History of Battle’45 Building (Museum Juang 45)

On the Netherland Indies time the building was occupied as a hotel, named Schomper Hotel. When Holland surrendered on 8th March 192, the building was taken over by Japan, and then handed over to Japan Propaganda Bureau (Sendebu). In July 1942, Sendebu handed over the building to Indonesian youth to be used as an educational facility to support Japanese government in Indonesia.

Japan also allowed the building to be used as a place to educate the youth to prepare the freedom of Indonesia. The building was occupied as a political education facility by Japan, funded by ‘Gunseikanbu Sendebu’.

Japan intended to educate Indonesian youths to be its cadres for the interest of the Great East Asian. However, Indonesian leaders who taught in the building broke Japanese plan by implanted the youths with a pure aspiration of a free Indonesia.

The educational center then recognized by the name of “Ashrama Angkatan Baru Indonesia” (literary translation: Indonesian New Generation Dormitory), but then changed to be Asrama Menteng 31 (Menteng 31 Dormitory). The youths were known as Menteng 31 Youth.

In 1972 the building was determined as a historical building protected by the Monument Law. On 19th August, 1974 the building changed to be Museum Joang’45 (Battle’45 Museum). Read more...