Stories from Deli

Michielsen’s time on the East Coast dates back to a long and warm friendship with Tjong A Fie (1860-1921). Nothing else is known about the origin of this friendship, which was of great significance to Michielen, and here again the lack of Michiel’s own notes on this matter takes revenge. Tjong A Fie, who had left his native China in great poverty at the age of fifteen, rose in Deli to become a very wealthy entrepreneur. ”1 In his position as major of the Chinese, he became a very influential man in Medan and its environs, not only in the large Chinese community in that region, of which he was the supreme counsel, but also in the general administrative system (up to Batavia). Tjong A Fie, now little known, was a great figure for decades and deserves a special place in the history of Oest-Sumatra.

In addition to the story of Michielsen, Tjong A Fie also played an important role in the story of his son Karel Michielsen. It is remarkable how often the path of the Michielsen family has crossed that of Tjong A Fie for years. The bonds of friendship were maintained to the end. Even the husband of Michielsen’s daughter Mieneke, E.H. Ter Bruggen Hugenholtz, in the beginning of his Indian career still worked for Tjong A Fie, at least at his administration office.

In June 1918, daughter Mieneke became engaged to Hugenholtz. The following year he left for India for a position in Surabaya. Soon, in the second half of 1919, he accepted a position at the administrative office of A.J. Kamlingh Onnes in Medan, possibly through his brother-in-law Karel Michielsen, who at that time was an agent of the Java Bank in Medan and was on good terms with Tjong A Fie.

Dolf Kamelingh Onnes was a confidant of Tjong A Fie and played a key role in his business for a while. He managed his empire as a ‘superintendant’, to put it that way. The image from 1920 shows Tjong A Fie and Kamerlingh Onnes, as well as daughter Mieneke Michielsen, son-in-law Emil Hugenholtz and Karel Michielsen. The latter was not only an important financial advisor to Tjong A Fie, but also became friends with him personally and this friendship, like his father, continued until the death of Tjong A Fie in 1921. After his sudden death, Karel Michielsen was charged with the handling of the Deli Bank and the Rubber Maatschappij Si Boelan of Tjong A Fie. In 1922 Emil Hugenholtz accepted a position at the Javasche Bank (tc Tandjong Balei) on the advice and intercession of Karel Michielsen, where he subsequently made a career.

Michielsen has received gifts from Tjong A Fie, including two beautifully carved elephant tusks (which are still in the family’s possession). As a director, Michielsen was considered to be very honest. There is therefore no corruption involved in the giving of these kinds of gifts, they merely show affection and respect. Karel Michielsen also received as a gift from Tjong A Fie an elephant tusk, improbably large, which of course was artfully carved.

The family Tjong A Fie later on bought a house for Michielsen at 90 Sweelinckstraat in Den Haag, where the family moved in 1907 after repatriation. It is remarkable, if the tradition is at least correct, that Tjong A Fie still wanted to express his value for Michiclsen so soon after that.