Herman Johannes

Herman Johannes (28 May 1912 – 17 October 1992) was an Indonesian professor, scientist, politician and National Hero. Johannes was the rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta (1961–1966), Coordinator for Higher Education from 1966 to 1979, a member of Indonesia's Presidential Supreme Advisory Council (Dewan Pertimbangan Agung or DPA) from 1968 to 1978, and the Minister for Public Works and Energy (1950–1951). He was also a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO from 1954 to 1957.
Biography
Herman Johannes graduated from Technische Hogeschool (THS) in Bandung, West Java, an institution which was moved to Yogyakarta in 1946 during the war of independence with the Dutch. The institution later became the embryo of Gadjah Mada University.
During his academic career, Johannes carried out research on rural technology, including inventing a charcoal stove designed especially for the poor, which used biomass charcoal briquettes for fuel. Johannes also investigated other types of alternative fuels and explored the possibility of turning agricultural waste into fuel.
Herman Johannes was involved in the military in 1940s. He was the head of the Indonesian Army Arsenal Laboratory during the independence war against Dutch occupation. His laboratory produced explosives such as smoke bombs and hand grenades which were used by Indonesian guerrillas to sabotage the movement of the Dutch military in Central Java.
Herman Johannes married Annie Marie Gilbertine Amalo in 1955. They had four children: Christine, Henriette, Daniel Johannes and Helmi Johannes, a newscaster at the VOA.
Johannes was decorated with the Guerilla Medal in 1958 and Mahaputra Medal in 1973 by the Indonesian government. Herman Johannes died on 17 October 1992 of prostate cancer. He was buried at the Universitas Gadjah Mada Cemetery in Sawitsari, Yogyakarta. In November 2009, he was honored by the Indonesian government as a National Hero.
Legacy
The Indonesian government honored Herman Johannes and named the Greater Forest Park in Kupang Regency in East Nusa Tenggara province after him. His name is used for a boulevard in downtown Yogyakarta.
His face is also depicted in the 100 Indonesian rupiah coins denomination in 2016.
Education
Melayu School, Baa, Rote Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia 1921
Europesche Lagere School (ELS), Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia 1922
Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs (MULO), Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia 1928
Algemene Middelbare School (AMS), Batavia, Java, Indonesia 1931
Technische Hogeschool (THS), Bandung, West Java, Indonesia 1934
Career
Teacher, Cursus tot Opleiding van Middelbare Bouwkundingen (COMB), Bandung, 1940
Teacher, High Middle School (SMT), Batavia, Java 1942
Lecturer of Physics, Medical High School, Salemba, Jakarta, 1943
Lecturer, Technical High School (STT) Bandung in Yogyakarta, 1946–1948
Professor, STT Bandung in Yogyakarta, June 1948
Dean, Technical Faculty, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, 1951–1956
Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences (FIPA), Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, 1955–1962
Rector, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 1961–1966
Coordinator of Higher Education (Koperti), Yogyakarta and Central Java, 1966–1979
Chairman, Regional Science and Development Center (RSDC), Yogyakarta, 1969
Career (others)
Member, Central Indonesian National Committee (KNIP), 1945–1946
Minister of Public Works and Energy, Indonesia, 1950–1951
Member, Executive Board of UNESCO, 1954–1957
Member, National Council, 1957–1958
Member, National Development Council (Deppernas), 1958–1962
Member, Supreme Advisory Council (Dewan Pertimbangan Agung or DPA) Indonesia, 1968–1978
Member Commission of Four, 1970
Member, Committee for Technical Terms, Department of Public Works, 1969–1975
Member, Council of Indonesian-Malaysian Language (MABIM), 1972–1977
Member, Indonesian National Research Council, 1985–1992
Military career
Head of Arsenal Laboratory, Army Headquarters, Yogyakarta, 1946
Member of Military Academy Troops, Jogjakarta, Sector Sub-Wehrkreise 104, December 1948 – June 1949
Lecturer, Military Academy, Yogyakarta, 1946–1948
Last Rank: Army Major, 1949
Commandant, Yogyakarta Student Regiment (Resimen Mahakarta), 1962–1965
Organizations
Christen Studenten Vereniging (CSV), Bandung, 1934
Indonesische Studenten Vereniging (ISV), Bandung, 1934
Timorese Jongeren/Chairman of Timorese Nationalist Group (PKT), Bandung, 1934
Member, Indonesian Young Civil Servants Association (AMPRI), Jakarta, 1945
Chairman, Indonesian Lesser Sunda People's Movement (GRISK), 1947
Founder, Greater Indonesia Party (PIR) 1948
Chairman, Hatta Foundation, 1950–1992
Chairman of Gadjah Mada University Alumni Association (KAGAMA), 1958–1961, 1973–1981
Had been the Head of Yogyakarta's Veterans Legion
Had been in the Central Board of the Indonesian Veterans Legion (LVRI)
Member of Indonesian Engineers Association (PII)
Had been an Hononary Member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI)
Decorations
Guerilla Medal, 1958
Medal of Indonesian Independence Struggle, 1961
Medal of Wirakarya, 1971
Mahaputra Medal, 1973
Doctor Honoris Causa, Gadjah Mada University, 1975
Veterans Legion Medal, 1981
Honor of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, 1991
Indonesian National Hero, 2009
Selected
Basics of Modern Physics, (UGM, 1953)
Pantjasila in the Words of Sukarno (UGM, 1963)
Squeeze Techniques in Bridge (Indira, Jakarta, 1970)
Introduction to Mathematics for Economics (with Budiono Sri Handoko; Pustaka LP3ES, Jakarta 1974)
Scientific Language Terms (Gadjah Mada University, 1979)
Developing Bahasa Indonesia into a Scientific, Aesthetic and Energetic Language, (UGM, 1980)
Dictionary of Science and Technology (Indira, Jakarta, 1981)
Various Techniques in Chess (Liberty, Yogyakarta, 1989)
References
1912 births
1992 deaths
Academic staff of Gadjah Mada University
Indonesian Christians
Indonesian politicians
Indonesian scientists
People from Rote Ndao Regency
National Heroes of Indonesia