Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo
Encyclopedia
Dr. Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo or Cipto Mangunkusumo (Pecangakan, Ambarawa
, Semarang
, 1886 - Batavia, March 8, 1943) was a prominent Indonesian independence leader and Sukarno
's political mentor. Together with Ernest Douwes Dekker
and Soewardi Soerjaningrat
he was one of the three founders of the influential Indische Party
a political party disseminating the idea of self-government of the Dutch East Indies
. After the party was labeled subversive by colonial court of law in 1913, he and his fellow IP leaders were exiled to the Netherlands
.
Tjipto advocated an Indies-based nationalism rather than Javanese nationalism. Unlike other Javanese nationalist leaders, Tjipto's belief in democracy remained strong until the end of this life and in his view the traditional character of feudal Javanese civilization had to change. He considered western education and its subsequent social and cultural dislocation as indispensable in creating a revolutionary atmosphere. He disagreed with Budi Utomo
's emphasise on the reinvogoration of traditional Javanese civilization. In a 1916 debate he stated: “The psyche of the Javanese people needs to be changed to such an extent that a change of language, or more cynically a killing of a language becomes urgent. Only in this way will it be possible to build another language on its ruins and also another civilization."
Tjipto married his Indo (Eurasian) wife Marie Vogel in 1920.
When the 3 IP
leaders returned to the Dutch East Indies his two compagnons eventually took the path of education, while Tjipto always remained politically active. After his exile he was involved in the 'Insulinde (Political Party)
' which was transformed into the new 'Nationaal Indische Party
' of which he became one of the leaders and its representative in the Peoples Assembly (Dutch: Volksraad (Dutch East Indies)
).
When Sukarno, future President of Indonesia, moved to Bandung
, he gradually alienated from his first political mentor and father in law Tjokroaminoto
(leader of the Sarekat Islam
). Tjipto then became his main political mentor and turned him into a convinced radical nationalist.
Both men were relentless and uncompromising independence fighters professing a deep concern with the plight of the poor peasant. However unlike his political pupil Tjipto's often courageous actions showed a proven track record of practically improving the social predicament of peasants. As early as 1910 Tjipto had devoted his unstinting services to the Javanese people during an outbreak of the plague. For his efforts he was even awarded a Royal decoration in the Order of Orange-Nassau
, by the colonial government.
After the NIP's involvement in the farmers' strike in central Java the party was banned. Tjipto co-founded the 'National Party of Indonesia' (PNI), chaired by Sukarno. Soon thereafter he attempted to foment revolt among the Indonesians serving in the KNIL and was exiled again in 1927, this time to Banda
. On Banda he was later joined by other leading revolutionaries like Hatta
and Sjahrir. However during his 11 year long exile he was unable to further any significant political activity.
He died in 1943 and was buried in Ambarawa.
After Indonesian independence the 'Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekeninrichting Salemba' was renamed the 'Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital'.
Ambarawa
Ambarawa is a market town located between Semarang and Salatiga in Central Java, Indonesia.Ambarawa was an important connecting rail link providing a cog railway connecting through Central Java as far as Yogyakarta via Magelang. The Semarang-Ambarawa-Magelang line was fully operational until 1977...
, Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, 1886 - Batavia, March 8, 1943) was a prominent Indonesian independence leader and Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
's political mentor. Together with Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest Douwes Dekker
Ernest François Eugène Douwes Dekker was an Indonesian freedom fighter and politician of Indo descent. He was related to the famous Dutch writer, Multatuli, whose real name was Eduard Douwes Dekker. In his youth, he took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa on the Boer side...
and Soewardi Soerjaningrat
Ki Hajar Dewantara
Ki Hajar Dewantara , born Raden Mas Soewardi Soerjaningrat into a noble Javanese family of Yogyakarta, was a pioneer in the field of education in Indonesia...
he was one of the three founders of the influential Indische Party
Indische Party
The Indische Party or Indies Party was a short lived but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European journalist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo and Soewardi Soerjaningrat...
a political party disseminating the idea of self-government 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....
. After the party was labeled subversive by colonial court of law in 1913, he and his fellow IP leaders were exiled to the Netherlands
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...
.
Tjipto advocated an Indies-based nationalism rather than Javanese nationalism. Unlike other Javanese nationalist leaders, Tjipto's belief in democracy remained strong until the end of this life and in his view the traditional character of feudal Javanese civilization had to change. He considered western education and its subsequent social and cultural dislocation as indispensable in creating a revolutionary atmosphere. He disagreed with Budi Utomo
Budi Utomo
Budi Utomo , founded on May 20, 1908, was the first native political society in the Dutch East Indies...
's emphasise on the reinvogoration of traditional Javanese civilization. In a 1916 debate he stated: “The psyche of the Javanese people needs to be changed to such an extent that a change of language, or more cynically a killing of a language becomes urgent. Only in this way will it be possible to build another language on its ruins and also another civilization."
Tjipto married his Indo (Eurasian) wife Marie Vogel in 1920.
When the 3 IP
Indische Party
The Indische Party or Indies Party was a short lived but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European journalist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo and Soewardi Soerjaningrat...
leaders returned to the Dutch East Indies his two compagnons eventually took the path of education, while Tjipto always remained politically active. After his exile he was involved in the 'Insulinde (Political Party)
Insulinde (Political Party)
Political party Insulinde , a direct successor of the Indische Party and later renamed the Nationale Indische Party , was a political organization that represented efforts by some Indo Eurasians to identify and cooperate with the Indigenous educated élite of the Dutch East Indies in an effort to...
' which was transformed into the new 'Nationaal Indische Party
Indische Party
The Indische Party or Indies Party was a short lived but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European journalist E.F.E. Douwes Dekker and the Javanese physicians Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo and Soewardi Soerjaningrat...
' of which he became one of the leaders and its representative in the Peoples Assembly (Dutch: Volksraad (Dutch East Indies)
Volksraad (Dutch East Indies)
A People's Council for the Dutch East Indies was provided for by law in 1916. But was procrastinated until the actual installation of the Council in 1918. It was a hesitant and slow attempt at democratisation of the Dutch East Indies. The power of the Volksraad was limited as it only had advisory...
).
When Sukarno, future President of Indonesia, moved to Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, he gradually alienated from his first political mentor and father in law Tjokroaminoto
Tjokroaminoto
Hadji Oemar Said Tjokroaminoto was a nationalist, the first leader of Sarekat Dagang Islam in Indonesia.-Early life:...
(leader of the Sarekat Islam
Sarekat Islam
Sarekat Islam, formerly Sarekat Dagang Islam, was a Javanese batik traders's cooperative in Indonesia.Sarekat Dagang Islam was founded by Haji Samanhudi, a businessman in Surakarta, in 1905 or 1912. His business was trading in batik, the traditional cloth made in Java...
). Tjipto then became his main political mentor and turned him into a convinced radical nationalist.
"In some ways this close relationship between Tjipto and Sukarno was not surprising; both were highly intelligent men and extremely sensitive to the reality of the colonial situation, an injustice they took as a personal insult."
Both men were relentless and uncompromising independence fighters professing a deep concern with the plight of the poor peasant. However unlike his political pupil Tjipto's often courageous actions showed a proven track record of practically improving the social predicament of peasants. As early as 1910 Tjipto had devoted his unstinting services to the Javanese people during an outbreak of the plague. For his efforts he was even awarded a Royal decoration in the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
, by the colonial government.
After the NIP's involvement in the farmers' strike in central Java the party was banned. Tjipto co-founded the 'National Party of Indonesia' (PNI), chaired by Sukarno. Soon thereafter he attempted to foment revolt among the Indonesians serving in the KNIL and was exiled again in 1927, this time to Banda
Banda
-People:*Banda people, an ethnic group of the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Sudan*Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia*Hastings Banda, former President of Malawi...
. On Banda he was later joined by other leading revolutionaries like Hatta
Hatta
Hatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
and Sjahrir. However during his 11 year long exile he was unable to further any significant political activity.
He died in 1943 and was buried in Ambarawa.
After Indonesian independence the 'Centrale Burgerlijke Ziekeninrichting Salemba' was renamed the 'Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital'.