My connection with Indonesia

My grandmother Sophia Antoinette Stoetzer was born 25 August 1925 in Jakarta (Indonesia), and passed away 21 April 1977 in Amersfoort (The Netherlands). She married my grandfather Gerrit Talen 15 December 1949 in Surabaya (Indonesia).

Unfortunately she passed away before I was born and when my father was only 19 years old, so we don't have a lot of information about our family history. Anyway I always been very interested in my Indonesian DNA and went to Indonesia for the first time in 2015 for 2 months in Bandung (Java). Since then I felt a special connection with the country and really felt at home in Indonesia. This made me curious to find out more about my own family and to learn more about the country of my grandmother. I asked the cousin of my father if he had more information about our Indonesian family and he had! So my father and I went to visit him and we talked a lot about our Indonesian roots and he gives me all the information he has collected already.

But how come my grandmother was born in Indonesia?

Actually my family comes from Germany, that's why her last name is Stoetzer. They immigrated to the Netherlands and Carel Stoetzer, born 29 August 1865 in Vlissingen (The Netherlands) he immigrated to Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) for trading. It was very comment for dutch people at that time because the islands of Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch (The Netherlands).

Since then the connection between Indonesia and my family was born.

My German family mixed with Indonesian locals. Both of the parents from my grandmother were German and Indonesian. Her father Jan Carel Stoetzer was born 18 February 1901 in Jakarta and died 21 April 1944 in Purwokerto Central Java. He married Nelly Böckel. Jan Carel Stoetzer had a lot of property all around Java. Unfortunately he was killed by the Japanese in the Second World War. My grandma and all the family split up in different Japanese camps. After 2 atomic bombs dropt by America, 1 on Hiroshima and 1 on Nagasaki the Japanese give up. On August 17, 1945, two days after the Japanese capitulation, Soekarno and Hatta proclaimed the independent Republic Indonesia. After the independency my grandma married my grandfather in Surabaya in 1949. Because my grandfather was from the Netherlands they decided to go back to the Netherlands.

So they arrived in the Netherlands and started a new live away from my grandmas country. I think it was though for her to live in the Netherlands because it's really a different world. The weather is cold and the culture is so different. I can imagine that she would miss her homecountry. I know she always talked in Bahasa Indonesia and when my dad did something bad she would trow her slipper to him. Next to the toilet was a bottle of water, kinda weird from the dutch point of view. My dad told me that his dutch friends ask them sometimes what the bottle of water did next to the toilet and then they always answered; incase they are thirsty on the toilet. But if you know a little about the Asian culture, you will know better... 💩😂

My grandmother:

Sophia Antoinette Stoetzer

Getting more family information from the cousin of my father

My grandparents who married in Surabaya on 15-12-1949

My first time Indonesia.

The first time that I visit Indonesia was back in 2015, I stayed 2 months in Bandung with my friend at her father's house. He allowed us to come on a long holiday. He picked us up at the airport by car. I remember the culture shock that I had as soon as we left Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. We drove with the windows open, everyone was looking and some people even wave at me. I couldn't believe it, it almost seems like I was a big celebrity. Also all the different smells was something I really remember. The traffic was very chaotic as well and when we arrived in Bandung we witness the win of the local football club, so everyone was celebrating on the streets with there bikes and flags of the club.

In this 2 months I really learned a lot about the tradition, culture and the country. We explored Bandung, Batukaras and Bali. We even went to a wedding in Kebaya (Indonesian traditional clothes). There was an Indonesian family living on the property from the father of my friend. They became like family to them and also to me because of the 2 months I spend with them together. I played with the kids a lot and start learning some Indonesian words from them. I felt home straight away!

That's why I always went back to Indonesia when I had the opportunity.

I vised Indonesia in 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Uluwatu temple, Bali 2015

My Indonesian "family", Bandung 2017

Borobudur Temple, Yogyakarta 2019

Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida 2023

Galungan, Bali 2024

Mangrove Forest, Nusa Lembongan 2025

How does it affect me?

Growing up I didn't really get anything from the tradition and culture of my Indonesian side. Simply because both of the parents of my father died and my dad didn't really keep in contact with his Indonesian family. So I grew up with the Dutch traditions and culture. When I went through puberty I underfund some things which I had more trouble with than the rest around me. I always had a hard time with making schedule and being on time at school or wherever. I also attach great value to family, hospitality and I believe that when visitors come, food should always be available. Not really a dutch kind of thing, I guess... So I realized that I was a little different and that made me interested to know more about my Indonesian roots.