Ndinapulumuka Kumira kwa Bismarck

LAŴI LA MOTO lalikulu linapita m’mwamba kuchokera kumbuyo kwa sitima ya pamadzi ya nkhondo ya Chibritish ya Hood. Kenaka unyinji wa moto unapita m’mwamba ku mwinamwake mamita 300 ukumatulutsa mtambo wa utsi wakuda. Pamene mtambowo unakulirako ndi kufalikira m’thambo, zidutswa zotentha zinagwera m’nyanja kuchokera ku uwo.

Pamene mtambo unatha, panalibe chirichonse chomwe chinatsala cha sitima ya nkhondo ya Chibritish ya liŵiro koposa ya Hood ya matani 42,000 imeneyo. Chonyadira cha gulu la Nkhondo ya Pamadzi Lachifumu. Chiŵiya kuchokera ku sitima ya pa madzi ya nkhondo ya ku Germany Bismarck chinakagunda malo osungira zipolopolo. Chotero, pa 6 koloko m’mawa mwa May 24, 1941, kumbali kwa doko la Iceland, amuna a Chibritish oposa 1,400 a m’sitimayo anafa, kokha 3 anapulumuka.

Kaya bwenzi kapena mdani, palibe ndi mmodzi yense amene anachitira umboni chochitika choipa chimenechi yemwe akakhoza kukhala wosiyana. Zowona, oyendetsa Bismarck, kumene ndinali wolamulira wa chiŵiya chochinjiriza kukantha kwa ndege za mlengalenga, anali osangalatsidwa ndi chipambanocho. Komabe, ndinazindikira kuti ena a oyendetsa sitimayo omwe anali pafupi ndi ine anali ndi misozi m’maso mwawo pamene sitima ya Chibritish inamira. Iwo anali ndi chikondi cha pa mnansi kaamba ka okweramo omwe ankataya miyoyo yawo.

“Bismarck” Pansi pa Kuukiridwa

Pa madzulo a May 18 tinali tinachoka pa Gotenhafen, lomwe lerolino liri doko lotchedwa Baltic la Gdynia, mu Poland. Magulu a masitima athu anali pa ulendo wa kukalalira maulendo a za malonda apamadzi a Mitundu Yothandizana mu North Atlantic. Uku kunali mbali ya “Kugwira Ntchito kwa Rheinübung,” kapena Kuzoloŵera kwa Rhineland, komwe kunagwiridwapo ntchito ndi gulu lowona za maulendo apamadzi la ku Germany.

Yemwe anali wamkulu pa ulendo wathu anali Nduna ya Ulendowo Lütjens. Sitima yake ya pamadzi yokhala ndi mbendera inali chonyadira cha gulu la nkhondo la Pamadzi la ku Germany, imodzi ya masitima a pamadzi a nkhondo yamphamvu kwambiri yoyandama, Bismarck. Iyo inanyamula zinthu zoposa pa matani 50,000 ndipo inali ndi oyendetsa oposa pa 2,000. Atadziŵa kuti tinali titaloŵa mu North Atlantic, masitima a pamadzi a Chibritish ananyamuka masiku oŵerengeka pambuyo pake kukasokoneza Bismarck.

Pamene tinamiza Hood pa May 24, sitima ya pamadzi iriyonse ya Chibritish yomwe inalipo inanyamuka kukamiza Bismarck. Madzulo amenewo ndege yonyamula zinthu ya Chibritish yotchedwa Victorious inaponya bomba lokamenya. Ndinali wolamulira wa mfuti yochinjiriza kukantha kwa ndege za mlengalenga ya mamitala 20 yoikidwa chakutsogolo kwa sitimayo. Kufikira lerolino ndingakhoze kuwonabe ndege za Chibritish zimenezo zikumakantha chirichonse chowonekera pamwamba pa funde la madzi, zitayang’anizana mwachindunji ndi mfuti zathu zamphamvuzo. Bomba loponyedwa limodzi linatikantha koma linachititsa kokha kuvulaza kwakung’ono. Tinakhoza kupewa kumenyako kwa maora 30.

Mkati mwa m’mawa wa May 26, ngakhale kuli tero, ndege ya Chibritish yolalira yotchedwa Catalina inatipeza kachiŵirinso. Ndege yonyamula zinthu ya Chibritish Ark Royal inatumiza magulu okantha aŵiri omwe anadzaponya mabomba 13 pa ife. Pa nthaŵi imeneyi Bismarck inali itakanthidwa ndi aŵiri a iwo, imodzi ya iwo inawononga moipa chiŵiya choyendetseracho. Monga chotulukapo, tinasoŵa njira yathu ndi kuyamba kuzunguluka kwakukulu. Mosasamala kanthu za ichi, ndinali wokhutiritsidwa kuti palibe chirichonse chowopsya chimene chikachitika kwa ife. Koma maora otsatira anayenera kudzanditsimikizira ine kukhala wolakwa.

“Bismarck”—Bakha Wokhala Pansi

Pa m’mawa wa May 27, tinazingidwa ndi masitima a pamadzi a Chibritish. Awa anatikantha, m’chenicheni akumadzetsa imfa ndi chiwonongeko. Tinakanthidwa ndi chifupifupi mabomba asanu ndi atatu ndi kuphulitsa kwa mazana oŵerengeka. Ngakhale kuti inachepetsedwa kukhala bakha wokhala pansi, Bismarck mwachiwonekere inakhala ikuyandama.

Mkhalidwe pa sitimayo unali wopanda chochita. Mabwato opulumukiramo anali osagwira ntchito, pokhala atavulazika mokulira ndi kuphulitsa kobwerezabwereza ndi kumenyedwa. Chipululutso chotheratu chinakantha pansi pake ponse. Zitsulo zosakazidwa zinamwazidwa pamalo onsewo. Utsi wakuda unadzaza kuchokera ku zibowo zolekanitsa mkatimo. Moto unkayaka mosalamulirika. Akufa ndi ovulazika anakhala ponseponse.

Lamulo linaperekedwa lakuleka sitimayo. Opulumuka anadzipanikiza onsewo cha kumbuyo kwa sitima ya pamadziyo, zovala zopulumutsa pa madzi ndi malamba otetezera zitamangidwa molimba. Ndinali pakati pa awo omwe anadumphira m’nyanja, ndi mphepo kumbuyo kwathu kotero kuti tipewe kukankhilidwa ku thupi la sitimayo ndi funde la madzi. Pamene tinali m’nyanja, lingaliro lathu lokha linali la kusambira kuchokapo mwamsanga monga mmene kunali kothekera kuti tipewe kumizidwa pamene sitimayo inkamira pang’onopang’ono ndipo potsirizira pake kusawonekanso.

Masiku Atatu Ndekha M’nyanja

Gulu lathu mwamsanga linamwazidwa ndi mafunde a akulu a m’nyanja. Tsiku linkayandikira ku mapeto ake. Masitima a pa madzi a Chibritish anasowa osawonekanso. M’mbali zonse, kufika kumene maso akakhoza kuwona, panali kokha zidutswa zoyandama zowonongedwa. Pamene usiku unadza kokha Hermann, yemwe anagwira ntchito m’chipinda choyendetsera sitima, ndi ine tinasiidwa pamodzi m’madzi.

Nyanja inaipirako ndipo mafunde a m’madzi anakhala amphamvu. Mwadzidzidzi ndinazindikira kuti ndinasowa Hermann. Panalibe chizindikiro cha iye kulikonse. Ndinavutitsidwa. Ndinamva kuzizira ndi kuwopsyezedwa. Tinaphunzitsidwa kukhala okonzekera kufa kaamba ka dziko lathu. Koma pa nthaŵi imeneyo lingaliro la kufa imfa yodzipereka silinandikondweretse m’pang’ono pomwe. Ndinafuna kukhala wamoyo, ngakhale ndekha pakati pa nyanja yodzaza ndi zinthu, yowinduka, yakuda.

Zikumbukiro zochulukira zinadzaza m’malingaliro anga. Ndinakumbukira ubwana wanga mu Recklinghausen, mzinda wa mgodi wa malasha mu North Rhine-Westphalia. Ndinalingalira za atate anga okondedwa, omwe anali ogwira ntchito mumgodi, ndi amayi anga, mlongo wanga, ndi abale anga atatu. Banja lathu lonse linali la Chiprotesitanti, koma Atate nthaŵi zonse ananena kuti tchalitchi sichinaike ziphunzitso za Baibulo m’kugwira ntchito. Pamene ndinadzakhala wachichepereko, ndinapita ndi amalume anga kumudzi ndipo ananditumiza ine ku koleji ya za malimidwe, kumene ndinatsiriza maphunziro.

Pamene nkhondo inabuka, ndinalembetsedwa m’gulu lankhondo la pamadzi mu Gotenhafen, kumene maphunziro anga a za nkhondo anayambika. Pamene ndinayamba pa “Bismarck,” ndinali mwana wamwamuna yekha yemwe anatsala m’banja. Mmodzi wa abale anga anafa ndi matenda, wina anataya moyo wake mumgodi, ndipo winanso anaphedwa mkati mwa kulaliridwa kwa Poland.

Kuzizira kunandibweza ine ku zenizeni. Ndinali kumeneko pakati pa nyanja. Ndinamva chisonkhezero cha mwadzidzidzi cha kupemphera, popeza kuti sindinafune kufa. Nditagonjetsedwa ndi mantha ndi kuwaŵidwa thupi lonse, ndinakumbukira kuti agogo anga achikazi anandiphunzitsa ine Pemphero la Ambuye. Linali pemphero lokha lomwe ndinadziŵa, ndipo ndinalibwerezabwereza ilo mosalekeza mkati mwa usiku. Pamene maora anapita, mantha anga anazimiririka ndipo bata linadzanso pa ine.

Pamene tsiku lotalika linafika ku mbandakucha, ndinali wotopetsedwa kotheratu. Nyanja inaipirakobe ndipo ndinayamba kusanza. Kenaka, nditagonjetsedwa ndi kulefuka, ndinayamba kusinza ndipo potsirizira pake ndinagona. Tsiku lina linapita, ndi nyengo zosinthasinthana za kugalamuka ndi kugona. Kenaka usiku wachiŵiri unafika. Panthaŵiyo ndinkamva ludzu lokulira, miyendo yanga inalimba kaamba ka kuzizira, ndipo ndinayamba kuchita dzanzi. Ndinalingalira kuti usiku sudzatha.

Ndinayambanso kupemphera, ndikumapempha Mulungu kuti andithandize ine kupulumuka. Mbandakucha unadza potsirizira pake, ukumabweretsa tsiku lachitatu. Ndinakhala mu mkhalidwe wakayakaya, ndikumasowa mkhalidwe uliwonse wa nthaŵi, ndipo mumkhalidwe umenewo ndinangomva kokha phokoso ndisanakomoke.

Kubwereranso pa Mtunda Wouma

Ndinadzakhala mumkhalidwe wosakhala wa nthaŵi zonse. Pang’onopang’ono zinthu zinayamba kuwoneka, ndipo ndinazindikira namwino akumawerama pa ine ndipo pang’onopang’ono ndinamumva iye akunena kuti: “Wakhala uli gone kwa masiku atatu. Ndiri wotsimikiza kuti ungakonde kudya chinachake tsopano.” Chinadza pang’onopang’ono kwa ine kuzindikira kuti ndinali wamoyobe. Masiku asanu ndi limodzi anali atapita: atatu m’nyanja, kumene ndinatengekatengeka koposa makilomita 120 ndisanatengedwe ndi sitima ya pamadzi ya chiGerman, ndipo atatu ena owonjezereka ndiri wokomoka m’chipatala pa La Baule-Escoublac, malo a kumbali kwa nyanja a Chifrench pa Doko la Atlantic.

Chinatenga mwezi umodzi kaamba ka thupi langa kuti libwerere ku mkhalidwe wabwino; ndinapeputsidwa kotheratu pambuyo pa masiku atatu a atali m’nyanja. Ndinapatsidwa tchuthi, ndipo pa ulendo wanga wobwerera ku mudzi ku Germany, ndinadziŵa kuti kokha ogwira ntchito a mu Bismarck 110 pa ziwalo zoposa 2,000 anapulumuka. Ambiri anapulumutsidwa ndi Dorsetshire ya liŵiro kwambiri ya Chibritish.

Ulendo Wopita ku Mudzi

Pamene ndinayandikira kumudzi, mtima wanga unayamba kugunda mwaukali. Ndinali wosadziŵa kuti maulamuliro anali atadziŵitsa makolo anga kuti ndinali nditasowa m’nyanja. Atate wanga anandiwona ine choyamba. Anandifungata ine zolimba, kuphimba nkhope yanga m’manja awo olimba ndi kunena kuti: “Mwanga wanga, unali wakufa, ndipo tsopano wabweranso kwa ife!” Iwo anatulutsa misozi, ndi kusisima, ndipo tinafungatana. Ananditenga ine kwa amayi anga, omwe anali gone pampando, ziwalo zosagwira ntchito. Wosakhoza kuyenda kapena kukamba liwu, milomo yawo inanena kuti: “Mwana wanga, mnyamata wanga . . . ” ndinagwada pambali pawo ndi kulira monga khanda.

Mkati mwa zaka zitatu zotsatira, ndinatsatira chizoloŵezi cha kubwera kumudzi pa tchuthi ndi kubwereranso ku nkhondo. Kenaka, pa November 24, 1944, gulu langa la nkhondo, Marine Light Infantry, linagwidwa ndi aku America. Ndinakhala m’ndende kufikira mu 1947 ndipo pomasulidwa ndinabwerera kumudzi. Masiku anayi pambuyo pake Amayi anga anafa. Chinali monga ngati anakhoza kupulumuka kwa nthaŵi yaitali kuti andiwone ine kachiŵirinso asanafe.

Mu Germany ndinawona masinthidwe ambiri. Njala ndi kusowa ntchito kunali ponseponse. Msika wamba unasunga anthu ake opanda kanthu. Kukwera kwa mitengo kunapita pamwamba. Kusauka kunali zochulukira zathu za tsiku ndi tsiku kwa zaka zoŵerengeka.

Mu Malo Achilendo a Chifrench

Potsirizira pake, mu 1951, ndinapanga chigamulo chimene chinayambukira njira ya moyo wanga kaamba ka zaka 18 zotsatira. Ndinakwera sitima kupita ku Strasbourg, mzinda wa Chifrench modutsa Rhine kuchokera ku Germany. Kumeneko ndinagwirizana ndi Malo Achilendo a Chifrench. Ndinaphunzitsidwa monga msilikari wodumpha m’ndege ndipo ndinatumizidwa ku Indochina, ku imene Vietnam wamakono anali mbali.

Mu July 1954 gulu lathu lankhondo linachokako kupita ku Algeria, kumene bwalo linaikidwa kaamba ka nkhondo ya ufulu wodziimira pawokha. Tinaponyedwa ndi ndege m’magawo onsewo, masana ndi usiku, kuti tithandize asilikari a gawo la Chifrench. Mu 1957 ndinavulazidwa ndi kulamuliridwa kutsiriza miyezi itatu m’chipatala mu Constantine, cha kum’mawa kwa Algeria. Mu May 1961 gulu langa la nkhondo linachotsedwa ku Algeria, ndipo tinayambanso kupita ku malo atsopano, Madagascar.

Moyo Wosinthidwa

Moyo wanga mu Madagascar unalibe chirichonse chofala ndi zokumana nazo zanga za zaka 20 zapitazo. Ndinali chifupifupi nditaiwala mmene mtendere ndi bata zinkakhalira. Mu Madagascar ndinayamba kuyamikira moyo kachiŵirinso. Ndinatenga chikondwerero m’zondizungulira: nyanja yobiriŵira ndi mchenga wake wa nsomba za mitundu yosiyanasiyana, zomera za kumaloko, ndi mapiri okulira. Kumeneko ndinakumana ndi Marisoa, mtsikana yemwe anadzakhala mkazi wanga.

Pamene ndinatenga ndalama zanga za kuleka kugwira ntchito ya nkhondo mu 1969, tinapanga mudzi pa chisumbu chaching’ono cha Nosy-Be, makilomita asanu ndi atatu kumpoto cha kumadzulo kwa doko la Madagascar. Tinakhala kumeneko zaka zisanu koma kenaka tinayenera kubwerera ku France kaamba ka nkhani ya banja. Tinakhala mu Saint-Chamond, mzinda wa maindastri makilomita 48 kuchoka ku Lyons.

Osati nthaŵi yaitali pambuyo pake, Marisoa analandira phunziro la Baibulo ndi Mboni za Yehova zachichepere ziŵiri zomwe zinkachezera. Ndinkakhala m’chipinda chapafupi ndi kumvetsera ku chirichonse chomwe chinkanenedwa. Komabe, pamene mkazi wanga anandiitana ine kupezekapo, ndinkamuuza iye kuti: “Ndachita zinthu zambiri zoipa. Ndimangodziŵa kokha kuti Mulungu sangakhoze kundikhululukira ine kaamba ka zimene ndinachita monga msilikali.” Pambuyo pake mkazi wanga anandipatsa ine Baibulo mu Chigerman, chinenero cha amayi wanga, ndi kupeza kulembetsa kwa Nsanja ya Olonda kaamba ka ine.

Koma ndinakana mochenjera kupezeka ku misonkhano ya Chikristu, ndikumalingalira kuti kokha anthu omwe anachita machimo ochepera akakhoza kupezekapo kapena kufikira Mulungu m’pemphero. Komabe, Marisoa anakakamiza kuti nditsagane naye ku phwando la Chikumbutso cha imfa ya Kristu, lochitidwa kamodzi pa chaka. Potsirizira pake ndinavomera, ndi kumpangitsa iye kulonjeza kuti sakakhoza kubweretsa nkhaniyo kachiŵirinso titangobwerera ku nyumba. Komabe, ndinakhoza kuvomereza kuti ndinakhudzidwa mozama ndi kulonjeredwa kotentha komwe ndinalandira madzulo amenewo.

Kuchokera pamenepo kupitirizabe, mosiyana ndi zolinga zanga zonse, ndinapita ndi mkazi wanga ku misonkhano pa Nyumba ya Ufumu ya kumaloko. Chifukwa ninji? Chifukwa chakuti ndinadzimva kukhala wokhutiritsidwa ndi anthu amenewa. Ndinakondweretsedwa ndi chikondi chawo chotentha kaamba ka wina ndi mnzake ndi ziphunzitso zawo, zozikidwa pa Baibulo. Ndinavomereza phunziro la Baibulo, ndipo mu 1976 mkazi wanga ndi ine tinachitira chitsanzo kudzipereka kwathu kwa Yehova ndi ubatizo wa m’madzi. Pambuyo pake, malingaliro anga anakhala mochepera pa zokumana nazo za kumbuyo, ndipo ndinatsiriza nthaŵi yanga ndi kuthandiza ena kuphunzira chowonadi cha Baibulo. Chotero, ndi kufutukuka kwa ntchito yathu yolalikira m’malingaliro, tinabwerera ku Madagascar mu 1978.

Misewu iri yochepera ndipo yapatali m’mbali zambiri za chisumbucho, koma mokondwera tinangopita m’njira ya fumbi, tikumadziŵa kuti pakufika ku malo athu, tidzapeza anthu omvetsera ambiri. Tinayenda kuchokera pa makilomita 10 kufika ku 16 tsiku lirilonse m’nyengo yotentha kuposa pa 40° C. Nthaŵi zina pa nthaŵi imene tinafika kunyumba, mimba zathu ndi zola za mabukhu zinali zopanda kanthu! Miyezi itatu ndinagawira mabukhu chikwi, ndipo tinathandiza anthu osiyanasiyana kugawana chikhulupiriro chathu. Mwatsoka, tinayenera kuchoka ku Madagascar mu 1982 chifukwa cha mavuto a umoyo, ndipo tinabwerera ku France.

Mavuto omwe ndinakumana nawo nthaŵi zina amabwerabe m’malingaliro anga. Koma ndimadziŵa kuti nthaŵi idzafika pamene zokumbukira zoterozo, kuphatikizapo ndi masiku oipa aja ndi usiku wotsirizidwa mkati ndi pambuyo pa kumizidwa kwa Bismarck, sizidzalowanso m’malingaliro anga. Lonjezo la Yehova lidzakwaniritsidwa: “Pakuti tawonani, ndilenga kumwamba kwatsopano ndi dziko lapansi latsopano; ndipo zinthu zakale sizidzakumbukika, pena kulowa mumtima.”—Yesaya 65:17.—Monga momwe yasimbidwira ndi Wilhelm Wieck.

[Chithunzi patsamba 13]

Mkazi wanga ndi ine, tikuŵerenga Baibulo pamodzi

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 10]

Photos: Bundesarchiv, Koblenz, Germany