Amir Hamzah
Indonesian poet (1911-1946) · Indonesia · On the map · Writers · Died at 35
Tengku Amir Hamzah was an Indonesian poet and National Hero of Indonesia. Born into a Malay aristocratic family in the Sultanate of Langkat in North Sumatra, he was educated in both Sumatra and Java.
Amir Hamzah is read about 48 times a day, in 26 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 28 October 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 96 days, one point a day.
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About this person
While attending senior high school in Surakarta around 1930, Amir became involved with the nationalist movement and fell in love with a Javanese schoolmate, Ilik Sundari. Even after Amir continued his studies in legal school in Batavia the two remained close, only separating in 1937 when Amir was recalled to Sumatra to marry the sultan's daughter and take on responsibilities of the court. Though unhappy with his marriage, he fulfilled his courtly duties. After Indonesia proclaimed its independence in 1945, he served as the government's representative in Langkat. The following year he was killed in a social revolution led by the PESINDO, and buried in a mass grave.
