The Early Years (1907-1935)

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September 27, 1907

Johan Albert Rusche

Born: September 27, 1907
Solo (Surakarta), Indonesia

His parents were Albert and Diena Rusche

My dad grew up in The Dutch East Indies, now known as Indonesia. He lived in Solo (Surakarta) in the West and Central part of the island of Java, the stronghold of the Dutch occupancy. He worked at the Rusche family businesses. He was known as Joopie or Joopie Slim. “Slim” is the Dutch word for smart!

Circa 1908

Opa Louis Herrebrugh at age 18 and his parents Andries and Anna Herrebrugh moved away from the Banda Islands. The Nutmeg plantations went bankrupt in 1904 because of the gradual loss of monopoly of the spice. They moved to the most northwestern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, Banda Aceh. It was a very important seaport just brought into Dutch Colonial rule.

Circa 1913

Opa Louis Herrebrugh at age 23 became a customs officer at the Port of Banda Aceh, which was at the entrance to the Indian OceanBay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.

January 15,
1914


Louis Reynard Herrebrugh
  becomes
 engaged to 
Anna Minke Teffer in Banda Aceh.
.

February 23,
1914

Louis Reynard Herrebrugh  marries
Anna Minke Teffer in Banda Aceh.
My Opa Louis and Oma Minke

World War I
July 28, 1914 –  November 11, 1918
The Netherlands remained neutral in WWI. 

Oma Diena Rusche brought her kids to The Netherlands during this time.
Joopie, Dina, Oma Rusche, Alwin, Theo

 

November 17, 1914

Anna Minke (Teffer) Herrebrugh 25yo and newborn Constance Anna (Herrebrugh) Rusche

Constance Anna Herrebrugh

Born: November 17, 1914
Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia

 Conny was born in the Ulee Lheue region of Banda Aceh, on the most northwestern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.   She was born a Dutch National.

December 18,
1915

Just after Conny turns 1 year old, her father , Louis Reinhard Herrebrugh dies in Banda Aceh of Cholera. He was 25 years old. Cholera outbreaks were common during this time period.

July 7,
1916

Conny’s grandmother, Opa Louis’ mother,  Anna Constance Herrebrugh (born Theodorusz) (1859-1916) passes away at age 66 in Banda Neira where she was born. She was the second wife of Andries Michiel Herrebrugh, and had one child, Louis Reinhard Herrebrugh. She married Aug 21 1889 in Banda Neira.

July  16,
1916

Anna Minke Herrebrugh (Oma Minke) gives birth to Conny’s brother,
Mattheus Thomas Herrebrugh.  She was pregnant when Opa Louis passed away.

Mattheus (Thijs) was also born in  Banda Aceh on the island of Sumatra.

1916

Oma Minke moves her children, Conny and Mattheus from  Banda Aceh to the more Dutch dominated Sukabumi, on the west-side of the island of Java.

1917

Anna Minke Herrebrugh remarries her passed away husband Louis’s, half-brother
Jacobus Johannes Bernardus Josephus Herrebrugh (1887-1945) in Sukabumi.

Opa Jacq raises Conny and Mattheus.

1917

Wedding party of Anne Minke Herrebrugh & Jacques Herrebrugh on August 18, 1917 - Blurry child in front, Mattheus (Thijs) Herrebrugh L-R: Mattheus Teffer, (unknown girl) , Anna Minke Herrebrugh, Conny Anna Herrebrugh, Constantia Lenggoe Teffer Back Row: Floris Herrebrugh, (unknown girl), Oscar Herrebrugh, Groom Jacobus Herrebrugh, Evert Herrebrugh, Ferdinand Herrebrugh

1918

Oma Diena Rusche returns from Europe

1922

Conny’s grandfather and Opa Jacq & Opa Louis’ father,  Andries Micheal Herrebrugh passes away in Semarang at age 72.

Circa 1923

Oma Minke and Opa Jacq Herrebrugh with Conny and Mattheus move to Bandoeng in Central Java.

1930

Conny at age 16, attends Hoogere Burgerschool te Bandoeng  (HBS), a 5 year secondary education school in Bandoeng, Indonesia.

July 9,
1931

Albert Rusche passes away in Solo at age 80.
Johan was 23 when his father passes.

 “Mr. A. Rusche, former director of N.V. Albert and Co. it was heard, died in Solo.
With Mr. Rusche, who reached the age of 80 years, a Solonese of the old stamp has passed away. The deceased was a hard worker, who until a few years before his death, despite his advanced age, actively participated in the management of the case, of which he was director.” 

May 23, 
1932

Newspaper clipping Solo

Oma Diena Rusche leaves The Dutch East Indies for a year.
 

Director N.V. Albert Rusche

The director of N.V. Albert Rusche in Solo, Mrs. D. Rusche, left Sunday morning with the daily from Solo to Batavia, where they embark for a trip to Europe. Mrs. Rusche intends to stay in Europe for a year, before returning to the Indies. Wishing her a good trip and a pleasant stay.

January 24,
1933

Wassenaar,
The Netherlands

Johan at age 25, also travels to The Netherlands to study accounting and obtains Accounting Diploma in The Netherlands.

May 1933

Oma Diena Rusche and Johan return to Solo from a year in Europe.
 

October 11,
1934

Johan’s mother Oma Diena Ruschepasses away in Surabaya on Java at age 65. Johan was 27. 

June 26,
1935


Conny at age 21, graduates from Hoogere Burgerschool te Bandoeng  (HBS)
a five-year secondary school in Bandoeng on Java.

November 29,
1935

Conny Herrebrugh at age 22 obtains diplomas as Office Stenographer and as a Typist in Bandoeng on Central Java.