Anwar, Chairil (1922-1949), is considered Indonesia’s first great poet. He was a leading member of the group known as “the 1945 generation of writers” in Indonesia. He was known for his “Western individualism.” His poetry used symbolism and was sometimes difficult to understand. His major themes included despair, politics, and sex.
Chairil’s poems were gathered in three collections. All were published in 1949 and 1950, after his death. His work has been translated into many languages. The Complete Poems of Chairil Anwar was published in 1974. People interested in Indonesian writing commemorate the date of his death, April 28, each year. People continue to discuss his work, and his spirit continues to influence Indonesian literature.
Anwar was born on July 26, 1922, in Medan, Sumatra. He reached the second year of junior high (secondary) school. But then he moved to Jakarta and had no further schooling. He began writing poetry when he was 20. At this time, the Japanese occupied Indonesia. He was most active in the troubled years in Jakarta after World War II ended in 1945. He seemed to enjoy the chaos and lived to the full. “I want to live a thousand years longer,” he wrote. But he died of typhus on April 28, 1949, before he was 27.
