Alidius Warmoldus Lambertus Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer
Encyclopedia
Jonkheer
Alidius Warmoldus Lambertus Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer (7 March 1888, Groningen – 16 August 1978, Wassenaar
) was a Dutch
nobleman and statesman, primarily noted for being the last colonial Governor-General
of the Netherlands East Indies, now Indonesia
. He was taken captive after accepting Japan's demands for an unconditional surrender of the islands on 9 March 1942.
, he was Queen's Commissioner in Groningen (1925–33) and envoy to Brussels (1933–36).
On 16 September 1936, he became Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies.
on 10 May 1940, Jhr. van Starkenborgh declared martial law in the Dutch East Indies, ordering 19 German cargo ships to be seized and all German nationals to be interned pending the liberation of the Netherlands.
In December 1941, when Japan
began operations in the Pacific
, there were 93,000 Dutch troops and 5,000 America
n and British soldiers to defend against an invasion of the Netherlands East Indies.
By 15 February, Japan
ese bombers were attacking the capital at Batavia (now Jakarta
) and government operations were removed to Bandoeng. On Sunday, 8 March, Lt. Gen. Hitoshi Imamura
met with van Starkenborgh and set a deadline for an unconditional surrender. Jhr. van Starkenborgh ordered the Dutch and Allied troops to cease fire in a broadcast the next day, and the Allied forces surrendered at 1:00 p.m.
Tjarda van Starkenborgh, his family, and other Dutch government and military personnel were taken prisoner. While the Japanese offered him to stay at his home under house arrest and receive special treatment he refused. He stated that when the people were put in a POW Camp he as well should be put in a camp. He was separated from his wife, Christine, and daughters, who were interned in a different POW camp.
Later, he was transferred to the Manchurian camp at Hsien (now Liaoyuan
), where he was held along with other prominent prisoners, including General Jonathan M. Wainwright
, until the camp was liberated on 16 August 1945.
to serve as Governor-General, in that the Queen had pledged self government to Indonesia in 1942. He resigned effective 16 October 1945. Instead, he became the Dutch Ambassador to France
(1945–48) and was then the Dutch Representative to NATO (1950–56).
After his retirement he settled a long-standing argument on canal links with Belgium in negotiations during 1963-66. With Gerbrandy
and Beel
, he formed an advisory committee on the Greet Hofmans
affair.
Jonkheer
Jonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Alidius Warmoldus Lambertus Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer (7 March 1888, Groningen – 16 August 1978, Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
nobleman and statesman, primarily noted for being the last colonial Governor-General
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies represented the Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949.The first Governors-General were appointed by the Dutch East India Company...
of the Netherlands East Indies, now 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...
. He was taken captive after accepting Japan's demands for an unconditional surrender of the islands on 9 March 1942.
Early life
He joined the diplomatic service in 1915. Prior to 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...
, he was Queen's Commissioner in Groningen (1925–33) and envoy to Brussels (1933–36).
On 16 September 1936, he became Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies.
Second World War
When the Netherlands surrendered to GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on 10 May 1940, Jhr. van Starkenborgh declared martial law in the Dutch East Indies, ordering 19 German cargo ships to be seized and all German nationals to be interned pending the liberation of the Netherlands.
In December 1941, when Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
began operations in the Pacific
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
, there were 93,000 Dutch troops and 5,000 America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n and British soldiers to defend against an invasion of the Netherlands East Indies.
By 15 February, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese bombers were attacking the capital at Batavia (now Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
) and government operations were removed to Bandoeng. On Sunday, 8 March, Lt. Gen. Hitoshi Imamura
Hitoshi Imamura
-External links:...
met with van Starkenborgh and set a deadline for an unconditional surrender. Jhr. van Starkenborgh ordered the Dutch and Allied troops to cease fire in a broadcast the next day, and the Allied forces surrendered at 1:00 p.m.
Tjarda van Starkenborgh, his family, and other Dutch government and military personnel were taken prisoner. While the Japanese offered him to stay at his home under house arrest and receive special treatment he refused. He stated that when the people were put in a POW Camp he as well should be put in a camp. He was separated from his wife, Christine, and daughters, who were interned in a different POW camp.
Later, he was transferred to the Manchurian camp at Hsien (now Liaoyuan
Liaoyuan
Liaoyuan is a prefecture-level city in the west of Jilin province in Northeast China, bounded on the west by Liaoning province. Liaoyuan city lies some 100 km southeast of Changchun, the capital of Jilin province. Covering an area of 5,125 square kilometers, Liaoyuan is the smallest among the...
), where he was held along with other prominent prisoners, including General Jonathan M. Wainwright
Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV
Jonathan Mayhew "Skinny" Wainwright IV was a career American army officer and the commander of Allied forces in the Philippines at the time of their surrender to the Empire of Japan during World War II...
, until the camp was liberated on 16 August 1945.
Post-war life
Jhr. van Starkenborgh returned to the Netherlands with his family, but declined a request from Queen WilhelminaWilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
to serve as Governor-General, in that the Queen had pledged self government to Indonesia in 1942. He resigned effective 16 October 1945. Instead, he became the Dutch Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1945–48) and was then the Dutch Representative to NATO (1950–56).
After his retirement he settled a long-standing argument on canal links with Belgium in negotiations during 1963-66. With Gerbrandy
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was a Dutch politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from September 3, 1940 until June 24, 1945. He was the Prime Minister of the Dutch government in exile during World War II...
and Beel
Louis Beel
Louis Joseph Maria Beel was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from July 3, 1946 until August 7, 1948 and again from December 22, 1958 until May 19, 1959...
, he formed an advisory committee on the Greet Hofmans
Greet Hofmans
Greet Hofmans was a faith healer and hand layer. For nine years she was a friend and advisor of Queen Juliana, often residing at Palace Soestdijk...
affair.