1949 – 2021
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.
Berliner Zeitung, 23 April 1949, p. 2: report 'Frieden – Grundlage des Glücks' on a rally in Berlin's Friedrichstadt-Palast supporting the Paris/Prague peace congresses. DFD chair Elli Schmidt holds up the women of Indonesia, Vietnam and China as the example for German women to struggle, not merely long, for peace. Ind
Femmes du monde entier no. 50, January 1951, the French-language WIDF bulletin issued from Berlin. Editorial and reports urge women to back the Second World Peace Congress's address to the UN: Korea, Formosa and Vietnam, banning mass-destruction weapons, colonial oppression (Madagascar, Vietnam, South Africa), war prop
Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 13 Mar 1951 (p. 4), relaying TASS and the Dutch paper De Waarheid: representatives of Indonesian women's organisations met in Yogyakarta, endorsed the World Peace Council's Berlin call for a five-power peace pact, and resolved that Indonesian women's organisations should link with and join
Xinhua item in Renmin Ribao, 13 Mar 1951 (p. 4), relaying TASS and the Dutch paper De Waarheid: representatives of Indonesian women's organisations met in Yogyakarta, endorsed the World Peace Council's Berlin call for a five-power peace pact, and resolved that Indonesian women's organisations should link with and join
De Waarheid, 7 Jul 1951, p. 3: short report that a second group of Indonesian participants left Jakarta on 2 July for the Third World Youth Festival in Berlin, 38 in all. Among them is Darmini, representing the women's movement, with painter Sudjojono and union and youth delegates. Farewell speeches came from PKI, SOBS
Issue 14 of Wanita Sedar, fortnightly organ of Gerwis (25 July 1951). Covers preparation for the first Gerwis congress (57 branches, WIDF links), the Indonesian delegation to the Berlin youth festival including three Gerwis delegates, women in Czechoslovakia, and organisational news.
WIDF pamphlet (Berlin, Dec 1952) surveying women's political rights, wages, unemployment, education, rural conditions and social protection country by country, and issuing the Call to the World Congress of Women (Denmark, June 1953). Indonesia appears briefly: equal rights on paper under the 1950 Constitution, no elect
Berliner Zeitung, 7 March 1952, p. 8. Report 'Mit tapferen Herzen und fleißigen Händen' on the DFD/FDGB reception for 300 Berlin women activists ahead of International Women's Day. Indonesia appears only in passing: Darmini, 'the black-haired Indonesian woman' who has lived in Berlin for some months, is among IDFF gues
Berliner Zeitung, 14 March 1952, p. 2: "Die herrlichste Sache der Welt...", a reception report in which women from five countries welcome the Soviet draft peace treaty for Germany. A young Indonesian woman, Darmini, about to return home, says Indonesia's people value cooperation with Germany and await the treaty. Indon
Neue Zeit, 14 March 1952, p. 2: short item 'Empfang der IDFF' on an International Women's Day closing celebration held by the WIDF in Berlin's Haus der Jugend, with Marie-Claude Vaillant-Couturier and DFD's Wilhelmine Schirmer-Pröscher. WIDF staff members from England, Syria, Indonesia, the USA and Canada reported on w
Neues Deutschland, 29 March 1952, p. 2: report 'Großberliner Schülerkonferenz' on a Berlin schoolchildren's conference organised by the German Society for the Protection of Children, with WIDF representatives present. The Indonesian kindergarten teacher Darmini, with Jeanette Turner of the USA, described the catastroph
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
Harian Rakjat, Jakarta, 30 June 1952 (full issue; p. 1 relevant). Reports that Suwarti, MP, sent by Gerwis in April to the Vienna conference on children's rights, returned to Jakarta; she describes contacts with WIDF, contrasts socialist and capitalist countries, announces the Peking peace conference, and complains tha
Report volume (WIDF, Berlin, 1953) on the World Congress of Women, Copenhagen, 5-10 June 1953: reports, speeches, documents, resolutions and the officers elected. Gerwani and Gerwis are not named. Indonesia appears in the congress report (p. 4), which says its 10 delegates and observers came from six organisations, one
Neues Deutschland, 16 January 1953, p. 2. 'Vorwärts zum Weltkongreß der Frauen 1953!', a staff report on the DFD federal board session in Berlin where Elli Schmidt presented awards. Indonesia is a passing mention only: IDFF (WIDF) representatives from Czechoslovakia, Indonesia and the USA attended as a sign of solidari
Berliner Zeitung, 4 June 1953, p. 1: ADN report 'Als Friedensboten zum Weltkongreß' on the send-off in Berlin of the GDR women's delegation to the World Congress of Women in Copenhagen. It was seen off together with delegates from China, Burma, Indonesia and Austria; the Indonesian delegates are unnamed. Wilhelmine Sch
Neues Deutschland, 4 June 1953, p. 1: picture caption 'Frauendelegationen zum Weltkongreß verabschiedet'. Delegates from Burma, Indonesia, Austria, the GDR and China were formally seen off in Berlin to the World Congress of Women in Copenhagen (opening 5 June); the photo shows Wilhelmine Schirmer-Pröscher with the Chin
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
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
WIDF pamphlet 'I Want To Live' (Berlin, May 1954) campaigning to ban atomic weapons after the March 1954 Bikini H-bomb test, with Hiroshima testimonies, the Stockholm Appeal and WIDF appeals. Page 25 cites a resolution of 1 April 1954 in Jakarta by the National Congress of the 'Indonesian Women's Democratic Organisatio
Neues Deutschland, 17 November 1954, p. 8: short item 'Gemeinsam sind wir Frauen stark' on an international WIDF delegation visiting the VEB Werk für Fernmeldewesen in Berlin-Oberschöneweide. The delegation list includes 'Frau Maasie, Indonesien' (probably Maasje Siwi of Gerwani, though the page does not say so). She i
WIDF commemorative booklet (Berlin, 1955) for its tenth anniversary: history from the 1945 Paris founding congress, peace and anti-atom campaigns, the 1953 Copenhagen Congress, children's work, the 1955 Lausanne World Congress of Mothers. Page 28 states that in Indonesia 'the women's organization which had 6,000 member
Harian Rakjat, 26 Feb 1955: page 3 carries an advertisement and masthead for the monthly women's magazine 'Wanita Indonesia' (PKI-linked): editor Nn. Siti Asiyah, contributors including S.K. Trimurti, Ruslati, Sumbiyah and Kartinah (administration, CC PKI Jakarta), Maasje Siwi in Berlin as foreign correspondent. Page 1
Neues Deutschland, 3 December 1955, p. 1. ADN report 'Rechte der Frauen unantastbar' on the festive rally for the 10th anniversary of the IDFF (WIDF) in the Deutsche Sporthalle, Berlin, with 3,000 women. Indonesia appears only in a list of countries whose WIDF representatives attended; no Indonesian is named and Gerwan
Front page of Bintang Timur, 21 June 1956 (four-page issue; OCR columns heavily interleaved). The only Gerwani material is a fragmentary report of the third plenary session (Sidang Pleno ke-III) of Gerwani's leadership, begun 16 June and closed on Tuesday night, with decisions announced and a reference to a Gerwani nat
WIDF study publication (Berlin, 1958) on protection of motherhood as a right of women and a responsibility of society, with country contributions from Study Days participants, the ILO Convention 103 text and national summaries. It names Suwarti Bintang Suradi as Gerwani executive member and constituent assembly member.
Berlin edition of the WIDF IVth Congress (Vienna, June 1958) pamphlet on the conference 'Conditions which will enable woman to fulfil her role as mother, worker and citizen' (98 delegates, 55 countries). The Indonesian section (pp. 66-70) has Mudigdio, Gerwani vice-chair, urging a WIDF study or seminar on peasant women
Article by Suwarti Bintang Suradi (Gerwani), dated Berlin 20 Dec 1957, in WIDF's magazine on Indonesia's West Irian campaign: mass rally of a million in Jakarta, ten-minute silence, general strike in Dutch firms, takeover of Dutch enterprises, KLM ban, UN defeat, international support. Names Gerwani among organisations
Api Kartini (1959) travel-style article by S. Jin on divided Berlin and German women's campaign against atomic armament and remilitarisation. Cites arrests and petitions in West Germany (Renate Kruse, Renate Riemeck, Elisabeth Heimpel, Hamburg and Dortmund women's groups), East German women's views, and WIDF telegrams;
Api Kartini (1959) article welcoming Cameroon's coming independence (1 January 1960). Profiles Marthe Ouandie of the Cameroon women's movement and WIDF (based in East Berlin), who knows Indonesian women of GERWANI through WIDF and the peasant-women's federation; expresses Indonesian women's solidarity and support for U
Api Kartini preview of the WIDF Bureau meeting due in Indonesia (early 1960), profiling its leaders: President Eugenie Cotton, Secretary-General Carmen Zanti, Marie Ange, Beatrice Johnson and Asian-African vice-presidents. Notes WIDF's support for Indonesian independence and condemnation of Dutch aggression, and that G
Article by Sulami (1959) reporting on the WIDF Bureau meeting in Prague, chaired by Eugenie Cotton, and the Council with 51 countries. It stresses women's duty to protect children, supports disarmament and Soviet-US talks, backs the 50th anniversary of International Women's Day, and links peace to Indonesian national i
Neue Zeit, 9 February 1960, p. 1: the page is headlined by the GDR industrial exhibition in Iraq; a small item 'Ilse Thiele über Welle Djakarta' reports that DFD chair Ilse Thiele spoke on Indonesian radio about the GDR women's struggle for peace, having attended a WIDF [bureau] meeting in Jakarta. Short news item; Ger
Berliner Zeitung, 13 February 1960, p. 5: short ADN/EB item 'Zwischenaufenthalt in Burma'. DFD chair Ilse Thiele, returning from Indonesia where she attended the WIDF (IDFF) bureau session and the Indonesian Peace Congress, stopped briefly in Rangoon and discussed the position of women in the GDR with the Burmese parli
Neue Zeit (CDU-East), 23 November 1960, p. 1. Front page on the opening of the 7th DFD Federal Congress carries a photo caption: DFD deputy chair Wilhelmine Schirmer-Pröscher greets Gerwani central board members Mawarni Pardede and Nastiti [Soeprapto] at Berlin-Schönefeld airport. The text adds that representatives of
Neue Zeit, 24 November 1960, p. 1: front-page report "Die große Beratung unserer Frauen hat begonnen" on the opening of the 7th DFD Federal Congress in East Berlin, with greetings from the Council of State and government and Ilse Thiele's keynote. Indonesia is only named among the countries (with India, Ghana, Iraq, th
Neue Zeit, 4 December 1960, p. 8 (women's page): short item "Von einem Wunsch beseelt" under the heading "Frauen kämpfen für den Frieden / 15 Jahre IDFF". Women from East and West Berlin met at the 14th all-Berlin women's forum with women from France, Poland, Bulgaria, Austria and Indonesia to celebrate the 15th annive
Api Kartini (1961) feature introducing the WIDF's monthly magazine 'Women of the Whole World' (six languages, Berlin), describing its sections on women's rights, peace, children and culture, and its photo covers. Gives subscription details for Indonesian readers (Rp. 12 per year via Jakarta) and notes administrative de
Neues Deutschland p. 5 (28 May 1961), report on the Fifth German Writers' Congress in East Berlin. Among foreign guests' greetings, 'Frau Rukiah Kertapati' opened the third congress day by bringing greetings from Indonesian writers. The rest of the page is speeches by East German writers; the identification with the Le
Neues Deutschland p. 5 (28 May 1961), report on the Fifth German Writers' Congress in East Berlin. Among foreign guests' greetings, 'Frau Rukiah Kertapati' opened the third congress day by bringing greetings from Indonesian writers. The rest of the page is speeches by East German writers; the identification with the Le
Berliner Zeitung literary page (p. 6) reviewing the Fifth German Writers' Congress (end of May 1961). A photo caption says numerous foreign delegates, among them Rukiah Kertapati from Indonesia, took part in the deliberations; delegates came from 24 countries. Identification with the Lekra-linked writer Rukiah is by th
Berliner Zeitung literary page (p. 6) reviewing the Fifth German Writers' Congress (end of May 1961). A photo caption says numerous foreign delegates, among them Rukiah Kertapati from Indonesia, took part in the deliberations; delegates came from 24 countries. Identification with the Lekra-linked writer Rukiah is by th
Het Rotterdamsch Parool report (27 Jun 1961, p.4) from the Berlinale: a gossip piece on an actress's torn dress, then mocking review of an Indonesian film 'Dappere vrouwen' (about Indonesian women's patriotism in the struggle for freedom), screened outside the festival, in which Dutch colonists are played by Indonesian
Api Kartini (early 1962) report on foreign guests at Gerwani's 4th National Congress (Jakarta, December 1961): Gloria Garton (WIDF and Australian women), Dzhura Ilkhamova and Nina Voronina (USSR), Kuo Chien and Chang Chieh-hsun (China), and Nitze of East Germany. They toured Yogyakarta, Bogor and Bandung, praised Gerwa
De Waarheid, 21 Dec 1962, p. 3: full text of a letter from the Gerwani delegation at the WIDF Council session in Berlin, Suharti Suwarto, Darmini Sudirdjo and Sulami, to Dutch objector Tom Clardij, thanking him on behalf of Gerwani's 1,250,000 members, supporting Dutch women's demand for his release from prison and sen
Umi Sardjono's General Report as DPP Gerwani chair to the 3rd DPP Plenary (Bandung, early 1964; transcribed by Nathanael Pribady). Reviews 1963: Irian Barat, 'Crush Malaysia' confrontation, the 26 May economic regulations, 1,378 TK Melati kindergartens, the WIDF Moscow Congress (Gerwani rejected the programme, attacked
Berliner Zeitung, 30 June 1964, p. 2: short BZ/ADN item "DFD wählte Präsidium" on the newly elected DFD federal board and secretariat (chair Ilse Thiele). Its last paragraph says women's delegations from the USSR, Poland, Spain, Cuba, Guinea, Cyprus, Indonesia, Mongolia, Belgium and Greece, who attended the Berlin wome
Neues Deutschland, 4 February 1965, p. 1: front-page summary of the 11th Volkskammer session, headlined 'Beziehungen zu Indonesien vertieft', where president Johannes Dieckmann reported on the delegation's Indonesia trip, with the Indonesian ambassador in Prague, Armunanto, present as guest. This OCR page carries only
WIDF Bureau appeal (Berlin, 2-5 June 1966), German original with English translation and notes by Faye Chan (2015). It states that tens of thousands of Indonesian women were murdered or are held and tortured, that Gerwani's leaders and several thousand members were arrested, and that Gerwani and other women's organisat
De Waarheid, 23 Jul 1966, p. 6: report that the WIDF Bureau, meeting in Berlin in June 1966, adopted an appeal for solidarity with Indonesian women and the progressive organisation Gerwani, demanding immediate release of arrested Gerwani members and leaders and restoration of legality for all Indonesian women's organis
Berliner Zeitung, 3 November 1968, p. 5. ADN/BZ brief 'Protest gegen Massaker': the IDFF (WIDF) telegraphed General Suharto its outrage at continuing massacres of Indonesian patriots and democrats, calling them a flagrant violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The same page's column 'Es geschah in dieser Woch
Neues Deutschland, 4 November 1968, p. 4: Paris/Berlin ADN/ND item "Weltorganisationen protestieren bei Suharto". The International Association of Democratic Lawyers condemns the murder of leading Indonesian communists (unnamed) and urges protests to save those facing death sentences. The WIDF (IDFF), in a telegram to
Chronological appendix (1969) to the WIDF activity report for the Sixth Congress, listing 1964-69 activities: Viet Nam and Middle East solidarity, peace and disarmament meetings, women's rights seminars, rights of the child, attendance at national congresses, Bureau and Council meetings, UN agency work and publications
Published proceedings of the 7th Congress of the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF), Berlin, 26 October 1975: opening and general-secretary addresses (Aruna Asaf Ali, Fanny Edelman), the report on WIDF work since the 1969 Helsinki congress, finance and credentials reports, the Prospective Plan to 1980 a
Neues Deutschland, 8 August 1975, p. 2. Short ND item 'IDFF verlangt Freilassung von indonesischen Frauen': the WIDF (IDFF), with 120 organisations in 103 countries, wrote to the President of Indonesia (Suharto, not named in the text) appealing for release of the women sentenced in June 1975 and all women held for poli
Neues Deutschland, 22 October 1975, p. 3: "Beratungen der neun Kommissionen", report from the World Congress of Women in East Berlin (International Women's Year). Under the subhead "Schulwesen abhängig von sozialem System" (Commission 5), the Indonesian delegate Sjamsiddar Moerdono is quoted that 51 percent of the coun
East German daily Berliner Zeitung, 20 October 1976, p. 7, a news-in-brief item headed 'Verurteilt' reporting that an Indonesian military court sentenced Mrs Siti Sundari Abdul Rahman, arrested in October 1965, an active PKI leader and former MP, to life imprisonment. The rest of the page is unrelated. Gerwani is not m
East German daily Berliner Zeitung, 20 October 1976, p. 7, a news-in-brief item headed 'Verurteilt' reporting that an Indonesian military court sentenced Mrs Siti Sundari Abdul Rahman, arrested in October 1965, an active PKI leader and former MP, to life imprisonment. The rest of the page is unrelated. Gerwani is not m
Berliner Zeitung, 26 Feb 1979, p. 6: report on the international Bebel conference in Berlin (60 speakers). A short paragraph says Satiajaya Sudiman, member of the PKI leadership, described harsh conditions for Indonesian women: unequal pay and dismissal of women workers who marry or become pregnant. No mention of Gerwa
Neues Deutschland, 26 February 1979, p. 6: report 'Aussprache über Fragen unserer Zeit' on the international SED Central Committee conference marking 100 years of Bebel's 'Woman and Socialism'. Satiajaya Sudiman, speaking for the Communist Party of Indonesia, said that Kartini, drawing on Bebel, had developed ideas on
South China Sunday Morning Post, 23 Apr 2000, p.10, Vaudine England: profile of Sudjinah Halina (72), former Gerwani activist and political prisoner, as Indonesia reopens debate on 1965. She recounts Solo childhood, guerrilla courier work (1947-49), study at Gadjah Mada, the 1955 Prague youth festival, a job with the W
IndoPROGRESS in memoriam (11 Sep 2007) for Sudjinah (1929-2007), Gerwani leader, WIDF secretariat worker and political prisoner, based on a 2000 interview: court-official family, anti-Japanese courier work, and later life. Obituary profile.
Overview essay by Francisca de Haan (Women and Social Movements International database, c. 2012) on WIDF's origins, agenda, UN role and Cold War marginalisation, 1945-1991. Gerwani is listed once as a large, influential WIDF member organisation (with footnotes to Wieringa and to McGregor on Indonesian women and WIDF);
Tempo feature (8 June 2015; IPT 1965 repost) on 'Genjermania', a Berlin live-music project by Tomi Simatupang raising funds for the son of Genjer-genjer composer Muhammad Arief, killed after 1965; traces the song's Japanese-occupation origin and its 1965 stigma.
Tempo feature (2 Oct 2021, Dini Pramita and Bagja Hidayat) on why Gerwani chair Umi Sardjono (Suharti Sumodiwiryo) said little after 13 years in Bukit Duri (to 1978). Drawn from Ita Nadia, Ruth Indiah Rahayu, others: she wept at accounts of rape and Sudjinah's injury, 'it is my responsibility'; friendships with Fransis
Tempo feature (2 Oct 2021) on how Umi Sardjono led Gerwani: Marx House courses, the 1945 Barisan Buruh Wanita with S.K. Trimurti, Gerwis founded at Semarang (3-6 June 1950, Tris Metty chair), Umi chair from 1954 when it became Gerwani. Cites 650,000 members and 179 kindergartens at the 1957 Solo congress, WIDF links, s