by Astrid Berg, PhD –
Adapted from Mixed Blood : Reconciling My Colonial Family’s History in the Dutch East Indies.
All men who were able were called to join the KNIL to fight the Japanese. Most ended up in camps, primarily in Indonesia, Burma, and Japan. My Opa Berg, along with Oom Os and Oom Tjeun, worked on the “Death Railway” in Burma. The railway ran from Ban Pong, Thailand, to Thanbyuzayat, Burma, passing through the Three Pagodas Pass, and stretched 415 kilometers (258 miles). Of the 60,000 Allied POWs who worked on this railway, nearly 13,000 died during its construction.
A Brief History of the Forced Labor Camps
Between 180,000 and 250,000 Southeast Asian civilian laborers and about 60,000 Allied prisoners of war—including Dutch, Indisch, British, British Indian, Australian, and American soldiers—were subjected to forced labor. Construction camps, housing at least 1,000 workers, were established every eight to sixteen kilometers (five to ten miles).
The camps consisted of open-sided barracks made of bamboo poles with thatched roofs. Two hundred men were housed in each barrack; each allotted a space only two feet (sixty-one centimeters) wide for living and sleeping.
Approximately 90,000 civilian laborers and more than 12,000 Allied prisoners died. Indisch prisoners were often somewhat better off than their Western counterparts, as they were generally more resistant to tropical diseases and more acclimatized.
After the railway was completed, POWs had to wait almost two years before returning home. During this time, many were moved to hospitals, while those still fit were sent to relocation camps for maintenance work or transferred to Japan to alleviate labor shortages.
Survival on the Burma Line: My Grandfather’s Experience
At the start of the war in Java, my grandfather was assigned to a vandalism corps. He was captured by the Japanese and resisted, fighting back. The soldiers struck him hard on the back. As a result, he suffered from chronic pain throughout his time in the POW camp and for years afterward.
One might surmise that his broken back led to a broken spirit. The helplessness, his inability to demonstrate strength through action, was unfamiliar to him. Over time, Fritz perhaps wisely adapted by becoming more observant and inwardly focused. He watched his fellow prisoners, the guards, and the dynamics of the camp.
Fritz was not one to complain. Anticipating how their situation might deteriorate, he taught himself to think of one thing each day for which he could be grateful. This became his discipline, and it sustained him.
Unlike Oma Sok, who called the Japanese gladjakkers (scoundrels), Opa Berg did not harbor strong resentment toward them. One possible explanation is that the commanding officer in his camp demonstrated integrity and impartiality—qualities that Opa deeply valued.
The “Bad Hut” and the Commander’s Sword
My brother Carl recounts one of Opa’s stories about a young English prisoner who frequently clashed with the guards:
The Japanese had a designated punishment cell for unruly prisoners, less than a cubic meter in size. One could neither stand upright nor lie down, only squat or sit. It had no windows and was unbearably hot. The defiant English prisoner had often been sent to this “bad hut.”
After two weeks of confinement, he was released in a severely weakened state. One of the more hostile guards handled him roughly. The commander, having witnessed this, called the entire camp to gather. He summoned the guard forward, ordered him to kneel, and drew his samurai sword. Raising it high, he brought it down swiftly toward the guard’s neck.
Everyone believed he would behead him—but instead, the blade struck sideways. The guard was not killed, but the humiliation was profound.
Narrow Escapes: The Allied Bombing Runs
Another of Opa’s stories took place toward the end of the war:
The Allies intended to bomb the railway as well as Japanese positions. To avoid hitting their own imprisoned soldiers, they sent scouts to determine the locations of POW camps. However, the Japanese anticipated this and switched places with the prisoners. When Allied bombers arrived, they would unknowingly target the prisoners instead.
During one bombing run, a bomb went astray and struck an oil tanker. The Allies then dropped the remaining bombs in that same area. In this way, the bridge was destroyed, and the prisoners were spared.
The Long Journey Back to Surabaya
Fritz remained in the camp for another year after the war had ended. Under Mountbatten’s command, British, American, and Australian prisoners were liberated before those from the Dutch East Indies.
My grandparents had no contact with each other for four years. During the following year, while Fritz waited to return home, they began corresponding. Their letters were preserved, but no one knows where they are now or who has them. I am most curious to see what they might have shared.
After years apart—each surviving in such different ways—I wonder how they recognized each other again, and what, if anything, was spoken of what they had endured.
Sources & Further Reading
- Family Narrative: Adapted from Mixed Blood: Reconciling My Colonial Family’s History in the Dutch East Indies by Astrid Berg, PhD.
- Companion Story: Fritz’s wife, Oma Sok, led a high-stakes double life during the same four years of separation. Read her story: Code Name Corsica: The Resistance Work of Oma Sok and Captain Meelhuysen.
The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of the information and content of this article.