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Images of Indonesia in the Dutch Press 1950-1962. Characteristics of an Imperial Hangover

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2011

Hans Meijer
Hans Meijer
Affiliation:
University of Utrecht
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Extract

This article will analyze some of the images of Indonesia as expressed in the Dutch press in the period between December 1949 and August 1962 from the granting of independence to the handing over of die last remnant of the former colony, Western New Guinea. It will focus on two aspects. First, how did the press report about Indonesia and second, what role did it play in the deterioration of the Dutch-Indonesian relationship? To what extent can the press be held responsible for the negative image of the Dutch with regard to Indonesia after 1949?

Type
Articles
Information
Itinerario , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , July 1993 , pp. 53 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Research Institute for History, Leiden University 1993

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References

Notes

1 According to available figures, 56% of the Dutch were subscribers of Catholic, Protestant, liberal or independent journals in 1955. All these newspapers can be categorized as belonging to the center and right-wing press; 23% of the Dutch read a left-wing press, 32% a local newspaper and 5% did not read a newspaper (some Dutch reading more than one newspaper). CBS. Vrijetijds besteding in Nederland. Winter 1955–56 (Zeist 1957) IV, table 20.Google Scholar

2 Lijphart, A., The Trauma of Decolonization. The Dutch and West New Guinea (New Haven and London 1966) 162.Google Scholar

3 For the educational level of the readers of the major Dutch newspapers see Rooij, M., Kranten. Dagbladpers en maatschappij (Amsterdam 1974) 141.Google Scholar

4 See for instance Lafeber, , Nieuw Guinea, 10–11.Google Scholar

5 Only 9% read a newspaper belonging to a different bloc. Lijphart, A., The politics of accommodation: pluralism and democracy in the Netherlands (2nd ed., Berkeley, Los Angeles and London 1975) 40–47.Google Scholar

6 Of the Dutch newspapers in 1950, 38% was considered to be of Catholic signature, 20% was liberal or liberal orientated, 11% protestant, 7% socialist, 1% communist and 23% was seen as neutral. Schneider, M., The Netherlands press today (Leiden 1951) 20.Google Scholar

7 According to the Centraal Bureau voor Courantenpubliciteit in Amsterdam, in September 1950 De Volkskrant had 154,430 subscribers and Trouw had 132,307. They both belonged at that time to the five largest Dutch newspapers. See also Luykx, Th., Evolutie van de communicatiemedia (Brussels 1978) 487.Google Scholar

8 De Telegraaf was certainly small in the early fifties. In September 1950 it only had 63,605 subscribers. This number, however, would increase very fast. Information provided by the Centraal Bureau voor Courantenpubliciteit.

9 This information is derived of Lijphart, , Trauma, 159.Google Scholar The exact number of subscribers of Elseviers Magazine could not be found. This magazine was certainly the largest in the Netherlands with more than 100,000 subscribers. Schneider, , Netherlands press today, 24.Google Scholar

10 Only a few serious studies have focused on political cartoons in the Netherlands. See for instance: van Wehringh, K., Albert Hahn (Amsterdam 1969)Google Scholar and by the same author, Getekende wereld. De kijk van F. Behrendt en Opland op het wereldgebeuren, 1961–1975 (Amsterdam 1976). Wehringh, Van also wrote Europa quo vadis? Politieke tekeningen (Amsterdam 1984)Google Scholar, in which the drawings of some European political cartoonists are being analyzed. See also Polak, B. and Molenkamp, B., Indonesië gezien door Jordaan, Opland en Doeve (unpublished M.A. thesis, University of Amsterdam 1977).Google Scholar An inventory of studies concerning political cartoons has been made by Langeveld, W., Politiek per prent (Amsterdam 1989).Google Scholar

11 See for instance: Bosscher, D.J.F., ‘Sporen van de Koude Oorlog. De weerslag van het Oost-West conflict op enkele deelgebieden van de Nederlandse cultuur’ in Hoffenaar, J. and Teitler, G. eds., De Koude Oorlog. Maatschappij en krijgsmacht in de jaren '50 (The Hague 1992), 24–41Google Scholar, especially 37–39.

12 Lijphart, , Trauma, 8–9.Google Scholar

13 Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant (NRC), December 27, 1949.

14 Trouw, December 22, 1949.

15 NIPO opinion poll nr. 356, December 10, 1949.

16 Nevertheless, as time passed by, the RTC-treaty would get more support. Already in April 1950, 46% said to be in favour of the transfer of power, whereas a small majority of 54% still remained against it. NIPO opinion poll nr. 393, April 5, 1950. On the other hand, Dutch criticism towards the situation in Indonesia remained strong. The answers given in June 1950 were practically the same as in December the year before. Ibidem nr. 426, June 16, 1950.

17 Trouw, November 2, 1949.

18 Elseviers Weekblad, November 5, 1949.

19 Lijphart, , Trauma, 137–138.Google Scholar

20 Elseviers Weekblad, December 24, 1949.

21 Baudet, H., ‘The Dutch Retreat from Empire’ in Bromley, J.S. and Kossmann, E.H. (eds.), Britain and the Netherlands in Europe and Asia (London 1968) 207–233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarBaudet, H., ‘The Netherlands after the Loss of Empire’ Journal of Contemporary History 4 (1969) 127–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22 Wesseling, H.L., ‘Post-Imperial Holland’, Journal of Contemporary History 15 (1980) 128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

23 The Indonesian indifference towards attacks on Dutchmen according to this newspaper contrasted sharply with all the efforts the Indonesian government made to capture the murderers on two American civilians in Indonesia in early 1950. De Telegraaf, May 12,1950.

24 See for instance: Elseviers Weekblad, January 28 and April 22, 1950.

25 Pola, A., De wereld van Eppo Doeve. Politieke prenten 1948–1980 (Amsterdam and Brussels 1984).Google Scholar

26 NIPO opinion poll nr. 388, March 30, 1950. On the question whether one believed there were still good opportunities for the Dutch in Indonesia, 35% said yes, 41% answered no and the rest didn't know. Being asked if one would like to live in Indonesia only 16% gave a positive reply, whereas a large majority of 73% answered negative; 11% had no opinion.

27 Elseviers Weekblad, January 28, 1950.

28 Code telegram High Commissioner to the Minister of Unie/Union relations and Overseas Areas) L. Götzen nr. 78, January 16, 1950. Foreign Office Secret archives 911.23, file 126.

29 Report mr.J.E. van Hoogstraaten to The Hague, June 26, 1950. FO Secret archive 911.0, file 93.

30 Code telegram High Commissioner to The Hague nr. 106, July 31, 1950. FO Secret archive 921.2, file 809.

31 Interview with J.L.R. Huydecoper van Nightevecht, August 27, 1991. See also his book, Nieuw-Guinea, het ande van een koloniaal belad (The Hague 1990) 39.

32 Indonesische documentatie/9, October 9, 1950, 156–166.

33 The Indonesia-editor of the Algemeen Handelsblad, Albert Besnard, for instance did not belong to the foreign news desk of his newspaper. Oltmans, W., Memoires 1957–1959 (Baarn 1987) 38–39.Google Scholar

34 NIPO opinion poll nr. 407, May 31, 1950. Westerling was placed seventh and even ranked above persons like D.D. Eisenhower and G.C. Marshall.

35 Trouw, January 25, 1950.

36 Elseviers Weekblad, January 28, 1950.

37 See van Lennep, E., Emile van Lennep in de wereldeconomie (Leiden 1991) 50–52.Google Scholar

38 Elseviers Weekblad, March 25, 1950.

39 Vrij Neckrland, July 1950.

40 De Groene Amsterdammer, May 16, 1950.

41 van Kaam, Both B., Ambon door de eeuwen (Baarn 1977)Google Scholar and Chauvell, R., Nationalists, Soldiers and Separatists (Leiden 1990)Google Scholar, have clearly shown that the Dutch responsibility towards the Ambonian people was not genuine and was only used afterwards by colonial die-hards as a justification to support the RMS, in order to play Soekarno cum suis a nasty trick.

42 Although the Dutch did feel sorry for the Ambonese people, a large majority of 85% didn't want the Dutch government to interfere. Only 15% did advocate some kind of action. NIPO opinion poll nr. 426, June 16, 1950.

43 Elseviers Weekblad, May 5, 1950.

44 See Bosscher, D. and Waaldijk, B., Ambon eer en schuld. Politiek en pressie rond de Republiek Zuid-Molukken (Weesp 1985) 78.Google Scholar

45 De Maasbode, May 24, 1950.

46 Memorandum Foreign Office, November 22, 1950. FO Secret archive 912.11, file 460.

47 Handelingen der Tweede Kamer (HTK) 1950–1951, January 23, 1951, 1203–1204.

48 Report High Commissioner to the Dutch government, July 4, 1951. FO archives Directie Verre Oosten, file PX.

49 Undated Report Foreign Office (probably July 1951). FO Secret archives 912.11, file 460.

50 Letter W. Schermerhorn to W. Drees, November 15, 1951. ARA, collection W. Drees, file 207.

51 HTK 1951–1952, November 30, 1951, 753.

52 Algemeen Handelsblad, December 14, 1951.

53 NIPO opinion poll nr. 510, July 17, 1951. 41% of the Dutch wanted the Union to remain, 34% meant it could just as well be dissolved and 25% had no opinion.

54 Algemeen Handelsblad, July 9, 1952.

55 How popular Luns would become is shown by some opinion polls. Because of his sense of humour and his firm stand towards New Guinea, he would become the most popular man in the Netherlands. While in 1952, when he became minister, he was one of the most unknown members of the Dutch cabinet (see NIPO opinion poll nr. 582, October 10, 1952), his star was rising fast. In the parliament election of May 1963, nobody got as many preferential votes as Luns did. Algemeen Handelsblad, May 21, 1963. In an opinion poll in the following month he would rank first on the list of the most admired men. NIPO opinion poll nr. 950, June 27 1963.

56 Interview with Luns, October 22, 1991.

57 See reports of these meetings in ARA, collection Drees, file 228.

58 Attempts of some leading Dutch businessmen organised in the so-called Groep-Rijkens (P. Rijkens was president of Unilever and the initiator of this group) to look for a solution concerning New Guinea had to be carried out in the utmost secrecy to avoid accusations of high treason. Because of the anti-Indonesian atmosphere in the Netherlands, no political party dared to get in touch with them. All the endeavours of the Groep Rijkens did not produce any results. Rijkens, P., Handelen Wandel (Rotterdam 1965) 160–181.Google Scholar See also Oltmans, , Memoires 1957–1959, 157.Google Scholar

59 Elseviers Weekblad, January 28, 1950.

60 According to the official newspaper Merdeka, mouthpiece of the leading Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI), June 12, 1954. Persstemmen nr. 1, 271.

61 De Telegraaf, November 27, 1954. See also Wereldkroniek June 2, 1956. In a coverage of Soekarno's state visit to the US he was depicted as an collaborator of the Japanese during World War II.

62 Report Van der Zwaai to the High Commissioner, June 30. 1955. FO archives, archive Commissionary of Makassar, file 189.

63 van Galen Last, H., President Dramakutra (Amsterdam 1957).Google Scholar

64 Letter J. van Oldenborgh to J. van der Poel, October 8, 1955. ARA, archives Business Council for the Netherlandslndies (Ondernemersraad voor Nederlands-Indië/ORNI), box 171, file 1.

65 Letter Van Bylandt to Luns, June 29, 1955. FO Secret archives 912.11, file 1.531.

66 De Telegraaf en Elseviers Weekblad belonged to the forbidden newspapers and magazines. The correspondent of De Telegraaf Bouwer was expelled from the country. KHA/1955, 12.040.

67 Minutes of the Council of Ministers nr. 1.772, March 19, 1956. ARA, archives of the Council of Ministers.

68 Interview with Luns, October 22, 1991.

69 NIPO opinion poll 1961. P.R., Baehr et al., Buitenlandse politiek in de Nederlandse publieke opinie 1960–1975 (The Hague 1975) 121–123.Google Scholar

70 Goedhart visited Indonesia in 1952 at the invitation of the Indonesian government. Because he was a supporter of Indonesian independence, it was hoped his trip to Indonesia would alter the negative image of the Dutch. Ironically, Goedhart's visit was counterproductive.

71 Oltmans, , Memoires 1957–1959, 96–97.Google Scholar

72 See Wereldkroniek, a popular illustrated magazine, March 17, 1956, and April 28, 1956.

73 De Telegraaf, February 25, 1956.

74 Algemeen Handelsblad, December 3, 1956.

75 See van Esterik, Ch., Nederlands laatste bastion in de Oost. Economie en politiek in de Nieuw-Ouinea-kwestie (Baarn 1982) 86.Google Scholar

76 Lijphart, See, Trauma, 227–249.Google Scholar

77 Oltmans, Memoires 1959–1961, 191–192. See also Roethof, , Binnenhof, 124.Google Scholar

78 See Lijphart, , Trauma, 227–249.Google Scholar

79 De Telegraaf, January 3, 4 and 6, 1962.

80 Elseviers Weekblad, May 5, 1962.

81 Ibidem, August 18, 1962.

82 See van der Plas, M., Luns: ‘ik herinner mij…’ (Leiden 1971) 114–117.Google Scholar Six out of every ten Dutchmen favoured Luns' visit to Indonesia. NIPO opinion poll nr. 1004, July 17, 1964.

83 Soekarno had an interview with Dutch journalists on May 10, 1963. See Algemeen Handelsblad of that date. See also De Telegraaf of May 14, 1963, and a documentary book about Soekarno written by two journalists of De Telegraaf and Nieuws van de dag, O. Kuijk and B. van Veen, Soekarno tabeh (Amsterdam s.a.).

84 A state visit was considered premature. The rancounous feelings towards the Indonesian president were still too strong to bestow that honour upon him. One third of the Dutch was in favour, one third against and the rest didn't know what to think of a state visit. NIPO opinion poll nr. 991, April 6, 1964.

85 Lijphart, , Trauma, 131.Google Scholar

86 Lijphart, , Trauma, 285–291.Google Scholar