The Existence of the Davos Factory in the Midst of the Dutch East Indies Government's Economic Depression in Purbalingga 1931-1939
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30829/juspi.v10i1.28780Keywords:
1930s economic depression, Local industry, Davos factory, Purbalingga.Abstract
The global economic depression of the 1930s, which also rocked the Dutch East Indies, had a significant impact on the colonial economic structure, particularly on the plantation sector and the sugar industry, the mainstay of the Javanese economy. In the Banyumas Residency area, this situation was marked by declining production and rising unemployment. Amidst these unstable economic conditions, the Davos Factory in Purbalingga was able to survive and maintain its business continuity. This study aims to examine the background to the establishment of the Davos Factory in the context of the economic depression, analyze its existence during the period 1931–1939, and identify factors that supported its resilience. This study uses a historical method that includes heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Research sources were obtained from colonial archives, contemporary newspapers, company documents, and interviews with historical witnesses. The results of the study indicate that the sustainability of the Davos Factory was supported by adaptation strategies through product diversification, consistency in maintaining quality and taste identity, adjusting production scale to market conditions, and strengthening internal social networks through a hereditary labor recruitment system. The Davos factory also served as an economic pillar for the surrounding community. These findings demonstrate that small-scale local industries had sufficient capacity to survive the pressures of the colonial economy.References
Ababou, M., Chelh, S., & Elhiri, M. (2023). A Bibliometric Analysis of the Literature on Food Industry Supply Chain Resilience:Investigating Key Contributors and Global Trends. MDPI, 15(11).
Amanda, R. (2017). Telaah Tata Kota Kabupaten Purbalingga Tahun 1925-1949 (Vol. 6).
Arinda, D. M., Saraswati, U., & MUntholib, A. (2017). Krisis Ekonomi di Banyumas 1930-1935 Sampai Perpindahan Pusat Pemerintahan dari Banyumas ke Purwokerto Tahun 1937. Journal of Indonesian History, 6(1), 2–8.
Azizah, F. N. (2025). Analisis strategi diferensiasi untuk menciptakan keunggulan kompetitif pada pt. slamet langgeng di purbalingga [Skripsi]. Universitas Islam Negeri Prof. K.H. Saifuddim Zuhri Purwokerto.
BHHC. (2025). Permen Davos Permen Legenda, Legenda Banyumas Raya. p. 1.
Bialowolski, P., Lee, M. T., Weziak-Bialowolska, D., Chen, Y., Cowden, R. G., McNeely, E., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2023). Differences in Multi-Dimensional Well-Being Among Factory Workers: Evidence from Six Countries. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 18(5), 2159–2180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-023-10181-0
Bittere Malaise In Banjoemas. (1932, January). N.V. Publiciteitskantoor “COSMOS,” p. 2.
Blad, H. E. T., In, V., Midden, H. E. T., & Maand, V. A. N. E. (1928). Het Zendingsblad van de Gereformeerde Kerken In Nederland.
Budiman, H. G., Nuralia, L., Imadudin, I., Pamumpuni, A., & Ariwibowo, G. A. (2025). Colonial technopolitics in the Dutch East Indies: A study of hydroelectric power in Pamanoekan and Tjiasemlanden Plantation. History of Science and Technology, 15(2), 428–448. https://doi.org/10.32703/2415-7422-2025-15-2-426-455
Dahles, H., & Susilowati, T. P. (2015). Business resilience in times of growth and crisis. Annals of Tourism Research, 51, 34–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2015.01.002
Das, N. R., Maria, N., & Ziba, F. (2017). Growth And Development In The Sugar To Confectionery Value Chain. CCRED.
Davos, A. (2022). Sejarah Diminati Banyak Masyarakat, Inilah Rahasia Produk Permen Davos!
De Suiker in Banjoemas, Oude Voorraden opgeruimd. (1936, April). N.V. Publiciteitskantoor “Cosmos,” p. 1.
Gandasubrata, S.M. (1952). Kenang-Kenangan 1933-1950.
Haryanto, W. (2025). Wawancara Terkait Perkembangan Pabrik Permen Davos dari awal berdiri hingga saat ini. Purbalingga.
Herawati, N. (2018). Permen Davos Purbalingga Periode 1931-Sekarang (pp. 5–6). pp. 5–6. Purbalingga.
Hilmersson, M., Pourmand Hilmersson, F., Chetty, S., & Schweizer, R. (2023). Pace of innovation and speed of small and medium-sized enterprise international expansion. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 41(2), 181–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/02662426221085193
Kuntowijoyo. (2003). Metodologi Sejarah (kedua) (kedua). Yogyakarta: Tiara Wacana.
Kuntowijoyo. (2013). Pengantar ilmu sejarah (1st ed.). Yogyakarta: Tiara Wacana.
Lestari, P. D. (1930). Bertahan Pada Masa Rawan : Industri Susu Sapi di Malang Pada Masa Depresi 1930-AN. 33–47.
Marcy, & Herawati, A. (2014). Brand Association Permen Davos Roll Pack Pada Konnsumen. Jurnal Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, 1.
Miraza, B. H. (2019). Seputar Resesi dan Depresi. Journal Ekonomi KIAT, 30(2), 11–13. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25299/kiat.2019.vol30(2).5161
Nurpauji, A., & Pratiwi, A. I. (2025). Penerapan Manajemen Rantai Pasok ( Supply Chain Management ) Dalam Mengoptimalkan Distribusi Bahan Baku Usaha Mikro Kecil Pada Agen Dunia Sabun Karawang Jawa Barat. Jurnal Inovasi Manajemen Dan Kewirausahaan, 6(1), 289–313.
Nurwanti, Y. H., Harnoko, D., & Larasati, T. A. (2015). Sejarah Perkembangan Ekonomi dan Kebudayaan Di Banyumas Masa Gandasubrata Tahun 1913-1942. Yogyakarta.
Petrus, A. (2021). Pengaruh Industri Gula Masa Krisis Malaise Terhadap Masyarakat Di Karasidenan Jepara Tahun 1930 – 1940. 12(2), 132–148.
Rahmawati, R. (2022). Kondisi Ekonomi Bangsa Indonesia Pada Masa Hindia Belanda Tahun 1900-1940. Journal of s Sciences & Humanities “Estoria” Universitas Indraprasta PGRI, 2–10.
Setyaningrum, P. (2023). Sejarah Permen Davos, Kembang Gula Legendaris Asal Purbalingga.
Sudiyati, N., Sunarto, S., Sukanadi, M., & Kusumo, P. (2016). Inspirasi ATT (Alat Transportasi Tradisional) Sebagai Motif Kain Batik. 5(1), 25–46. https://doi.org/10.24821/corak.v5i1.2375
Surya, B., Menne, F., Sabhan, H., Suriani, S., Abubakar, H., & Idris, M. (2021). Economic growth, increasing productivity of smes, and open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(1), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7010020
Surya, R. A., & Fikriya, R. (2021). Research Article Chinese Merchants Role Of Java Trade In 19 Th Century. 4(1), 23.
Teslenko, V., & No, G. W. P. (2022). Social Capital In Micro-Family Enterprises : A Case Study In East Java , Damien Bazin. 5–6.
Utomo, I. N. (2020). Depresi Ekonomi dan Krisis Kepercayaan Rakyat terhadap Pemerintah Kolonial 1930-1936. Jurnal Sejarah, Budaya, Dab Pengajarannya, 14(1), 62–75. https://doi.org/10.17977/um020v14i12020p62
Wicaksono, M. (2017). Iing Tedjo Menjaga “Semriwing” Permen Legenda. Kompas.Com, p. 16.
Wilantara, A. P. (2024). Pabrik Gula Comal Baru Perannya dalam Perkembangan Ekonomi dan Sosial Kabupaten Pemalang. Historia Pedagogia, 13(2), 11–21.
Yosodipuro, S. (2025). Wawancara Terkait Latar Belakang Siem Kie Djian. Purbalingga.
Zainun, D. N. (2003). Depresi Ekonomi Dunia 1929-1935: Perubahan Dasar Ekonomi, Hala Tuju dan Involusi Pertanian di Pulau Jawa. 1935(49), 105–122.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright Statement
1. Author(s)'s Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by the stated author(s), has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author, and free of any third-party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author(s).
2. Right of Authors
JUSPI allows the author(s) to hold the copyright. Authors retain all their rights to the published works, such as (but not limited to) the following rights:
- Reproduce the work.
- Prepare derivative works based on the work.
- Distribute copies of the work.
- Perform the work publicly.
- Display the work publicly.
- Copyright and other proprietary rights relating to the article, such as patent rights.
- The right to self-archive the article (please read our Repository Policy).
- The right to enter separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the article's published version (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal (JUSPI).
3. Co-Authorship
If the article was jointly prepared by other authors, any author submitting the manuscript warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to be agreed on this copyright and license notice (agreement) on their behalf and agrees to inform his/her co-authors of the terms of this policy. JUSPI will not be held liable for anything that may arise due to the author(s) internal dispute. JUSPI will only communicate with the corresponding author.
4. Royalties
This agreement entitles the author to no royalties or other fees. To such extent as legally permissible, the author waives his or her right to collect royalties relative to the article in respect of any use of the article by JUSPI.
5. User/Public Right
JUSPI's spirit is to disseminate articles published as free as possible. Under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, JUSPI permits users to share, copy, redistribute, display, and perform the material in any medium or format. Adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. Users will also need to attribute authors and JUSPI to distributing works in the journal and other media of publication.
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
