Irawan Soejono Against Nazi Germany in the Netherlands

It is a street in Osdorp, a suburb of Amsterdam, but the name is quite distinctive. This street stretches around 200 meters, connecting Rudi Bloemgartensingel with Trijn Hullemanlaan and is flanked by two streets: Jacob Paffstraat and Geertruide Lierstraat.

The Amsterdam municipality named the street Irawan Soejonostraat. Irawan Soejono isn't a famous figure, especially when compared to other Indonesian figures who were immortalized into street names in the Netherlands, such as R.A. Kartini (Kartinistraat), Mohammad Hatta (Hattastraat), and Sutan Sjahrir (Sjahrirstraat).

Irawan's name was immortalized because of his struggle and sacrifice in a country that, ironically, colonized his homeland. The Irawan Soejonostraat was inaugurated on May 4, 1990, in conjunction with the commemoration of the heroes and victims of the Nazi-German occupation.

The Nazi-German-occupied Netherlands

Irawan was born in 1920 in Pasuruan. His father, Raden Adipati Ario Soejono was a Javanese who became a minister without portfolio in the Dutch cabinet formed in exile in London. He died on January 5, 1943 at the age of 56.

Irawan arrived in the Netherlands in 1934 to study in Leiden. When the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi-Germany on May 10, 1940, Indonesian students fought against the fascist army, among other things spreading anti-Nazi propaganda through underground newspapers.

Historian Harry A. Poeze wrote in Di Negeri Penjajah (In the Land of the Colonizers) that after the underground newspaper Feiten (Facts) ceased publication, De Bevrijding (The Liberation) newspaper was published as a replacement. Irawan was included in the editorial board along with Pamoentjak, Alex Ticoalu, Soeripno, I.A. Mochtar, Rozai Koesoemasoebrata, and F.K.N. Harahap.

De Bevrijding was published three times a week until May 1945, or the end of the war, with a circulation ranging between 3,500-20,000 copies. Until March 1945, this newspaper used stencils, and only after that it was printed. There was no sign in the newspaper indicating that it was published by Perhimpunan Indonesia (Indonesian Student Association). In Leiden, the newspaper cooperated with other underground newspapers because joint newspapers were common back then due to problems with paper supply and electricity. The newspaper was sent by train to The Hague and Rotterdam.

Until September 1944, De Bevrijding was also published in The Hague under the editorship of Tamzil, Moewaladi, Sie Soe Giang and Oelam Simatoepang, who had previously worked at Feiten. This stencil newspaper was published three times a week, even later every day with a circulation of 4,000 copies. Despite the same name, the content of De Bevrijding newspapers in The Hague and Leiden was different. The bond between the two newspapers was indicated by the words geautorizeerde uitgave or published with permission. The newspaper was almost entirely about the war, and articles about Indonesia only appeared three times.

De Bevrijding was also published in Rotterdam in September 1944 under the editorship of Jusuf Muda Dalam and Gondo Pratomo. The publication of this newspaper received help from Dutch resistance groups. Gondo Pratomo even managed to rent a house to store stencil machines, which also printed the Rotterdam edition of the underground newspaper, De Vrije Katheder. In addition, this house served as the meeting and hiding place for members of Perhimpunan Indonesia.

Henk van de Bevrijding

In Irawan's obituary published in Indonesia magazine on September 1, 1945, the leader of Perhimpunan Indonesia, Soeripno, wrote that the underground movement referred to Irawan as "Henk van de Bevrijding" or "Henk from the Liberation."

The title, according to Soeripno, was apt because "he was charged with the technical affairs of our underground magazine. He was the 'director' and 'administrator', he took care of the machines, the paper and the radio sets, and he transported them by bicycle, stroller or suitcase. Good weather or bad, dangerous or not, even late at night, Henk was always ready. He conscientiously carried out his duties, making himself one of the most praiseworthy members of Perhimpunan Indonesia, and the life of 'the Liberation'."

Although his main activity was at De Bevrijding, Irawan also joined the combat unit of the Barisan Mahasiswa Indonesia (Indonesian Student Front) in Binnenlandsche Strijdkrachten (Interior Forces), a resistance organization formed on September 5, 1944.

"His spirit of struggle allows him to be ready if necessary to carry a sten gun or carbine to expel the hated invaders forever from this country," Soeripno wrote. Later, Soeripno was executed for his involvement in the 1948 Madiun incident.

Soeripno became the founder and first commander of Barisan Mahasiswa Indonesia, which consisted of four squads. One squad consisted of ten people, one of whom was Alex Ticoalu, who together with Irawan worked for De Bevrijding.

According to Poeze, the members of the group named themselves after the National Hero Untung Soerapati, while the unit was named Knokploegen (KP) or Barisan Tangan Besi (the Iron Hand Front). "Most of them had already gained experience in espionage and sabotage. After Irawan died, the group used Irawan's name," Poeze wrote.

Members of Perhimpunan Indonesia in Amsterdam were also in this group. Soenito led the Amsterdam group in weapons training and street warfare exercises. Due to lack of manpower, by May 1945, Soenito's group of seven was disbanded.

A Warm-hearted Man

In the eyes of his comrades, Irawan was a true introvert, yet he had a warm personality and was highly social. Soeripno recalled, "He was the first to appear where there was difficulty. He went far to find food for those who were hungry, he sawed large trees for firewood, he cooked us water and forced us to eat when we had to stay up late in the morning to do our work. Behind his scolding voice we recognized him as a warm comrade."

According to Soeripno, Irawan escaped raids by Nazi-German soldiers twice. One time he ran away, another time he jumped off a moving tram. However, on January 13, 1945, he was caught and shot by Nazi-German soldiers while he was fleeing on a bicycle carrying a stencil machine.

"When he was found bloodied in the street, the description people gave was that he was shabbily dressed, with shoes full of holes, and wearing clothes full of dirt," wrote Soeripno, who had seen his body in hospital. "When we saw him lying in the hospital with a hole in his head, so peaceful and calm, one of us still doubted it and whispered: there is no way he died."

On January 18, 1945, Irawan was temporarily buried at The Groenesteeg Cemetery in Leiden. His remains were exhumed on November 14, 1946, to be cremated at the Westerveld Crematorium in Driehuis, Velsen.

Soeripno closed Irawan's obituary with the note: "a stupid rifle in the hands of a stupid killer has cut the path of an Indonesian who has not yet reached 25 years of age, whose spirit, devotion, social sense, craft, and simplicity, will remain an example."

‍