Raymond Westerling
Encyclopedia
Raymond Pierre Paul Westerling (31 August 1919 - 26 November 1987), nicknamed the Turk, was a Dutch
military officer. He waged a bloody occupation campaign in Sulawesi
during the Indonesian National Revolution
after the Second World War
, and staged a coup d'état
in Bandung
and Jakarta
in January 1950.
, Ottoman Empire
, as a child from a Dutch father and a Greek mother. During the Second World War, Westerling would join the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
and receive his training in England
. After the War, Westerling would be sent to the Dutch East Indies
to suppress the Indonesian Republicans. By November 1946, the Dutch governance of soutern Sulawesi was being hindered by local Republican guerillas trained in Java. As a Captain of the Special Forces Depot (DST), Westerling commanded a successful albeit bloody counter insurgency
campaign to pacify
South Sulawesi. The KST consisted mostly of indigenous soldiers and was an elite unit of the KNIL, and were relentless in their methods of subjugating the population.
From December 1946 to February 1947, Westerling's forces would utilize terror tactics which led to the deaths of at least 10,000 Indonesians and the decimation of the Republican forces in the region. Westerling was accused of using arbitrary terror techniques including public execution
, which were copied by other anti-Republicans. As many as 3,000 Republican militia and their supporters were killed in a few weeks. In contrast, Westerling maintains in his autobiography that only 600 deaths occurred during the duration of his campaign, accusing the Republicans of exaggerating the figures.
) of deserted Regiment Special Forces (one of successors of the DSF), and KNIL soldiers. He collaborated with the Federalist Sultan Hamid II
in staging a coup d'état
in January 1950 to overthrow the Sukarno
government. Poorly planned, the coup failed and Westerling had to flee to Singapore
.
Although the Indonesian government wanted to try Westerling on war crimes, Westerling never had to stand trial for these allegations. He moved to the Netherlands, where he died in Purmerend
in 1987.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
military officer. He waged a bloody occupation campaign in Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
during the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...
after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and staged a coup d'état
APRA Coup d'état
The APRA Coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the...
in Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
and Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
in January 1950.
South Sulawesi
Westerling was born in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, as a child from a Dutch father and a Greek mother. During the Second World War, Westerling would join the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies . The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force...
and receive his training in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After the War, Westerling would be sent to 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....
to suppress the Indonesian Republicans. By November 1946, the Dutch governance of soutern Sulawesi was being hindered by local Republican guerillas trained in Java. As a Captain of the Special Forces Depot (DST), Westerling commanded a successful albeit bloody counter insurgency
Counter insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
campaign to pacify
South Sulawesi Campaign
The South Sulawesi Campaign was a campaign of the Indonesian National Revolution. It pitted local Indonesian Republicans on the island of Sulawesi against the returning Dutch who sought to re-assert their authority...
South Sulawesi. The KST consisted mostly of indigenous soldiers and was an elite unit of the KNIL, and were relentless in their methods of subjugating the population.
From December 1946 to February 1947, Westerling's forces would utilize terror tactics which led to the deaths of at least 10,000 Indonesians and the decimation of the Republican forces in the region. Westerling was accused of using arbitrary terror techniques including public execution
Public Execution
Public Execution is a Mouse and the Traps retrospective album that has been released in both LP and CD formats. The LP has an unusually large number of tracks , while the CD includes 4 bonus tracks and catalogues almost all of the released music by Mouse and the Traps and their associated bands: ...
, which were copied by other anti-Republicans. As many as 3,000 Republican militia and their supporters were killed in a few weeks. In contrast, Westerling maintains in his autobiography that only 600 deaths occurred during the duration of his campaign, accusing the Republicans of exaggerating the figures.
Bandung
After the 1949 Indonesian independence, Westerling commanded a force, the Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA, Legion of Ratu AdilLegion of Ratu Adil
The Legion of Ratu Adil, also known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil or the Prince Justice Legion was a pro-Dutch militia and private army established during the Indonesian National Revolution. It was founded by the former KNIL captain Raymond Westerling following his demobilization on January 15 1949...
) of deserted Regiment Special Forces (one of successors of the DSF), and KNIL soldiers. He collaborated with the Federalist Sultan Hamid II
Sultan Hamid II
Sultan Hamid II, born Syarif Abdul Hamid Alkadrie was the last Sultan of Pontianak and the only President of the State of West Kalimantan from 1946 to its disestablishment in 1950. He was the eldest son of Sultan Syarif Muhammad Alkadrie...
in staging a coup d'état
APRA Coup d'état
The APRA Coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the...
in January 1950 to overthrow the Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
government. Poorly planned, the coup failed and Westerling had to flee to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Although the Indonesian government wanted to try Westerling on war crimes, Westerling never had to stand trial for these allegations. He moved to the Netherlands, where he died in Purmerend
Purmerend
Purmerend is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. The city became the trade center of the region but the population grew relatively slow. Only after 1960 did the population...
in 1987.
Further reading
- Eric AmblerEric AmblerEric Clifford Ambler OBE was an influential British author of spy novels who introduced a new realism to the genre. Ambler also used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for books co-written with Charles Rodda.-Life:...
, The Night-comers or State of Siege (1956). Thriller set in the fictional "Republic of Sunda", which mentions "Turko" Westerling's attempt at Bandung as an example of the fragility of post-colonial states.
External links
- Westerling biography in the Dutch language
- Celebes VPROVPROThe VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
Documentary on the DSF troops in Sulawesi - Images of Westerling, his troops, his passport and gravestone