Prisoners’ Drawings From Japanese Camps in The Occupied Dutch East Indies (1942-1945)

The cover of the album is made of sturdy cardboard. The inside and outside are covered with paper. The back plus the corners are reinforced on the outside with a fabric (blue with floral pattern). On the front cover is an ellipse of barbed wire drawn in calligraphic letters "D. F". The content consists of 41 pages; of which 39 pp. with drawings. The pages are all with a strip of gauze and paper attached to one another.

 

When the Netherlands was overrun by the Germans in 1940, the Dutch East Indies was cut off from the motherland. In 1942, the Dutch colony was occupied by Japan. Over 140,000 colonists and soldiers were imprisoned in hundreds of camps, cut off from the outside world for three years.  Visual records of the camps nearly always deal with events after the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945. But we are able to glimpse life inside the Japanese camps through the prisoners’ drawings.

 

I'll complain about Herman v / d Sea maker creator: Grondelle Corrie van Manufacture Year ca. 1943 Period WWII Description Watercolor of an office. A woman, seen only half, sitting behind a desk; another woman sits next to the desk. There are three children for the office. Caption: "I'll let him get directly in Office!"

Grondelle Corrie van, 1943. Caption: “I’ll let him get directly in Office!”

maker creator: Lancée L. Manufacture Year 1942 - 1945 Period WWII Description Drawing in watercolor of people trudging with suitcases and bags in a building with a sign 'Koen Cloth Tour. The drawing is made on p. 298 of the book "A century or historical stories.

Lancée L. 1944

Beware of troop movement ' Period WWII Description part of group of drawings (44) G. Voorneman LF Ohl (4), P. van Bergen and anonymous on the Burma-Siam railway 1942-1945

‘Beware of troop movement ‘b y P. van Bergen and anonymous on the Burma-Siam railway 1942-1945

Right: one of Batavia barber died a Frenchman on the ground head of school ' maker creator: J. Boesveld Period WWII Description No. 4; part drawings (27) J. Boesveld on the camps and Kedoengbadak Tjimahi, 1944-1945; accompanying cover letter.

By J. Boesveld

At the beginning of the war there was enough food, but gradually the food was worse. All the food was lacking. In most camps were central cooked in a soup kitchen in large food drums. Tasks like creating fire, water cooking, cleaning vegetables, cook and distribute food among the kitchen chores. The portions were weighed exactly. In 1944 and 1945 prevailed both inside and outside the camps hungry. maker creator: Gabriëlse Johan. 1944

‘At the beginning of the war there was enough food, but gradually the food was worse. All the food was lacking. In most camps food was cooked in a soup kitchen in large food drums. Tasks like creating fire, water cooking, cleaning vegetables, cook and distribute food among the kitchen chores. The portions were weighed exactly.’ By Gabriëlse Johan. 1944

chess Players maker creator: Burki Charles Manufacture Year 1942 Period WWII Description A drawing in ink wash of a corner in a barracks where two men playing chess. Left a man on a chair, his head resting on his right hand. He is seen pictured right. A cigarette in front of him on a bed board. Right, a smoking man with beard on the bed where the bed board is a part of. hang a mosquito net above him. To his right is a military cap. Between men is a chessboard on the bed.

Burki Charles, 1942

Cabaret maker creator: Burki Charles Manufacture Year 1942 - 1943 Period WWII Description A drawing in ink wash of a woman dressed as a man who does a kind of Hawaiian dance. Top left a pen drawing of a harmonica.

practicing for Cabaret maker creator: Burki Charles Manufacture Year 1943 Period WWII Description A drawing in ink wash of a bed in a seated man playing trumpet. The man is wearing a military uniform. To his left is a horn. hangs a rolled mosquito net above him. On the wall behind him are several plates stuck under a portrait of a woman and a picture of father time (?). On the back in pencil: "Preparing for the cabaret, Bandung 1943.". On the back you can see a pressure of the drawing with the inventory number 112118.

Burki Charles,1943. “Preparing for the cabaret, Bandung 1943.”

maker creator: Burki Charles Manufacture Year after 1945 Period WWII Description A pen drawing of two self-rolled cigarettes. The left large and rolled with printed paper, which has been rotated to the upper side in a point. The judge turned thin and dried leaf.

Burki Charles, 1945

A pencil (color) "Medi Serbian inspection". Right in the foreground a ground kneeling woman in uniform. She holds a doll in sailor uniform. Behind the pop an image of a warship. Left in the foreground a sign that read: "Out of bounds". In women, there is a ball. In the right background a playpen with behind a chalkboard with the words: "Chonky 22/10 '43." Top left in the background a soldier checking the naked buttocks of another burdened standing military. Below is the text: "Medi Serbian inspection".

A pencil (color) of a reclining man and woman. In the foreground, a woman swimsuit with about an open jacket. Top left in the background a man wearing only shorts. The foot of the left leg is connected to and hanging in a sling, a little above the bed. Around the shaft of the right leg as well as a connection. Between them the text: "Bed Down". Right under the name "P. v. Velthuysen, Chonky 22/10 '43."

Dutch internment camps Japan 1940s

A lithograph of a signatory man with glasses behind barbed wire. depicted from the shoulders of links. His head and face looking pictured to the left. Left on his forehead is a large bloodstained bandage. The man is wearing a singlet with tears. Top of the text: "Behind the Kawat". Bottom right: "Charles Burki Army No. 9409".

In our civilian camp for 8 1/2 man maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 01-05-1944 Period WWII Description Watercolor of the contents of a Red Cross package: A pack prunes, a can of coffee, canned pâté, a pack of "Camel" and two small packages. Behind these goods, the opened carton is illustrated. On the cover, next to the Red Cross emblem, "American Red Cross Prisoner of War invalid food package No. 1 for distribution through international red cross committee". Right corner of the background map of Java over the place "Bandung" open food package with the Red Cross emblem. Right above the text: "In mid-May 1944". Entirely underneath the text: "Tjikoedapateuh - our civilian camp for 8 1/2 male, mid-May '4".

By Johan Warmer, 1944

The ovens (made of water tanks) - our third roll (baked by Ten Wolde) maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 1944 - 1945 Period WWII Description Pen drawing of the interior of a bakery. Against the wall are three furnaces. A man pushes dough cans in one of the furnaces. In the foreground is drawn sliced bread into three pieces.

The ovens (made of water tanks) – our third roll (baked by Ten Wolde) – by Warmer Johan, 1943

Terror of the first days maker manufacturer: Weber Fried Manufacture Year 1945 Period WWII Description Pencil, lower left, a seated monkey, seen from the back. Above the monkey everywhere from fleeing women, also seen almost on the back.

By Weber Fried

maker creator: High Andreas de Manufacture Year 1942 - 1945 Period WWII Description Poster in red, blue, yellow and black watercolor. Below, in black earth with crosses, a skull, barbed wire and a map of Sumatra. The earth is planted a stick with the Japanese flag. On the Japanese flag in blue, a swastika. From the earth beat yellow flames. On the poster are several lines of text: Belanda Boesoek! (Holland rotten) We are fighting the dogs, You have to learn to suffer, we will kill all of you, Nippon Poenja. Right a blue triangle with: "From Jan H. G. Han."

maker creator: Fremery the HJD Manufacture Year 1945 - 1946 Period WWII Description An officer room for 39 men. Both right and left are made in two rows of bunks one above the other. The path between these sleeping places is a table where men sit playing cards. Text drawing: "Sit-dining room for 39 Ned-Gen and colonels; H. Fremery completed '46." The drawing is made on paper heading of "Dr. Wm. H. Braddock Jarbidge, Neveda."

A pencil (color) of a nearly-nude woman. Behind her is a bad looking guy in a chair. Down "asked Fit men. Who ?, Ask for fit people" the text. Right under the name "P. v. Velthuysen, Chonky 21/10 '43."

A drawing with white watercolor on white paper of the silhouettes of a group (Japanese) soldiers present arms. The silhouettes are right highlighted by a headlight of an automobile. Below the text: '' shot in the night. "

maker creator: Steenwijk Cornelis van Manufacture Year 01-01-1944 Period WWII Description Self Portrait C. Steenwijk, and face. Bottom right the words "ADEK 1:44."

Cornelis van Steenwijk, self portrait

A compilation of many different terms that are directly or indirectly related to camp life. Date: August 1942.

August 1942.

maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 1942 - 1943 Period WWII Description Pen drawing of a tjikar with a coffin on it, make two buffaloes and four men behind it. Bottom right text: "freely adapted with permission." The total number of deaths in Kesilir was 82.

maker
creator: Warmer Johan
Manufacture Year
1942 – 1943
Period
WWII
Description
Pen drawing of a tjikar with a coffin on it, make two buffaloes and four men behind it. Bottom right text: “freely adapted with permission.” The total number of deaths in Kesilir was 82.

maker creator: Steenwijk Cornelis van Manufacture Year 01-01-1944 Period WWII Description A watercolor of a courtyard where two Japanese soldiers search duffel bags. Center, left, a man behind a table that says something to a standing man with duffel bag on the back. Perhaps there are preparations for transport to Kampement 15th Battalion + 1st Depot Battalion, Luchtdoelartillerie, Tjikoedapateuh (Bandung) pictured in January 1944.

Cornelius van Steenwijk, Jan 1944

Drawing in watercolor of an orange-colored cob with red bow, white middle and a blue handkerchief at the bottom. Next to it the text: "Orange upstairs But the Japanese were said to get the corn so the blood sweat and tears." The handkerchief signering "John W.".

Appeal morning. For the open bedroom door is a very winter-dressed person, likely a guard. The room occupant bows to him. There are two beds, a shelf and a folded beach chair in the room. Text: "Hoten (Manchuria) Generals Cream Roll Call idjo Arimagen.". H. Fremery 04/09/45 "Acher Kant. Japanese characters in context

Appeal morning. For the open bedroom door is a very winter-dressed person, likely a guard. The room occupant bows to him. There are two beds, a shelf and a folded beach chair in the room. Text: “Hoten (Manchuria) Generals Cream Roll Call idjo Arimagen.”. H. Fremery 04/09/45

maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 1942 - 1943 Period WWII Description Pen drawing of three men at a waterhole. On the pit through a wooden structure built with a winch. pick two men with a rope on the putemmer. The third man bends over the edge of the well to the hook to which the bucket is hanging.

maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 1942 - 1943 Period WWII Description Pen drawing of a barrack with sleeping with two reclining figures: one of the two rows of baleh baleh in a barrack in internment Kesilir. Such barracks had a size of 20 x 6 meters and initially offered shelter to fifty, for a short time to the seventies and later to forty people. A copy of this drawing, the following caption is attached to the NIOD: "The neighbors note the homemade snot lamp.."

Warmer Johan’s pen drawing of a barracks at Kesilir camp. Such barracks were 20 x 6 meters and offered shelter to fifty people.

maker creator: Horak J. Manufacture Year 1944 Period WWII Description A watercolor of a barn interior. A number of berths are along one wall. A nun kneels on one of the bunks, it is seen pictured left. Above the beds is a shelf mounted. On the shelf is at the height of the head of the nun a shrine with a statue of Mary and crosses. On the back: "Mother Theresa (Schriks) on its british So we were together the night we went (rolled daytime above our bultzak) the mosquito net over us 1st shack - next to us lived other people I slept opposite.... M. Theresa. Solo 1944 ".

maker creator: Warmer Johan Manufacture Year 1942 - 1943 Period WWII Description Pen drawing of a residential building right in the foreground a smaller building with a well before. Above the pit a construction of kapokstammen for the collection of the water.

maker creator: Horak J. Manufacture Year 1944 Period WWII Description Watercolor with in the foreground a road between high trees. The road leads to a closed gate. Behind the gate dense tropical vegetation and a few roofs. On the left two nuns and three women in some pockets. One of the women creates rice in a bowl. On the back: "Input Solo Camp 1944. Mother Theresa (Schriks) with Sr. Anna and some ladies get sacks of rice for the camp."

Via Geheugenvannederland

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