Suitcase stories: Arie's journey by Jeroen Krul

Identity

Suitcase stories: Arie's journey by Jeroen Krul

Many of the suitcases that are part of the FENIX collection tell a story about their owner. Like the suitcases belonging to Arie and his family. The Obschlager family arrived at the Lloydkade in Rotterdam from Indonesia in 1959. Illustrator Jeroen Krul depicted the suitcases’ travel story in four drawings.

In October 1959, the Sibajak docked at Rotterdam’s Lloydkade after sailing from Indonesia. Arie set foot on Dutch soil for the first time with his daughter Ingrid, son Adrie and wife Berendina.

Before leaving, the family had to chose whether to opt for an Indonesian citizenship or Dutch nationality.

Before being force to choose, Arie had always lived with his family in Jakarta. He had a good life managing an auto-repair shop, where for instance, he looked after the car of then President, Sukarno. This was the same presidents that issued the policy that forced people to choose between two countries, two nationalities and two passports: Warga Negara.

Arie opted to leave for the Netherlands, leaving his auto-repair shop behind. The family boarded the boat and sailed from Tandjong Priok to Rotterdam.

On the quay in Rotterdam, relatives welcomed the Obschlager family. They found a temporarily home at the Hotel Riche in Boxtel, then knowned as the house of arrival. In the cold autumn weather, it took some time to before they got used to their new home.

With Arie and Berendina by their side, the children felt at home in the Netherlands. Taking her parents as a compass, daughter Ingrid built her life in Rotterdam. From her living-room window, she looks out from Katendrecht to the Lloydkade, where she arrived in 1959. It is a window full of memories.

Suitcase stories: Arie's journey by Jeroen Krul

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Suitcase stories: Arie's journey by Jeroen Krul