VIVAnews – Stories about Jakarta’s past flow smoothly from Adolf Heuken, a 79-year old man born on 17 July 1929 in Germany. In the hands of this German Jesuit Priest, history is not merely tales told from generation to generation, but documented stories of the past.
"I don't want to recount tales as history. Therefore, I seek historical facts," he told VIVAnews in his tranquil home in Menteng, Central Jakarta, last week.
Seeking historical facts is what Heuken has been doing since he first set foot in Indonesia, 45 years ago. He was curious about the various historical sites forgotten by their own nation. “What was this building before? How did it use to look? When was it built? People can’t answer. Everytime I ask something, they cannot answer,” he said.
His love of history leads him to continue seeking for answers. He started searching for old books and ancient archives on Batavia (old Jakarta). He would then use the documents to obtain information from local people.
Heuken's curiousity over the ins and outs of old buildings in Jakarta was slowly answered. Pages of information were finally bundled into a book: "Historical Sites of Jakarta."
As it turns out, his work was of interest to and became a reference for history aficionados. More than 20,000 copies were sold. In fact, two editions of his book are published by Times International of Singapore. "This means that I can share my knowledge on the history of this capital city (of Indonesia)," said Heuken.
Since he first lived in Jakarta, he has authored more than 200 books. At least 10 books are about the history of Jakarta. The rest are about philosophy, church and encyclopedia. Currently, Heuken, who was born in Coesfeld, Germany, is writing a book on Germans living in Indonesia. "I'm optimistic that I can still write," he said.
Heuken’s works are not only admired by Indonesians, historians and foreigners interested in Indonesia’s or Jakarta’s history. The German government took notice of Heuken's diligence in revealing the history of Jakarta. On 25 November 2008, the man honored as Jakarta’s expert historian was awarded a medal of honor from the Federal Republic of Germany. Heuken is deemed to have done a service towards the life of a nation.
A nation’s history is a matter of great importance. Without history, a nation is rootless and has no identity. "For me, it is more important for people to be able to respect their cultural heritage through history. I can't stand seeing the minimal attention that Jakarta citizens pay to their cultural history," said Heuken.
Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono
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