Passion leads Seemann to learn about Indonesia

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): It all started in a small and dusty curio shop on a crowded street in Ciputat, South Jakarta, a few years ago.

Heinrich Seemann, the German ambassador to Indonesia, and his wife Karen Seemann were startled to find an antique three-foot long theodolite manufactured by German Max Hildelbrand, Freiberg among heaps of old furniture and bad art.

The theodolite possibly belonged to German engineers who worked in Surabaya, East Java, some years ago.

At the Railway Museum in Ambarawa, Central Java, the ambassador found other clue. He saw several old locomotives manufactured by two famous German companies in the late l9th century.

These items were evidence showing the long-time presence of Germans in Indonesia, said the ambassador, who admitted he knew very little about the country when he was posted here in l994.

"My first encounter with Indonesia was actually in the l970s when I took a vacation in Bali." At that time, Seemann was posted in Japan.

It was his close friend, the late Tony Poganik, then Indonesia's national soccer coach from the former Yugoslavia, who first gave Seemann a real portrait of Bali.

The ambassador recalled that Tony opened his eyes and mind to Bali, showing him the real Bali -- its people, arts and religion.

But he still knew little about the rest of the country. "I only knew that Indonesia and Germany had a long and tight relationship. And thousands of Indonesians studied in Germany. That's all," conceded the father of five adult children.

Seemann's great passion for history, art and literature led him to learn more about Indonesia.

His discoveries in the curio shop and at the museum drew him to trace the history of the two country's relationship.

"I started to do some research and contacted all the museums and other institutions in Germany, and I found amazing facts and documents which recorded German people's activities in Indonesia," recalled the ambassador, who earned a doctorate degree in law.

He discovered that the relationship between the two countries went back as far as the year 1509, when the first contact was made between Germans and the people of Indonesia, then known as the East Indies.

His meticulous study of the history of German-Indonesian relations is on display at the current exhibition titled Traces of a Friendship, German-Indonesian Relations from the 16th to the 19th Century, at the National Archive Building here in Jakarta.

The exhibition, which will end on Feb. 29, displays ancient manuscripts, photographs, books and art objects which reveal the long relationship of Germans and Indonesians in the field of science and technology, arts and literature, and economy.

The exhibition is intended to show both Germans and Indonesians that their two countries have had close relations for 500 years, said the ambassador, who is also the author of books about Nepal and Japan.

"I always want to learn the history of every country I serve," said Seemann, who joined the German Foreign Service in l965. He has served in the United States, Nepal, Japan, Mali and Indonesia.

His first book about Indonesia is titled Von Goethe bis Emil Nolde, Indonesien in der deutschen Geisteswelt (From Goethe to Emil Nolde -- Indonesia's Place in German Literature, Science and Art).

"The book is written in the German language. I hope someday it can be translated and printed in Bahasa Indonesia," said Dr. Seemann, who also is eager to write about modern Indonesian architecture.

Of course, the ambassador does not only look to the past. "With such a close affiliation in the past, we can look forward to having tighter relations in the present and future," he said.

He said his position as ambassador to Indonesia was very challenging, especially during the country's multidimensional crisis. "Indonesia is currently facing an image problem in the international world because of unfavorable press coverage," he pointed out.

Every day, people in the West see news reports on CNN or other media about Indonesia. Indonesia caught the international attention when it was hit by huge forest fires. Indonesia was again in the spotlight during its economic crisis and the numerous outbreaks of social and political unrest, such as the May 1998 riots, and the violence in East Timor, Maluku and Aceh.

"Everybody is watching you now, although what has appeared in the media was often different from the reality," he said.

Dr. Seemann said he was trying to convince German businesspeople that Indonesia was safe for investment. "You just come to Indonesia and see for yourself the business and political atmospheres here," the ambassador said he tells the German business community.

Last week, a German business envoy arrived in Jakarta. "They were all astounded to see the glitter of Jakarta on their way from Soekarno-Hatta airport to Jl. M.H Thamrin," the ambassador said.

In the middle of the economic crisis, he said, three German companies made substantial investments in Indonesia. "This means that Indonesia has potential."

The visit of President Abdurrahman Wahid to several European countries including Germany also changed the image of Indonesia abroad, Seemann said.

"In Europe he (Abdurrahman) was warmly welcomed by the heads of state, politicians, potential investors and people from different walks of life," the ambassador said.

He added that Abdurrahman may need a legion of aides-de-camp who can articulately speak about Indonesia in foreign countries, and provide first-hand information about the country's social, political and economic conditions to foreign media and business circles.

"In this globalization era, the media has huge power. Nobody can curb their freedom of speech and expression," he said.

Germany, he said, was eager to help Indonesia speed up its economic and political reform and uphold human rights.

In the field of education, Germany wants to lure back Indonesian students to the nation's best universities and institutions of higher education.

Approximately 17,000 Indonesians have graduated from German universities. The ambassador said education was free in Germany from elementary school to university.

"Germany may be the best option for Indonesian students since they only have to pay for their daily cost of living. There are no tuition fees for schooling."

He said language may be a major obstacle for many Asian students, but he pointed out many German universities had changed their curriculums, with some beginning to use English as a second language.

"Our government and business community are now working to promote German universities at the coming education fair here in Jakarta," he said.

For this multifaceted ambassador, his years in Indonesia have been very fulfilling.

Amid his many tasks, he finds peace on the airwaves, where he is a frequent classical music reviewer at Radio Classic Top FM.

"Music plays a very crucial role in my life. It makes me happy and serene."