PEOPLE WHO NEVER DIE: THE NARRATIVE OF INDONESIAN POLITICAL EXILE IN GERMANY

After the 1965 tragedy, Indonesian government-sponsored students abroad faced great hardships. Cut off from reliable news about drastic changes at home, many later lost their citizenship for refusing the new regime. In uncertainty, this “golden generation,” once expected to return and contribute their knowledge, struggled to survive by any means.

Focusing on Germany, Soe Tjen Marching reveals why the country became a refuge for exiles previously studying in Eastern Europe. The exiles’ stories challenge the notion that they were not “real victims” of 1965 simply because they lived in developed nations. More profoundly, Soe Tjen examines the very term “exile,” linking it to government politics and the stigmatizing labels imposed on those cast out.