THE NOURA VAN KEMMERS

The end of a tragic story

ENKELE MENSELIJKE LICHAMEN GEVONDEN VERBRAND AAN DE RAND VAN DE PESANGGRAHAN-RIVIER, VERMOEDIGD VAN DE FAMILIE VAN KEMMERS TE ZIJN

FOUND SOME HUMAN BODIES BURIED ON THE BANKS OF KALI PESANGGRAHAN, ALLEGEDLY BELONGING TO THE VAN KEMMERS FAMILY

Such is the title on the news headlines that are rife popping up in some local newspapers. Cloudy and black clouds continue to linger in the Van Kemmers family home, which has been uninhabited since Noura's death. All the friends and associates who knew the family felt very lost. It was truly unexpected, a tragic fate had to befall them. Adrianus Van Kemmers and his wife and children and his brothers-in-law and nephews were to be brutally and brutally exterminated just because of the seizure of the plantation land. Then Noura, the child who survived because he managed to hide had to die in the pavilion of the house due to falling from the attic.

Curses and insults came from all over. Not only from Dutch citizens who are in the neighborhood but also from elite groups such as businessmen, journalists and socialites in club groups. They urged police to immediately arrest and prosecute Johans Alois. The police keep moving. Even the prize competition was held massively for anyone who could find Johans Alois.

Meanwhile in Harlingen, grief continues to radiate from the faces of Opa Willy and Van Kemmers' extended family. Requiem Masses and joint prayers are solemnly held in a small church.

Opa Willy doesn't talk much. The news of the death of the family of his son, son-in-law and grandchildren made his heart seem to stop beating. And sure enough, two days after the news of his grief was received, Opa Willy breathed his last due to a heart attack. His deep sorrow made him no longer able to endure. The man died asleep. Grief continued to rage at the Van Kemmers mansion in Harlingen.

Mr. Frans Winhern and Dr. Hans, who are still in the family's residence, continue to provide moral support. They asked several nephews Opa Willy who is also a cousin of Adrianus Van Kemmers to come to Depok to take care of the remaining Van Kemmers family assets while escorting the murder case Adrianus Van Kemmers family until the main culprit was arrested.

But unfortunately, no one was willing. They reasoned that it was not the right moment to travel. They asked for time to calm down. At the suggestion of the extended family, they requested that the remains of the Van Kemmers family be cremated as soon as possible.

Arriving in Batavia, Dr. Hans and Mr. Frans immediately carried out the mandate. The cremated ashes were immediately sent to Harlingen. Meanwhile, the trial of the murderers continues. Each Centeng received a death sentence. Moreover, this case afflicts eight lives of Dutch citizens totok. There is no defense against the Centengs. They also eventually confessed to the murder of Sudarman. Although their role was only to assist Johans Alois in carrying out the killings, they were still found guilty and had to go through long days of suffering in custody pending execution. Meanwhile, the search for Johans Alois continues. But I also found no results. No one knows where the criminals are hiding.

Time keeps turning. Days change days, months change months until years change. The Van Kemmers family home remains mute in darkness and grief. The haughty impression is starting to show. Some people did not dare to pass through the house at night. Various mystical news began to spread from the mouths of some villagers who had passed the family home at night. Starting from the appearance of black shadows behind the window, the sound of sobs that were heard from inside the house to the sound of footsteps that were clearly heard in the front yard.

Mr. Frans occasionally came to see the house and asked his workers to clean up. Mr. Frans did not want the house to look haunted and unkempt, although he did not know what the ownership status of the house was. Moreover, cousin of Adrian Van Kemmers no one is willing to come to visit.

On the basis of an agreement with the Van Kemmers extended family, the plantation land belonging to Adrianus Van Kemmers located in Tjibinung (Cibinong) was taken over by Herverman. The proceeds from the sale of the land were left to the Van Kemmers extended family in Harlingen as the sole heirs.

And the economic shock that hit the Netherlands also affected the economic situation in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). The economy deteriorated further at the time as a result of the collapse of the international monetary system. The Great Depression dragged the world economy into a slump for about 10 years. The concrete impact of the Great Depression in the Dutch East Indies resulted in the collapse of international commodity prices and demand, the fall of rubber and sugar prices, and the, as well as the financial crisis that dragged on the reduced income and purchasing power of people in all corners of the country.

The decline in employment opportunities in the Dutch East Indies occurred in almost all formal sectors, especially the plantation industry sector and trading activities in major cities. Many factories went out of business and many workers' wages fell dramatically. Both the indigenous people and the Dutch people both felt the economic downturn that was very difficult at that time. The small people had to struggle to survive to keep eating, while the Dutch elite struggled to maintain the assets of wealth they had so that not much was sold.

In an instant, the news of the tragic case that befell the Van Kemmers family was marginalized and evaporated just like that. Replaced with the hot issues surrounding the world economic crisis that plagued it massively at the time. The focus of public attention is more focused on the problems of reduced income and poverty that they experience. The tragic story that befell the Van Kemmers family is slowly being considered obsolete, like a local story that was originally considered creepy for a long time. Tokh, the affairs of hungry stomachs and poverty in fact are much more sinister than ghost stories.

Seriate.

Remarks :

The economic depression that occurred in the United States in 1929 had an impact on economies around the world, including the Dutch East Indies. Commodity prices in the market and demand for goods fell sharply along with the economic depression that occurred. This resulted in bankruptcy in the Dutch East Indies, especially in companies in Java and Sumatra. 

According W. Arthur Lewis (1949), there are eight factors that cause the existence of economic depression in the world, namely the limitations of the world's gold reserves, the world's economic system is increasingly tight, credit inflation in the United States, and the, low levels of consumption, weak investment, a bank crisis in 1930-1932, rising debt levels, and strict pay system policies set by governments and companies. 

Source: Kompas.com