Indonesia Calls! — Season 1, Episode 1: Colonial Layer Cake
Documentary • 53 min • 1 season, 8 episodes
Episode synopsis
Hans Goedkoop leaves for Indonesia in search of traces of his grandfather Rein van Langen. He was born in Java at the end of the 19th century and would later become chief of staff of the colonial army. How Indian is Hans' family actually? A DNA test shows a surprising result and the trip through Indonesia brings more surprises, such as the shelter for children of Dutch men and Indonesian women, founded by missionary 'Pa' van der Steur. In the colony it is crucial which layer you belong to; the more European, the better. What frayed edges does such a strict division cause, also in Hans' family?
About Indonesia Calls!
Historian Hans Goedkoop traces back the life of his grandfather: Rein van Langen. 'Grandpa Rein', born on Java, served in the colonial military between 1900 and 1950 - a period when the Dutch rule over the 'East Indies' began to falter.