Achmad Soebardjo

Ahmad Soebardjo
1st Foreign Minister of Indonesia
In office 2 September 1945 – 14 November 1945
President	Soekarno
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Sutan Syahrir
In office 4 August 1951 – 20 December 1952
President	Soekarno
Preceded by	Mohammad Roem
Succeeded by	Wilopo
Personal details
Born	Raden Ahmad Soebardjo Djojoadisoerjo 23 March 1896 Karawang, West Java, Dutch East Indies
Died	15 December 1978 (aged 82) Jakarta, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesia
Alma mater	Leiden University, Netherlands
Profession	Diplomat
Religion	Islam

Raden Ahmad Soebardjo Djojoadisoerjo (Karawang Regency, West Java, 23 March 1896 – 15 December 1978) was a diplomat, one of Indonesia's founding fathers, and an Indonesian national hero. He was the first Foreign Minister of Indonesia. In 1933, he received the degree Meester in de Rechten from Leiden University, Netherlands.

Early life

Ahmad Soebardjo was born in Teluk Jambe, Karawang Regency, West Java, on 23 March 1896. His father's name was Teuku Muhammad Yusuf,^[1] an Acehnese patrician from Pidie.^[2][3] His paternal grandfather was an ulama and his father was the chief of police in Teluk Jambe, Karawang.^[2] His mother's name was Wardinah.^[2] She was of Javanese-Buginese descent,^[1] and was daughter from Camat in Telukagung, Cirebon.^[2]

Initially, his father gave him the name Teuku Abdul Manaf, but his mother gave him the name Ahmad Subardjo.^[1] Djojoadisoerjo was added by himself after he was arrested and imprisoned at Ponorogo Prison because of his involvement with the "July 3, 1946 Incident".^[3]

He studied at Hogere Burger School, Jakarta in 1917. He continued to Leiden University, Netherlands and obtained the degree Meester in de Rechten title in the field of law in 1933.

Struggle

As a student, he was active in the fight for Indonesian independence through several organizations such as Jong Java and the Indonesian Students Association in the Netherlands, the Perhimpoenan Indonesia. In February 1927, Soebardjo, Mohammad Hatta, and three other students represented Indonesia at the conferences of the League against Imperialism in Brussels and later in Germany. At the founding congress in Brussels, Soebardjo and the others met Jawaharlal Nehru and others nationalist leaders from Asia and Africa. Soebardjo even spent a couple of months in Berlin and Moscow working for the International Secretariat of the League against Imperialism. Upon return to Indonesia, he became an active member of BPUPKI.

On 19 August 1945, 2 days after the independence day 17 August 1945, Soekarno apppinted Soebardjo as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Presidential Cabinet, Indonesia's first cabinet for 4 months and immediately started the first Foreign Ministry office at his own residence in Jalan Cikini raya. Recruited only 10 immediate staff. Subardjo served as Minister of Foreign Affairs once again from 1951 to 1952 in Sukiman's Cabinet. In addition, he also became the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesian in Switzerland between the years 1957 and 1961.^[4]

Death

Soebardjo died at the age of 82 at Pertamina Hospital, Kebayoran Baru, because of flu complications. He was buried at his vacation home in Cipayung, Bogor.^[3] In 2009 the government honoured him as a National Hero.^[5][6]

References

1. Bersama Bung Hatta, 26 April 1975. Retrieved 7 February 2011. (Indonesian)
2. Ahmad Soebardjo Djoyoadisuryo, SH., Source: Otobiografi Ahmad Soebardjo, Seputar Proklamasi Mohammad Hatta, data online, in Catatan 'Seorang' Ikbal, 19 April 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011. (Indonesian)
3. Ahmad Subardjo (1896–1978), 23 December 1978. Retrieved 7 February 2011. (Indonesian)
4. "Mr. Ahmad Subardjo Djojoadisurjo" (in Indonesian). 16 January 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
5. Yudi, Jandi, John Lie Mendapat Gelar Pahlawan Nasional Archived 18 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine., Sinergi, November 2009. at the INTI Website, Monday, 9 November 2009 18:14. Retrieved 2 February 2011. (Indonesian)
6. "Penganugerahaan Gelar Pahlawan Nasional dan Tanda Kehormatan RI" (in Indonesian). 9 November 2009.