Wage Rudolf Soepratman was an Indonesian songwriter who wrote both the lyrics and melody of the national anthem of Indonesia - "Indonesia Raya." He is an Indonesian National Hero.
Biography
W.R. Soepratman's father was Sergeant Djoemeno Senen Sastrosoehardjo, a KNIL soldier, and his mother was Siti Senen. Soepratman was born Wage on 9 March 1903 in Somongari, Purworejo. Several months later, his father added Soepratman to his name and explained that he was born in Meester Cornelis, Batavia. Soepratman was the seventh of nine children. His eldest sibling was Rukiyem Supratiyah van Eldik. At the age of 6, he entered Budi Utomoelementary school in Cimahi. After his father retired, Wage followed his sister Rukiyem to Makassar, where he began attending Europese Lagere School in 1914. It was then when Rudolf was added to his name, so that his rights would be equal to the Dutch. However, he was asked to leave the school after it was revealed that he was not of European descent. He continued his studies in a Malay language school. After returning home, he learned to play guitar and violin. His brother-in-law, van Eldik, gave him a violin as seventeenth birthday present in 1920. After graduating from Malay language school in 1917, Wage attended Dutch language courses and graduated in 1919. He continued to Normal School, or Teachers' College, and became an auxiliary teacher in Makassar after he graduated. In 1920, he and van Eldik founded a jazz-styled band, called Black & White. He played the violin. They performed at weddings and birthday parties in Makassar. Beginning in July 1933, Wage started to feel ill. Then in November 1933, he resigned as Sin Po journalist and settled first in Cimahi, then Palembang, and finally in Surabaya. On 17 August 1938, he died at 01.00 a.m. and was buried in Kenjeran, Surabaya. On 13 March 1956, his remains were moved to Tambak Segaran Wetan cemetery.
The government awarded Wage the National Hero title and the Bintang Mahaputra Utama kelas III in 1971. Several Indonesian cities and towns have named streets after Wage, usually referred to as Jalan WR Soepratman.
Religion
Wage belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Some people claim Wage was a Catholic but his family stated in a 1967-issued book entitled "Sedjarah Lagu Kebangsaan Indonesia Raya" that he was a Muslim and his body was bathed and buried according to Islamic ways.
