May 2021: Final TCF Senshi Sōsho publication

The Corts Foundation proudly online presents the final publication of translations from the Senshi Sōsho series, titled: “The Invasion of the South: Army Air Force Operations and the Invasion of Northern and Central Sumatra”.

Between 1966 and 1980, the War History Office of the National Defense College of Japan (now the Center for Military History of the National Institute for Defense Studies) published the 102-volume Senshi Sōsho (War History Series). The currently published book completes the trilogy of English translations of the sections in the Senshi Sōsho series on the Japanese operations against the former Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). The first volume (The Invasion of the Dutch East Indies, 2015) details the army operations, the second volume (The Operations of the Navy in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal, 2018) the navy operations, and this third volume the army air force operations.

The three volumes consisting of 1900 pages provide an unparalleled insight into the Japanese campaign to capture Southeast Asia and the oil fields in the Indonesian archipelago in what was at that time the largest transoceanic landing operation in the military history of the world. It was also the first time in history that air power was employed with devastating effect over such enormous distances, posing complex technical and logistical problems. The task of the air forces in the Southern operation was two-fold: (1) neutralize enemy air forces on the ground and in the air as well as (2) give support to the ground troops’ advance in addition to and over longer ranges than the artillery. The publication will be available in the USA in July 2021 by The University Press of Chicago and through Leiden University Press worldwide through their webshop.

This publication can be obtained by:
The Leiden University Scholarly Publications
[Download PDF >>] [Bestel een exemplaar >>][University of Chicago >>]

The publication has been reviewed by Stone&Stone in California (USA) and can be read here >>>

Prior publication of volume 3 and volume 26 of the Senshi Sōsho series has been done by The Corts Foundation in 2015 (Read more >>) and 2018 (Read more >>).

January 2021: In Memoriam Mona Lohanda

With great sadness we have been recently informed about the sudden passing away of Mona Lohanda in Indonesia. She was an important female historian and archivist in Indonesia, working at the National Archives of Indonesia (ANRI) from 1972 onwards, in particular on the history of Jakarta, formerly known as Batavia. She received several rewards for her contribution to the Indonesian historiography.

She was born November 4^th in Tangerang, a suburb of Jakarta. After her study at the History department of the University of Indonesia, she continued her postdoc study at the History department, School of Oriental and African Studies, of the University of London. She graduated in March 1974 with her dissertation titled ‘The Kapitan China of Batavia 1937-1942’. By recommendation of the Indonesian historian Harsja Bachtiar Mona studied the history of the Tioghoa-volk in Indonesia.

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August 2020: Project Senshi Sōsho update

Herewith a short update on our Senshi Sōsho project, as was published on August 20th on the website of Stone and Stone.

“After producing two excellent translations of Japanese histories—The Invasion of the Dutch East Indies and The Operations of the Navy in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal—the Corts Foundation is well on the way to completion of the third and final volume on operations in the NEI, The Army Air Force Operations in the Invasion of the South.

Here's a report from the very talented translator, Willem Remmelink:

We are still on schedule and finished last month the translation of the main text. Now working on the maps, indices, etc.

The provisional title will be: The Army Air Force Operations in the Invasion of the South, with an addendum on the Invasion of Northern and Central Sumatra. "The translation covers the main text of Vol. 34 of the Senshi Sōsho minus the chapters on the Philippines, Malaya, and Burma, as well as chapter 4 of Vol. 5 dealing with northern and central Sumatra.

The Articles of Association of the Corts Foundation limit its activities to the area of the former Dutch East Indies, so we reluctantly had to drop the more detailed chapters on the Philippines, Malaya, and Burma. Nevertheless, the remainder of the book (the general sections and the chapters on Singapore, Palembang, and Java) give a good description of the whole campaign.

If all goes well, we hope to publish the book in the first half of 2021.

March 2020: Handwriting text recognition promising

In recent years automated text recognition has developed impressively, and now it seems to become applicable to digitized archives. A computer can actually be taught to read and also 17th and 18th century Dutch in scanned VOC archival sources. A breakthrough is in reach in the near future. Texts of old manuscripts made digitally searchable can assist historians and other researchers in disclosing archives.

Not all archives are in prefect condition. Because of archival damage text recognition can be difficult.
Marco Roling (advisor of The Corts Foundation) has conducted research recently on the application of text recognition on archives with damage, and has looked at the effects of ink corrosion and discoloration. This article also takes a first step towards measuring archival damage and the possibilities of improving scans digitally.

The research is public and free, and can be downloaded here >>>

December 2019: Publication on residences of Batavia online

Dr. V.I. van de Wall, working for the historical department, was granted his request in 1926 by his superior, the famous historian dr. P.V. van Stein Callenfell, to map the so called ‘thuynen’ (country houses and gardens ) in and around Batavia.This included measuring, drafting floor and garden plans, researching the history of the building and successive inhabitants, and last but not least making photos of (parts of) famous residences when it still was possible to discern them. Most residences were constructed after 1730. The first coffeeplants that were introduced into the Dutch Indies from Ceylon were planted at ‘Residence Struiswijk’. Javanese silk was made at the first breeding place of silkworms at ‘Residence Leenhoff’s Weergade’.

The Corts Foundation digitized this second expanded edition of ‘Oude Hollandse Buitenplaatsen van Batavia’ of 1943, and made it fully text searchable

The digital version (in Dutch) can be viewed and downloaded here:
Van de Wall (1943, 175 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 14mb]

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December 2019: L. de Jong volumes on the Dutch-Indies digital searchable

The Corts Foundation publishes relevant Japanese war sources (the Senshi Sōsho volumes 3 : "The invasion of the Dutch East Indies" (2015), and vol. 26: “The Operations of the Navy in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal” (2018), while parts of Senshi Sōsho vol. 34 “Army Air Drive to the Southern Pacific Area” and Senshi Sōsho vol. 5 “Operations in Burma” are due at the end of 2020). These downloads are available by Open Access and as download on this website. As these volumes reflect the Japanese vision of the second world war, it is proper to share on this webste also the official view of the Dutch government (in the Dutch language) as a reference to these texts.

Therefor The Corts Foundation made three volumes which are dedicated to the war in the former Dutch East Indies: 11a (1984), 11b (1985) and 11c (1986), five books, available and searchable on our website. They are part of the ‘Magnus Opus’ of prof. dr. L. De Jong, who was commissioned by the Dutch government (from 1955 till 1991) to research and write about the history of “The Kingdom of the Netherlands in the second World War”.
These complete series encompassed fourteen volumes in 29 books in the Dutch language and are all available on line at the website of “The National Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide studies- NIOD” in Amsterdam. De Jong was the founder and manager of this institute from October 1945 till his retirement in May 1979.

In Holland prof. dr. L. De Jong (1914- 2005) was well known by his presentation on the National Dutch television of a series concerning the occupation of the Netherlands.

The first of volume11a describes Indian society and government. The second part concerns the buildup of Indian defenses till the Japanese invasion. Volume 11b focusses on the Japanese war in Asia, while the second part highlights the sufferings of prisoners of war and Dutch internees, and the developing situation of the Indonesian independence. The last volume 11c concerns the armed forces, merchant navy, intelligence, the return of the Dutch including the revolutionary situation.

The digitale version (in Dutch) can be viewed and downloaded here:
De Jong deel 11a, first part (1984, 572 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 10mb]
De Jong deel 11a, second part (1984, 645 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 11mb]
De Jong deel 11b, first part (1985, 516 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 11mb]
De Jong deel 11b, second part (1985, 614 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 14mb]
De Jong deel 11c (1986, 758 pages) - [Open online viewer] [PDF - 18mb]

Additionally it is worth mentioning that volume 13 “Annexes/ register (1988) provides an overview of all amendments. The period of August 145 1945 till the date of devolution of sovereingty on December 27 1949 is included in volume 12, second part “Epilogue” (1988). Comments were collected and edited in volume 14 “Comments” (1991).

Read more (in Dutch):
https://www.niod.nl/nl/het-koninkrijk-der-nederlanden-de-tweede-wereldoorlog/de-boeken
https://www.niod.nl/nl/download
https://www.niod.nl/nl/nieuws/heruitgave-de-bezetting
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loe_de_Jong
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Het_Koninkrijk_der_Nederlanden_in_de_Tweede_Wereldoorlog
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_bezetting 

Sejarah Nusantara

The Corts Foundation and the Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia proudly present a website, in both English and Indonesian language, that shows thousands of handwritten pages of the Dutch 17th and 18th century archives, inventories and searchable databases. This website focusses on a worldwide audience of people interested in the history of the Indonesian archipelago hidden as treasures in these old documents.

Visit the website of

www.sejarah-nusantara.anri.go.id

and start exploring ...

Welcome

The 'Philippus Corts Foundation' is a Dutch foundation known outside the Netherlands as 'The Corts Foundation'.

The foundation started in 2003 with the legacy capital of Kees Corts. His interest in the former Dutch East Indies and Indonesian history led to the support of many interesting projects in the past years.

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