After the government agreed with the idea in 1930 to build a monument with this money in another part of Amsterdam, they started a contest.

This contest was won by the architect Gijsbert Friedhoff [nl] and the sculptor Frits van Hall.

Although there were strong protests of communists and social democrats, the monument was unveiled by Queen Wilhelmina, in the presence of princess Juliana and prime minister Colijn in 1935.

The female character in the center with the scroll of law in her hand, represents the Dutch authority in Indonesia.

In 2004 the proposal to contribute the monument to Multatuli was rejected and it became a memorial that shows the relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands.