparing the World Congress of Women (Copenhagen, June 1953) women's rights, recruitment of new members, social and economic work, a
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
Indonesia: Miss Darmini of Gerwis (WIDF, 1954)
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, 4 April 1954: 'Gerwani' representatives visit Sukarno
FBIS-monitored Jakarta radio (4 Apr 1954): President and Madame Sukarno received Gerwani members after their Second Congress; Sukarno said equal rights are not women's final mission, which needs a just, prosperous country. A Dutch women's movement member spoke for peace; Sukarno tied Indonesian-Dutch understanding to W
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Renmin Ribao, 15 Sep 1955: Indonesian parties begin election campaigning (Aidit; Umi Sardjono)
Renmin Ribao p. 4 (15 Sep 1955) on the campaign before the 1955 elections. The excerpt says that besides PKI leader Aidit's speech at a rally, the campaign speakers included a PKI leader transliterated 'Aliming' and women's leader Mrs Umi Sardjono; a non-party candidate Mrs D. Susanto is also named, apparently at a Sem
Renmin Ribao, 15 Sep 1955: Indonesian parties begin election campaigning (Aidit; Umi Sardjono)
Renmin Ribao p. 4 (15 Sep 1955) on the campaign before the 1955 elections. The excerpt says that besides PKI leader Aidit's speech at a rally, the campaign speakers included a PKI leader transliterated 'Aliming' and women's leader Mrs Umi Sardjono; a non-party candidate Mrs D. Susanto is also named, apparently at a Sem
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
Gerwani and painless childbirth
Java-Bode, 23 January 1956, p. 2: the Gerwani central board wrote to the government welcoming Pope Pius XII's endorsement of painless childbirth, credited the theory's discoverer, Soviet professor Pavlov, and urged the government to let Indonesian scholars learn it for mass application. Other snippets (Kalimantan impor