Onsland.nl was launched today. With digitised archives, photos and objects, this website contains more than 250,000 resources about the shared history of the Netherlands and Indonesia. These come from private collections and those of around 65 institutions, including the National Archives, NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and the Rotterdam City Archives. Millions more new sources will be added in the coming years.
The Onsland.nl homepage
Onsland.nl contains educational materials, testimonials and the option to search for your family history. The site shares stories from different communities of experience and memory, such as the Indonesian, Moluccan, Chinese and Papuan communities. The digitised material on Onsland.nl focuses on the period of World War II, decolonisation and its repercussions.
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Op deze afbeelding zijn de algemene gebruiksvoorwaarden van KB.nl van toepassing. Foto: Nationaal Archief-collectie ANEFO / Ben Merk.
One of the photos from the Onsland.nl collection. In 1949, a delegation from Indonesia came to the Netherlands to attend the Indonesia Round Table Conference. The delegation visited Marken and Volendam, among other places. Photo: National Archives collection ANEFO / Ben Merk.
A major need for information
Onsland.nl fulfils a major need for information, says Yvonne van Genugten, director of the Indisch Herinneringscentrum (East Indies Memorial Centre): "The shared history of the Netherlands and Indonesia has never really received the exposure it deserves. There are nearly 2 million Dutch people with Indonesian roots or a historical connection to the country who would like to delve deeper into this history for personal reasons. Onsland.nl is also handy for educational purposes and benefits those with a general interest in the subject. The launch of this website takes the shared knowledge of the Netherlands and Indonesia a step further."
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Op deze afbeelding zijn de algemene gebruiksvoorwaarden van KB.nl van toepassing. Foto: Nationaal Archief-collectie ANEFO / Harry Pot.
The Jouwe family and Mr Tanggahn arrive at Schiphol Airport from Biak in 1962. Photo: National Archives collection ANEFO / Harry Pot.
More collections digitised
The KB's Metamorfoze digitisation programme coordinates the digitisation of the sources accessed on Onsland.nl. Programme coordinator Louise Rahardjo: "There have been 3 rounds in which individuals or institutions with Indies heritage collections could request digitisation. Collections from 10 institutions have already been digitised, yielding over 1.5 million scans for Onsland.nl, and collections from eight more institutions are currently being digitised. Over four million scans are expected to have been made by the end of the programme. So Onsland.nl will continue to be supplemented."
Op deze afbeelding zijn de algemene gebruiksvoorwaarden van KB.nl van toepassing. Foto: Indisch Herinneringscentrum / Collectie Hiskia Kobrua.
Military personnel posing in Kandangan. From the photo album of Hiskia Kobrua, KNIL (Royal Dutch East Indies Army) soldier from 1948-1951. Photo: Indisch Herinneringscentrum / Hiskia Kobrua collection.
An overview of the collections that have been and are being digitised through the programme can be found at: East Indies Heritage Digital Programme | Metamorfoze.
Ons land (Our country): The Netherlands | Dutch East Indies | Indonesia was developed by the East Indies Heritage Digital Programme, a collaboration between WO2Net, the Indisch Herinneringscentrum (East Indies Memorial Centre) and the KB national library. It is funded by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
