Alexander Andries Maramis

Alexander Andries Maramis
Alexander Andries Maramis, c. 1940s
Minister of Finance of Indonesia
In office 26 September 1945 – 14 November 1945
Preceded by	Samsi Sastrawidagda
Succeeded by	Sunarjo Kolopaking
In office 3 July 1947 – 19 December 1948
Prime Minister	Amir Sjarifuddin Mohammad Hatta
Preceded by	Sjafruddin Prawiranegara
Succeeded by	Lukman Hakim
In office 13 July 1949 – 4 August 1949
Prime Minister	Mohammad Hatta
Preceded by	Lukman Hakim
Succeeded by	Lukman Hakim
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia
In office 19 December 1948 – 13 July 1949
Preceded by	Agus Salim
Succeeded by	Agus Salim
Ambassadorship posts 1st Ambassador of Indonesia to the Philippines In office 1 February 1950 – 10 April 1953 1st Ambassador of Indonesia to West Germany In office 1 May 1953 – 1 March 1956 Ambassador of Indonesia to the Soviet Union In office 1 October 1956 – November 1959 Preceded by L. N. Palar Succeeded by Adam Malik Ambassador of Indonesia to Finland In office 10 June 1958 – 1960
Personal details
Born	(1897-06-20)20 June 1897 Manado, Dutch East Indies
Died	31 July 1977(1977-07-31) (aged 80) Jakarta, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesian
Political party	Indonesian National Party
Spouse	Elizabeth Marie Diena Veldhoedt
Relatives	Maria Walanda Maramis (aunt)

Alexander Andries Maramis (20 June 1897 – 31 July 1977), more commonly known simply as A. A. Maramis, was an Indonesian politician and National Hero of Indonesia, who was involved in the struggle for independence. He was a member of the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (BPUPK), the organization which drafted the Constitution of Indonesia. In the early stages of the Indonesian government, following the Proclamation of Independence, he served as both Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs. After the end of the Indonesian National Revolution, he served as the Indonesian ambassador to several nations, including the Philippines, West Germany, and the Soviet Union.

Born in Manado on 20 June 1897, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of Leiden University, Netherlands. He started his career as a lawyer in Semarang. Maramis was appointed to the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (BPUPK) on 1 March 1945. There, he was a part of the Panitia Sembilan (committee of nine), which would formulate the Jakarta Charter, the precursor of the Constitution of Indonesia. Maramis served in the Indonesian government throughout the Indonesian National Revolution. He served as Minister of Finance several different times. He first served from 2 September until 14 November 1945. He was reappointed on 3 July 1947 to the position, until he was shuffled to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 December 1948. He was again reappointed Minister of Finance on 13 July 1949, serving until 4 August 1949.

Following Indonesia's recognition as an independent nation, Maramis was appointed ambassador to the Philippines, serving from 1950 until 1953. He then represented Indonesia as ambassador to West Germany, from 1953 until 1956, when he was appointed ambassador to the Soviet Union, serving from 1956 until 1959. While ambassador to the Soviets, he also served as ambassador to Finland. After completing his duties as ambassador, he and his family settled in Switzerland. He returned to Indonesia in 1976. He died on 31 July 1977, at Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, 13 months after his return to Indonesia. He lay in state in the Pancasila room at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was then buried in the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery. He was posthumously given the honorary title of National Hero of Indonesia in 2019, by president Joko Widodo.