A Swiss Vocational School and Indonesia Tourism History #ServiceAttitude 4.0

Mr. Eugene Bürcher and H.E. Mr. Prapto Prayitno in 1984

Breakfast Conversation 

A Swiss Vocational School and Indonesia Tourism History 

#ServiceAttitude 4.0

Oleh Budiman Wiriakusumah 
Pictures, collection of Fam. Buerki-Argadinata 

The conversation with Mrs. Yayah Buerki-Argadinata, former lecturer at the National Hotel Institute in Bandung on kitchen table at Buerki-Argadinata's residence in Luzern bring me curiosity,  the fact that many Swiss National living in Indonesia far before our Independence in 1945 from the Dutch. 

Mrs. Yayah Buerki with Grand Daughter Denise & Grand Son Mark  of  Eugene Buercher in 1975

Enjoying breakfast on Sunday morning,  the conversation started with the memory when we were in Bandung, me as a proud  student at the very famous Institute in Hospitality, National Hotel Institute, Swiss Federal Government Project for Indonesia in developing Tourism started in 1972 and her (Mrs. Buerki) as lecturer at the Institute. And a course its brings us to the History about the Institute. 

Eugene Buercher name mentioned many times at the conversation, a Swiss national, a valaisanne from the Village of Naters/VS, who has been living in Indonesia since ages but the problem is that I can only traced his presence in Malang, East Java, as early as 1941, at the time when Indonesia occupied by the Japanese. Eugene Buecher’s role is very important in tourism development in early years when Indonesia was just born as a nation in 1945 and acknowledge by an Independent Country in early 50’s. 

Buerher’s role in Indonesia Tourism Development started when he opened, first ever a vocational school in hospitality in Bandung. The school was a secondary school specialized in Hotel and Services. Sekolah Kejuruan Perhotelan opened in 1959 in Bandung, West Java. Eugene Buercher,  Swiss National living in Indonesia, who has the possibility to help a promising, young Indonesian to develop their capacity, their skill to participate in developing a Hospitality Industry was some kind of curious for me that bring me try to find reasons why so many Swiss interested living there in Indonesia. 

That I started thinking perhaps I should directly contact the Swiss Federal Archives try to find the trace of Eugene Buerher but than my research started through Internet. I am so lucky that that the first article I found is Philipp Krauer’s research paper for his Doctorate at ETH Zuerich. 

Quote from ETH Zuerich Website:  

Colonial Mercenaries: Switzerland and the Dutch East Indies, 1848- 1914     

This dissertation pursues the traces of around 5,800 Swiss mercenaries who served in the Dutch colonial army in Indonesia from the foundation of the Swiss federal state in 1848 until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Occasionally, the Swiss provided up to 10 per cent of the European troop contingent and thus contributed to the violent Dutch expansion in the Malay Archipelago. 

Based on sources from various archives in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Indonesia, this work examines the social backgrounds of the mercenaries: What motivated them to join the colonial army? What experiences did they gain within the colonial space and how did they interact with the local population and authorities? Second, this project sheds light on the money flows from Batavia (now Jakarta) to the colonial veterans and their families in Switzerland.    

End Quote 

It is clear for me and answering many questions about a swiss living in Indonesia at the time when Indonesia still under the Dutch Colonial. 

Back to the kitchen table at the Buerki’s residence, suddenly Mrs. Buerki remembered something which gave me a big smile, being so lucky, having these conversation and she said;  

“I remember that I still keep some written testimonial about Eugene Buercher! And it is Eugenie Buecher who type those paper and gave it to me” 

But just than the morning conversation is becoming so important that I asked her if I could record her explanation about the life of Eugene Buecher and the Family. 

I promised to Mrs. Buerki, one day I will write a book or this conversation becoming a part of my second book, a continuation of #ServiceAttitude 4.0   about having the right attitude facing the Industrial Era 4.0 for millenials.