Hatta, Mohammad (1902-1980), an Indonesian nationalist leader, proclaimed his country’s independence in 1945, together with Sukarno, who became Indonesia’s first president. Hatta served as the country’s vice president from 1945 to 1949 and again from 1950 to 1956. He then resigned and retired from politics.
Hatta was born in West Sumatra. In 1921, he went to the Netherlands to study at the Rotterdam School of Economics. He stayed in Europe until 1932, taking an active part in Indonesian nationalist politics as a student. He represented Indonesians at international gatherings. Hatta was one of the first to press for the adoption of the name Indonesia for the future, independent homeland. In 1927, he was arrested by the Dutch and imprisoned for nearly six months. But when his case came to trial, he was acquitted and released. In 1932, Hatta gained a degree in commerce in Rotterdam. He then returned to Indonesia. He led the Indonesian National Education Party, whose main aim was to train groups of nationalists. In 1934, Hatta was arrested by the Dutch and imprisoned, together with other nationalist leaders. When the Japanese occupied Indonesia in 1942, Hatta was released. He became an adviser to the Japanese. On Aug. 18, 1945, he was elected Indonesia’s first vice president. In December 1948, when the Dutch conquered Yogyakarta, Hatta was captured and exiled to the island of Bangka. In July 1949, he returned to Yogyakarta. In December 1949, the office of vice president was abolished, and Hatta was elected prime minister. On Dec. 27, 1949, in Amsterdam, Hatta represented the government in accepting the freedom of Indonesia from the Netherlands. In 1950, Hatta ceased to be prime minister and served again as vice president of Indonesia until 1956.
