Social, Community, & Financial | Karel_Bos_architect

Social, Community, & Financial Life

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Social Life

SOCIAL LIFE

PARTIES & FRIENDS

My paternal grandmother Els (Elvire) rarely spoke about (her ex-husband) my grandfather, Karel. As a matter of fact, the only story that I ever remember her telling me was about the parties that they had. She recalled tales of lots of parties with friends and family.

She said that the highlight in life during those times were these parties. She described the highly fashionable 1920s clothes, hats, pearls and jewelry that they used to wear. Not to be missed, the amazing spread of food that was always present.

But it was the telling of their dancing that lit up her face. My grandmother told me that they all loved to get together to laugh, eat, and dance. In particular, they loved dancing the Charleston, which she said was (in older Dutch terms) "all the rage" in the 1920s. The best part of this recounting was that she happily volunteered to demonstrate that "she's still got it", as she put her hands to her knees and started dancing the Charleston (Adu seg, Oma!) like the 1920s queen that she was.

SOCIAL CLUBS

While membership at social clubs were very popular, I could find no documentation to support that Karel Bos belonged to any of these clubs. I did, however, have these photos.

Karel Bos at the SOCIETEIT ONS GENOEGEN ("Society Our Pleasure") in Bandung, Java. According to ChatGPT: It was a Dutch colonial social club in Bandung, a gathering spot for the European and Indo-European elite. Membership typically included government officials, military officers, businessmen, and professionals.

Societeit Ons Genoegen once existed in Bandung, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). It was a gathering and socializing place for the people of Bandung, especially Europeans. It was a place for dancing, playing cards, and other events.

The building no longer functions as a societeit, but has undergone several changes in function and has become the Yayasan Pusat Budaya (YPK) Building.
(Source: Google Gemini OpenAI Accessed June/July 2025)

COMMUNITY

Community

2 of 3 Copy of Criminal Commission May 26 1932 3 (2).png

APPOINTED AS A MEMBER of the CRIMINAL COMMISSION

Criminal Commission
Theatre Jubilee
House Meeting
Football (Soccer) Cups
Oro-Oro Dowo
Toko Oen

Thanks to the wealth of archival newspaper articles, I was able to discover that my grandfather was an active and contributing member to his community.

Translation of above article (from Dutch):

Mr. Bitters honorary chairman

Mr. Balink then strongly proposes reasons and enthusiasm for appointing Mr. Bitters, who has made himself very valuable to the K.V.C. by making the sports field available, as an honorary member of the Office Football Competition. A thunderous applause from the meeting testifies to the great agreement with this proposal, so that Mr. Bitters is an honorary member of the association.

As far as the application for legal personality is concerned, the General Meeting believes that this does not in principle need to be done yet, but that it will have to be brought up for discussion in due course.

The financial report is now brought up for discussion, which shows that there is f77.38 in cash. The chairman thanks Mr. Been for the neat way in which he has managed the financial affairs, which the meeting agrees with by loud applause. The board's proposal to participate in the Office Football Competition.

in the future only possible for those who work in an office and therefore to prohibit it for schoolboys, is adopted by general vote.

As far as the free competition, i.e. section B. is concerned, only 4 O.S.V.B. players may participate, O.S.V.B. players are understood to mean those who have been registered for the O.S.V.B. and have at least played in one O.S.V.B. match.

The chairman adds to this that to the great regret of the board, this provision that was already in place has not been adhered to, they did have to turn a blind eye to some things during the trial competition, but the intention is to strictly enforce this in the future, the adopted regulations legitimate this. The penalties that have been threatened for playing with such, unauthorised players will therefore are applied.

Mr. Weynandts (Escompto Handelsbank) asks what is wrong if a combination with, if necessary, eleven OS.V.B. players is concluded. The chairman replies that by entering into such combinations, a great difference in strength arises, and that this will yield little satisfaction for both parties.

Mr. Metz (Cidag) would rather allow 5 or 6 OS.V.B. players instead of 4.

Mr. N. Messchaert Snellen (Customs) asks among other things whether the standard of O.S.V.B. players applies to section A. or B. to which the chairman replies that this only applies to section B.

Mr. Metz (Cidag) makes a proposal for participation of 6 0:S.V.B. players which proposal is rejected.

Mr. Messchaert Snellen (Customs) then puts a proposal to the vote for participation of 5 0.S.V.B. players, this proposal which is again supported by Avros and Cidag is also rejected. The board proposal is accepted.

Mr. Driessen asks whether this applies per association or per match, the chairman answers that it is left to the associations to decide how many O.S.V.B. players they wish to include in their association, but only 4 O.S.V.B. players will compete per match tomorrow.

Mr. N. Messchaert Snellen wishes to see further whether the O.S.V.B. players who participate in the O.S.V.B. competition matches are considered to be those who played in this competition, to which Dr. Druif replies that the O.S.V.B.-players cease to be members of the O.S.V.B. when the competition is over.

They must then re-register as members, if they do not do so, they are no longer an O.S.V.B.-player and are therefore not counted as such at the K.V.C.

In connection with the above proposal that was adopted for section B, Mr. Brandt requests not to establish a standard regarding O.S.V.B.-players for section A. It is thus decided.

In the further discussions, the special provisions for taking up a goal at the K.V.C. accentuated and the members of the various committees are elected.

The chairman announces that in consultation with the O.S.V.B. it is proposed to appoint one protest and one disciplinary committee for the football sport on the East Coast of Sumatra.

These two committees would therefore have a uniformal prosecution of offenders. At the request of the chairman, Dr. Druif explains the proposal in more detail.

Subsequently, with the general approval of the board, Messrs. Brandt, Bos and Tan are appointed as members of the Criminal Commission. Messrs. Olive. N. Messchaert Snellen and Schultenmaker are then appointed as members of the protest commission. Messrs. van Ren, van Savanter and Réparon are appointed as members of the Audit Commission.

ALHAMBRA THEATRE JUBILEE

Translation of above article (from Dutch):

Jubilee Alhambra.

The Alhambra theatre it was Monday evening in festive attire; red-white-blue blew from the transepts and the theatre hall was decorated with greenery and streamers. In the hall and on the stage a wealth of flowers had been collected, as approximately 25 flower arrangements had been offered as tokens of sympathy for the fifth anniversary of Alhambra, among others by the film importers in Surabaya, the architectural firms Smits, Koper and Hoogerbeets and Bos, the firm Van Wingen in Surabaya, Daily Newspaper, De Malanger", etc.

Invitations had been sent out for the festive performance and these had been responded to in large numbers, so that the jubilee film could be shown to a sold-out house.

Present were, among others, the resident, regent, mayor and garrison commander. The director, Mr. Soeratie, and the manager, Mr. Th. van Voorthuysen, had many hands to shake and the former gave an introductory speech in which everyone was welcomed, the authorities in particular, and thanks were expressed for the support experienced in the first five years of existence. Loud applause resounded and immediately the film screening began.

The highlight was the film "Zwel Herzen und ein Schlag", which often gave rise to spontaneous cheerfulness and would find its way through the Indies. In the meantime, Mr. Soratie also engaged in stomach cults and the contents of the elegant bags with a selection of chocolates disappeared like snow in the sun. This very amusing film will be shown throughout the week, and one can therefore follow the light-hearted attacks of Lilian Harvey on the usually poorly walled hearts of men.

HOUSE MEETING

Translation of article to left (from Dutch):

House meeting.

When the chairman opens this house meeting at about half past five, the following are present: Mr. Koper, a Hoogerbeets, Bos, Tan and Oort, all from Malang.

FOOTBALL (SOCCER) CUPS

Translation of above article (from Dutch):

SPORT.

FOOTBALL.

The unity in the football world. (From our Malang editor.)

As we understand it, Mr. P. M. Dee has made the two cups, which were donated to the V. M. O. by the Architect Firm of K. Bos and by the Architectural Construction Bureau Tan and Oort, available to all associations.

These matches, the arrangement of which has been placed in the hands of Mr. Dee, will already start next Saturday. The intention is to bring the associations of both federations into contact with each other, in anticipation of the meeting on the 20th of this month, at which

it is hoped that unity in the M.V.B. will be founded.

Mr. Dee appeals in "Our Football News", the organ of the 11 associations, to the sportsmanship of the players to consider these matches as a celebration of the end of the dispute.

We therefore urge the public to show their interest. They promise to be very interesting matches, especially since many clubs have not played against each other within the chalk lines for six months.

The two beautiful cups are on display in the display cases of the Malang Administration Office and the cigar store Aroma".

PASAR ORO-ORO DOWO

Translation of above article (from Dutch):

Football news.

After the last estrangement between the two football associations in Malang, the future in this area looks bleaker than ever. Although everyone sees that a place like Malang, excellent in climate, environment and beautifully situated sports fields, is extremely suitable for the practice of football, it has not yet been possible to reach an agreement between the two associations.

It is therefore very commendable that Mr. Dee has made two cups available for all Malang football associations. These cups were donated to the V. M. O. by the Architect Firm K. Bos and by the Architectural Construction Bureau Tan and Oort.

It is the intention of Mr. Dee, to whom the arrangement has been entrusted, to schedule matches in which all Malang football clubs can participate. In this way it will hopefully be possible to achieve a rapprochement between both players and clubs.

Mr. Dee calls on all players in "Our Football News", the organ of the eleven clubs, to help promote the sport and to see these matches as an attempt to reach a solution to the dispute.

However, this is not only about the players, but even more about the great importance of Malang football and that is why we encourage everyone to go and see these matches, which promise to be very interesting. Only when everyone cooperates can results be achieved.

There were at least a couple times that I remember my aunt (Tante) Joan mentioning that you just can't get fresh tropical fruit anywhere in the U.S. or The Netherlands like they had at the Oro-Oro Dowo (market.) But that name did not hold any meaning to me at that time, I just liked the sound of it.

My grandfather even referenced the Oro-Oro Dowo Market in one of his post cards when he asked for some smoked, dried pork.

I've learned that my great-grandmother, as well as my grandfather and family, at at least one time lived in the Oro Oro Dowo area. Two of the postcards that my grandfather addressed to his mother had Oro-Oro Dowo as the actual address. (Or "Oro2 Dowo" as he wrote it.)

What I've also learned is that my grandfather's "most famous" address, a home that he designed which was also the last home that he lived in, shows the address as "Oro Oro Dowo No. 1." However, to make things more difficult in searching for these homes, this is not the actual street address. That was under a completely different name.

I know now that Oro Oro Dowo Market played a significant role in the day-to-day life of my family.

A Little About the Oro-Oro Dowo Pasar (Market)

The Market was established in 1932. Pasar Oro-Oro Dowo was one of the earliest examples of a planned modern market in Malang.

Click button below to read article about Oro-Oro Dowo by EDU @ Java Private Tour.

Click to read article about colonial ORO-ORO DOWO.

TOKO-OEN RESTAURANT

While there is no direct written information linking Karel Bos and Toko Oen, I am listing because my Tante Joan used to tell me about it. She also told me that at one time when she went in (as an adult) that she saw her father's photo in there (and/or photos of his works.) I am also listing it because it was a very popular restaurant at the time of my grandfather, and I know from my family that they had eaten there.

ABOUT TOKO OEN (General Info):

This shop was founded by the Liem Goe Nio family, Chinese businessmen of Dutch descent.
The Malang location opened in 1930s on Jalan General Basuki Rahmat No. 5 in central Malang AND STILL STANDS TODAY!
The building retains original colonial architecture and interior, and vintage furnishings.
The interior has barely changed over decades.
It once included an arc-shaped dance floor and hosted weekend gatherings and celebrations.
The menu blends Indonesian, Dutch, and Chinese dishes, and includes many traditional snack dishes.
Ice cream remains the flagship offering.

TOKO OEN in COLONIAL TIMES:

During colonial times, it was a preferred social gathering spot, used for weekend leisure, dances, and even weddings.
The restaurant survived Dutch "scorched earth" attacks during the 1947 Operation to reoccupy Malang. It emerged intact.
On February 25, 1947, President Sukarno reportedly visited while in Malang for the Indonesian National Committee Congress, using the venue for rest and strategic meetings.
It is considered a cultural heritage building by the city, and maintained as a living museum of colonial-era architecture and culinary tradition. It is featured in Dutch travel itineraries to Java/Bali as a must-see site for nostalgia and history.

(Source of all above info = ChatGPT Open AI accessed August 2025.)

My mom's sister, my aunt ALIE OOMENS, was always friends with my other aunt, my dad's sister, JOAN BOS. My Tante Alie is a world traveler and took a trip to Malang in 2016. Per request from my Tante Joan, she went to the Toko Oen Restaurant and took a bunch of photos. In the photo below, my Tante Alie took a photo sitting at the table underneath the framed photo of the Twin Towers/Buildings design by my grandfather, Karel Bos.

FINANCIAL

Financial

It is no secret that my grandfather was considered at least somewhat "well-off." However, it has come to light that there was a point where he had filed bankruptcy. I do not believe that the family (my dad, aunt, and uncle) had ever known about this. In part because they were just young children when it happened, but also because he clearly recovered (fairly soon?) afterward.

As of now, I still do not know any of the circumstances that led to the bankruptcy. While it is not a positive aspect of the life of Karel Bos, it still happened. My goal is to share everything that I am able to find, and that which has been shared with me.

"Faillissementen" (BANKRUPTCY) NOTICES