Bernard Wilhelm Lapian

Bernard Wilhelm "B. W." Lapian (30 June 1892 – 5 April 1977) was a nationalist involved in the struggle for Indonesian independence. He published several newspapers that gave voice to the welfare of the Indonesian people and promoted Indonesian nationalism. He was also part a group who established a separate Christian denomination from the official Dutch East-Indies church institution. After Indonesia gained its independence, Lapian served as head of the district (or mayor) of Manado and acting governor of Sulawesi. In 2015, he was given the title of National Hero of Indonesia by President Joko Widodo. Lapian went to the Dutch language elementary school (Amurangse School) in Amurang, about 40 kilometers from Kawangkoan.

Journalist, politician, and church leader

Publications

Lapian was 17 in 1909 when he started working at the Dutch shipping company KPM (Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij). He would work for KPM for 20 years.

Convention of Protestant Churches in Minahasa

Lapian was part of a group of church leaders and nationalists (including Sam Ratulangi and A.A. Maramis) who wanted a church denomination that was free and separate from the official church institution of the Dutch East-Indies (called Protestantsche Kerk in Nederlandsch-Indie or Indische Kerk). In March 1933, the independent Convention of Protestant Churches in Minahasa or Kerapatan Gereja Protestan Minahasa (KGPM) was established and Lapian was named secretary. He was named chair of the denomination in 1938 and helped establish 16 elementary schools and 17 middle schools. Lapian was captured and jailed in Manado. He was moved to Cipinang in Jakarta in 1947 and then to Sukamiskin in Bandung in 1948. an expert in Indonesian maritime history, and Louisa Magdalena Lapian, also served as Mayor of Manado from 1 Maret 1952 to 1 September 1953. One of his grandchildren is Jack Boyd Lapian.