Indonesia
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Top ↑Singkawang:
The history of the Indonesian Province starts in Singkawang (West Borneo). In 1921 the first five Dutch Brothers arrived in Indonesia and started their work in Singkawang. In the beginning they took care of the education for disregarded children. Since 1923 they were responsible for a Dutch-Chinese school (HCS) and the boarding school for boys. The boarding school got its own building facilities in 1925 and the school in 1928. Beside the school they were active in youth organisations such as ‘Jong China’ and a harmony orchestra called ‘St. Cecilia’. Responding the increasing need for education the secondary school ‘SMP Bruder’ was founded in 1957 by Br. Borromeus. The secondary school ‘SMP St. Tarcisius’, founded by a number of teachers used the same facilities in the afternoon. Also a noviciate -called “Subasio”- for brother candidates was founded in 1961. Until 1978 a number of brothers got their primary education there.
Singkawang 1921 the first house of the brothers
Singkawang 1921 the first boarding school
Top ↑Pontianak:
The second community is located in Pontianak, the centre of the government and the diocese, since the 1st of July 1924. The Brothers were in charge of a Dutch-Chinese school (HCS) and the St. Michael boarding school. Br. Canisius initiated a primary school with Chinese as the daily vernacular ‘Hoi Sen’ in Siantan on the other bank of the Kapuas River. Br. Edmundus founded a school for trades, but in 1956 the school had to change and became a secondary school for economics (SMEP) and later on became a common secondary school called ‘SMP Bruder’. Br. Valentinus started a primary school with English as the daily vernacular. This school became later on the primary school ‘Melati’. Br. Bernulfus sponsored by others, started the grammar school (SMA) St. Paul. The brothers took care both of a boarding school, the organisation for youth ‘Jong China’ and scouting. The ‘Groene Troep Silvester’ guided by Br. Bertrandus was well known in those times. The ‘Bina Remaja’, constructed in 1972 was used as youth centre for extra curricular educative programs.
Pontianak 1924 Brothers house
Pontianak 1930 Parish and Cathedral (Jl.Pattimura)
Top ↑Banjarmasin:
The first five brothers arrived in Banjarmasin (South Borneo) on the 4th of October 1935, the celebration of St. Francis. They cooperated with the missionaries of the Sacred Family (MSF) and the Franciscan Sister of Dongen (SFD). Directed by Br. Maternus they developed the HCS St. Yusuf, initiated sport-activities for the young and scouting. At the beginning of World War II they became refugees in Jawa, but shortly after they returned again. Br. Mauritius started a Dutch secondary school (MULO) in 1948, but two years later the school became a course for bookkeeping and commerce. Then Br. Domitius started an Indonesian secondary school (SMP) in 1952 and the Brs. Mauritius and Yulianus founded and developed a grammar school in 1959. Beside these activities in and outside the school Br. Mauritius gave lectures at the UNLAN University and he developed the method ‘Senang Membaca’ under the pseudonym Tamsuri. Br. Koenrad dedicated himself to school catechesis. In 1973 an enormous fire burnt down part of the city and a newly constructed school. Some Dutch brothers became seriously ill and had to return to Holland. Br. Anton Slamet, a young Indonesian brother, suffered from leukomia and died. Caused by a shortage of brothers the community had to be closed and on the 14th of June 1980 the house and the schools were handed over to the diocese of Banjarmasin.
Banjarmasin 1976 Brothers house
Top ↑Blitar:
During his visit to Indonesia the General Superior, at that time Br. Silvester, decided to start a community in Blitar (East Java). Together with local teachers the brothers started on the 8th of July a Dutch Indonesian school (HIS) and a boarding school. It was not possible for them to continue their work for a long time because in 1943 they got captured by the Japanese. First they were put in jail in Kediri but later on they moved to the one of the prisoner camps in Cimahi. One of them, Br. Claudius could not survive. He died at the end of the war in Jakarta and was buried in ´Tanah Abang´. After the war it was not possible to continue our work in Blitar.
Blitar 1939, Brs. Claudius, Gaudentius, Hilarion
Top ↑Kudus:
In 1940 the brothers decided to take over a Dutch secondary school (MULO). During the month of July Br. Gaudentius moved from Blitar to Kudus (Central Java) to teach at the MULO and to take care of the boarding school. Because of the war the MULO was closed on the 27th of February in 1943. The situation was not prospective any more. The brothers were captured by the Japanese and jailed in one of the camps in Bandung. After the war the number of brothers was too small to continue the school and the boarding school in Kudus.
Top ↑Nyarumkop:
To develop Nyarumkop as an education centre for the indigenous Daya people of Borneo, the Bishop of Pontianak Mgr. Tarcisius van Valenberg decided to start a course for teachers "Cursus Volkschool Onderwijzers" (CVO). On the 13th of September 1948 the brothers started their cooperation with the capuchin- fathers and the SFIC Sisters in Nyarumkop. They developed the teachers education from CVO to "Opleiding Voor Volks Onderwijzers"(OVVO). Because of political decisions this OVVO became SGB in 1950, an SGA in 1956 and an SPG in 1965. Beside the education for teachers they founded a secondary school (SMP) in 1951 and a grammar school in 1957. The last one was meant as a seminary to educate candidates for priesthood. In the beginning the brothers had no home of their own. Some lived at the rectory and others travelled daily between Nyarumkop and Singkawang. In the course of the years the schools and boarding schools developed well and expanded in such a way that more brothers were needed from the Netherlands among others Br. Leo Jansen. But for the schools and boarding schools, since 1957 the community took care too of the initial formation of brother candidates. Because of a combination of reasons, most of all lack of manpower, the brothers had to leave Nyarumkop in 1979.
Nyarumkop 1957, Magister Andreas with the first postulants
Nyarumkop 1969 Brother house
Top ↑Pati:
After Blitar and Kudus had to be closed the brothers came back to the isle of Java in 1950 and made a new start in Pati (Central Java). They worked together with the missionaries of the Holy Family (MSF) and the Franciscan Sisters of Dongen (SFD). Brother Gaudentius, assisted by Br. Angelus, started the secondary school ‘SMP Keluarga’. Later on Br. Bruno took over the responsibility as headmaster. When Br. Leo arrived the social rehabilitation project for cured lepers ‘Sani’ was founded and a centre for extra curricular activities for the young the “Wisma Alverna”. Initial formation for brother candidates from Java started in 1965. Three years later the noviciate moved to Yogyakarta.
Pati 1976, the road to Sani
Pati 1971, Br. Mauritius teaching
Top ↑Yogyakarta:
In order to provide a good initial education for the candidate brothers and support professional education for the younger brothers a new community started on the 7th of March 1968 in Yogyakarta at the Jl. Ngadikan. They took over a house from the Congregation of the Sacred Hart (SCY). Br. Angelus and Br. Andreas started their new tasks in this formation house. New candidates, now also from the region of Yogyakarta entered the congregation. In 1973 the initial formation moved to Singkawang and ‘Alverna’ became a study house for brothers who studied at one of the many universities and academies in the town. The members of the community mixed with brothers from other brother congregations such as FIC from Holland, FSC from Malaysia, BM from Belgium and the HHK brothers from Indonesian origin. This mixed community existed until 1981.
Yogyakarta Alverna 1968, noviciate
Yogyakarta Alverna 1969, Magister Br. Angelus and some novices
