Chinese correspondence in Dutch East Indies (1865-1949)

This article is an attempt to describe some aspects of the social history of the Chinese minority in the Dutch East Indies using items of postal history as a guide. It is a very personal view, seen through the eyes of a philatelist. Using a postal history collection, aspects of political history can be illustrated and/or documented. This article is certainly not to be read as a solid, documented scientific exercise. It should be read in the spirit of educational entertainment.