Monument Indie-Nederland

It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day for the first day of Spring and the International Day of Happiness, so I carried my omafiets down the stairs and went for a bike ride. It felt like summer as I rode in 20 degree warmth to the Town Hall where I submitted my application for a Dutch driver's license. Unfortunately, my Canadian license is no longer valid in the Netherlands as I have been here for more than six months. There will be no driving for me for about a month while I wait for my new license to arrive. However, that will not be a hardship here in Amsterdam as occasions when a car is needed (or even preferred) are rare.

On the way home, I stopped at the Monument Indie-Nederland. It sits at the North end of Olympiaplein, which is one of the most expensive pieces of public land in Amsterdam due to its size and its proximity to both the City Centre and major transportation routes. The park was originally built in 1927 as a sports park that also served as a training area for Olympic sports. Following an unsuccessful push by developers for new residences, the park was renovated in 2007 and is now home to several football pitches as well as a track, sports medicine clinic and children's playground. It is a fantastic and well-used facility.

In 2006, the monument was also refurbished. It now symbolizes the close relationship between Indonesia and the Netherlands. The woman with the scroll of law in her hand, represents Dutch authority in Indonesia. The lions represent two cities: Batavia, the old name of the capital of Nederlands-Indië, and Amsterdam. The woman stands in front of a large reflecting pool, which was added during the refurbishment. The two twenty metre columns support a sculpture of the sun and the brick wall that flanks the towers is decorated with sculptures representing Indonesia.

The original, pre-renovation monument from 1935 was called the Heutsz Monument. It was very controversial because J.B. van Heutsz oversaw the brutal colonization of Indonesia in the early 1900s where tens of thousands died. The monument was bombed twice (1967 and 1984), and was defaced and damaged many, many times.

In 1945, Indonesia declared freedom and in 1949, independence was recognized by the Netherlands. The current monument documents these events and celebrates the close relationship between the Indonesian and Dutch people.