Gotfried Coenraad Ernst van Daalen
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Gotfried Coenraad Ernst van Daalen better known as Frits van Daalen (Makassar
, 23 March 1863 - The Hague
, 22 February 1930) was an Indo (Eurasian) general of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army who served in the Dutch East Indies
.
Van Daalen was named after his Dutch father Gotfried Coenraad Ernst (Frits) van Daalen (born in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands 23 July 1836 and died in Surabaya, 13 May 1889), also a famous, decorated KNIL officer and veteran of the Aceh War, who was discharged from service as a consequence of a scandal where he saw fit to publicly offend the Governor-General of the colony.
As a young officer in the rank of Lieutenant and Captain Van Daalen was awarded several prestigious militairy distinctions for proven bravery. He first became Knight of the Military William Order in 1890, was awarded the Honorary Sabre
by the Dutch monarch in 1897, followed by becoming an Officer of the Military Willem Order in 1898.
Although notorious due to his controversial approach during the final phases of the protracted Aceh War
and his consequent conflicts with both Van Heutsz and Snouck Hurgronje, he was appointed Governor of Aceh between 1905 and 1908.
He was eventually promoted to the highest rank of Luitenant-generaal in 1909 and became Commander of the KNIL in 1910, before retiring and repatriating in 1914.
Through the Dutch press confronting stories and images of brutal warfare in Aceh reached the colonial metropole and shocked Dutch public opinion. Heavy critique from the Dutch House of Representatives called for an investigation into the alleged atrocities and damaged the KNIL's overall prestige. In the heated debate Van Daalen himself was compared to the Iron Duke of Alba a notoriously harsh and cruel ruler from Dutch national history. Although absolved from any crimes Van Daalen's reputation remained stained and all his subsequent promotions therefore contentious.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Gotfried Coenraad Ernst van Daalen better known as Frits van Daalen (Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
, 23 March 1863 - The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 22 February 1930) was an Indo (Eurasian) general of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army who served in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
.
Van Daalen was named after his Dutch father Gotfried Coenraad Ernst (Frits) van Daalen (born in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands 23 July 1836 and died in Surabaya, 13 May 1889), also a famous, decorated KNIL officer and veteran of the Aceh War, who was discharged from service as a consequence of a scandal where he saw fit to publicly offend the Governor-General of the colony.
As a young officer in the rank of Lieutenant and Captain Van Daalen was awarded several prestigious militairy distinctions for proven bravery. He first became Knight of the Military William Order in 1890, was awarded the Honorary Sabre
Honorary Sabre
The Honorary Sabre is one of the highest military awards for bravery in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Only knights of the Military William Order are eligible to receive this sabre...
by the Dutch monarch in 1897, followed by becoming an Officer of the Military Willem Order in 1898.
Although notorious due to his controversial approach during the final phases of the protracted Aceh War
Aceh War
The Aceh War, also known as the Dutch War or the Infidel War , was an armed military conflict between the Sultanate of Aceh and the Netherlands which was triggered by discussions between representatives of Aceh and the U.S. in Singapore during early 1873...
and his consequent conflicts with both Van Heutsz and Snouck Hurgronje, he was appointed Governor of Aceh between 1905 and 1908.
He was eventually promoted to the highest rank of Luitenant-generaal in 1909 and became Commander of the KNIL in 1910, before retiring and repatriating in 1914.
The Van Daalen Campaign Controversy
Van Daalen's "Gajo-, Alas-, and Batak Campaign" of the Aceh War in 1904 is mostly remembered for his hard crack down of the last Acehnese pockets of resistance. Van Daalen's force included 10 European officers, 13 European non-commisioned officers and 208 Javanese and Ambonese military police officers (Dutch: Marechaussee). Particularly the battle at Koetö Réh stood out, as the rebels refused to surrender and the death toll of 561 fighters included 189 women and 59 children.Through the Dutch press confronting stories and images of brutal warfare in Aceh reached the colonial metropole and shocked Dutch public opinion. Heavy critique from the Dutch House of Representatives called for an investigation into the alleged atrocities and damaged the KNIL's overall prestige. In the heated debate Van Daalen himself was compared to the Iron Duke of Alba a notoriously harsh and cruel ruler from Dutch national history. Although absolved from any crimes Van Daalen's reputation remained stained and all his subsequent promotions therefore contentious.