Ambarawa              Ambarawa 9          Central-Java

 

                                                                                                                                                                    February 20, 2011

Alternate Camp Names

Bunsho III, Camp 9 (per Japanese administration), Touwslagerskamp (rope-making camp)
After the closure of Ambarawa 8 (May 17, 1945), Ambarawa 9 was referred to as Ambarawa 8.

 

Camp Location

Ambarawa was about 45 kilometers south of Semarang. This camp was located in the school and boarding school of the Zusters Franciscanessen of Heythuysen. It was on the west side of Ambarawa, on the road to Magelang.

 

Japanese Camp Commanders

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

 

Dutch Camp Leaders

Mrs. E. C. Ongerboer (October 1943 to May 1945)

Mrs. de la Rambelje, Mrs. Boender-Wijnbergen (July 1945 to August 1945)

 

Transports (source: Atlas Japanse Kampen)

Date

Arrived from

Transferred to

Number

in

transport

Total

number

in camp

Individual

type

Oct. 29, 1943

Srbj: Darmowijk

 

497

 

w,ch

Nov. 9, 1943

Semarang

 

1

 

m (1)

Nov. 16, 1943

Amb: Ambarawa 8

 

4

 

m

Nov. 25, 1943

 

Sal: Djoen Eng

4

 

b

Dec. 3, 1943 (2)

Surrounding Area (3)

 

42

 

w,ch

Jan. 18, 1944

 

Sal: Djoen Eng

2

 

b

Jan. 25, 1944

Kopeng

 

3

 

w,ch

Feb. 26, 1944

 

Semarang (4)

9

 

w

Mar. 15, ‘44 (5)

Ambarawa

 

81

 

w

April 18, 1944

 

Released

5

 

w,ch

May 10, 1944

 

Buit: Kota Paris

13

 

w,ch

June 6, 1944

Mal: De Wijk

 

5 (6)

 

m,w,ch

June 6, 1944

Semarang

 

1

 

w

June 8, 1944

Sem: Gedangan

 

250

 

w, h

Sep. 16, 1944

 

Amb: Ambarawa 8

48 (7)

 

b,m

Sep. 16, ‘44 (8)

Amb: Ambarawa 8

 

30

 

w,ch

Nov. 18, 1944

Band: Kareës

 

250

 

w,ch

Nov. 22, 1944

Band: Tjihapit

 

210

 

w,ch

Jan. 11, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 7

 

5 (9)

1300

w,ch

Jan. 16, 1945

 

Amb: Ambarawa 7

30 (10)

 

b, m

Feb. 3, 1945

 

Amb: Banjoebiroe 11

2

 

w

May 3, 1945

 

Amb: Banjoebiroe 10

600

 

w,ch

May 4, 1945

 

Amb: Banjoebiroe 11

298

 

w,ch

May 4, 1945

 

Amb: Ambarawa 6

360

0

w,ch

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1, ‘45 (11)

Amb: Amb. 6 (12)

 

50

 

w

Aug. 3, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 6

 

600

 

w,ch

Aug. 3, 1945

Amb: Banjoebiroe 10

 

50

 

w,ch

Aug. 10, 1945

Amb: Ambarawa 6

 

2

 

m (1)

Aug. 23, 1945

 

 

 

700

w,ch

Abbreviations / Notes

b=boys, ch=children, m=men, w=women

Amb=Ambarawa, Band=Bandoeng, Buit=Buitenzorg, Mal=Malang, Sal=Salatiga, Sem=Semarang, Srbj=Soerabaja

(1) Physician(s)

(2) Through January 15, 1944

(3) Kopeng, Getas, Soemowono, Salatiga, Ambarawa

(4) For forced prostitution

(5) Through March 18, 1944

(6) Man, woman and 3 children

(7) 42 boys and 6 old men

(8) Through  September 26, 1944

(9) 2 women doctors and 3 children

(10) 29 boys and 1 man

(11) Through August 1, 1945

(12) Work crew, in and out daily

 

References

Blaauw, J.J. in: Hé, haal die oorlog van mijn schouders, 1991, pg 199

Beekhuis, H. et al – Japanse burgerkampen in Nederlands-Indië, Volume 1, 4th Edition, pg 64-65

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 121 (events during Bersiap)

Bos, H.S. van den - Dagboek, NIOD, IC dagboek 53 (diary)

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

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

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Volume I, 2000, pg 148-149

Fenton Huie, Shirley - Vergeten, 1995, pg 95; The forgotten ones, 1992 (interviews)

Janssen-van Leeuwen, Mw C,M. – Verslag, NIOD, IC 033.202

Paardekoper, Sonja - Achter het gedek, 1995 (privately published)

 

Photographs / Drawings:

Beekhuis, H. et al – Japanse burgerkampen in Nederlands-Indië, Volume 1, 4th Edition, pg 46

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 121

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Vol I, 2000, pg 115; Vol II, 2002, pg 127 (aerial photo)

 

Rosters

Paardekoper, Sonja – Achter het gedek, 1995, pg 78

NN - NIOD, IC 081.287 (labor crews, hospital)

 

Camp Map

Beekhuis, H. et al – Japanse burgerkampen in Nederlands-Indië, Volume 1, 4th Edition, pg 46

Beekhuis, H. et al – Atlas Bersiapkampen, 2009, pg 121

Dulm, J. van et al – Atlas Japanse Kampen, Volume I, pg 149

NN – NIOD, IC 062.073

 

Bersiap

Nov 21, 1945     Pemoedas attack the camp with grenades (14 deaths)

Nov 25, 1945     Evacuation to Fort Willem I

Dec 14, 1945      British troops left Ambarawa

 

Ambarawa 9 Camp Map

 

Rosters

On block number

Alphabetical

 

 

 

Index                    Camps on Java