Johann Gottlieb Schwarz
{{Short description|German missionary (1800–1859)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name = Johann Gottlieb Schwarz
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| religion =
| denomination = Protestant
| institute = Netherlands Missionary Society
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| birth_date = {{birth date|1800|4|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Königsberg, Kingdom of Prussia
| death_date = {{death date and age|1859|2|1|1800|4|21|df=y}}
| death_place = Manado, Dutch East Indies
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Johann Gottlieb Schwarz (21 April 1800 – 1 February 1859) was a German Protestant missionary who was active in proselytization to the Minahasan people in the nineteenth century. He established his mission at the town of Langowan, in modern Minahasa Regency. He is today celebrated by the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa as a pioneer of Christianity in the region, along with Johann Friedrich Riedel.
Early life
Schwarz was born on 21 April 1800 in Königsberg.{{cite book |last1=Kruijf |first1=Ernst Frederik |title=Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zendelinggenootschap en zijne zendingsposten |date=1894 |publisher=J.B. Wolters |page=309 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0HxfUY_bw8C |language=nl}} In his youth, he worked as a shoemaker. He joined the Berlin Missionary School in 1822, studying there until 1825 before continuing at Rotterdam's missionary school. He met Johann Friedrich Riedel, a fellow missionary-in-training, at Berlin. They completed their training in 1829, and left for the Dutch East Indies in November 1830 under the Netherlands Missionary Society.
Missionary work
The two arrived at Manado on 12 June 1831. After spending some time to learn local languages,{{cite web |title=Johann Gottlieb Schwarz |url=https://pemuda.stemi.id/article/johann-gottlieb-schwarz|website=stemi.id |access-date=5 April 2025 |language=id}} Riedel proceeded to Tondano that year, Schwarz had to leave shortly after to purchase required supplies and upon his return he settled in 1832 at the town of {{ill|Kakas, Minahasa|id|lt=Kakas}}.{{cite book |last1=Pinontoan |first1=Denni H. R. |title="Walian dan Tuang Pandita": Perjumpaan Agama Minahasa dan Agama Kristen pada Abad XIX |date=2019 |publisher=Denni H.R. Pinontoan |isbn=978-623-7173-26-7 |pages=17–18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C4FSEAAAQBAJ |language=id}} He intended to establish his mission at the town of {{ill|Langowan|id}}, southeast of Lake Tondano, but his house there would only be completed in 1834.
Schwarz's initial proselytization in Langowan saw local resistance, especially from the local district chief of Langowan. He also faced difficulties due to his poor grasp of local languages. Regardless, by 1838, he had managed to baptize over 100 people,{{cite news |title=Penyebar Kristen di Kampung Ibu Prabowo |url=https://historia.id/agama/articles/penyebar-kristen-di-kampung-ibu-prabowo-6lXLY/page/2 |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=Historia |date=25 December 2024 |language=id-ID}} aided by his distribution of medical supplies. Among those converted by Schwarz was Tawaijln Sigar, the new district chief of Langowan. The eighth President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, is a descendant of Tawaijln through his mother.{{cite news |last1=Matanasi |first1=Petrik |title=Hadiah Natal Prabowo untuk Tanah Leluhur Ibunya |url=https://tirto.id/hadiah-natal-prabowo-untuk-tanah-leluhur-ibunya-glZe |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=tirto.id |date=10 December 2021 |language=id}} After Tawaijln's baptism in 1841, the number of converts at Langowan grew rapidly, and by 1848 Schwarz had baptized around 3,000 people. The first church at Langowan was established in 1847, at a former Alifuru temple.{{cite news |title=Ini Profil Johann Gottlieb Schwarz, Penginjil yang Dibuatkan Patung oleh Prabowo Subianto |url=https://manado.inews.id/read/19588/ini-profil-johann-gottlieb-schwarz-penginjil-yang-dibuatkan-patung-oleh-prabowo-subianto/3 |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=iNews.id |date=3 December 2021 |language=id}} Schwarz also proselytized at settlements further to the south of Langowan.{{cite book |last1=Gosal |first1=Riedel Christian |title=Minaesa Beresa: Suatu Studi tentang Peranan GMIM dalam Gerakan Keesaan di Indonesia Tahun 1934–1980 |date=2024 |publisher=Bintang Semesta Media |isbn=978-623-129-003-8 |page=29 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3SYpEQAAQBAJ |language=id}}
Death
Schwarz died at Manado on 1 February 1859, and he was buried at Langowan the following day. Around twenty years after Schwarz's (and Riedel's) death, in 1880, around eighty percent of the Minahasan population had converted to Christianity.{{cite book |last1=Aritonang |first1=Jan Sihar |last2=Steenbrink |first2=Karel Adriaan |title=A History of Christianity in Indonesia |date=2008 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-17026-1 |pages=421–423 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUoGJSs9yOUC&q=aritonang+and+steenbrink |language=en}} In the present, the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM) celebrates Schwarz and Riedel's arrival to Manado on 12 June 1831 as the founding of Christianity in Minahasa.{{cite web |title=Hellendoorn, Tou Minahasa dan Pendidikan Kristen |url=https://www.dodokugmim.com/hellendoorn-tou-minahasa-dan-pendidikan-kristen/ |publisher=Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa |access-date=4 April 2025 |language=id |date=12 June 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Rompas |first1=Tanya |title=Arina: Riedel dan Schwarsz Bangga Melihat Ini|url=https://manadopost.jawapos.com/teropong/28606191/arina-riedel-dan-schwarsz-bangga-melihat-ini |access-date=4 April 2025 |work=Manado Post |date=13 June 2022 |language=id}}
A statue of Schwarz was set in front of the GMIM church in Langowan. In 2021, Prabowo Subianto (then Minister of Defense) commissioned a bronze statue of Schwarz in order to replace the older statue, which was moved to Schwarz's grave at the church's yard.{{cite news |last1=Sekeon |first1=Rian |title=Dihadiahkan Prabowo, Patung Schwarz di Langowan Jadi Ikon Sejarah Minahasa|url=https://manadopost.jawapos.com/publika/285434908/dihadiahkan-prabowo-patung-schwarz-di-langowan-jadi-ikon-sejarah-minahasa |access-date=5 April 2025 |work=Manado Post |date=18 December 2024 |language=id}} His former house in Langowan is today a Christian high school.
References
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Category:Protestant missionaries in Indonesia
Category:German Protestant missionaries
Category:People from Königsberg