Karel H. G. Bos

On May 23, 1943, Karel H. Bos, along with 36 other Dutch and Indo-Dutch prisoners, were led to Tasnam Forest, approximately 10km/6mi south of Bondowoso. (From what I've read, the Kempeitai likely did not let any of their prisoners know the fate they had waiting for them in the forest.)

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Here, the 37 prisoners were forced to dig a massive hole.

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When the hole was complete, their hands were tied behind their backs. They were made to kneel down at the edge of this freshly dug hole. Then my grandfather was executed. He was beheaded. I believe this horrific fate was the method used for all of the other 36 prisoners as well, although some reports claim that they were shot (maybe some were?)

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The execution was part of a larger campaign aimed at eliminating resistance leadership and intimidating the Dutch colonial community. Many men executed together in this event were suspected of resistance activities or simply seen as influential Dutch community leaders and professionals, which means they were often connected through social, military, or professional networks.

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There are credible and horrifying accounts from Japanese-occupied Indonesia during World War II, particularly in East Java, of executions being carried out with extreme brutality. Beheadings occurred especially of prisoners accused of espionage, resistance, or defiance. 

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A few points:​

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1. Beheadings Were Used as a Tool of Terror

• Beheading was a common form of execution by the Japanese Kempeitai (military police) during the war in East and Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.

• This was especially true for those accused of assisting the allies, spying, or being part of resistance movements.

 

2. Public Display of Executed Prisoners

• In some parts of Asia under Japanese rule, there are documented cases of heads or bodies being displayed to terrorize civilians.

• In Indonesia, especially East Java, oral testimonies from survivors and local accounts sometimes refer to displays of violence intended to humiliate families and deter rebellion.

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3. Symbolic Acts of Humiliation Did Occur

• In some rare and particularly brutal reprisals, headless bodies were left at village gates or near family homes to send a message.

 

4. Testimonies and Memory

• Some Indonesian and Dutch survivors’ accounts describe the psychological terror of knowing that relatives had been executed in remote camps and the occasional unconfirmed rumor of heads being displayed—though this may blend memory, trauma, and community fear more than verified fact.

 

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Additional information RE: THE EXECUTIONS:

• The very fact the Japanese singled out Karel Bos for execution in Bondowoso in 1943 speaks volumes: they viewed him as influential, dangerous, and ideologically steadfast.

• There is good reason to believe some of the men executed alongside Karel Bos were his colleagues in architecture, engineering, or military service, and possibly friends or family (like Adriaan Bos.)

• Due to the nature of Japanese internment and executions, the men were often grouped by their professional, military, or social standing.

• The source indicates that around 150 individuals were executed in the Bondowoso area during the Japanese occupation.

• The Bondowoso executions are now considered among the Japanese war crimes in Indonesia. These were extra-judicial killings, and most victims received no formal trial.

• Officers of the Japanese occupation considered Karel Bos a serious threat, reserving execution for individuals “whose authority was unchallenged” in local resistance activities. That level of attention suggests Bos was deeply respected within his circles.

• His execution highlights that he was considered a serious threat by the occupying authorities—someone taken out for his involvement in underground activities.

(Source of all above info = ChatGPT OpenAI accessed June, July, August 2025)​