СВЯЩЕННАЯ ЗВЕЗДА — ВОЕННЫЙ ОРДЕН ИНДОНЕЗИИ

Abstract

Military awards and decorations glorify winners, immortalize victories and reflect world outlooks of their times. These functions place them among the most attractive, informative and curious cultural things in human history. The highest military awards, like the Soviet Order of Victory, symbolize the scale of battles, whereas campaign medals reflect the course of warfare. Military decorations usually imply mortal threats or even acts of heroism of their owners, not being awarded for labour or other civilian activities. Military orders and medals are in great demand among the collectors, being better known for public than other orders and medals. For example, the Japanese military Order of the Golden Kite seems to be the most famous decoration of Japan even now, seventy years after its abolition. The first order of Indonesia is the Bintang Gerilya — The Guerilla Star, instituted in 1949. Its form looks like an imitation of the Ottoman Gallipoli Star. The Bintang Gerilya reflects the modus operandi adopted by Indonesia during its wars for Independence against the Dutch. During the late fifties, the Indonesian Army took control over the nationalized factories and other businesses previously belonging to the Dutch. The Indonesian Army also turned more professional due to actions of several top grass commanders, like Nasution and Gatot Soebroto. The Army and Indonesian Government managed to put down some important separatist movements across the Malay (Indonesian) Archipelago. Obvious military success needed to be praised. In 1958 the highest military award of Indonesia — the Bintang Sakti, or Sacred Star — was instituted. The statute and history of the Bintang Sakti are the subjects of this paper.