Pak Termors, the first Indonesian Years 1970-1974 (and much more)

After the 30 September 1965 coup, a 'normalization ' of relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands started soon thereafter. As Finance Minister between 1966-8 Frans Seda invited IMF and other international parties to join the plans for new relations. The Netherlands became chair of the IGGI, the International Government Group on Indonesian Affairs. One of the effects was that also academic contacts could start again. I remember that in the 1970s a report was written with the title Terug van Weggeweest: Hoe de Leidse Academie in het spoor van het kapitaal de weg naar Indonesië terugvond (or a title like: Back from some absence: How Leiden University found its way to Indonesia again, following the big capital). It is a general symptom that difficult international discussions can show as their result some cultural cooperation: cheap and good to show that there have been quick results. One of these was the start of contacts with the Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta on training about Dutch Language and literature. A project started in 1969 and Gerard Termorshuizen moved to Jakarta in early 1970 to become a second person (next to Jan de Vries)  to train Indonesians in Dutch language and literature. He stayed until late 1974. In 1975 the first group of five Indonesian continued this program in Leiden, six months later followed by a group of five more (in total 8 female and two male students). They graduated with a doctorandus degree (equivalent to MA) in 1975 and 1976. But they did not really return to Indonesia: they all came soon back again to the Netherlands, married Dutch partners and continued their career in this country instead of setting up courses in Dutch language and (colonial/post-colonial) Dutch literature at Indonesian universities, which was the initial goal of the program.

Gerard Termorshuizen (born 1935, now 85 years old) wrote about this project a fascinating, very personal book, published only as a private work, communicated in his large circle of friends. The first 40 pages are about his youth and early life until 1970, pages 171-206 are notes about his great project during 50 more years working on research and enjoyment of Dutch colonial literature (individual authors, the journalists and their newspapers).

I arrived only three months after Pak Termors, as he is commonly known, in Indonesia: seven years younger, at the age of 28 I began my research on pesantren in March 1970. From 1978-1988 I was involved in programs with the IAIN, the Institut Agama Islam Negeri, the State Academy of Islamic Studies. My field of work was already established: I was only an observer and later (1978-88) an exceptional external expert in large and established institutions. Out of the first group of nine students who came in the Netherlands 1978-9, all nine returned to their families and work in Indonesia. Five wrote a doctoral dissertation on Islamic subjects, with an Indonesian and a Dutch Professor as tutor. This number has been increasing since then continuously. The study of Dutch and Dutch colonial literature is of course a small subject compared to the vast institutions about Islamic Studies, at least in Indonesia.

In fact Termorshuizen wrote a very intriguing book about a Dutch scholar in Indonesian society, finding his way (of working and living). There are many naughty stories about his affairs with women, written down after so many years, as somewhat special sections in this book with its many subjects and variations. The greatest project was not the training of students, but the translation of the Max Havelaar book by H.B. Yassin, followed by the preparations for the movie on the book. There are nice portraits of individual people: Jacob Vredenbregt, Han Resink, Rob Nieuwenhuis and many others. I thank Gerard for this very personal gift to the broad circle of Indonesian and Dutch students of the changing Indonesian society and its cultures. It is a unique story that quite many of us will read and re-read with passion and surprise, recognizing their own and theirs friends' life stories.