ROBERT WOLTER MONGINSIDI

Robert Wolter Monginsidi was born in Manado in 1925. He was still in MULO when the Pacific War broke. During the Japanese occupation, he entered the Japanese school.

He joined the independence combatants in Ujung Pandang when the Indonesia independence was proclaimed.

When the Dutch landed at Ujung Pandang and other towns in Southern Sulawesi, the armed conflict with the young combatants happened.

The combatants finally founded irregular troops and appointed Wolter as the secretary general. Besides he also accomplished a task as a tactician in the military operations. He often covered up as a Dutch military police and entered the town to spy upon the enemy.

The colonialist suffered much loss in facing the irregular troops. He concentrated his troops at Polombangkeng.

Overcoming the combatants activities, the aggressor performed robust operations. Wolter was trapped and caught, Ten months later he escaped from the prison. The Dutch was panic and accomplished other accurate operations. In nine days the Dutch recaught him.

The colonialist tried to persuade him to work together but he refused distinctly. Finally the Dutch sentenced him to death. He rejected to ask amnesty from the colonialist.

On September 5, 1949, Wolter was shot at Pacinang. With a bible in his left hand and his right hand clenched, he shouted “Merdeka!”. He died as a young hero.

WAGE RUDOLF SUPRATMAN

A magazine asked all Indonesian musicians to prepare the National Anthem. Supratman thought that he had to compose an anthem. In 1924, he composed Indonesia Raya.

He was born at Jatinegara, Jakarta, on March 19, 1903. After he finished his elementary school in Jakarta, he continued his study in Ujung Pandang and graduated there.

He taught at elementary school for some years, before he worked at a business firm. His heart pressed him to move to Bandung. He become a journalist in Bandung and moved to Jakarta. He was still a journalist when he went to Jakarta. He often wrote about the national movements. The condition at the time touched him. The ill treatment to the people urged him to write a book. The title of this book was Perawan Desa. Perawan Desa criticized the colonialist so the Dutch forbade its circulation. The Indonesia Raya that was only sung by the boy-scout, finally sung widely in the Youth Congress in Jakarta. The Congress was held on October 28, 1928.

With a violin in his hand, Supratman played the song beautifully in front of the Congress participators. They were all very satisfied and clapped hand happily. Since that time on the Indonesia Raya was always sung at every meeting, even though the Dutch prevented. Besides producing the Youth Oath, the congress declared the Indonesia Raya created by Supratman. After the proclamation of the independence, Indonesia Raya was confirmed as the National Anthem. Supratman died in Surabaya on August 17, 1938 when he was only 35 years old.

KARTINI

Raden Ajeng Kartini was born in Mayong, Central Java on April 21, 1879 from a noble family. Her father was the regent of Jepara whose name was Raden Mas Adipati Ario Samingun Sosroningrat. He was an educated man and sent all his sons and daughter to a Dutch elementary School (Europeesche Lagere School) in Jepara. In this town she had a lot of friends, Indonesia and Dutch girls. She was also beginning to know and understand western culture.

At school Kartini began to think of what many girl of her age missed.They could not go to school, and had to stay at home until they married. Kartini realized that women in indonesia were not free, and she wanted to improve this situasion.

Kartini symbolizes the advance of women in Indonesia. According to her opinion education would add women's dignity. She tried hard to get liberty from the ancient custom. When she was still a girl, not many girls went to school. The schoolgirls were limited to elementary school.

Going to a higher school contradicted the tradition. The heroine was longing for stopping the humiliated custom. She wished to continue her study after she finished the elementary school. She persuaded her father who was a nobleman. She told him openly about her race. Men had ruled women for centuries. Women had to obey what men said. Sometimes they had to do what they really didn't want to do. Women never had any important right. They only had to bear babies, nothing else. On the contrary man laid on his desire even it hurt woman's heart. It was a pity, woman was not brave enough to refuse.

Why could it happen? Because her race wasn't clever. They never had any education. It was her idea to give knowledge and skill to women. She proposed what was in her mind to her father. Her father denied what she wanted. It was a contradiction with the habit.

He asked her daughter not to leave home until someone asked her to be his wife. As an obedient girl, she accepted the decision. She had to do what her father wanted. She becane Adipati Joyodiningrat's wife and moved to Rembang following her husband.