Zwarte Hollanders
Encyclopedia
The Zwarte Hollanders was the Javanese
name for the African recruits in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
during the colonial period
.
Between 1831 and 1872 over three thousand Africans were recruited as soldier
s through the Dutch Gold Coast
. This recruitment was in fact an emergency measure, as the Dutch army lost thousands of European soldiers and a much larger number of "native" soldiers in the Java War
against Prince Diponegoro.
in 1830, the Netherlands population was considerably diminished, so that colonial combat losses were even more difficult to replace. Furthermore the Dutch wanted the number of locally recruited soldiers in the East Indies Army to be limited to roughly half the total strength, to ensure the loyalty of native forces. It was also hoped that the African soldiers would be more resistant to the tropical climate and tropical diseases of the Dutch East Indies
than European soldiers.
The African soldiers were first recruited in Elmina
. Of the 150 that were recruited, 44 were descendants of Euro-African families in Elmina. They were deployed in 1832 in southern Sumatra
. The Africans were less resistant to the climate than had been hoped, but made a great impression on the Sumatran population. In 1836 a group of 88 African soldiers arrived in the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch government then decided to recruit from the Ashanti tribe.
In the autumn of 1836 Major General J. Verveer undertook a mission to the King of Ashanti. In November 1 1836, after he had arrived in Elmina, General Verveer departed with a retinue of about 900 people (the majority porters carrying provisions and gifts) to the capital of the Ashanti kingdom, Comassie (Kumasi)
. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was concluded with King Kwaku Dua
. In Kumasi, a recruiting branch office was established by J. Huydecoper, a Dutch government official from Elmina of mixed Dutch-African descent. Kwaku Dua also gave two princes, Kwasi Boachi
and Kwame Poku Boachi to Verveer in the Netherlands for training. Their subsequent careers are described by Arthur Japin
in his novel The Black with White Hearts (1997).
Because the British had already abolished slavery
, a somewhat cautious approach was taken. The Ashanti king offered slaves and prisoners of war from the surrounding regions. However they had nominally to put themselves forward as voluntary recruits. As Dutch military service
personnel they were entitled to receive pay. British objections in 1842 led to discontinuation of the relatively successful recruitment. In 1855 enrollment resumed however due to the positive experiences of African soldiers in the Dutch East Indies. This recruitment was strictly voluntary.
gave the Netherlands possessions on the Gold Coast to the British
. This brought an end to the recruitment of Africans for the Dutch East Indian Army. On April 20 1872 the last ship with African recruits left for Java
. There were two further attempts to recruit black volunteers for the Colonial Army. Between 1876 and 1879 thirty American black
recruits were hired for the East Indian army. In 1890 there was an attempt to obtain recruits from Liberia
. A total of 189 Liberians went to Java, but this group became almost entirely dissatisfied with failed promises and returned to Liberia in 1892.
Javanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
name for the African recruits in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies . The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force...
during the colonial period
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....
.
Between 1831 and 1872 over three thousand Africans were recruited as soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s through the Dutch Gold Coast
Dutch Gold Coast
The Dutch Gold Coast or Dutch Guinea, officially Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea was a portion of coastal West Africa that was gradually colonized by the Dutch, beginning in 1598...
. This recruitment was in fact an emergency measure, as the Dutch army lost thousands of European soldiers and a much larger number of "native" soldiers in the Java War
Java War
The Java War or Diponegoro War was fought in Java between 1825 and 1830. It started as a rebellion led by Prince Diponegoro. The proximate cause was the Dutch decision to build a road across a piece of his property that contained his parents' tomb...
against Prince Diponegoro.
History
Following the independence of BelgiumBelgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
in 1830, the Netherlands population was considerably diminished, so that colonial combat losses were even more difficult to replace. Furthermore the Dutch wanted the number of locally recruited soldiers in the East Indies Army to be limited to roughly half the total strength, to ensure the loyalty of native forces. It was also hoped that the African soldiers would be more resistant to the tropical climate and tropical diseases 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....
than European soldiers.
The African soldiers were first recruited in Elmina
Elmina
Elmina, is a town in the Central Region, situated on a south-facing bay on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, about 12 km west of Cape Coast...
. Of the 150 that were recruited, 44 were descendants of Euro-African families in Elmina. They were deployed in 1832 in southern Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. The Africans were less resistant to the climate than had been hoped, but made a great impression on the Sumatran population. In 1836 a group of 88 African soldiers arrived in the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch government then decided to recruit from the Ashanti tribe.
In the autumn of 1836 Major General J. Verveer undertook a mission to the King of Ashanti. In November 1 1836, after he had arrived in Elmina, General Verveer departed with a retinue of about 900 people (the majority porters carrying provisions and gifts) to the capital of the Ashanti kingdom, Comassie (Kumasi)
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was concluded with King Kwaku Dua
Kwaku Dua I Panyin
Kwaku Dua I Panyin, or Barima Fredua Agyeman was the Asantehene from August 25, 1834 until his death in 1867....
. In Kumasi, a recruiting branch office was established by J. Huydecoper, a Dutch government official from Elmina of mixed Dutch-African descent. Kwaku Dua also gave two princes, Kwasi Boachi
Kwasi Boakye
Kwasi Boakye , sometimes archaically spelt as Aquasi Boachi, was a Dutch mining engineer who was born a Prince of Ashanti...
and Kwame Poku Boachi to Verveer in the Netherlands for training. Their subsequent careers are described by Arthur Japin
Arthur Japin
Arthur Valentijn Japin is a renowned Dutch novelist.-Biography:His parents were Bert Japin, a teacher and writer of detective novels, and Annie Japin-van Arnhem. After a difficult childhood - his father killed himself when Arthur was twelve years old - Japin entered the Kleinkunstacademie in...
in his novel The Black with White Hearts (1997).
Because the British had already abolished slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, a somewhat cautious approach was taken. The Ashanti king offered slaves and prisoners of war from the surrounding regions. However they had nominally to put themselves forward as voluntary recruits. As Dutch military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
personnel they were entitled to receive pay. British objections in 1842 led to discontinuation of the relatively successful recruitment. In 1855 enrollment resumed however due to the positive experiences of African soldiers in the Dutch East Indies. This recruitment was strictly voluntary.
End of African recruitment
A total of several thousand Africans soldiers "with a Dutch name", were shipped to the Dutch East Indies. The Treaty of Sumatra in 1871Anglo-Dutch Treaties of 1870-1871
The Anglo-Dutch Treaties of 1871 were three related treaties between Great Britain and the Netherlands, dealing with colonial disputes and other colonial affairs between the two countries.-History:...
gave the Netherlands possessions on the Gold Coast to the British
British West Africa
British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or more specifically those comprised in a formal colonial administrative entity...
. This brought an end to the recruitment of Africans for the Dutch East Indian Army. On April 20 1872 the last ship with African recruits left for Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. There were two further attempts to recruit black volunteers for the Colonial Army. Between 1876 and 1879 thirty American black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
recruits were hired for the East Indian army. In 1890 there was an attempt to obtain recruits from Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. A total of 189 Liberians went to Java, but this group became almost entirely dissatisfied with failed promises and returned to Liberia in 1892.
Sources
- J. Verhoog, 'De werving van Westafrikanen voor het Nederlands-Indische leger, 1831-1872', in Mededelingen van de Sectie Militaire Geschiedenis Landmachtstaf, deel 12 (1989) 5-26.
- W.M.J. van Kessel Zwarte Hollanders; Afrikaanse soldaten in Nederlands-Indië (2005; KIT Publishers; ISBN 90-6832-498-5)