Gedung Merdeka: From cafe to convention center

Gedung Merdeka: From cafe to convention center

By Petty Prihartini

Forty years ago, Bandung, the capital of West Java, hosted the Asia-Africa Conference. It led to the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which is now known as the Child of Bandung. To mark the event, United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros- Ghali will attend a commemoration of the meeting at Gedung Merdeka (Freedom Building) on April 24. A day later, a three-day NAM ministerial conference will commence in the same building. The Jakarta Post presents the following two articles on the history of Gedung Merdeka and the burning of Bandung by freedom fighters during the struggle for independence.

BANDUNG (JP): When Bandung was nominated to host the Afro-Asian Conference in 1955, India, one of the organizers, suggested that the conference be held in tents. They were concerned that there wasn't a big enough building in Bandung to accommodate an international conference.

Actually, the city had inherited a grand, art deco building from the Dutch. The 7,500-square-meter building, located to the east of the town square, was called the Societeit Concordia, but is now known as Gedung Merdeka.

The Societeit Concordia was built exactly one hundred years ago. It didn't have a name then. It was a very modest building, made from wooden planks with no hard floor. It was a very different building from what it is now.

The building, owned by the Chinese, served as a cafe and hang out spot. The Dutch went there to relax, meet people, chat and watch the popular tonil (theater). The cafe was the place to see and be seen for a Dutch newcomer in Bandung. The population of Bandung was only 30,000, and 1,250 of them were Europeans.

In 1920, a meeting hall was built on the site of the cafe. Two architects, Van Gallen Last and CP Wolff Schomaker designed the new building. Both were famous Dutch architects and professors at the Technisse Hoogeschool Bandung, now known as the Bandung Institute of Technology.

The two architects successfully turned a very modest cafe into the most luxurious building in Bandung. The floor was constructed from imported Italian marble, the walls concrete and the doors from quality clove wood. There were crystal chandeliers in each corner. No wonder the Dutch dignitaries enjoyed spending their time in the Societeit Concordia. The building became the most beautiful and most prestigious meeting place for Europeans living in Java.

The membership of the Societeit Concordia was very restricted. Low ranking Dutch officers were not allowed to set foot in the building, let alone the natives. Only high ranking officials, rich businessmen and plantation managers were allowed admittance to the building. Only two natives were allowed inside, the regent and his wife.

The laughter of high ranking Dutch officials and Dutch girls could be heard coming from the building in the evening, especially on holidays and weekends. They watched the theater, drank, dined and enjoyed the entertainment. Bandung, which was then known as Parijs van Java, never slept.

In 1940 the building was extended and renovated. A new building, in the art deco style popular at the time, was added in the east wing. The addition, located on the corner of Jl. Asia Afrika, was designed by architects A.F. Albers and R.A. de Waal.

During the Japanese occupation of 1942, the Concordia, like other important buildings, was taken over by the Japanese. The Japanese once again changed its name and called it Dai Toa Kaikan and used it as a cultural center. During this time, the eastern wing, which had been extended and renovated two years earlier, was destroyed by fire.

Indonesia took over the building after declaring independence in 1945 and made it the headquarters of the youths fighting the Japanese. Towards the end of 1945, the building became the main administration office.

Between 1946 and 1950, the Concordia became a public meeting place and once again was used for art performances, festivals, dining, public meetings and conventions.

In 1954, five years after Indonesian independence gained international acknowledgment, President Sukarno decided that Bandung would host the Afro-Asian conference in 1955.

Why Bandung?

"Because it was from Bandung that the fight to eliminate colonialism and imperialism from Indonesia started," the former president was quoted as saying in the History of Gedung Merdeka.

The Concordia was chosen for the simple reason that it was then the biggest building and the only one with adequate meeting facilities. Besides its size and facilities, the building was also considered strategic. It was located in the city center and was close to the two best hotels in Bandung, the Savoy Homann and the Preanger hotels.

In 1955, as the Afro-Asian Conference approached, the Concordia was renovated. The building was extended and the facilities were improved. It took four months for architect A.F. Silaban to complete the renovation. Silaban received a lot of suggestions from President Sukarno, who was an engineer. The dome roof was a suggestion by Sukarno.

Another big building, the Dana Pensiun, was also spruced-up for committee meetings three kilometers away from the Concordia.

Before the Afro-Asian Conference took place, President Sukarno gave new names to these two buildings. The Concordia became the Merdeka and the Dana Pensiun became the Dwiwarna. Groote Postweg street, on which the Merdeka is located, became Jl. Asia Afrika.

During the Afro-Asian Conference, the Merdeka was only used for the opening ceremony, plenary sessions and the closing ceremony. Committee meetings, like those by the political, economic and cultural committees, were conducted at the Dwiwarna building.

Many of the delegates were surprised and impressed by the two buildings. They didn't think that Indonesia had buildings suitable for international conferences. Most of the delegates, never having visited Indonesia, had not known what to expect.

In the Merdeka, on April 24, 1955 at exactly 7 p.m., two hours late, "the Ten Bandung Principles" were produced. The principles triggered a spirit of peace and freedom in the Afro-Asian region.

After the Afro-Asian conference ended, the Merdeka remained in constant use. After the 1955 general elections, it became the Konstituante building. However, since the Konstituante was considered unsuccessful in carrying out its task of establishing the state principles and the 1945 constitution, it was dissolved by the President Decree of July 5, 1959. Later on, the National Planning Agency occupied the building. When the interim parliament (MPRS) was formed in 1960, the Merdeka became the MPRS building until 1970 when all the interim parliament's activities were relocated to Jakarta.

After changing its functions several times, the Merdeka finally received serious attention from the West Java provincial administration in September 1968. The West Java administration office then appointed a manager and a number of personnel to maintain the building.

The maintenance fund was derived from renting the building for cultural activities. In 1970 the Merdeka regained its function as a convention center.

Serious attention wasn't paid to the Merdeka until 1980, the 25th anniversary of the Afro-Asia Conference held on April 24. President Soeharto then declared the building to be the Afro- Asian Conference Museum and put it under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The museum houses the equipment used during the Afro-Asian Conference. The type writers, cameras, telegraphic equipment and the rattan furniture can all be seen. Even the peci (a type of hat) worn by Prime Minister Ali Sastroamidjojo is carefully kept in this museum. Included in the collection are 275 photos and clippings from newspapers covering the Afro-Asian Conference.

In 1992, to welcome delegates of the 10th Summit Conference of the Non Aligned Movement, seven statues were added to the museum's collection. The statues represent prominent figures from the original Afro-Asian Conference, five of which were its initiators, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru (India), Sir John Kotelawala (Srilanka), U Nu (Burma), Moh. Ali Jinah (Pakistan) and Ali Sastroamidjojo (Indonesia). Statues of former president Sukarno and vice president Moh. Hatta stand beside them.

Today, the building is a museum and a center for the study of Afro-Asian and developing countries. A library has been established. The Merdeka has not only become a grand and beautiful historical monument, but also a center of study to promote development and peace.