Copyright © All rights reserved Tom Hørmark Anderson

Niels Vilhelm Berger Christiansen

10th May 1895 – 12th March 1949

A brigade from Corps Marechaussees in Atjeh ready to go on patrol. Forced labors carry the heavy loads.

Niels served in the Corps Marechaussees on Mid-Sumatra, and it would have looked much the same when he went on patrol. (Search: "Onze Weermacht in Indië")

Content

Niels Vilhelm Berger Christiansen.

Early life and career in the Lifeguard

In Dutch service.

Sources.

Early life and career as a lifeguard

Niels Vilhelm Berger Christiansen was born on 10^th March 1875 in Copenhagen.¹ His father Niels Christi- ansen (who was a painter), and his mother Anne Cathrine (born Jensen). He was called up for military service on 10^th May 1895. According to the roll of conscripts he was fit for the kings Lifeguard's Foot Division. As he had been assessed at the session as "3 K3a", which means that Lifeguard is particularly suitable.

Initially, Niels came to serve in the 4^th company in the Lifeguard's line battalion. Here he received his basic training from 10^th May to 9^th October 1895. Soldier life must have appealed to him for the day before, on 8^th October, he was selected for the corporal school. That he probably took some of the duties lightly can be seen from the fact that on 4^th July 1896 he was brought in front of the battalion commander. Where he received a reprimand for having neglected an instruction as commander of the fire guard. So he has probably not been a model student, and he also only passed as number 14 out of 17 students.

Nevertheless, on 12^th September 1897 he was appointed corporal and employed for one year. At the same time, he is transferred from 4^th to 2^nd company. This service must have been satisfactory because on 1^st Feb- ruary 1898 he was appointed sergeant. Just as the contract was extended for another 2 years. It was not long, however, before he was again to be found in the battalion commander's office. Because he was late for duty on 19^th July. Something that was valued with a penalty of 5 days arrest in his quarters.

The punishment must have helped because it seems that he makes progress on duty. It is not until 14^th January 1901 before we find him in the battalion commander's office again. This time he was accused of violating a given ban. However, this is not the only thing he is accused of. He is also accused of having bor- rowed money from private from the end of October to the end of November 1900.

For these offences, Niels receives 15 days of dark detention on a restricted diet. It does not look like Niels cared about this. On 6^th March 1901, he was sentenced to 5 days of dark detention for not showing up for duty. It all culminates, however, while on guard duty at the royal palace on 28^th March 1901. Here, as the oldest non-commissioned officer, he shows dereliction of duty. Which the battalion commander assesses to 2 days of dark arrest.

The last punishment may seem mild compared to the others. However, Niels was waiting to be relieved back to civilian life on 1^st April 1901. So the possibility of giving him a longer sentence was probably not present. The prospect of being released from military duty probably also contributed to Niels taking the ser- vice lightly.

On 18^th April 1902, he became the father of the daughter Gurli Seicva Maren Christensen, whom he had together with Anna Christine Christensen. However, Niels and Anna were not married, and from later cen- suses it can also be seen that the daughter comes into care.²

¹The church book for Trinitatis Church, Trinitatis, Sokkelund , Copenhagen volume 57

²The Royal Birth and Care Foundation Main record of the children born at the birth foundation 1901-1904

In Dutch Service

Niels arrived in Padang as reinforcement for the local infantry just as the Dutchmen tried to obtain better control with Mid-Sumatra. For the Dutchmen infantry was not efficient again an interior enemy. As stated in "De strijd tegen den inlandschen vijand"⁵

“The weapons, training and equipment of the infantry is intended for the fight against an outside enemy (meaning foreign country) and cannot be called efficient in all respects for that against the in- ternal enemy. This can already be noticed in the 1^st period of the battle, but it is even more so in the 2^nd period,⁶ in which it is mainly important to have a very high degree of mobility in order to be able to reach the enemy in the furthest hiding places in the often very difficult terrain.”

As Mid-Sumatra is very mountainous and the terrain difficult. Operating with big units was both difficult and often out of the question. During the 1^st period infantry was surely useful though. Since making sure the native got overwhelmed by Dutch firepower.

Operations in the beginning would consist of 100 fighting men. Then as operations progressed the units going out would be smaller and smaller. So, when Niels stood with his men looking at the angry mass at Fort van der Capellan. He was most like not nervous because he knew he and his men were stronger.

It is not known for how long Niels stayed in the infantry. Making part of the local garrison. But he was a good marksman and received the medal for sharpshooting several times. Since he was promoted to sergeant and transferred to the Corps Marechaussee. It seems like he had put the bad habits from the Lifeguard back in Denmark behind him.

As a sergeant Niels was a brigade commander (squad leader). He would need to have good language skills because he would be the only European in the brigade. The rest would be a native sergeant, a native corporal and 17 privates. Their primary arms were a carbine and a klewang (sabre).

Normally a brigade would go on patrol alone for a longer period of time. To carry the heavy loads, they would bring prisoners from the local prison. Back when operations began in the interior of Mid-Sumatra the patrols going out would be bigger.

Niels was still in the highlands of Sumatra in 1908. Here he served at Fort van der Cappellen in the district of Tanah Dates when riots broke out. He had meanwhile been promoted to sergeant in the marechaussee. An elite corps, which can probably best be described as a kind of gendarmerie.

In March, the Dutch had changed the tax system. Which had created great dissatisfaction among the orig- inal population. Nor had it made matters better that the Dutch had done it without asking the local leaders for advice. In fact, so much so that the newspapers wrote about an actual " anti -tax movement".

On 20^th March the assistant resident had therefore asked one of the local leaders to appear at his office at Fort van der Cappellen at 12:00. The leader did not come alone, as he had brought 100 heavily armed followers with him.

Niels and the others acted calmly, and it wasn't before those present started throwing stones at them either. As well as going attacking with their knives called rentjongs, that the situation escalated seriously. Niels was wounded by a stab wound in the arm. Beside Niels a native private Sipon was also wounded. After which the brigade responded by opening fire with the result that 18 natives were killed and 25 wounded before the situation was brought under control.⁷

Although he extends his contract several times, it is not inconceivable that the wound in the arm has made it difficult for him to continue serving at the maréchaussée. In any case, he ends his career at the 9^th Infantry Battalion in Surabaya with the rank of adjutant non-commissioned officer.

Niels kept in touch with Anna, the mother of his daughter during his career. On 11^th April 1921 "De Loco- motief "⁸ wrote that he was among the passengers on the SS " Insulinde " departing from Tang Priok (the harbor city of Batavia) on 12^th April 1921.⁹

On 8^th September Niels and Anna finally become husband and wife when they got married in Hellerup Church. After which she returns with him to the Dutch East Indies. According to the "De Avondpost "¹⁰ from 25^th November 1921 they are among the passengers on the SS "Johan de Witt" which had a scheduled depar- ture the next day.

However, it has not been fun for Anna to wait. In the church register it can be seen that "De Classenske Boliger" on Frederiksberg was her address. In fact, the municipality had bought the homes in 1907 with the intention of demolishing them. So the money has been small. Which can probably also explain that the daugh- ter was in care.

The stay in the Dutch East Indies was not long. In 1925, it appears from a census that they are back in Copenhagen. Here, Niels gets a job as an inspector beside his pension from the Dutch colonial army. However, the pension payment was interrupted during the Second World War. Niels died of prostate cancer on 12^th March 1949 at Blegdamshospital and was buried from Søndermarkens Crematorium.

Niels received several medals for his service in the Dutch colonial army:

Cross for war participation with clasp "Midt-Sumatra 1903-07"

The medal for impeccable service in bronze (awarded after 6 years)

Sharpshooter mark 3 times

³ A reason could be that he planned to tri to earn money to start a family.

⁴ Scheepsberichten . "Soerabaijasch handelsblad". Soerabaja

⁵ "De strijd tegen den inlandschen vijand" by M. J. E. Bos, p. 15., The British Empire had their own version “Small Wars by Charles Edward Callwell.

⁶ According to the Dutch the struggle could be seen as a struggle in two periods. The 1^st period in which the battle is against entire population who take up arms (the period of the organized resistance). While the 2^nd period was the one in which action was taken against the remaining resistance leaders with their followers (“Strijd tegen den inlandschen vijand”, p. 4.

⁷ The report itself is based on an article in "De Preanger bode” VAN HIER EN DAAR. Bandoeng . Supplemented with male Dutch military papers NL- HaNA/2.10.50/263//// and NL-HaNA/2.10.50/405/0238///

⁸Scheepvaart PASSAGIERSLIJST.. "De locomotief". Samarang

⁹Counterministerial book for Hellerup Parish 1911-1924

¹⁰Stoomvaartberichten.. "De avondpost". 's-Gravenhage

On 21^st October 1903, Niels signed a contract as a volunteer in the Dutch colonial army. For as the contract said, "6 years of service in and outside Europe." For which he received f 200,00 in employment bonus. The reason why he chooses to go into Dutch service is not known.³

Just one month later, on 28^th November he left the Netherlands on board the steamship SS "Merapi". He was not alone on board. In addition to 3 officers "Soerabaijasch handelsblad"⁴ on 31^st December 1903: "... and 5 non-commissioned officers and 75 soldiers destined for Padang". The main city on the west coast of Sumatra.

That Niels disembarked at Padang on Sumatra was very uncommon. Normally new recruits always disem- barked at Batavia and stayed at Weltevreden (the home of the Dutch colonial army KNIL). On Sumatra, Niels came to participate in the Dutch's attempt to get a firmer grip on the principalities in the highlands of Suma- tra. Until now, the principalities had been considered more or less independent.

Sources

In addition to the sources mentioned in the notes, I have consulted the following pedigree books from the Danish and Dutch National Archives:

The access list for 1. Lægd 1895

The Royal Lifeguard, 1^st Battalion, The Royal Lifeguard G. list of conscripts 1895

2.10.50 Inventaris van het archief van het Ministerie van Koloniën: Stamboeken en pensioenregisters van Militairen KNIL in Oost- en West-Indië, 1815-1949 (1954):

263 folios 41008-41205

405 folios 17826-18057

In addition, the following have helped in finding or deciphering material: Dorte Stæhr Genealogists on Facebook

Gitte Hovedskov Genealogists on Facebook

Lars H. Bak Archivist, M.Sc. The National Archives