Soedarmaji Jean Henry Damais passed away on 15 September 2021 at the age of 79. A former director of the Jakarta History Museum (Museum Fatahillah), an expert in architectural heritage, and a cultural advisor to successive Jakarta governors since the 1960s, Adjie Damais was a tireless supporter of the EFEO Center in Jakarta and its researchers throughout his career.

He was the son of Louis Charles Damais (1911-1966), founder of the first EFEO centre in Indonesia, which was established in Batavia (Jakarta) in 1938, and Raden Soejatoen Abdul Arief Poespokoesoemo (1912-2005), librarian of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences (Bataviaasch Genootshap), and later secretary to Ambassador Claude Cheysson.

It is one of the pillars of the community of historians, art and architecture historians which is leaving us. Awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres medal in 2015, Adji distinguished himself by training a whole new generation of experts and curators of Indonesian heritage.

Deeply saddened by his death, the entire team of the EFEO Center in Jakarta expresses its most sincere condolences to his family, friends, and collaborators, with whom he was very much loved.

Pierre-Yves Manguin, Henri Chambert-Loir, Véronique Degroot, Arlo Griffiths, Hélène Njoto, Diah Novitasari, Daniel Perret, Ade Pristie Wisandhani


A national tribute was paid to him on 12 October in the presence of the Minister of Culture and Education, Nadiem Makarim, and the Sultan of Yogyakarta, on the National Museum Day (the tribute is at the 50th minute of this link). The French Embassy also organised a commemorative ceremony at the Lycée Français de Jakarta the following day.