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Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Raden Panji Nugroho Notosusanto (15 July 1930 – 3 June 1985) was an Indonesian short story writer turned military historian who served as professor of history at the
University of Indonesia The University of Indonesia ( id, Universitas Indonesia, abbreviated as UI) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the D ...
. Born to a noble family in
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
, he exhibited a high degree of nationalism from a young age. During the
Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during Aftermath of WWII, postw ...
from 1945 to 1949 he saw active service as a member of the Student Army, working
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
. Despite wanting to remain in the military, under influence by his father he continued his education, eventually enrolling in the faculty of literature at the University of Indonesia. During the 1950s he wrote extensively and was active in numerous political and academic groups, finally graduating with a degree in history in 1958. After a failed attempt to study at the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
, in the early 1960s Notosusanto – by then a lecturer – was contacted by General
Abdul Haris Nasution General of the Army Abdul Haris Nasution ( Old Spelling: Abdoel Haris Nasution; 3 December 1918 – 6 September 2000), was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution an ...
and tasked with writing a history of the revolution and Madiun Affair. By 1964 he had become head of the
Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
's history division, holding an honorary rank. Continuing to teach, he wrote extensively on the revolution and other military events, including the first book on the 30 September Movement of 1965. His work producing official history on behalf of the authoritarian New Order regime led to his being regarded with contempt by other Indonesian historians. Between 1983 and his death Notosusanto served concurrently as rector of the University of Indonesia and Minister of Education and Culture.


Early life

Nugroho Notosusanto was born in
Rembang Rembang Regency ( id, Kabupaten Rembang) is a regency ( id, kabupaten) on the extreme northeast coast of Central Java Province, on the island of Java (bordering on the Java Sea) in Indonesia. The regency covers an area of 1,035.70 km2 on Java ...
,
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
,
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
, on 15 July 1930, the first of three children born to R.P. Notosusanto, a professor of Islamic law and later one of the founders of
Gadjah Mada University Gadjah Mada University ( jv, ꦈꦤꦶꦥ꦳ꦼꦂꦱꦶꦠꦱ꧀ꦓꦗꦃꦩꦢ; id, Universitas Gadjah Mada, abbreviated as UGM) is a Public university, public research university located in Sleman Regency, Sleman, Yogyakarta (special region) ...
, and his wife. The family was well connected, and several of Nugroho Notosusanto's relatives were ''
bupati A regency ( id, kabupaten), sometimes incorrectly referred to as a district, is an administrative division of Indonesia, directly under a province and on the same level with city (''kota''). Regencies is divided into districts (''Kecamatan'', '' ...
'' (regents); his grandfather, Notomidjojo, was likewise connected to the nobility. While still a child Nugroho Notosusanto began writing short stories; his father later recalled that they were filled with themes of struggle and nationalism. Another of Notosusanto's relatives,
Budi Darma Budi Darma (25 April 1937 – 21 August 2021) was an Indonesian writer, essayist, and academic. Early life Budi is the fourth of six children, all male. During his childhood and teens, Budi and his family lived in a number of different cities ...
, later recalled that he had always stood at attention, "like a soldier", when the future national anthem "
Indonesia Raya "" (; "Great Indonesia") is the national anthem of Indonesia. It has been the national anthem since the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945. The song was introduced by its composer, Wage Rudolf Supratman, on 28 October 1 ...
" was played. Nugroho Notosusanto began his elementary education at a Dutch-run school in
Malang Malang (; ) is a landlocked List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of East Java. It has a history dating back to the age of Singhasari, Singhasari Kingdom. It is the second most popul ...
,
East Java East Java ( id, Jawa Timur) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean bord ...
, in 1937. The following year he transferred to a school for native Indonesians in the colony's capital at Batavia (now
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
), graduating in 1942. He completed his junior high school studies in Pati. During the
Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during Aftermath of WWII, postw ...
from 1945 to 1949 Nugroho Notosusanto's family lived in the temporary national capital at
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
so that his father could work for the Ministry of Law. The younger Notosusanto fought for the revolutionaries. He first joined the 17th Brigade of Student Army (), later transferring to the People's Security Army (). During this period he exclusively did
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
and often slept at the homes of local villagers. Historian Katherine McGregor suggests that this influenced his later short stories, which took
humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "human ...
themes.


Post-revolution

After the end of the revolution, Notosusanto was given a choice between resuming his studies or going to
Breda Breda () is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from ''brede Aa'' ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has ...
in
the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
for further military training. Influenced by his father's disapproval of the military, he finished his senior high school education, despite wanting to continue with the army. After graduating senior high school in 1951, he immediately enrolled with the faculty of literature at the
University of Indonesia The University of Indonesia ( id, Universitas Indonesia, abbreviated as UI) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the D ...
(, or UI). However, he continued to resent the older generation and political leadership. During the 1950s Notosusanto wrote extensively, focusing on essays but also writing poems and, later, short stories; the last of his creative works were written around 1956. He published four short story anthologies between 1958 and 1963. The first, ''Hudjan Kepagian'' (''Morning Rain''), consisted of six short stories. It dealt with the struggle against the Dutch colonists during the revolution. His second anthology, ''Tiga Kota'' (''Three Cities''), was published the following year and followed events in three cities:
Rembang Rembang Regency ( id, Kabupaten Rembang) is a regency ( id, kabupaten) on the extreme northeast coast of Central Java Province, on the island of Java (bordering on the Java Sea) in Indonesia. The regency covers an area of 1,035.70 km2 on Java ...
, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta. The others, and his numerous stories which were published outside of anthologies, mostly dealt with the war and the positive effects of revolution. Aside from his writing, Notosusanto was active in student and political organisations, the student press, and academic conferences. With other students he picketed the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
and French embassies in Jakarta, supporting independence for
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
. He also travelled extensively, visiting
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
,
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, and the US on academic sorties. He completed his bachelour's degree in history from UI in 1958, becoming a lecturer at UI after graduation. On 12 December 1960 he married Irma Sawitri Ramelan (better known as Lilik). Together they had three children: Indrya Smita, Inggita Sukma, and Narottama.


Historian

By the early 1960s Notosusanto had abandoned his literary career, focusing instead on history. In 1960 he received a scholarship from the
Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The second-oldest major philanthropic institution in America, after the Carneg ...
to study at the
School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury ar ...
at the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
, England. He dropped out in 1961, and returned to Indonesia in 1962. Around this time he was recruited by General
Abdul Haris Nasution General of the Army Abdul Haris Nasution ( Old Spelling: Abdoel Haris Nasution; 3 December 1918 – 6 September 2000), was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution an ...
to provide a version of the revolution amenable to the
Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
and counter a
Communist Party of Indonesia The Communist Party of Indonesia (Indonesian: ''Partai Komunis Indonesia'', PKI) was a communist party in Indonesia during the mid-20th century. It was the largest non-ruling communist party in the world before its violent disbandment in 1965. ...
-backed history which ignored the Madiun Affair of 1948. In 1964 he was chosen as head of the Department of Military History. He also worked as a lecturer at UI. During the mid-to-late 1960s Notosusanto wrote extensively on the military history of Indonesia, including a book on Supriyadi's anti-
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
rebellion in 1945 and the
Battle of Surabaya The Battle of Surabaya was fought between regular infantry and militia of the Indonesian nationalist movement and British and British Indian troops as a part of the Indonesian National Revolution against the re-imposition of Dutch colonial r ...
. In 1963 he was appointed to the committee deciding on the content of the Monas Museum to be built in the base of the
National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a spec ...
in the centre of Jakarta. His 1968 book on the 30 September Movement coup in 1965, written in collaboration with
Ismail Saleh Lieutenant General Ismail Saleh (7 November 1926 – 21 October 2008) was Prosecutor General and later Minister of Justice of Indonesia. Biography Saleh was born in Pati, Central Java on 7 November 1926. He graduated from a school for nativ ...
and entitled ''The Coup Attempt of the 30 September Movement in Indonesia'', was the first on the subject to be published and was the "official version" of the incident. It was later used as the basis for the pro-
Suharto Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto ...
film '' Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI'' (''Treachery of G30S/PKI''; 1984), for which Notosusanto received a writing credit. He subsequently wrote books accentuating the role of the military in Indonesia's fight for independence. Sometime after 1968 Notosusanto conceived of Satria Mandala Museum in Jakarta as a modern museum showcasing the military's role in the country's history. The museum, modeled after the
Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...
in
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
and the
Museo Nacional de Historia The National Museum of History (Spanish: ), also known as MNH, is a national museum of Mexico, located inside Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. The Castle itself is found within the first section of the well known Chapultepec Park. The museum rec ...
in
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, Mexico, opened in 1972 and contained numerous dioramas. In a later pamphlet Notosusanto wrote that dioramas were necessary as "the habit of reading is still developing ...
hus Hus or HUS may refer to: Medicine * Hemolytic-uremic syndrome, a disease characterized by haemolytic anemia, kidney problems and a low platelet count People * Hus (surname) * Hus family, an 18th-century French dynasty of ballet dancers and ac ...
historical visualisation remains an effective way to express the identity of
ABRI A rock shelter (also rockhouse, crepuscular cave, bluff shelter, or abri) is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff. In contrast to solutional caves ( karst), which are often many miles long, rock shelters are almost alwa ...
". In existing museums he revised the dioramas to better suit the needs of the New Order government. In 1969 he was promoted to head the Monas Museum committee. During this period Notosusanto continued to teach, although he also became involved with administrative work at UI. He served as assistant dean at the university's faculty of literature between 1963 and 1964, later serving as assistant rector from 1964 to 1967. After writing his
thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
on "The Peta Army During the Japanese Occupation in Indonesia", Notosusanto received his doctorate in 1977 from UI; the thesis was translated into Indonesian and published in 1979 by Gramedia. Two years later he was made a full professor. Notosusanto was made a member of the
Fourth Development Cabinet The Fourth Development Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Pembangunan IV) was the Indonesian cabinet which served under President Suharto and Vice President Umar Wirahadikusumah from March 1983 until March 1988. The Cabinet was formed after Suharto was ele ...
when it was formed on 16 March 1983, replacing outgoing minister Daud Jusuf and taking office three days later. During his two years as minister he worked on several programmes, including
compulsory education Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling ...
and student selection systems. He also instituted a new curriculum, replacing the one which had been in use since 1975 and promoting the
humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
. Concurrently with his work as Minister of Education and Culture, Notosusanto served as rector of UI; students were disapproving of his selection, considering him a military official sent to limit their freedom. He died at his Jakarta home on 3 June 1985 after suffering a
cerebral hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...
and was buried at Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery. At the time, he was a titular
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
.


Legacy

For his military and civilian service, Notosusanto received several awards from the Indonesian government, including the Bintang Dharma, Bintang Gerilya, Bintang Yudha, Dharma Naraya, and Satyalencana Penegak. McGregor describes him as "the central propagandist of the New Order regime", writing that he worked "tirelessly" to support the military. She argues that he controlled a "cult of personality" built around President Suharto, giving the reorganisation of history museums as an example. According to McGregor, Notosusanto relegated the country's first president,
Sukarno Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of ...
, to a background role while he "inserted Suharto, together with other military men, into new places", legitimising the New Order government. He faced widespread criticism throughout his life from Indonesian historians, and was alluded to by a member of the military as "a historian who pretends to be a military man", although he enjoyed travelling overseas as his titular military rank meant he could wear a uniform.


Selected bibliography


Short story collections

* * * *


Historical works

* * * *


Footnotes


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Notosusanto, Nugroho 1930 births 1985 deaths University of Indonesia alumni University of Indonesia faculty Government ministers of Indonesia Indonesian generals 20th-century Indonesian historians People from Central Java Indonesian male short story writers Indonesian essayists 20th-century short story writers 20th-century male writers