A VERY Special and Emotional Afternoon ~

Today we went to Cimahi - the Dutch Cemetery where Nick's father and my grandfather is buried!
Gosh - quite emotional for the both of us!  But very touching and we were ever so thankful to be here!

It took us only about 40 min from Bandung to Cimahi the next town over, but  it just takes awhile to get out Bandung  - a lot of traffic.

We saw the sign up ahead and to think after all these years we finally are here...driving to this place here in Indonesia...my!  The taxi driver pointed the direction and we stepped out of the car and walked towards the gate up ahead passing another cemetery first.

 We came to the gate of  Ereveld Leuwigajah (Memorial Cemetery Leuwigajah)

 Gosh you guys...it was quite a walk....when Nick & I met each other we found out later that both his father and my grandfather were buried here.  To experience this together today so much went through my mind- Our flight to Asia took us to Singapore first and we went to the  Changi Prison in Singapore where his father died in the prison there - (he was first buried in Medan, Sumatra) our flight from Bangkok, Thailand brought us into Medan, Sumatra some weeks ago!) we also knew that in 1966 the remains were brought from Medan to this resting place here in Java)  My grandfather was also brought to this cemetery after he passed away in the Japanese camps.  But my father thankfully stayed alive through this experience - all these men were brought to Burma by the Japanese to build railroad tracks...it was hard labor.

.......all these things went through my mind and heart as we wandered through the cemetery.

 This would be the first time for Nick to come to his father's grave site.  When the war was over Nick, his sister Cecile, and his mother had heard via the Red Cross that his father had died.  He had died just a few days before the war had ended.  Yet the family left Indonesia never to see his grave or remains all this time!

                      So this was a very special today for Nick...and Cecile - too - back in Bend Oregon!

The cemetery is immaculately maintained by the Dutch government... we were so' pleased to see that!

                                        But so many crosses - over 5200 people are buried here and there are a total of 7 of these cemeteries where the Dutch KNIL men are buried!  (Jakarta, Bandung, Cimahi, 2 in Semarang, and Surabaya) So to have Nick's father and my Opa, grandfather buried in the very same place - well you can understand how we feel about that!)

              The man who maintains the yards brought us to the grave sites both of Nick's father #230 and my                                                                        grandfather #795.

                                                    Unknown ~ (Onbekend) written in Dutch

Gosh can't described the words we felt...but it was so good to be here!

Nicolaas Franciscus Johannes Diemel

Born January 3, 1904 Died       April 29, 1945     at the age of  41

                                                        Johannes Willem Jacobus Baidenmann

Born August 29, 1890 Died May 11, 1945 at the age of 54

                            To see your family name there on the cross - so much goes through you!

Ron & Maralin - (my siblings) I know you too are thankful to see this - and so my thoughts are with you too as I kneel here!
                     I know my aunt in Holland - Tante Evie  is pleased I am here, and Edward too my cousin in Holland!  This is my father's sister!  Yes....finally made it Tante Evie!

Our heritage is here in Indonesia on my father's side!

 So many 'unknowns' - yet they too were remembered here!

 Nick & I were so pleased to see everything being taken care of ~

 We are thankful to the Dutch government for continuing to maintain this memorial for their fallen!

The cemetery was in a nice area surrounded by some mountains, and there in the distance you see the men working to keep everything looking so clean!  They were washing the crosses, and I went over to thank them for their good care.

Well it was quite an afternoon!  Nick & I were grateful for it and we went back to the taxi waiting for us and he brought us back to town and the hotel!  

We talked a lot about it this evening and felt our steps have been orchestrated - 25 yrs ago when Nick came here on a trip by himself...he was in Bandung - and had a very special experience here regarding a letter he had sent 1 1/2 yr before...not even knowing his father was buried in the next town...but now he was here again...knowing it and visiting the grave site for the first time...and I, for the first time in Indonesia feel the closeness and the love my father had for this country and the memories he shared with me growing up.  

(I am thankful too for the love of the Indonesian cuisine that he loved so much...that too has rubbed off on me...ha!)

So...we will hold this day dear in our hearts both Nick & I and we are thankful to have made it this far in our trip to experience it!