Before the war, my father Karel Jacobs was an art and engineering student. He was also in the Dutch army. My father was an artist at heart and was creative in everything he did. Stories of him that have been passed down paints my father as an artist, engineer, dreamer, adventurer and inventor.
Karel Jacobs top-right. Hans Dejonge bottom-middle.
When WWII was in full force the Japanese army invaded Batavia Indonesia/Dutch East Indies. Like many young men who were of Indonesian Dutch descent, Karel Jacobs was rounded up by the Japanese army and held in a concentration camp.
My uncle Hans DeJonge was also there and told the story that Karel and Himself managed to escape the camp and fled to Karel's father's house but Karel's father turned them back over to the Japanese army for reasons unknown and Karel and Hans were hung by their thumbs for their escape attempt.
My father was then sent to Japan and endured 3 ½ years in a Japanese prison (camp Kawasaki). Here is where he met captive Americans who spoke fondly of America and encouraged young Karel to come to America if he could survive the war.
POW Japanese Propaganda Pic
POW Japanese Propaganda Pic
POW Japanese Roster
Legend has it, is that in detainment camp or in prison camp, my father saw a picture of Hans DeJonge’s little sister Ellie and fell in love with the girl in the photograph.
My Mom The Original Indo Girl
During the Japanese occupation of Batavia Dutch East Indies my mother Ellie DeJonge (Hans’s sister) and her family were rounded up and spent 3 ½ years in an internment camp against their will where they endured unspeakable hardships and harsh treatment.
My Mom and her Family before the war
Close up of my mom before the war. When I picture my Mom in heaven, I picture her looing like this.
The War is Over
When the war ended and the American forces liberated the POW’s in Japan, Karel returned to Indonesia and married Ellie DeJonge, the girl he saw in the photograph. Two kids later Karel and Ellie Jacobs fled Indonesia to the Netherlands. They left Batavia (now Jakarta) during the exodus and purging of Dutch Indonesian citizens.
Wedding photograph of Karel and Ellie Jacobs
Karel and Ellie spent almost 10 years in Holland where against all odds Karel continued his studies in Engineering and Art. Their family grew from two to five children when their sponsorship application to America was accepted.
Art by Karel Jacobs - Student Drawing Study using his own hands as a model.
The American Dream
After their sponsorship application was finalized the Jacobs family traveled from Holland to New York by ship, then by train to Reno followed by car ride to Bishop, California. In 1956 Karel and Ellie and family were sponsored by a small Presbyterian Church in Bishop California that still stands and operates today.
Refugee Family Makes the News.
Refugee Letter - front
Refugee Letter - back
To illustrate how much my Parents appreciated the generosity of these Americans that took them in, they named my middle name after one of our sponsors 'Lloyd' Covington. The Covington family has a long rich American history that goes all the way back to the Mayflower. We were all very blessed to have known them.
Drawing by Karel Jacobs - Giving Thanks
While in Bishop my mom was a housewife and my father got a job for the electric Company. The American sponsors taught my parents all about the American way of life. They were embraced and welcomed into this Country as their own. They even taught my mom how to drive an automobile and helped her with the language. They shared recipes, stories and traditions and my parents quickly assimilated. I've heard stories that my father even helped engineer and build some of the first ski lifts in June and Mammoth Mountain.
Ellie Jacobs picking apples in a cowboy hat like a true American.
Karel Jacobs on a crisp day in Bishop California.
After living in Bishop for several years and making lifelong friends with their sponsors, they ultimately decided to move closer to their recently immigrated family members in La Puente California and also be closer to job opportunities for my father.
Refugees Make a Better Life
In their suburban southern California neighborhood, there were 5 first cousin families within walking distance of each other. Capitalizing on my mother's gift for cooking and hospitality my parents Karel & Ellie opened an Indonesian restaurant/store called AMMKAB. AMMKAB was named after the first initials of all of their children. Even the newly added Benjamin. Adriaan, Maurits, Mieke, Karel, Anton and Benjamin. The store was on Nelson Street in La Puente. Cousin Else recalls her mom working at AMMKAB as she sat on the bags of rice in the back. The mailman would come in and have a lumpia for lunch.
Jacobs Family in LaPuente California 1960.
In the late 60’s Karel, Ellie and their six children moved to Huntington Beach California. Karel took a job with a Company called Pertec Computer Corporation (PCC). Pertec designed and manufactured computer peripherals such as floppy drives, tape drives, instrumentation control and other hardware for computers. My Father ranked up to a Senior Level Mechanical Engineer. He designed and engineered some of the first disk and data drives, consoles and control panels. I recently found out that my father held several patents in early disc drive and data drive inventions. Not too bad for a former POW and refugee immigrant.
The Logo is Born
To my best guess it was 1967,68 or 69 that Ellie had the itch to start another restaurant. It was at this time that Karel created the logo for their family run Indonesian restaurant in Huntington Beach California. The name of the restaurant was Restaurant Jakarta and was filled with wonderful exotic dishes that my Mother Ellie prepared. Karel and Ellie converted a former bar called ‘The Cave’ and renovated it into a family-friendly atmosphere which embodied their passion to showcase the wonders of Indonesian/Dutch cuisine and share their culture to their new American community.
old photo-copy of the Restaurant Jakarta logo.
At the time Tiki Bars, South Pacific Bars and Bali bars were gaining in popularity. These tropical exotic bars and their logos' most often depicted half naked island girls within their logo. But by all evidence my father and mother chose to stick with a family friendly logo designed to align their exotic Indonesian Dutch cuisine to the wholesome America that they knew.
The restaurant is long gone now but not forgotten. Karel & Ellie as well as all of my siblings have all since passed on too, but the logo, legacy and their spirit of hospitality lives on.
The Logo Becomes a Brand
After sharing this story to a good friend of mine, I mentioned that all I got from my family were the crumbs of a logo, some old sketches from my father, photographs, documents and memories. He corrected me and said, ''No Ben, these are not crumbs they left you, these are seeds they left you.''
Indo Girl Classic Design is Born
Indo Manufactory is Born
Indo Surf Club Design is Born
Now that my eyes are open, we have decided to carry on the Indo Girl story as a brand to help memorialize and honor my parents, my siblings and to all of the brave and courageous Dutch Indos that have gone before us. Our desire is to celebrate and share this beautiful Indonesian Dutch American Story throughout the United States and the World.
Thanks for the seeds you left us Mom and Pop!
Family Tribute Video
FAMILY TRIBUTE VIDEO
Circus Tent
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Controller
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Locked Safe
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Submarine
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