The National Anthem’s Origin
In 1945, Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands. The Indonesian flag was raised to celebrate this momentous occasion while the national anthem, “Indonesia Raya,” was played. Interestingly, this anthem was written nearly 20 years before its official adoption.
The anthem’s composer was Wage Rudolf Supratman, who penned it as a response to a challenge he read in Timbul magazine. Regrettably, he did not live to see it become the national anthem.
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