Louis Victor Wijnhamer

Louis Victor Wijnhamer, better known as Pah Wongso, was an Indo social worker popular within the ethnic Chinese community of the Dutch East Indies, and subsequently Indonesia. He was born in Tegal, Central Java, on 11 February 1904 and was one of fourteen children born to J. R. Hunter (also known as Osman) and L. W. Winterberg who were of English and German descent, respectively. Both were stage actors with the Sri Permata Opera, and often traveled. Interested in theatre, he ran away from his elementary school in Yogyakarta to join a troupe in Klaten, under the leadership of Djafar Wirjo. Although Wijnhamer was taken as a porter, Wirjo taught him stage techniques as well. Wijnhamer's parents ultimately decided to support his career and help him learn to lead a cabaret. In the early 1930s, Wijnhamer, known as Pah Wongso, began his social work, using traditional arts such as wayang golek to promote such causes as monogamy and faith in Western medicine, as well as combating gambling and the use of opium and alcohol. He was able to speak Dutch, Malay, and Javanese fluently, and had some command of Chinese and Japanese. This social work was funded predominantly from Pah Wongso's day job, selling fried peanuts. By 1938 he had opened a school for poor children, particularly those of mixed Chinese descent, in Gang Patikee; it was funded by donations. He was also a member of the Indies branch of the Red Cross, and recognized for his humanitarian work. He organised night fairs in various cities in the Indies, holding auctions and selling drinks and snacks in order to raise money to send aid to China, then fighting against the Japanese. In late 1938, Pah Wongso used a legal defense fund, which had been raised for him when he was charged with extortion, in order to establish another school; this was followed by an employment center in 1939. In 1941, Star Film released two productions, Pah Wongso Pendekar Boediman and Pah Wongso Tersangka, starring him and featuring his name in the title. During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Pah Wongso was held in a series of concentration camps in South-East Asia. He was repatriated after the War, and raised funds for the Red Cross and ran an employment office until his death.