UThixo Ulihlathi Negwiba Lam

NGOKUBALISWA NGUCHARLOTTE MÜLLER

Umgwebi ongumKomanisi wathi: “Nifanele ukunconywa ngokunyamezela iminyaka esithoba kulawulo lukaHitler. Ngokwenene naningayifuni imfazwe, kodwa ngoku anilufuni noxolo lwethu!”

WAYETHETHA ngokubanjwa kwam ngaphambili ngamaNazi nangamasoshiyali kwiGerman Democratic Republic. Ekuqaleni ndathula kodwa kamva ndaphendula: “UmKristu akaluzabalezeli ngendlela abenza ngayo abanye abantu uxolo lokwenyaniso. Kuphela nje ndizama ukulandela umyalelo weBhayibhile wokuthanda uThixo nommelwane wam. ILizwi likaThixo lindinceda ndilondoloze uxolo ngomlomo nangezenzo.”

Ngolo suku, ngoSeptemba 4, 1951, amaKomanisi andigweba iminyaka esibhozo entolongweni—unyaka ngaphantsi kweso ndasigwetywa ngumkhosi wamaNazi.

Xa thina maNgqina kaYehova sasitshutshiswa ngamaNational Socialist nangamaKomanisi, ndafumana intuthuzelo kwiNdumiso 46:1 ethi: “UThixo ulihlathi, uligwiba kuthi; ezimbandezelweni ufumaneke eluncedo kunene.” NguYehova kuphela owandinika amandla okunyamezela, yaye okukhona ndandifunda iLizwi lakhe, kokukhona ndandisiya ndisomelela.

Ukomelezelwa Ixesha Elizayo

Ndazalwa ngowe-1912 eGotha-Siebleben eThuringia, eJamani. Nangona abazali bam babengamaProtestanti, ubawo wayefuna inyaniso yeBhayibhile norhulumente wobulungisa. Xa abazali bam babona i“Photo-Drama of Creation,” bachukumiseka.a UBawo wayeyifumene into ekwakukudala eyifuna—uBukumkani bukaThixo.

UBawo noMama, kunye nathi singabantwana abathandathu, sarhoxa ecaweni ngoMatshi 2, 1923. Sasihlala eChemnitz eSaxony, yaye apho sanxulumana naBafundi beBhayibhile. (Abathathu kubantakwethu noodadewethu baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.)

Kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile, ndachukunyiswa ngokunzulu ziindinyana zeZibhalo ezazifundwa kunye neenyaniso ezixabisekileyo, yaye zazalisa intliziyo yam eselula lulonwabo. Into yokuqala neyona ibalulekileyo sisifundo sangeCawa esasifunyanwa sithi maKristu aselula, angaphezu kwama-50, esathi mna nodadewethu uKäthe saba nenxaxheba kuso kangangexesha elide. Iqela lethu laliquka uKonrad Franke oselula, owayelungiselela ukhenketho lokubethwa ngumoya aze asifundise nokucula. Kamva, ukususela ngowe-1955 ukusa kowe-1969, uMzalwana uFranke wakhonza njengomveleli wesebe leWatch Tower eJamani.

Iminyaka yee-1920 yayinesiphithiphithi, maxa wambi kwanaphakathi kwabantu bakaThixo. Bambi, bengasayamkeli IMboniselo ‘njengokutya ngexesha elifanelekileyo,’ babengawufuni umsebenzi wokushumayela wendlu ngendlu. (Mateyu 24:45) Oku kwakhokelela kuwexuko. Kodwa yayikoku “kutya” okusinika amandla esasiwafuna ngamehlw’ abomvu ngelo xesha. Ngokomzekelo, kwakukho inqaku leMboniselo elalisithi “Basikelelwe Abangoyikiyo” (ngowe-1919) nelalisithi “Ngubani Oya Kuzukisa UYehova?” (ngowe-1926) Ndandifuna ukumbeka uYehova ngokwenza umsebenzi olukhuthazo, ngoko ndahambisa uncwadi neencwadana ezininzi zikaMzalwan’ uRutherford.

NgoMatshi 1933 ndabhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Kwangaloo nyaka mnye, umsebenzi wethu wobuvangeli wavalwa eJamani. Ekubhaptizweni kwam, kwanikelwa icebiso elikwiSityhilelo 2:10 njengento eyayiza kundinceda kwixesha elizayo lisithi: “Musa ukuzoyika izinto osele uza kubandezeleka ngazo. Khangela! UMtyholi uya kuhlala ephosa bambi benu entolongweni ukuze nibekwe eluvavanyweni ngokupheleleyo, nokuze nibe nembandezelo imihla elishumi. Zingqine uthembekile kude kuse ekufeni, yaye ndiza kukunika isithsaba sobomi.” Ndacamngca nzulu ngale ndinyana, ndiqonda ukuba kukho izilingo eziqatha ezindilindeleyo. Oku kwangqineka kuyinyaniso.

Ngenxa yokuba sasingathabathi cala kwezobupolitika, abamelwane bethu abaninzi basikrokrela. Emva konyulo lwezobupolitika, iqela labameli bamaNazi elalinxibe iyunifom lakhwaza phambi kwasekhaya, lisithi, “Abangcatshi bahlala apha!” Inqaku elalisithi “Ningaboyiki,” elaphuma kwinkupho yesiJamani yeMboniselo kaDisemba 1933, lalilukhuthazo olukhethekileyo kum. Ndandifuna ukuhlala ndiliNgqina likaYehova elithembekileyo naphantsi kwezona meko zinzima.

Indlela Yokuqhubana Notshaba—Lugibisele Entolongweni

IMboniselo yayishicilelwa ngokufihlakeleyo eChemnitz kwada kwasekwindla lowe-1935. Emva koko umatshini wokukhuphela owawusetyenziswa kwafuneka usiwe eBeierfeld kwiiNtaba zeOre, apho wasetyenziselwa ukuvelisa uncwadi de kwanguAgasti 1936. Mna noKäthe sasasaza imibhalo kubazalwana uBawo awayesinike iidilesi zabo. Yonke into yahamba kakuhle okwelo xeshana. Kodwa iGestapo yandicupha, yaza ngoAgasti 1936 yandibamba yandigcina entolongweni, apho ndandilindele ukuvavanywa kwetyala.

NgoFebruwari 1937, abazalwana abangama-25 noodade aba-2—kunye nam—savela phambi kwenkundla ekhethekileyo eSaxony. Kwakusithiwa intlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova yayivukela urhulumente. Abo bazalwana babephinde bayishicilela IMboniselo bagwetywa iminyaka emihlanu entolongweni. Ndaza mna ndagwetywa emibini.

Kunokuba ndikhululwe emva kokugqiba isigwebo sam, ndabanjwa yiGestapo. Ndandimele ndityobele isaziso esasisithi ndandingayi kuphinda ndibe liNgqina likaYehova. Ndakukhaba ngawo omane oko, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba elinye igosa ligqwagqweleke ngumsindo, laxhuma lema ngeenyawo, laza lakhupha uxwebhu olwalusithi mandigcinwe kwesimnyama. Lolo xwebhu olu luboniswe emfanekisweni. Ndingakhange ndivunyelwe nokuba ndibone abazali bam, ngokukhawuleza ndathunyelwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso encinane yabafazi eLichtenburg ephezu komlambo iElbe. Kungekudala emva koko ndadibana noKäthe. Wayekwinkampu yoxinaniso eMoringen ukususela ngoDisemba 1936, kodwa yathi yakuvalwa loo nkampu yoxinaniso, yena, kunye nabanye oodade abaninzi, beza eLichtenburg. Ubawo naye wayegcinwe entolongweni, yaye andizange ndambona kwakhona de kwangowe-1945.

ELichtenburg

Andizange ndivunyelwe ukuba ndidibane namanye amaNgqina angamabhinqa ekufikeni kwam, ekubeni ayesohlwaywa ngenxa yesizathu esithile. Kwenye iholo, ndabona amaqela amabini amabanjwa—amabhinqa ngokuqhelekileyo awayehlala etafileni namaNgqina awayemele ahlale imini yonke ezitulweni aze angafumani nento le isiwa phantsi kwempumlo.b

Ndandikulungele ukwamkela nawuphi na umsebenzi, ngethemba lokudibana noKäthe ngandlel’ ithile. Yaye kwenzeka kanye oko. Wayesendleleni eya emsebenzini wakhe namanye amabanjwa amabini ukudibana kwethu. Ndingakwazi ukuzibamba yimincili, ndamanga kanobom. Kodwa umlindi olibhinqa engaphozisanga maseko wasixela. Sancinwa, saza sahlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo ukususela ngoko. Oko kwakunganyamezeleki.

Kukho izihlandlo ezimbini eLichtenburg endingenakuze ndizilibale. Ngenye imini onke amabanjwa ayemele adibane ebaleni ukuze aphulaphule enye yeentetho zikaHitler zobupolitika kunomathotholo. Thina maNgqina kaYehova asizange sivume, ekubeni kwakubandakanyeke imisitho yokuthanda ilizwe. Ngoko abalindi bathabatha imibhobho yokucim’ umlilo bayijolisa kuthi, basitshiza kanobom ngamanzi anamandla baza basisukela singamabhinqa angenako nokuzikhusela ukusuka kumgangatho wesine ukusa ebaleni. Kwafuneka sime kuloo ndawo, simanzi tixi.

Ngenye imini mna, uGertrud Oehme noGertel Bürlen sayalelwa ukuba sihombise ikomkhulu labaphathi ngezibane njengoko umhla wokuzalwa kaHitler wawusondela. Sakukhaba ngaw’ omane oko, siqonda ukuba obo bubuchule bukaSathana bokuzama ukusibambisa size saphule ingqibelelo yethu ngokulalanisa kwizinto ezincinane. Njengesohlwayo, ngamnye kuthi boodade abaselula kwafuneka achithe iiveki ezintathu eyedwa kwizisele ezimnyama. Kodwa uYehova wahlala esondele kuthi, kwanakweso sithokothoko, wazingqina eligwiba.

ERavensbrück

NgoMeyi 1939 amabanjwa aseLichtenburg afuduselwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso eseRavensbrück. Apho ndasetyenziswa kwindawo yokuhlamba iimpahla, nabanye oodade abaliqela abangamaNgqina. Kungekudala emva kokuqhambuka kwemfazwe, sasifanele siye kuthabatha iflegi yeswastika, nto leyo esingazange sivume ukuyenza. Ngenxa yoko, ababini kuthi, mna noMielchen Ernst, savalelwa kwindlu yokohlwaya amajoni. Eso yaba sesinye sezona zohlwayo ziqatha yaye oko kwakuthetha ukuthi sasifanele sisebenze nzima yonke imihla, kwanangeCawa, enoba yayinjani imo yezulu. Ngokuqhelekileyo, esona sigwebo sikhulu sasiba ziinyanga ezintathu, kodwa sahlala apho unyaka. Ngaphandle koncedo lukaYehova, ndandingayi kuphila.

Ngowe-1942, iimeko zethu mabanjwa zaba bhetele noko, yaye ndanikwa umsebenzi wokunyamekela indlu yentsapho yamaSS ekufuphi nenkampu. Loo ntsapho yandinika inkululeko ethile. Ngokomzekelo, ngenye imini xa ndandihambisa abantwana bebethwa ngumoya, ndadibana noJosef Rehwald noGottfried Mehlhorn, amabanjwa amabini anoonxantathu abancinane abamsobo, endakwazi ukufumana ithuba lokubakhuthaza.c

Iminyaka Enzima Yasemva Kwemfazwe

Xa amajoni omkhosi wamazwe amanyeneyo ayesondela ngowe-1945, intsapho endandiyisebenzela yasaba, ndaza ndanyanzeleka ukuba ndihambe nayo. Zikunye nezinye iintsapho zamaSS, zenza umngcelele omde zisinge entshona.

Kwintsuku ezimbalwa zokugqibela zemfazwe kwabakho isiphithiphithi esasiphelekwe yingozi. Ekugqibeleni, sadibana namajoni aseMerika andivumela ukuba ndibhalise kwidolophu elandelayo njengomntu okhululekileyo. Ndadibana nabani kuloo ndawo? Ndadibana noJosef Rehwald noGottfried Mehlhorn. Babevile ukuba onke amaNgqina awayesuka kwiinkampu zoxinaniso eSachsenhausen ayesele efikile eSchwerin emva kolo hambo olwaluyingozi. Ngoko sobathathu sanduluka sisiya kuloo dolophu, eyayikumgama omalunga nama-75 eekhilomitha. Hayi uvuyo esaba nalo eSchwerin xa sasidibana nabo bonke abazalwana abathembekileyo, abasinda kwiinkampu zoxinaniso, kuquka noKonrad Franke.

NgoDisemba 1945 imeko kweli lizwe yayibhetele kangangokuba ndandikwazi ukuhamba ngololiwe. Ngoko ndagoduka! Noko ke, uhambo lwaluquka ukuchitha ixesha ndilele eluphahleni lwamakhareji nokuma kwindawo yokukhwela engaphandle kuloliwe. EChemnitz, ndasuka kwisikhululo sikaloliwe ndaya kwindawo esasihlala kuyo njengentsapho. Kodwa kwisitrato apho amajoni amaNazi ekuqaleni ayeme khona ekhwaza esithi, “Abangcatshi bahlala apha!” akuzange kusinde nenye indlu. Wonke ummandla ekwakuhlalwa kuwo wadutyulwa ngebhombu watshatyalaliswa kwathi tu. Noko ke, kwathi qabu, ndakufumanisa ukuba uMama, uBawo, uKäthe nabantakwethu noodadewethu basadl’ amazimba.

Imeko yezoqoqosho eJamani emva kwemfazwe yayingaginyisi mathe. Sekunjalo, amabandla abantu bakaThixo aqalisa ukwanda kulo lonke elaseJamani. IWatch Tower Society yenza unako-nako izama ukusixhobisela umsebenzi wokushumayela. Umsebenzi eBheteli eMagdeburg, owawuvalwe ngamaNazi, waqalisa kwakhona. Ngentwasahlobo yowe-1946, ndamenyelwa ukuya kusebenza apho ndaza ndabelwa ukusebenza ekhitshini.

Ukuvalwa Kwakhona Komsebenzi Nokubanjwa

IMagdeburg licandelo elithile laseJamani elalawulwa ngamaKomanisi. Awuvala umsebenzi wethu ngoAgasti 31, 1950, aza ayivala iBheteli eyayiseMagdeburg. Ngaloo ndlela yaphela inkonzo yam yaseBheteli, eyayilixesha lokufumana uqeqesho olubalulekileyo. Ndabuyela eChemnitz, ndizimisele ukuba naphantsi kobuKomanisi ndiya kubambelela ngokuqinileyo kwinyaniso ndize ndivakalise uBukumkani bukaThixo njengobukuphela kwethemba loluntu oluxhwalekileyo.

NgoAprili 1951, ndahamba nomnye umzalwana saya eBerlin ukuya kuphuthuma imibhalo yeMboniselo. Xa sasisendleleni ebuyayo, sothuswa kukubona isikhululo sikaloliwe eChemnitz sizele ngamapolisa asekuhlaleni. Kucacile ukuba ayesilindele, yaye sabanjwa ngoko nangoko.

Ekufikeni kwam kwindawo yokugcina amabanjwa angekagwetywa, ndandiphethe amaxwebhu angqina ukuba ndandivalelwe entolongweni iminyaka emininzi ngamaNazi. Ngenxa yoko, abo balindi bandiphatha ngentlonelo. Elinye ibhinqa eliyintloko yabalindi lathi: “Nina maNgqina kaYehova anizozaphuli-mthetho; intolongo asiyondawo yenu.”

Ngenye imini leza kwisisele sam, ndandikunye noodade ababini, yaye lingabonwa labeka into phantsi kwenye yeebhedi. Yayiyintoni leyo? YayiyiBhayibhile yalo elalisipha yona. Ngesinye isihlandlo, latsalel’ umnxeba abazali bam ekhaya, ekubeni babengahlali kude nentolongo. Lafumana imibhalo yeMboniselo nokutya, lazifihla emzimbeni walo, laza lazithubelezisa zonke ezo zinto esiseleni sam.

Kukho enye into endiyikhumbulayo. Maxa wambi ngeCawa kusasa, sasivuma iingoma zobuthixo sikhwaza kangangokuba amanye amabanjwa ayeqhwab’ izandla ngovuyo emva kwengoma nganye.

Amandla Noncedo Oluvela KuYehova

Ebudeni bokuxoxwa kwamatyala enkundleni ngoSeptemba 4, 1951, umgwebi wenza amagqabaza akhankanywe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku. Ndagwetyelwa kwintolongo yaseWaldheim, ndaza ndaya kweyaseHalle, okokugqibela ndaya eHoheneck. Isiganeko esinye okanye ezibini ezimfutshane ziya kubonisa indlela uThixo awaba ligwiba nehlathi kuthi maNgqina kaYehova nendlela iLizwi lakhe elasomeleza ngayo.

Entolongweni eWaldheim, bonke oodade abangamaNgqina babehlanganisana rhoqo eholweni, ukuze siqhube iintlanganiso zamaKristu. Usiba lokubhala nephepha zazingavumelekanga, kodwa bambi oodade bafumana isiqwenga selaphu baza babhala umxholo wonyaka we-1953, owawusithi: “Mkhonzeni uYehova nivethe ezingcwele.”—INdumiso 29:2, American Standard Version.

Omnye umlindi olibhinqa wasibhaqa singalindelanga waza wasixela engaphozisanga maseko. Umphathi wentolongo wafika waza wathi oodade ababini kuthi mabawuphakamise. Wabuza enyanzelisa: “Ngubani owenze le nto? Ithetha ntoni le nto?”

Omnye udade wafuna ukulithabathela kuye ityala, kodwa ngokukhawuleza sasebezelana sodwa, savumelana ukuba oko sakukufela sonke. Ngoko saphendula sathi: “Yenziwe sithi ukuze someleze ukholo lwethu.” Ngoko ke, elo laphu lathatyathwa, saza sohlwaywa ngokuvinjwa ukutya. Kodwa ebudeni balo lonke elo thuba lokuncinwa, oodade baliphakamisa ukuze sisibethelele ezingqondweni zethu eso sibhalo sikhuthazayo.

Xa intolongo yamabhinqa eWaldheim yavalwayo, thina boodade safuduselwa eHalle. Apho sasivunyelwa ukwamkela iipasile, yaye yintoni ubawo awayeyithungele kwiimbadada awayendithumelele zona? Ngamanqaku eMboniselo! Ndisawakhumbula lawo ayenomxholo othi: “Uthando Lokwenene Luyasebenziseka” nothi “Ubuxoki Bukhokelela Kukulahlekelwa Bubomi.” La namanye amanqaku ayethetha inyaniso echanileyo, yaye xa sasidluliselana ngawo ngokufihlakeleyo, ngamnye wayezithabathela amanqaku.

Ebudeni bokugqogqwa, omnye wabalindi wafumana amanqaku am efihlwe kumatrasi wam. Kamva, wandibizela ukundincina waza wathi ngokuqinisekileyo wayefuna ukwazi intsingiselo yenqaku elithi: “Amathemba Abo Boyika UYehova Ngowe-1955.” Yena, njengomKomanisi, wayenenkxalabo enzulu ngokufa kwenkokeli yakhe, uStalin, owafa ngowe-1953, yaye ikamva lalibonakala limfiliba. Kuthi, ikamva laliya kuphucula iimeko zethu entolongweni, kodwa ndandingekakwazi oko. Ndamcacisela ngokuzithemba ukuba ithemba lamaNgqina kaYehova yayilelona lilunge ngakumbi. Ngoba? Ndacaphula isibhalo elalisekelwe kuso elo nqaku, INdumiso 112:7: “Akoyikiswa ziindaba ezimbi; iqinisekile intliziyo yakhe, ikholose ngoYehova.”—AS.

UYehova Useligwiba Nehlathi Lam

Emva kokugula kakhulu, ndakhululwa entolongweni kwiminyaka emibini ngaphambi kokugqiba isigwebo sam, ngoMatshi 1957. Amagosa aseMpuma Jamani kwakhona anditshutshisa ngenxa yemisebenzi endandiyenza enkonzweni kaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, ngoMeyi 6, 1957, ndabalekela eNtshona Berlin, ndaza ndafudukela eNtshona Jamani.

Kwathabatha iminyaka eliqela ngaphambi kokuba ndibuyele empilweni. Kodwa unanamhla oku ndingumqabaqaba ngokomoya yaye ndikhangele phambili kwinkupho nganye entsha yeMboniselo. Amaxesha ngamaxesha ndiyazihlolisisa. Ngaba ndisazixabisa izinto zokomoya? Ngaba ndiye ndahlakulela iimpawu ezintle? Ngaba iimpawu ezivavanyiweyo zokholo lwam zizisa indumiso nozuko kuYehova? Usukelo lwam kukukholisa uThixo ezintweni zonke, ukuze ahlale eligwiba nehlathi lam ngonaphakade.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Iofisi yama-SS eRavensbrück

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Isiqinisekiso esasindivumela ukuba ndisebenze ngaphandle kwenkampu

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