Societeit De Harmonie And The Sparkling Exclusivity Of Dutch Socialites

JAKARTA - In 1815, the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies for the period 1811-1815, Thomas Stamford Rafless, inaugurated a historic building on the corner of Jalan Veteran and Majapahit, Central Jakarta: Societeit de Harmonie. The building was known as a place for socialites of that era to hang out.

The inauguration was carried out symbolically by removing the key to the building door to the Ciliwung River. The meaning is deep, it brings out the hope that Societeit de Harmonie will never close. Historian JJ Rizal said Societeit de Harmonie stood quite lasting. Pioneered by the Dutch and continued until the British rule.

JJ Rizal also explained that at that time, Societeit de Harmonie was an exclusive club where not just anyone could enter. "Only white people can enter, even if they are based on businessmen or officials. Only then can natives who have the status of being priyai get access, said JJ Rizal when contacted by VOI, some time ago.

In the building with a capacity of two thousand people, visitors used to play billiards, cards, party drinks, masquerade parties, to their most favorite: dance parties. It is said that the dance party at that time was held every Sunday night with hundreds of beautiful women ready to be invited to the floor.

Senior journalist, Alwi Shahab, told of the excitement of the nights at Societeit de Harmoni in an article entitled Dansa-Dansi at the Company Age Harmony Building. "In the old Harmony, the upper classes often danced on the marble floor lit by sparkling crystal lamps and enjoyed a midnight meal while drinking wine under the moonlight on the flower-planted terrace," he wrote.

A similar scene was captured by a Dutch soldier, HCC Clockener Brousson in a book entitled Batavia Early 20th Century. In a book containing his travel stories, Brousson wrote: We also saw the famous Societeit de Harmonie. The building was similar to the performance building built by Governor General Daendels. This is arguably the best club between Tokyo and Bombay. But we can only see it from the outside.

It doesn't stop there. Brousson continues his story: A small garden with chairs adorns the not-so-tall Societeit building on the side of the road. In front of the building, a man in a white navy uniform was sitting by the Balustrade, chatting with joy.

Brousson describes being amazed at the magical atmosphere of Batavia's most charming building, Harmonie. Brousson also got information from the Tram conductor regarding activities at Harmonie. According to the conductor, Societeit members are businessmen and officials. Usually, on Sunday nights around 19.00 to 20.30 WIB, visitors are presented with musical performances played by military groups.

The Societeit de Harmonie building is also known as a place to compete for the prestige of its expensive and luxurious clothing. The show-off even spread to the habit of greeting members. An American writer, William A Hanna, in the book Hikayat di Jakarta, tells that, instead of mentioning names, members greet each other by mentioning the amount of salary in one year.

"Meneer 50 thousand guilders humbly yielded to Meneer 100 thousand guilders," said William A. Hanna.

Left with memories

Unfortunately, after the transfer of Indonesian sovereignty, Societeit de Harmonie was forgotten. The place that used to be the fun place for European elites --even the governor-generals-- no longer resonates as much as it did in the past. The dance party that was held was no longer able to match the excitement of his past. Finally, in the 1970s, Societeit de Harmonie closed down. In 1985, the Societeit de Harmonie building was torn down.

Societeit de Harmonie is one of the buildings that was destroyed as a sacrifice of the revolution, along with other buildings such as the Des Indes Hotel, the Capitol Cinema, the Old Chinese House, and several old markets in Jakarta.

Memories of Societeit de Harmonie continue to fade. If there is a case that can evoke it, at most it will be in the form of stories and old photos milling about. There is regret implicit in the expressions on the faces of the Harmony region today.

Perhaps we forget what the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Thomas Stamford Raffles said: Never destroy what you cannot rebuild.