Ambarawa              Ambarawa 6          Central-Java

 

                                                                                                                                                                            May 2, 2011

 

Alternate Camp Names

Bunsho III, Camp 6 (per Japanese administration)

 

Camp Location

Ambarawa was about 45 kilometers south of Semarang. This camp was located in the barracks of an old KNIL encampment in Ambarawa, directly west of Fort Willem I.

 

Japanese Camp Commanders

Sakai (June 1944 to Nov. 1944), Suzuki (Nov. 1944 to Feb. 1945), Yamada (Feb. 1945 to August 1945)

 

Dutch Camp Leaders

Mrs. J. H. Schulte-Eckhart (to September 27, 1943), Mrs. G. J. Jilderda-Visser

 

Transports (source: Atlas Japanse Kampen)

Date

Arrived from

Transferred to

Number

in

transport

Total

number

in camp

Individual

type

1942

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 5, ’42 (1)

Surrounding Areas 

 

184

 

w,ch,om

Dec 25, ‘42(2)

Magelang

 

787

 

w,ch

Dec. 26, 1942

Djokjakarta

 

409

1400

w,ch,om

1943

 

 

 

 

 

Feb. 4, 1943

 

Sal: Djoen Eng

5

 

b

June 11, 1943

Sal: Officers’ camp

 

95

 

w,ch

Sep. 1, 1943

Sem: Gedangan

 

15

 

n

Sep. 27, 1943

 

Sem:  Kempeitai

8

1500

w

1944

 

 

 

 

 

Jan. 18, 1944

 

Sal: Djoen Eng

24

 

b

Jan. 29, 1944

 

Mag:  Kempeitai

1

 

w

Feb. 26, 1944

 

Semarang  (3)

9

 

w

Mar. 14, 1944

Amb: Soemowono

 

350

 

w,ch

May 10, 1944

Buit.,  Sem.  (4)

 

21

 

w,ch

June 5, 1944

Sem: Karangpanas

 

500

 

w,ch

Aug. 9, 1944

Tjim: 4e en 9e Bat  (5)

 

3

 

m (6)

Sep. 17, 1944

 

Amb: Ambarawa 8

160

 

b,m,n (7)

Sep. 17, 1944

Amb: Ambarawa 8

 

130

 

w,ch

Nov. 10, 1944

 

Released

2

 

w (8)

Nov.15 , 1944

 

Sem: Bangkong

4

 

om

Nov. 17, 1944

Band: Tjihapit

 

600

 

w,ch

Nov. 21, 1944

Band: Tjihapit

 

280

3500

w,ch

1945

 

 

 

 

 

Jan. 11, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 7

 

21

 

w,ch

Jan. 16, 1945

 

Amb: Ambarawa 7

85

 

b,om

Apr. 17, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 8

 

1

 

b

May 5, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 9

 

360

 

w,ch

May 29, 45(9)

Solo: Ziekenzorg

 

650

 

w,ch

June 5, 1945

 

Amb: Banjoebiroe 10, 11

27

 

w,ch

July 3, 1945

Sem: Halmaheira

 

46

 

w,ch

Aug. 3, 1945

 

Amb: Ambarawa 9

600

 

w,ch

Aug 5, ‘45(10)

Moe: Moentilan

 

554

 

w,ch,sw

Aug. 18, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 7

 

3

 

n

 

 

Deceased

134 (11)

 

w,ch

Aug. 23, 1945

 

 

 

4000

w,ch

Abbreviations / Notes

b=boys, ch=children, m=men, n=nuns, om=old men, w=women, sw=sick women

Buit=Buitenzorg, Mag=Magelang, Moe=Moentilan, Sal=Salatiga, Sem=Semarang, Tjim=Tjimahi, Solo=Soerakarta,

Ziekenzorg=Ziekenzorg/Boemikamp, 4e en 9e Bat=4e en 9e Bataljon

(1) And subsequent weeks

(2) Through December 28, 1942

(3) For forced prostitution

(4) Buitenzorg: Camp Kota Paris; Semarang: Camp Halmaheira

(5) Via Camp Gedangan in Semarang

(6) Physicians

(7) 128 boys, 15 men and 17 nuns

(8) Of Indo-European origin

(9) And May 30, 1945

(10) And August 6, 1945

(11) From December 1942 to October 15, 1945: there was a total of 134 deaths

 

References

Beekhuis, H. et al – Japanse burgerkampen in Nederlands-Indië, Volume 1, 4th Edition, pg 58-59

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 119-120 (events during Bersiap)

Broeshart, A.C. et al – Vrede, maar geen bevrijding, 1989 (Bersiap)

Brommer, B. et al – Semarang, Beeld van een stad, 1995 (Bersiap)

Bulem, Mayra - Wees niet bang voor je eigen herinneringen, 1981, pg 7

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Volume I, 2000, pg 146-147

Fenton Huie, Shirley - Vergeten (interviews), 1995; The forgotten ones, 1992

Helfferich-Koch, Han - Een dal in Ambarawa, 1981

Heijmans-van Bruggen, Mariska - De Japanse bezetting in dagboeken, Vrouwenkamp Ambarawa 6, 2001

Jongh, Wil de - Olie en zweet, een traan, een lach, 1980

Lenderink-Talsma, E. - Vierduizend mensen en een koeiekop, 1995

Otte-Klompe, Mw – Kampinterview, NIOD, IC 033.656

Plantenga-van Noort, Els – Gepeperde toestanden, 2005

Schilling, Rita - Verloren jeugdjaren 1942 - 1946, 1995 (privately published)

Tieleman, H. en R. - Het rattevel, 1995, pg 223-229

Vervoort, Hans - Vanonder de koperen ploert, 1976

 

Photographs / Drawings:

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 120

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Volume II, 2002, pg 125

Plantenga-van Noort, Els – Gepeperde toestanden, 2005

 

Rosters

NN - NIOD, IC 081.059 (71 pg, not alphabetized)

NN - NIOD, IC 041.370 (death roll)

NN - NIOD, IC 081.063 (death roll)

 

Camp Map

Beekhuis, H. et al – Japanse burgerkampen in Nederlands-Indië, Volume 1, 4th Edition, pg 58

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 120

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Volume I, pg 146

 

Bersiap

Aug 23, 1945     Food portions suddenly doubled

Aug 24, 1945     Indo-European women allowed to leave camp

Aug 25, 1945     Japanese surrender announced in camp; Wilhelmus (Dutch national anthem) sung at the Lido (see

                             Camp Map); extra food from then on: powdered milk, canned meat, oil, butter; bartering at the

                             gedek; many deaths; more fell sick despite medications; individual cooking on portable grills; boys

                             returned from Ambarawa 7

Sept 25, 1945     RAPWI took all sick to the Militair Ziekenhuis (military hospital) in Magelang

Nov 20, 1945     Sick returned from Magelang on open trucks (1200 people, including 400 critically ill); camp

                            sur­roun­­ded by extremists; British and Japanese troops protecting the camp were attacked; water

                            and electricity were cut off

Nov 28, 1945     Return of mortar fire on the camp (6 deaths)

Dec 8, 1945        Beginning of the total evacuation of the camp to Semarang

Dec 10, 1945      Evacuation completed

Dec 14, 1945      British troops left Ambarawa

 

 

Death Roll

March 1944 - Sept 1945

By Date of Death

Alphabetically by Name

 

 

Camp Map

Ambarawa 6 Camp Map

 

 

Index          Camps on Java