History of Bandung

Realizing the importance of correcting history, since 1997 the Bandung City government has tried to determine the correct anniversary of the City of Bandung based on historical evidence or facts.

This effort was carried out through a seminar on March 10 1997, a workshop on January 22 1998. Apart from that, a team was also formed to research the anniversary of the city of Bandung which could be accounted for. The core team consists of a number of historians from the literature faculty at Padjadjaran University and several experts in other fields. The research resulted in the date 25 September 1810 being the "Anniversary of the City of Bandung".

The process of establishing the city of Bandung

The city of Bandung did not exist at the same time as the formation of Bandung Regency. The city was built very long after Bandung Regency was founded. Bandung Regency was formed around the mid-17th century AD, with the first Regent named Tumenggung Wirangunangun. He ruled Bandung Regency with its capital in Krapyak (currently known as Dayeuhkolot), approximately 11 kilometers to the south of the current city center of Bandung. When Bandung Regency was led by the 6th Regent, namely R.A. Wiranatakusumah II (period 1794-1829) who was nicknamed the "dalem of the people", power in the archipelago shifted from the Company to the Dutch East Indies government, with the first Governor General named Herman Willem Daendels. To carry out his duties smoothly on the island of Java, Daendels built a postal highway (groote poshweg) from  Anyer  at the tip of  Western  Java  to  Panarukan at the tip of  Eastern  Java  (± 1000 kilometers). The construction of the highway was carried out by the indigenous people under the leadership of their respective regional regents.

In the Bandung area in particular and the Priangan area in general, the postal highway began to be built in mid-1808, by repairing and widening the existing road. In the city of Bandung now, the main road is called Jalan Jendral Sudirman - Jalan Asia Africa - Jalan A. Yani, continues to Sumedang and beyond. For the smooth construction of the highway, and so that colonial government officials could easily reach the regent's office,  Daendels through a letter dated May 25 1810 asked the Regent of Bandung and the Regent of Parakanmuncang to move the district capital, respectively to the Cikapundung and Andawadak areas (now known as Tanjungsari) closer to the road. postal highway.

Apparently Daendels did not know that long before the letter came out, the Regent of Bandung had already planned to move the capital of Bandung Regency, and had even found a fairly good and strategic place for the center of government. The place chosen was empty land in the form of forest, located on the west bank of the Cikapundung river, the south edge of the postal highway which was being built (which is now the center of Bandung). The reasons for moving the capital include that Krapyak is not strategic as a government center, because it is located on the southern side of the Bandung area and is often hit by floods during the rainy season.

Around the end of 1808 / early 1809, the Regent and a number of his people moved from Krapyak to the land for the new capital. At first the regent lived in Cikalintu (currently known as Cipaganti), then moved to Balubur Hilir, then moved again to Bogor village (currently known as Kebon Kawung, on the site of the current Pakian building).

It is not known for certain how long the city of Bandung was built. However, the city was built not on Daendels' initiative, but on the initiative of the Regent of Bandung, in fact the development of the city was led directly by the Regent. In other words, Regent R.A. Wiranatakusumah II was the founder of this city.

The city of Bandung was inaugurated as the new capital of Bandung Regency with a decree on 25 September 1810. This means that, as long as other sources have not been found that show more accurate facts, then 25 September 1810 can be justified as the "birthday of the city of Bandung".

The anniversary of the city of Bandung has been ratified through regional regulation number 35 of 1998. Thus, April 1, which for several years has usually been celebrated as the birthday of the city of Bandung, is no longer the anniversary of the city of Bandung, because April 1, 1906  is the date of the formation of the Gemeente Bandung. .

Bandung City Government

Since the city of Bandung was founded until mid-1864, it only functioned as the capital of the district which was completely governed by the regent R.A. Wiranatakusumah II continued by Regent R.A. Wiranatakusumah III (period 1829-1846) and Regent R.A. Wiranatakusumah IV (period 1846-1874).

During the reign of Regent R.A. Wiranata Kusumah IV, precisely since August 7 1864, the city of Bandung has functioned as the capital of the Priangan residency, replacing the city of Cianjur which was heavily damaged due to the eruption of Mount Gede. Thus, since then the city of Bandung has experienced dual government, namely district government (traditional government) and residency government (colonial government). This continued until the city of Bandung became an autonomous government city called gemeente (since 1 April 1906).

Gemeente Bandung was formed when Bandung Regency was ruled by the 10th Regent, namely R.A.A. Martanegara replaces Regent R.A. Kusumadilaga. With the establishment of the gemeente government, three forms of government existed in the city of Bandung, namely district, residency and gemeente. In this case, the gemeente government, as an autonomous city government, is more dominant than the other two governments. City management is entirely the task and obligation of the gemeente government. However, in practice, the Regent still plays a role in the capacity of a member of the city council (gemeente road).

Since October 1 1926, the term gemeente was changed to stadsgemeente, which lasted until the end of the Dutch East Indies government. During the Japanese occupation (March 1942 - 14 August 1945), the Bandung City government was called Bandung Shi. During independence, the designation of the Bandung city government changed as follows:

Haminte Bandung:
From 11 March 1946 - 24 April 1948 (the period when the Pasundan state was under ris).

Bandung big city:
Since 15 August 1945.

Bandung Municipality:
Based on law no. 1 of 1957 concerning regional government.

Bandung Municipality:
Based on law no. 1 of 1957 and circular letter of the mayor of Bandung regional head no. 637 dated 19 March 1966.

Regional Municipality        level II Bandung:
Based on Law No. 5 of 1974 concerning the principles of regional government.

And

Bandung city government:
Since 1999 until now

Mayor and deputy mayor of Bandung

From time to time

No	Nama	Masa jabatan
1	E.a. Maurenbrecher (exofficio)	1906 - 1907
2	R.e. Krijboom (exofficio)	1907 - 1908
3	J.a. Van de ent (exofficio)	1909 - 1910
4	J.j. Verwijk (exofficio)	1910 - 1912
5	C.c.b. Van vlenier dan Van bijveld                           (exofficio)	1912 - 1913
6	B. Coops	1913 - 1920
7	S.a. Reitsma	1920 - 1921
8	B. Coops	1921 - 1928
9	Ir. J.e.a. Van wolsogen kuhr mr.jm	1928 - 1934
10	Wesselink	1934 - 1936
11	N. Beets	1936 - 1942
12	R.a. atmadinata	1942 – 1945
13	R. Syamrurizal	1945 - 1946
14	Ir. Oekar bratakusumah	1946 – 1949
15	R. Enoch	1949 – 1956
16	R. Priatna kusumah	1959 - 1966
17	R. Didi jukardi	1966 - 1968
18	R. Hidayat soekarma didjaya	1968 - 1971
19	R. Otje djundjunan	1971 - 1976
20	H. Utju djunaedi	1976 - 1978
21	R. Husen wangsaatmadja	1978 - 1983
22	H. Ateng wahyudi	1983 - 1988
23	H. Ateng wahyudi & Drs. H. Matin burhan	1988 - 1993
24	H. Wahyu hamijaya & Drs. H. Matin burhan	1993 - 1998
25	H. Aa tarmana & Drs. H.e. soedarsono	1998 - 2003
26	H. Dada rosada & H. Jusep purwasuganda	2003 - 2008
27	H. Dada rosada & Ayi vivananda, sh	2008 - 2013
28	Mochamad ridwal kamil, st, m.ud & H. Oded m. Danial	2013 - 2018
29	H. Oded m. Daniel, s.a.p  & H. Yana mulyana, s.e	2018 - 2021
30	H. Yana mulyana, s.e	2022 – 2023