Life Story

Our Fight to Stay Spiritually Strong

As told by Rolf Brüggemeier

The first letter I received after being imprisoned came from a friend. He informed me that my mother and my younger brothers​—Peter, Jochen, and Manfred—​had also been arrested. That left our two little sisters without parents or siblings. Why did the East German authorities persecute our family? What helped us to stay spiritually strong?

Serving Under Ban

Because of the ban, we had to smuggle Bible literature into East Germany. As a courier, I picked up supplies in the western section of Berlin, where our literature was not banned, and transported them across the border. I escaped the police more than once, but in November 1950, I was arrested.

The Stasi put me in a windowless underground cell. During the day I was not allowed to sleep, and at night I was questioned and at times beaten. I had no contact with my family until March 1951 when Mother, Peter, and Jochen came to my court trial. I received a six-year sentence.

Peter, Jochen, and Mother were arrested six days after my trial. Afterward, a fellow believer cared for my sister Hannelore, who was 11, and an aunt took in Sabine, who was 7. The Stasi guards treated Mother and my brothers as dangerous criminals, even taking away their shoelaces. They had to remain standing throughout the interrogations. They too were sentenced to six years each.

In 1953, some other Witness prisoners and I were assigned to build a military airfield, which we refused to do. The authorities punished us with 21 days of isolation, which meant no work, no letters, and little food. Some Christian sisters saved bread from their own meager rations and smuggled it to us. This led to my knowing Anni, one of those sisters, and marrying her after she and I were released in 1956 and 1957 respectively. A year after we were married, our daughter, Ruth, was born. Peter, Jochen, and Hannelore each got married about the same time.

About three years after my release, I was arrested again. A Stasi officer tried to persuade me to become an informer. He said: “Dear Mr. Brüggemeier, please be reasonable. You know what it means to be in prison, and we do not want you to go through all of that again. You can remain a Witness, continue your studies, and talk about the Bible as you please. We just want to be kept up-to-date. Think about your wife and your little daughter.” That last statement cut me to the quick. Yet, I knew that while I was in prison, Jehovah would care for my family better than I could myself, and he did!

The authorities tried to force Anni to work full-time and allow other people to look after Ruth during the week. Anni resisted and worked at night so that she could care for Ruth during the day. Our spiritual brothers were most caring and gave my wife so many things that she was able to share some with others. Meanwhile, I spent almost six more years behind prison bars.

How We Maintained Faith While in Prison

Upon my return to prison, my Witness cell mates were eager to know what things had recently been published. How happy I was that I had carefully studied the Watchtower magazine and had regularly attended the meetings, so that I could be a source of spiritual encouragement to them!

When we asked the guards for a Bible, they replied: “Giving Jehovah’s Witnesses a Bible is as dangerous as giving an imprisoned burglar tools to break out.” Each day, the brothers taking the lead would choose a Bible text to consider. During our daily half-hour walks in the yard, we were not as interested in exercise and fresh air as in benefiting from the day’s Bible text. Although we had to stay 15 feet [5 m] apart and were not allowed to talk, we still found ways to pass the text on. Back in our cells, we put together what each had managed to hear, and then we had our daily Bible discussion.

Eventually, an informer gave us away, and I was put in solitary confinement. What a blessing it was that by then I had learned several hundred scriptures by heart! I could fill those empty days by meditating on a variety of Bible subjects. Then I was transferred to another prison, where a guard put me in a cell with two other Witnesses and​—joy of joys—​gave us a Bible. After six months of solitary confinement, I appreciated being able to discuss Bible subjects with fellow believers once again.

My brother Peter describes what helped him endure in another prison: “I imagined life in the new world and kept my mind occupied with Bible thoughts. We Witnesses strengthened one another by asking Bible questions or giving tests on the Scriptures. Life was not easy. Sometimes there were 11 of us confined in a space of about 130 square feet [12 sq m]. There we had to do everything​—eat, sleep, wash, even relieve ourselves. Nerves wore thin.”

Jochen, one of my other brothers, recalls his prison experiences: “I sang the songs I could remember from our songbook. Every day I meditated on a scripture I had memorized. After my release, I continued with a good routine of spiritual instruction. Each day, I read the day’s Bible text with my family. We also prepared for all the meetings.”

Mother’s Release From Prison

After a little more than two years of imprisonment, Mother was released. She used her freedom to study the Bible with Hannelore and Sabine, helping them to lay a good foundation for their faith. She also taught them to handle issues that came up at school because of their faith in God. Hannelore notes: “We did not mind the consequences because at home we encouraged one another. Our strong family ties made up for any trouble we experienced.”

Hannelore continues: “We also supplied spiritual food to our brothers in prison. We hand copied in small letters on waxed paper a complete issue of The Watchtower. Then we wrapped the pages in waterproof paper and hid them among some prunes that we sent in the monthly parcel. What a joy it was to receive word that the prunes were ‘so tasty.’ We were so absorbed in our work that I must say it was a wonderful time.”