P.F.Dahler
Encyclopedia
Pieter Frederich Dahler (Semarang
, 21 February 1883 – Jogjakarta, 7 June 1948), more commonly known as P.F. Dahler or Frits Dahler, was one of the leading Indo (Eurasian) politicians and activists advocating integration of the native Indo-European community into the indigenous society of the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia). After World War II he changed his name to Amir Dachlan.
Together with E.F.E. Douwes Dekker
, he was a strong political proponent of association between Indo-Europeans and Indonesians in the colonial Dutch East Indies
and early post-colonial Indonesia
.
From pre-colonial times (16th, 17th and 18th centuries) up to the first century of formal colonisation of the Dutch East Indies
(19th century) the Eurasian hybrid culture of Indo-Europeans was very closely related to the indigenous cultures of the Indies archipelago. Although Indos were part of the European legal class its lingua franca
and much of its practices and beliefs were derived from its indigenous maternal lineage.
In the 20th century the assault on Indo culture in the Dutch East Indies to Westernise accelerated, rapidly enforcing a one-sided identification with Dutch culture rigorously imposed by the ruling colonial authorities. From their historic role as indispensable intermediaries and change agents, the Indos were increasingly reduced to a marginal position in colonial society.
Simultaneously the Dutch Ethical Policy created an educated indigenous elite increasingly voicing the idea of Indonesian national independence. For the relatively small Indo-European community (less than 0.5 of the total native population) this posed the challenge of positioning itself between the emerging forces of the Indonesian National Awakening
and the repressive forces of the colonial power.
Throughout the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies in World War II
and the following Indonesian revolution the existing estrangement between the native Indo-European population and indigenous peoples only widened and intensified.
In the first half of the 20th century during both the Dutch and Japanese colonial period as well as the Indonesian revolution Dahler was one of the leading Indo-European figures voicing the idea of so called ‘Association’ i.e. integration of the Indo-Europeans into the indigenous population.
. 1922 he became that party’s delegate in the People’s Assembly (Dutch: Volksraad
). In 1938 he was an editor of the Malay language weekly ‘Penindjauan’. Here he befriended the indigenous intellectuals Amir and Sam Ratulangi
. At the same time he was editor in chief of the Malay language paper ‘Bintang Timoer’ (English: Eastern Star). He was also a teacher in amongst others Douwes Dekker’s ‘Ksatrian’ schools as well as the ‘Pergoeroean Rakjat’ schools.
the Japanese found it hard to determine their position regarding the Eurasian population of the Dutch East Indies. Hesitant to imprison the relatively large number of Indos and in need of an administrative backbone to support their occupation of the outstretched and populous archipelago their initial stance towards the Indos was one of relative leniency.
The Japanese clearly chose to focus on their Asian descent, rather than their Dutch descent and continued to groom the Indos through much of the occupation. Their attempts had little to no avail as Indos continued to cling to their western heritage. In contrast the Eurasian community in neighbouring Malaya
, that was hectored and admonished in the same way as the Indos in the ‘Japanese East Indies’, and that did not constitute any serious problem for the Japanese occupier.
During this whole period Dahler remained consistent in his beliefs of association and continued to call for integration of Indos into indigenous Indonesian society. Dahler himself in fact preferred the term ‘Eurasian’ iso the more common term ‘Indo-European’ wanting to emphasise the Asian element of Indos. He became the leader of the pro-Indonesian Indo movement and throughout the occupation attempted to elucidate the Japanese and Indonesian viewpoints.
In August 1943 Dahler became head of the so called 'Kantor Oeroesan Peranakan' (KOP), 'Office for Indo Matters' also more commonly known as the 'Dahler Office'. 'Belanda-Indo' (Dutch-Indo) the earlier Malay term used by the Japanese for Indos was now changed to 'Peranakan' (Descendant). In September 1943 Indos were officially labeled 'non-hostile', and the Japanese promised to release Indos from their civilian prison camps. Additionally, Indos were allowed to cash in 30% of their bank savings and send their children to school again. During another round of Japanese registration in October 1943, Indos had to provide proof demonstrating at least 7 Indo or indigenous ancestors.
Still many Indonesians believed that the deeply rooted differences between themselves and the Indos could not be eradicated overnight, simultaneously the reactionary response of many Indos was to straight out reject the idea of being equated with Indonesians. Sentiments in the Indo community were hurled to and fro between pro- or anti Dutch and pro- or anti Indonesian and Japanese feelings. Overall the majority of Indos remained fiercely proud of their European roots and opposed both Japanese and Indonesian attempts to denounce their western identity.
Towards the end of WWII repressive measures towards Indos became more aggressive. The number of Indos imprisoned by the Japanese, in fact, continued to increase during the course of the occupation accumulating to 35% of the total Indo community. In 1944 a more radical group of pro-Indonesian Indos under leadership of Van den Eeckhout were added to the Dahler office. The older Dahler, who was known to be a quiet and amiable man, did not take a liking to the militant and sometimes harsh approach of the newcomers, but was unable to temper it, as Van den Eeckhout was being directly instructed by the Japanese. October 1944 in a youth camp set up for Indo boys south of Dampit
13 boys (age 16 to 21) were accused of subversive behaviour and publicly beheaded by the Japanese.
period.
February 1946 Dahler was arrested in Batavia by the Dutch and accused of collaboration with Japan. Although the Dutch considered him morally culpable, no actual criminal grounds for conviction were found and he was eventually granted amnesty. In May 1947 Dahler moved to Republican territory and was reunited with his old friend Douwes Dekker, who had secretly returned from exile. In 1948 Dahler died without witnissing the official transfer of Dutch authority to the Indonesian Republic.
After Indonesian independence in 1949 the young nation continued to face economic downturn and contra-revolutionary turmoil threatening its national unity. Sukarno’s reactionary policy of anti-Dutch confrontation indirectly stimulated anti-Indo sentiments leading to the Indo diaspora. Ironically in an effort to reduce repatriation of Indos to the Netherlands the Dutch government now actively promoted Indonesian citizenship for Indo-Europeans, the very idea Dahler had always fought for.
Dahler's tireless efforts to persuade Indo-Europeans to associate themselves with the indigenous peoples was often misconstrued as acts of betrayal, causing much resentment among his fellow Indo compatriots. Over the years his stance has been largely vindicated by advancing historic insights and more objective reflective analysis.
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, 21 February 1883 – Jogjakarta, 7 June 1948), more commonly known as P.F. Dahler or Frits Dahler, was one of the leading Indo (Eurasian) politicians and activists advocating integration of the native Indo-European community into the indigenous society of the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia). After World War II he changed his name to Amir Dachlan.
Together with E.F.E. Douwes Dekker
Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest François Eugène Douwes Dekker was an Indonesian freedom fighter and politician of Indo descent. He was related to the famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker. In his youth, he took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa on the Boer side...
, he was a strong political proponent of association between Indo-Europeans and Indonesians in the colonial Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
and early post-colonial Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Historical context
- See also Indos in pre-colonial historyIndos in pre-colonial historyIndo people are a Eurasian people of mixed Indonesian and European descent. Through the 16 and 18th century known by the name Mestiço . To this day they form one of the largest Eurasian communities in the world. The early beginning of this community started with the arrival of Portuguese traders...
From pre-colonial times (16th, 17th and 18th centuries) up to the first century of formal colonisation of the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
(19th century) the Eurasian hybrid culture of Indo-Europeans was very closely related to the indigenous cultures of the Indies archipelago. Although Indos were part of the European legal class its lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
and much of its practices and beliefs were derived from its indigenous maternal lineage.
- See also Indos in colonial historyIndos in colonial historyIndos are a Eurasian people of mixed Indonesian and European descent. The pre-colonial evolution of this hybrid Eurasian community in the East Indies commenced during the arrival of Portuguese traders in the 16th century and continued with the arrival of Dutch traders in the 17th and 18th...
In the 20th century the assault on Indo culture in the Dutch East Indies to Westernise accelerated, rapidly enforcing a one-sided identification with Dutch culture rigorously imposed by the ruling colonial authorities. From their historic role as indispensable intermediaries and change agents, the Indos were increasingly reduced to a marginal position in colonial society.
Simultaneously the Dutch Ethical Policy created an educated indigenous elite increasingly voicing the idea of Indonesian national independence. For the relatively small Indo-European community (less than 0.5 of the total native population) this posed the challenge of positioning itself between the emerging forces of the Indonesian National Awakening
Indonesian National Awakening
The Indonesian National Awakening is a term for the period in the first half of the twentieth century, during which people from many parts of the archipelago first began to develop a national consciousness as "Indonesians"....
and the repressive forces of the colonial power.
Throughout the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the following Indonesian revolution the existing estrangement between the native Indo-European population and indigenous peoples only widened and intensified.
In the first half of the 20th century during both the Dutch and Japanese colonial period as well as the Indonesian revolution Dahler was one of the leading Indo-European figures voicing the idea of so called ‘Association’ i.e. integration of the Indo-Europeans into the indigenous population.
Pre–World War II
Dahler, who spoke several indigenous languages, had risen to the rank of ‘Controleur’ in the colonial civil service in the Dutch East Indies. In 1918 he befriended famous politician and activist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker and became a leader of the new National Indische PartyIndische Party
The Indische Party or Indies Party was a short lived but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European journalist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo and Soewardi Soerjaningrat...
. 1922 he became that party’s delegate in the People’s Assembly (Dutch: Volksraad
Volksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
). In 1938 he was an editor of the Malay language weekly ‘Penindjauan’. Here he befriended the indigenous intellectuals Amir and Sam Ratulangi
Sam Ratulangi
Dr. Gerungan Saul Samuel Jozias Ratulangi or Ratu Langie , usually known as Sam Ratulangi, was a Minahasa politician, journalist and teacher from North Sulawesi, Indonesia...
. At the same time he was editor in chief of the Malay language paper ‘Bintang Timoer’ (English: Eastern Star). He was also a teacher in amongst others Douwes Dekker’s ‘Ksatrian’ schools as well as the ‘Pergoeroean Rakjat’ schools.
World War II
During the Japanese occupation in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Japanese found it hard to determine their position regarding the Eurasian population of the Dutch East Indies. Hesitant to imprison the relatively large number of Indos and in need of an administrative backbone to support their occupation of the outstretched and populous archipelago their initial stance towards the Indos was one of relative leniency.
The Japanese clearly chose to focus on their Asian descent, rather than their Dutch descent and continued to groom the Indos through much of the occupation. Their attempts had little to no avail as Indos continued to cling to their western heritage. In contrast the Eurasian community in neighbouring Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, that was hectored and admonished in the same way as the Indos in the ‘Japanese East Indies’, and that did not constitute any serious problem for the Japanese occupier.
During this whole period Dahler remained consistent in his beliefs of association and continued to call for integration of Indos into indigenous Indonesian society. Dahler himself in fact preferred the term ‘Eurasian’ iso the more common term ‘Indo-European’ wanting to emphasise the Asian element of Indos. He became the leader of the pro-Indonesian Indo movement and throughout the occupation attempted to elucidate the Japanese and Indonesian viewpoints.
In August 1943 Dahler became head of the so called 'Kantor Oeroesan Peranakan' (KOP), 'Office for Indo Matters' also more commonly known as the 'Dahler Office'. 'Belanda-Indo' (Dutch-Indo) the earlier Malay term used by the Japanese for Indos was now changed to 'Peranakan' (Descendant). In September 1943 Indos were officially labeled 'non-hostile', and the Japanese promised to release Indos from their civilian prison camps. Additionally, Indos were allowed to cash in 30% of their bank savings and send their children to school again. During another round of Japanese registration in October 1943, Indos had to provide proof demonstrating at least 7 Indo or indigenous ancestors.
Still many Indonesians believed that the deeply rooted differences between themselves and the Indos could not be eradicated overnight, simultaneously the reactionary response of many Indos was to straight out reject the idea of being equated with Indonesians. Sentiments in the Indo community were hurled to and fro between pro- or anti Dutch and pro- or anti Indonesian and Japanese feelings. Overall the majority of Indos remained fiercely proud of their European roots and opposed both Japanese and Indonesian attempts to denounce their western identity.
Towards the end of WWII repressive measures towards Indos became more aggressive. The number of Indos imprisoned by the Japanese, in fact, continued to increase during the course of the occupation accumulating to 35% of the total Indo community. In 1944 a more radical group of pro-Indonesian Indos under leadership of Van den Eeckhout were added to the Dahler office. The older Dahler, who was known to be a quiet and amiable man, did not take a liking to the militant and sometimes harsh approach of the newcomers, but was unable to temper it, as Van den Eeckhout was being directly instructed by the Japanese. October 1944 in a youth camp set up for Indo boys south of Dampit
Dampit
A Dampit is a trade name for a humidifier which can be placed inside a musical instrument to avoid possible damage caused by dryness. Musical instruments in dry environments can develop warped or cracked wood and unglued seams. Dampits come in several different sizes for different instruments,...
13 boys (age 16 to 21) were accused of subversive behaviour and publicly beheaded by the Japanese.
Post WWII
Dahler was the only Indo who participated in the ‘Committee for the Study of Preparations for Independence’ (BPUPKI) led by Sukarno and installed by the Japanese in May 1945. After Indonesia's declaration of independence Dahler was a member of the political section of the 'Partai Nasional Indonesia' (PNI). Together with independence leaders Sukarno and Sjahrir he continued to groom Indos to join the national revolution, but their efforts were undone by extremist revolutionary forces during the violent BersiapBersiap
Bersiap is the name given by the Dutch to a violent and chaotic phase of Indonesia's revolutionary period following the end of World War II. The Indonesian word bersiap means 'get ready' or 'be prepared'...
period.
February 1946 Dahler was arrested in Batavia by the Dutch and accused of collaboration with Japan. Although the Dutch considered him morally culpable, no actual criminal grounds for conviction were found and he was eventually granted amnesty. In May 1947 Dahler moved to Republican territory and was reunited with his old friend Douwes Dekker, who had secretly returned from exile. In 1948 Dahler died without witnissing the official transfer of Dutch authority to the Indonesian Republic.
After Indonesian independence in 1949 the young nation continued to face economic downturn and contra-revolutionary turmoil threatening its national unity. Sukarno’s reactionary policy of anti-Dutch confrontation indirectly stimulated anti-Indo sentiments leading to the Indo diaspora. Ironically in an effort to reduce repatriation of Indos to the Netherlands the Dutch government now actively promoted Indonesian citizenship for Indo-Europeans, the very idea Dahler had always fought for.
Dahler's tireless efforts to persuade Indo-Europeans to associate themselves with the indigenous peoples was often misconstrued as acts of betrayal, causing much resentment among his fellow Indo compatriots. Over the years his stance has been largely vindicated by advancing historic insights and more objective reflective analysis.