Indonesia Raya is a national anthem that has been created by Wage Rudolf Soepratman. W.R Soepratman is an Indonesian hero. He was born in Purworejo, East Java on March 9, 1903 (determined by the 3rd President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri) when the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia was still ongoing and died on August 17, 1938 in the city of Surabaya, East Java.
For his services, he was given the title as a national hero of Indonesia. Wage Rudolf Soepratman is the seventh of nine children. His father was named Djoemeno Senen Sastrosoehardjo, a Dutch KNIL soldier, and his mother was named Siti Senen.
His eldest brother is named Roekijem. In 1914, Soepratman joined Roekijem to Makassar. There she was schooled and financed by Roekijem’s husband, Willem van Eldik. Soepratman then studied Dutch at night school for three years, then continued to Normaalschool in Makassar until he was finished.
When he was 20 years old, he became a teacher at Number 2 School. Two years later he received a Klein Ambtenaar certificate. For some time he worked at a trading company. From Makassar, he moved to Bandung and worked as a journalist for the daily Kaoem Moeda and Kaoem Kita.
He still does this job even though he has moved to Jakarta. During this period, he became interested in the national movement and he mingled a lot with movement figures. The feeling of displeasure with the Dutch colonialism began to grow and was eventually recorded in the book Perawan Desa.
The book was confiscated and banned from circulation by the Dutch government. Soepratman was transferred to the city of Sengkang. There, not long after, asked to stop and return to Makassar again. Roekijem itself is very fond of plays and music. Many of his essays were shown in the military mess. Besides that, Roekijem also enjoyed playing the violin, this passion which made Soepratman also enjoy playing music and reading music books.
Indonesia Raya While living in Makassar, Soepratman received music lessons from his brother-in-law, Willem van Eldik, so he was good at playing the violin and then he could compose songs. While living in Jakarta, one time he read an essay in the Timbul magazine.
The author of the essay challenged Indonesian music experts to compose the national anthem. Soepratman was challenged, then started composing songs. In 1924 the song Indonesia Raya was born. At that time he was in Bandung and was 21 years old. In October 1928 the Second Youth Congress was held in Jakarta.
The congress gave birth to the Youth Pledge. On the night of the closing of the congress, October 28, 1928, Soepratman played his song instrumentally in front of the general audience (intrumental with violin at Soegondo’s suggestion regarding the conditions and situations at that time, see Sugondo Djojopuspito).
It was at that time for the first time that the song Indonesia Raya was played in public. All those present were amazed to hear this. Quickly song was well-known among national movement. When political parties hold a congress, the Indonesia Raya song is always sung.
The song embodies a sense of unity and a will for independence. After Indonesia’s independence, the song Indonesia Raya became the national anthem, a symbol of national unity. However, the songwriter, Wage Roedolf ​​Soepratman, did not have time to enjoy life in an atmosphere of independence.
As a result of creating the song Indonesia Raya, he was always chased by the Dutch East Indies police, until he fell ill in Surabaya. Because his last song was “Matahari Terbit” in early August 1938, he was arrested while broadcasting the song with the guides at NIROM Jalan Embong Malang, Surabaya and detained in Kalisosok prison, Surabaya. He died on August 17, 1938 due to illness. Soepratman was given the title of National Hero by the Indonesian government and Bintang Maha Putera Utama class III in 1971. Wage Rudolf Soepratman is born on March 9th. During Megawati Soekarnoputri’s time as president of the Republic of Indonesia, it was inaugurated as National Music Day.
However, the actual date of birth is still being debated, because there is an opinion that Soepratman was born on March 19, 1903 in Dukuh Trembelang, Somongari Village, Kaligesing District, Purworejo Regency, Central Java.
Although the two dates are both on the Wage market, this opinion – apart from being supported by the Soepratman family – was corroborated by the Purworejo District Court’s decision on 29 March 2007. Come on, get other interesting information only at Indonesiar.com.
Source ; WIKIPEDIA
