I read yesterday that Bertha Hertogh passed away.
Who was she?
You may well ask. This tale is half a century old but remains poignant today.
Just in case you haven’t heard her story, here it is :
Because of poverty and hardship during the Second World War, a Dutch woman in Java gives her 5-year-old daughter, Maria, to a Malay woman for adoption. The Malay woman raises the girl as a Muslim and later relocates to Kemaman, Terengganu. Eight years later, when Maria is thirteen, her Dutch parents, after discovering the whereabouts of their daughter, now want her back.
One commentator wrote:
“Who will lose their daughter in this heart-wrenching case? Will it be the Dutch parents who were forced to give her up because of the hardship of the war or will it be the Malay woman who treated her as her own daughter for eight years? Whoever wins, we know one side will suffer and so don’t be surprised to be told that no judge or experienced lawyer will have the gall to say that the law is fair. Justice and fairness are not the same thing. In case you don’t know the full facts of the case and intend to read the [The Nadra Tragedy by Haja Maideen], I shall not reveal who ultimately gains custody of Maria Hertog or Nadra, to use her Muslim name. But I will say that this is a tragedy in the true sense of the word. Nobody wins, everyone loses, everyone is hurt. The fact that eighteen die in the consequent rioting only underscores the tragedy.”
In fact, the judge in Singapore gave judgment in favour of Nadra’s Dutch parents and so the girl was taken away from her Malay foster mother to live in Holland with her biological parents.
As a grown up Nadra said that her happiest times was when she was growing up in Malaysia. The case became a political and religious one, but for me it is the human one that is the most touching. I understand that her life story is being made into a movie. I hope it’s a good one.
History has a lot to teach us. It certainly repeats itself.
But are we willing to learn?
16 responses so far ↓
Kak Teh // July 10, 2009 at 8:44 am |
Tunku, I did the story on her death yesterday. I spoke to her daughter, Silvija, the youngest of 10.
Natadra or Natrah or Maria Bertha Hertogh’s father was captured by the japanese and at the age of 5 she was given to Cik Aminah who was from Trengganu. It is a sad story. She was married off at the age of 13 but it was ruled that she had to be returned to the father and then go back to Holland.
The daughter told me that it was her wish that her body be donated for research to the Hospital in Rotterdam. When I was in Holland a month ago, I wanted to vsit her but was told that she was too frail.
I wish i had.
There is a movie being made abt her and in post production now.
mekyam // July 10, 2009 at 8:13 pm |
hi tunku!
the name didn’t ring a bell at first. but kak teh’s “natrah” clued me in. i’ve heard of this tragic story. shall look forward to the movie.
Kak Teh // July 10, 2009 at 8:37 pm |
sorry, that’s a typo. There’s several versions of her name. From the family press release that i received yesterday, it was nadrah. It is indeed tragic. I learnt more abt her yesterday when I google and got into wikipedia.
tunkuhalim // July 10, 2009 at 11:39 pm |
Kak Teh – I did a search at NST, looking for your article but couldn’t find it. Is it out yet? It is such a sad tale. A pity you didn’t get to meet her … she could have put a human voice to the entire espisode. The Nadra Tragedy is a good book.
Mekyam – I hope the movie will be an accurate portrayal of her tragic life. It should be very interesting … I hope!
Kak Teh // July 11, 2009 at 12:22 am |
Tunku, it was in yesterday’s NST – under local news http://www.nst.com.my/articles/12nadra/Article/index_html
and also in BH.
Yes, come to think of it, for selfish reasons it would have been nice if I had insisted on meeting her. But as the daughter rightly said to me, she was getting frail and too many journalists had been going to see her that they had to put a stop to it. And respect that.
I’ll send you the press release that she sent me. also look at wikipedia. There are more interesting revelations.
tunkuhalim // July 11, 2009 at 10:32 pm |
Kak Teh – That’s a good article. I’m sure your reasons were unselfish … why trouble an elderly lady? You were only following her wishes. Now she is gone …
aminah // July 14, 2009 at 12:08 am |
Assalamualaikum YM Tunku,
If you want to read further, try searching for Dewan Masyarakat, a magazine published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
DBP did an extensive research about her in the 90s, if i’m not mistaken,
or you could contact me if you’re unable to catch hold of the mags published during that time.
aminahaj
tunkuhalim // July 14, 2009 at 8:20 am |
Aminah – Thanks for your generous offer. I’d like, one day, to find out more … perhaps even use some the ideas for a story!
Syahir Abak // July 14, 2009 at 1:12 pm |
It is heartening to hear that Nadra @ Maria Hertog had passed away in the Netherlands. Let us pray so that her soul would rest in peace . She would have been a good Muslim if the unfortunate had not happened.
Ariffa // July 15, 2009 at 12:15 pm |
So sad.
Yes, history has a habit of repeating it self…
We must be willing to learn .
As we heal ourselves we heal others…it has a wonderful ripple effect.
Trust.
Love Peace and Light.
tunkuhalim // July 16, 2009 at 12:54 am |
Syahir – Yes, may she truly rest in peace. She had a difficult life and we, I’m sure, wish it could have been better.
Ariffa – I hope that her wounds were healed somewhat, perhaps thru the passage of time. And also … perhaps as we heal others, we heal ourselves too!
Ariffa // July 16, 2009 at 11:43 am |
As the saying goes….
The soul would have no rainbow
if the eyes had no tears.
Keedal // July 17, 2009 at 7:54 am |
let’s hear Handy Black Song “Natrah..”
tunkuhalim // July 18, 2009 at 10:39 pm |
Ariffa – That’s a good saying!
Keedal – I haven’t heard the song … must be good?
Rizal // July 19, 2009 at 4:39 am |
Funny that the government banned the song when it was first released. No sure whether they have lifted the ban.
I couldn’t imagine the agony, confusion that’s gone through her mind during the time. And it’s sad to know the life that she had after going back to Belanda.
I heard the movie is written by an Australian, and produced by a Singaporean. Frankly spekaing i dont’ put much hope that the movie will depict the true event.
tunkuhalim // September 4, 2009 at 9:21 am |
Rizal – I really need to hear this song! Hopefully, even if the movie is not so truthful to the facts, it should get the feelings of Nadra right. For it is the human story, not the political one, that really matters.