Sudirman

Sudirman

Sudirman was the first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Born in Purbalingga, Dutch East Indies, he moved to Cilacap in 1916. After dropping out of teacher’s college, in 1936 he began working as a teacher. He continued to teach, before joining the Japanese-sponsored Defenders of the Homeland as a battalion commander in Banyumas in 1944. After Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945, he led a break-out then went to Jakarta to meet President Sukarno. On 10 December 1964, he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.

About Sudirman in brief

Summary SudirmanSudirman was the first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Born in Purbalingga, Dutch East Indies, Sudirman moved to Cilacap in 1916 and was raised by his uncle. After dropping out of teacher’s college, in 1936 he began working as a teacher, and later headmaster, at a Muhammadiyah-run elementary school. After the Japanese occupied the Indies in 1942, he continued to teach, before joining the Japanese-sponsored Defenders of the Homeland as a battalion commander in Banyumas in 1944. After Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945, he led a break-out then went to Jakarta to meet President Sukarno. On 10 December 1964, he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia. His guerrilla campaign has been credited with developing the army’s esprit de corps, and the 100-kilometre long route he took must be followed by Indonesian cadets before graduation. In late 1949, his tuberculosis relapsed, and he retired to Magelang, where he died slightly more than a month after the Dutch recognised Indonesia’s independence. He is buried at Semaki Heroes’ Cemetery in Yogyakarta. His death was mourned throughout Indonesia, with flags flown at half-mast and thousands gathering to see his funeral convoy and procession. He continues to be highly respected in Indonesia, and has numerous streets, museums, and monuments named after him.

He was also featured prominently on the 1968 series of rupiah banknotes, and had numerous streets and museums named in his honour. He died on 29 January 1950, at the age of 69, after suffering a heart attack. His son, Muhammadingan Karsid, was raised with heroic deeds of heroic deeds, and raised with stories of his father’s heroic deeds. His wife, Siyem, died when he was six, at which time he was left with her brother-in-law, Muhammad Samingan, and went back to her village in Manggisan, Paribakan. His father, Raden Cokrosunaryo, retired from his position as chief of the sub-district head until he was eighteen, when he went with the family to Manggang. He later died in a car crash in the town of Paribang, near the city of Manggagang, in 1961. He had a son, Muhammadingan and a daughter, Siyem. He also had two sons, Karsid Kartawiraji and Siyam, who were raised with his sister Tarsem, one of three women married to the sub district head Raden Cokros unaryo. In 1916 he was born on a pon Sunday in the month of Maulud in the Javanese calendar; the Indonesian government later established 24 January 1916 as his birthday. His uncle gave him the title Raden, for Raden for better financial situation, but he was not told that his father was not nobility.