DARI “PER ASPERA AD ASTRA” KE “CIREBON BARU”: Perubahan Citra Kota Cirebon 1930-1950-an

Abstract

The purpose of this writing is to describe the change of image of Cirebon city during period 1930-1950s. In the colonial era, Cirebon city was imaged as a colonial city. The success in changing of the face of Cirebon city was symbolized in the symbol of Cirebon Gemeente through the slogan “per aspera ad astra”. Since 1930s occured a different imagery of Cirebon city which derived from every day experience of the native Cirebon citizen. The bad physical condition of the city and the reality that native citizen could not enjoy the facilities of the city like the Dutch people, became the foundation of the image formation about the gemeente failure in building Cirebon city. The criticism on Cirebon Gemeente regarded as ignoring people’s rights, became the foundation to develop the symbol of the city in the independence era. It was conceptualized as “New Cirebon” that was realized by building the image of Cirebon as republikein city. The concept of “New Cirebon” was also explained and implemented into the development of various aspects that referred to the basic need of the people that in the colonial era was ignored by the Cirebon Gemeente.