“Oh, Jehova, Gcina Intombazanyana Yami Ithembekile!”

NGAZALWA ngo-1930 e-Alsace, eFrance, emkhayeni onekhono emisebenzini yezandla. Ngezikhathi zakusihlwa, uBaba, ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe esintofontofo, wayefunda izincwadi ezithile eziphathelene nokuma kwezwe noma ukuma kwezinkanyezi. Umdlwane wami wawulala ezinyaweni zakhe, futhi uBaba wayehlanganyela noMama amaphuzu athile avelele ayewatholé ekufundeni kwakhe kuyilapho uMama ayenithela umkhaya wakhe. Yeka indlela engangizijabulela ngayo lezozikhathi zakusihlwa!

Inkolo yayinengxenye enkulu ekuphileni kwethu. SasingamaKatolika ashisekayo, futhi abantu ababesibona siya esontweni ekuseni ngeSonto babethi: “Sekuyihora lesishiyagalolunye. Abakwa-Arnold sebeya esontweni.” Zonke izinsuku ngaphambi kokuba ngiye esikoleni, ngangiya esontweni. Kodwa ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi kompristi, uMama wangenqabela ukuba ngiye ngedwa esontweni. Ngangineminyaka eyisithupha ubudala ngalesosikhathi.

Ngemva kokuba efunde izincwajana ezintathu nje kuphela zama-Bibelforscher (AbaFundi BeBhayibheli, manje abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova), umama waqala ukushumayela endlini ngendlu. UBaba kwamcasula lokho. Washaya umthetho wokuthi akukho ngxoxo engokwenkolo eyayizoqhutshwa ngikhona. ‘Angifuni kufundwe labodoti!’ Kodwa uMama wayelishisekela kakhulu iqiniso kangangokuba wanquma ukuba afunde nami izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli. Wathola inguqulo ethile yeBhayibheli lamaKatolika futhi wangifundela yona njalo ekuseni ngaphandle kokuyikhulumela, ukuze alalele uBaba.

Ngolunye usuku wangifundela iHubo 115:4-8: “Izithombe zabo ziyisiliva negolide, umsebenzi wezandla zomuntu. . . . Abazenzayo bayafana nazo, bonke abazethembayo.” Walihlanganisa nomyalo wesibili, othi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo.” (Eksodusi 20:4-6) Ngasukuma ngokushesha futhi ngabhidliza i-altare lami siqu enganginalo ekamelweni lami.

Ngangiya esikoleni futhi ngihlanganyele nengifunda nabo ekilasini abangamaKatolika lokho engikufunda nsuku zonke eBhayibhelini. Lokho kwabangela isiphithiphithi kakhulu esikoleni. Kaningi abantwana babengilandela emgwaqweni bengibiza ngokuthi ‘ngingumJuda onukayo!’ Lokho kwenzeka ngo-1937. Lesimo sabangela ukuba ubaba ahlole ukuthi yini lena engangiyifunda. Wazitholela incwadi ethi Creation, eyayinyatheliswe oFakazi BakaJehova. Wayifunda futhi naye ngokwakhe waba uFakazi!

Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba amabutho aseJalimane engene eFrance ngomngcele waseBelgium, saqala ukubona amafulegi anophawu lwamaNazi ephezu kwamasonto, ngisho nakuba ifulegi laseFrance lalisaphephezela phezu kwehholo ledolobha. AmaFulentshi ayevale iHholo lethu LoMbuso avimbela nomsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi kakade sase sisebenza ngomshoshaphansi lapho amaJalimane efika. Kodwa umzamo wokubhuntshisa oFakazi wadlondlobala. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, ngineminyaka engu-11 ubudala, ngabhapathizwa.

Enyangeni eyodwa kamuva, ngo-September 4, 1941, ngehora lesibili ntambama, kwakhala insimbi yasemnyango. Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba ubaba abuye emsebenzini. Ngagxuma, ngavula umnyango, ngagxumela kuye ngamgona. Indoda ethile engangicabange ukuthi ingubaba yamemeza, “Heil Hitler!” Ngayidedela, ngase ngiqaphela ukuthi lendoda engangiyigonile kwakuyisosha lama-SS! Bangikhomba ekamelweni lami futhi baphenya umama amahora amane. Njengoba behamba, omunye wabo wamemeza: “Ngeke uphinde umbone umyeni wakho! Wena nengane yakho nizohamba ngendlela efanayo!”

Ubaba wayeboshwe ekuseni ngalelolanga. Wayefake umholo wakhe wenyanga ephaketheni lakhe. Ama-SS avala i-akhawunti yasebhange futhi enqaba ukunikeza umama ikhadi lomsebenzi—elidingekayo ukuze umuntu athole umsebenzi. Isimiso sawo manje sasiwukuthi: “Akumelwe bathole indlela yokuphila labobantu abawuhlupho!”

Ushushiso Esikoleni

Phakathi nalesikhathi ukucindezela esikoleni esiphakeme engangifunda kuso kwaqhubeka kwanda. Noma nini lapho uthisha engena ekilasini, bonke abafundi abangu-58 kwakumelwe basukume belule izingalo bathi, “Heil Hitler.” Lapho umpristi ezofundisa ezenkolo, wayengena athi, “Heil Hitler—ubusisiwe ozayo egameni leNkosi.” Ikilasi laliphendula lithi, “Heil Hitler—Amen!”

Ngenqaba ukuthi, “Heil Hitler,” futhi lokhu kwezwakala kumphathi-sikole. Kwabhalwa incwadi ethile eyisixwayiso eyayithi: “Uma umfundi engayithobeli imithetho yesikole, futhi engashintshi esikhathini esingangesonto, lowomfundi kumelwe aphume aphele esikoleni.” Ekuphetheni yaphawula ukuthi kwakumelwe ifundwe emakilasini angaphezu kuka-20.

Lwafika usuku lapho ngabizelwa khona phambi kwekilasi lethu ukuze ngenze isinqumo sami saziwe. Umphathi-sikole wanginika eminye imizuzu emihlanu ukuba ngishayele ifulegi indesheni noma ngithathe izincwadi zami zesikole ngiphume ngiphele. Leyomizuzu emihlanu ewashini yabonakala iyiphakade. Imilenze yami yaphelelwa amandla, ikhanda lami lazimuka, inhliziyo yami yashaya ngamandla. Ukuthula okukhulu kwekilasi lonke kwaphazanyiswa isiqubulo esiklabalasayo esithi, “Heil Hitler,” ikilasi lonke elabe selisiphinda kathathu. Ngaqonda edeskini, ngathatha izincwadi zami, ngashaya ngachitha.

NgoMsombuluko olandelayo, ngavunyelwa ukuyofunda kwesinye isikole. Umphathi-sikole wathi ngangingafunda uma nje ngangingeke ngitshele muntu isizathu sokuxoshwa kwami kulesi esinye isikole. Engangifunda nabo ekilasini bangijikela, bengibiza ngesela, ingane eyihlongandlebe, bethi kungakho ngangixoshiwe. Angikwazanga ukusichaza isizathu sangempela.

Ngahlaliswa emuva ekilasini. Intombazane eyayiseduze kwami yaqaphela ukuthi ngangingalishayeli indesheni ifulegi. Yayicabanga ukuthi ngangingomunye wabaphikisi baseFrance. Kwadingeka nje ukuba ngiyichazele isizathu sokuba ngenqabe ukukhulekela uHitler: “NgokwezEnzo 4:12, ‘Ayikho insindiso ngomunye, ngokuba alikho futhi elinye igama phansi kwezulu elinikiwe ebantwini, esimelwe ukusindiswa ngalo.’ UKristu kuphela onguMsindisi wethu. Njengoba elithi ‘heil’ limelela ukuthola insindiso ngothile, anginakuyithola kunoma ubani lensindiso, kuhlanganisa noHitler.” Lentombazane nomama wayo baqala ukufunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova futhi nabo ngokwabo baba oFakazi!

Ukusebenza Ngomshoshaphansi

Kuso sonke lesikhathi, sasiqhubeka sishumayela ngomshosha-phansi. Njalo ngosuku lwangeSonto lokuqala enyangeni sasiya ezintabeni lapho sasithola khona INqabayokulinda yesiFulentshi ukuze siyihumushele esiJalimaneni. Umama wayengenzele ibhande langaphansi lokubamba amasokisi elikhethekile elalinesikhwama esifihlekile ukuze ngiphathe INqabayokulinda. Ngelinye ilanga samiswa amasosha amabili futhi asiyisa epulazini elisezintabeni, lapho safike saphenywa khona. Ngagula kangangokuba athi angiyolala etshanini obomile obusikiwe, futhi ngenxa yalokhu, awazange ayithole INqabayokulinda. Ngandlela-thile, ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova wayengisindisa.

Ngolunye usuku ngathola ucingo olwaluthi kwakufanele ngiye ‘kudokotela wengqondo.’ Ngathola ukuthi kwakungama-SS amabili. Ezinye izingane zoFakazi nazo zazikhona. Ngabizwa ekugcineni. ‘Labodokotela’ ababili babehlezi ngalé kwetafula, mina ngahlala ngikhanyiswe ebusweni ukukhanya okuthe bhá, futhi uphenyo lwaqala. Omunye “udokotela” wayengibuza imibuzo ethile ephathelene nokuma kwezwe noma nomlando, kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngiphendule, omunye wangenela nemibuzo ephathelene nomsebenzi womshoshaphansi. Wayebuza futhi namagama abanye oFakazi. Ngangisonqenqemeni lokuwa lapho ngokushesha ucingo luphazamisa imibuzo yabo. Yeka indlela emangalisayo usizo lukaJehova njalo olwalufika ngayo!

Lapho umphathi-sikole ezwa ukuthi ngangilokhu ngichaza izinkolelo zethu komunye engangifunda naye, ngaboshwa, ngaquliswa icala enkantolo, futhi ngagwetshwa umahluleli ukuba ngiye “esikoleni sokuqondisa izigwegwe.” Isahlulelo saphawula ukuthi ‘wakhuliswa ngezimfundiso zeNhlangano YeZizwe Zonke YabaFundi BeBhayibheli, izimfundiso zayo ezenqatshelwe umthetho, futhi uyoba umuntu owonakele noyingozi kwabanye.’ Kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okwesabekayo kimi, manje njengoba ngangineminyaka engu-12 ubudala, kuleyonkantolo esabekayo! Nokho ngenxa yosizo lomngane othile onozwela owayesebenza emnyangweni wokuqondisa, isijeziso sami asikhishwanga ngokushesha.

Cishe enyangeni eyodwa kamuva, ikilasi lethu laqokwa ukuba liye enkanjini kaHitler yokuqeqesha iNtsha amasonto amabili. Angizange ngimtshele lutho umama ngalokho. Angifunanga ukuba athwale noma yimuphi umthwalo wemfanelo ngesinqumo sami sokungayi lapho. Ngaphambi kokuba usuku lokuhamba lufike, umphathi-sikole wangixwayisa: “Uma ungekho ngoMsombuluko esiteshini sesitimela noma ehhovisi lami, ngiyokubizela amaphoyisa!”

Ngakho ngoMsombuluko ekuseni ngadlula esiteshini sesitimela ngiqonde esikoleni. Bonke engangifunda nabo babengibiza ukuba ngihambe nabo, kodwa ngangizimisele ukuya ehhovisi likamphathi-sikole. Ngephuza ukufika lapho, ngakho wacabanga ukuthi ngangihambe nabanye ngesitimela. Wathukuthela lapho engibona. Wangingenisa ekilasini lakhe futhi wahlupha ikilasi lonke amahora amane. Ngokwesibonelo, wayebizela ingane ngayinye phambi kwekilasi, futhi kunokuba azinike izincwadi zazo, wayezimukula ngazo ebusweni. Wayengikhomba futhi athi: “Kungenxa yakhe!” Wazama ukwenza izingane ezingu-45, ezineminyaka eyishumi kuphela ubudala, ukuba zingijikele. Kodwa ekuphumeni kwekilasi, zeza zizongihalalisela ngoba ngangenqabe ngokuphikelelayo ukucula amaculo empi.

Kamuva ngamiselwa ukuqoqa amaphepha, amathini, namathambo. Ngenqaba ukukwenza lokho, njengoba amathini ayesetshenziselwa izinjongo zempi. Ngashaywa futhi ngashiywa ngiqulekile. Kamuva engangifunda nabo ekilasini bangisiza ukuba ngivuke.

Lapho ngibuyela esikoleni, ngamangala ukubona wonke amakilasi emi egcekeni eduze kwesigxobo sefulegi, cishe izingane ezingu-800. Ngamiswa phakathi nendawo. Kwachazwa kabanzi ngenkululeko nangomphumela wamambuka, kwalandela iziqubulo ezintathu ezithi Sieg heil! (ukunqoba nensindiso). Kwaculwa iculo lesizwe ngimile phuhle futhi ngiqhaqhazela. UJehova wangisekela; futhi ngagcina ubuqotho. Kamuva, lapho ngangingena endlini yakithi, ngathola izingubo zami ziphezu kombhede nencwadi ethi: “Kusasa ekuseni uSimone Arnold kufanele aye esiteshini sesitemela.”

Ngiya Esikoleni Sokuqondisa Izigwegwe

Ngakusasa ekuseni mina noMama sasisesiteshini sesitimela. Abesifazane ababili bangibopha. Esitimeleni uMama waphinda iseluleko sakhe ngendlela okwakufanele ngiziphathe ngayo. “Njalo ube ngothobekile, onomusa, nomnene, ngisho nalapho uhlupheka ngokungafanele. Ungalokothi ube nenkani. Ungalokothi uphendule ngamagama ayiziswana noma ngokweyisa. Khumbula, ukuba ngoqotho akuhlobene nokuba iphikankani. Kuzokufundisela ukuphila kwesikhathi esizayo. Kuyintando kaJehova ukuba sibhekane noshushiso ukuze sizuze esikhathini esizayo. Usukulungele kahle lokho. Uyakwazi ukuthunga, ukupheka, ukuwasha, nokulungisa ingadi. Usuyitshitshi manje.”

Ngalobo busuku, lapho sisesivinini ngaphandle kwehhotela esasilele kulo, saguqa ngamadolo noMama, sacula izingoma zoMbuso eziphathelene nethemba lovuko, futhi sakhuleka. Ngezwi eliqinile, uMama wanginxusela: “Oh, Jehova, gcina intombazanyana yami ithembekile!” Okokugcina ngcí, uMama wangilalisa embhedeni futhi wanganga.

Izinto zadlula ngokushesha ngosuku olulandelayo sifikile esakhiweni sokuqondisa izigwegwe, angitholanga nethuba lokuvalelisa kuMama. Intombazane ethile yangibonisa umbhede onomatilasi owawenziwe ngamakhoba kakolweni. Izicathulo zami zathathwa, futhi kwadingeka sihambe singazifakile izicathulo kuze kube usuku lokuqala ku-November. Ukudla kwasemini kokuqala kwakunzima ukuba ngikudle. Nganikezwa amapheya ayisithupha amasokisi ukuba ngiwachibiyele; kungenjalo ngangingeke ngikuthole ukudla. Ngokokuqala ngqá, ngakhala. Izinyembezi zamanzisa lawomasokisi. Ngakhala cishe ubusuku bonke.

Ekuseni ngakusasa ngavuka ngo–5:30. Umbhede wami wawungcoliswe igazi—ngangiqale ukuya esikhathini ngaphambidlana nje kwalokhu. Ngithuthumela, ngaya kuthisha wokuqala engahlangana naye, uNkosazana Messinger. Wabiza intombazane ethile eyangibonisa indlela yokuwasha ishidi lami ngamanzi abandayo. Amatshe aphansi endlini ayebanda, futhi izinhlungu zakhula. Ngakhala futhi. Khona-ke uNkosazana Messinger esineka wathi: “Tshela uJehova wakho ukuthi akakuwashele ishidi lakho!” Yilokho nje engangidinga ukukuzwa. Ngasula amehlo ami, futhi abaphindanga bakwazi ukungikhalisa.

Kwakumelwe sivuke ngo-5:30 njalo ekuseni ukuze sihlanze indlu ngaphambi kokudla kwasekuseni—okwakuyindishi yesobho ngo-8:00 ekuseni. Isikole sezingane ezingu-37 sasiqhutshelwa khona lapha ekhaya, izingane ezineminyaka esuka kweyisithupha kuya kwengu-14 ubudala. Njengoba kwakungekho madoda ayengenza umsebenzi onzima, ntambama sasiwasha, sithunga, futhi silungise nengadi. Ebusika buka-1944/45, nginenye intombazane, kwakumelwe ngigawule imithi enobubanzi obungamasentimitha angu-60 ngisebenzisa isaha labagawuli bemithi. Izingane zazenqatshelwe ukukhulumisana futhi zazingavunyelwe nokuba zodwa, ngisho nokuya endlini yangasese. Sasigeza wonke umzimba kabili ngonyaka, futhi sasizigeza kanye ngonyaka izinwele zethu. Isijeziso kwakuwukuncishwa ukudla noma ukubhaxabulwa.

Ngangihlanza indlu kaNkosazana Messinger. Wayefuna ukuba zonke izinsuku ngingene ngaphansi kombhede ukuze ngihlanze izipilingi zawo. NgangineBhayibheli elincane engangingene nalo kulendlu ngesinyenyela, futhi ngakwazi ukulishutheka ezipilingini zombhede. Ngemva kwalokho, ngakwazi ukufunda izingxenye zeBhayibheli nsuku zonke. Yingakho nje ngangibizwa ngokuthi ngiyingane eyenza kancane kunazo zonke abake baba nazo!

Amantombazane angamaProthestani ayeya esontweni lawo ngeSonto, namantombazane amathathu angamaKatolika ayeya kwelawo, kodwa mina kwakumelwe ngiphekele zonke lezingane ezingu-37. Ngangimncane kangangokuba kwakumelwe ngigibele ebhentshini futhi ngibambe isipuni ngezandla zombili ukuze ngigovuze isobho. Othisha bethu abane, kwakumelwe ngibaphekele inyama, ngibabhakele amakhekhe, futhi ngibalungisele imifino. NgeSonto ntambama, sasihlobisa izindwangu. Sasingekho isikhathi sokudlala.

Ezinyangeni eziningana kamuva, ngokusobala ejabula, uNkosazana Messinger wangibikela ukuthi uMama othandekayo wayeboshiwe futhi wayesekamu lokuhlushwa.

Ngo-1945 impi yaphela. Amakamu okuhlushwa awohloka futhi akhiphela ezweni izisulu zawo ezazihlushiwe, eshiya izinkulungwane zizulazula zifuna noma yibaphi abasele bomkhaya okungenzeka ukuthi wawusekhona.

Ukuhlangana Okudabukisayo

Okungenani umama wami wayazi lapho ngangikhona, kodwa lapho efika ezongilanda, ngangingasamboni. Akumangalisi, ukuthi kungenxa yalokho ayebhekane nakho! Lapho uMama eboshwa, wayiswa ekamu elifanayo nalelo uBaba ayiswa kulo, eSchirmeck, ngaphandle kokuthi yena wafakwa ekamu labesifazane. Wenqaba ukuchibiyela iyunifomu yamasosha futhi wahlaliswa yedwa njengesiboshwa izinyanga ezithile endlini engaphansi komhlaba. Ngokulandelayo, ukuze bamonakalise, wahlaliswa nabesifazane ababenogcunsula. Lapho beyiswa eRavensbrück, waba buthakathaka kakhulu ngenxa yomkhuhlane. Ngalesosikhathi amaJalimane abaleka, futhi ngokushesha iziboshwa ezaziya eRavensbrück zakhululeka, nomama wami wayephakathi kwazo. Waqonda ngqó eConstance, lapho engangikhona, kodwa ukuqhuma kwamabhomu awiswa izindiza kwakwenze ubuso bakhe basikeka futhi bopha.

Lapho ngilethwa kuye, wayeshintshe kakhulu—ezacile ngenxa yendlala, ngokusobala egula, ubuso bakhe bunezibazi futhi bunegazi, nezwi lakhe lingazwakali kahle. Ngangiqeqeshwe ukuba ngiguqe phambi kwezivakashi futhi ngizibonise wonke umsebenzi wami—izindwangu engangizihlobisile, engangikuthungile—ngoba omesisi abathile babefika lapha ekhaya bezofuna izisebenzi ezingamantombazane. Futhi yileyondlela engaphatha ngayo uMama wami! Kwaba yilapho kuphela engiyisa kumahluleli ukuze athole imvume esemthethweni yokungithatha ngiye ekhaya lapho kwangikhanyela khona ukuthi lona kwakungumama wami! Zonke lezinyembezi engangizibambile izinyanga ezingu-22 zagobhoza.

Njengoba sasiphuma, amazwi omqondisi, uNkosazana Lederle, ayenjengamafutha athobayo kuMama. Wathi: “Ngikunikeza intombazane yakho isesimweni sengqondo esifanayo neyafika naso.” Ubuqotho bami babusemsulwa. Sayithola indlu yakithi futhi saqala ukuhlala kuyo. Into eyayisalokhu isiphethe kabi ukuthi uBaba wayengekho. Wayebalwe njengowayefile ngabeSiphambano Esibomvu.

Phakathi no-May ka-1945, kwezwakala ukungqongqoza emnyango. Ngaphinda ngagijima ngayovula. Umngane othile, uMaria Koehl, wayesemnyango, futhi wathi: “Simone, angihambi ngedwa. Ubaba wakho ungezansi.” Kwakunzima kuBaba ukwenyuka izitebhisi, futhi wayengasezwa. Wamane wangidlula nje futhi waqonda ngqó kuMama! Intombazanyana enobungqabavu eneminyaka engu-11 ubudala ayeyazi yayisikhule yaba itshitshi elinamahloni phakathi nalezozinyanga. Lentombazane entsha wayengasayiboni nokuyibona.

Ayedlule kukho kwakumqedile. Waqala eSchirmeck, ikamu elikhethekile, kamuva waya eDachau, lapho angenwa khona i-typhus futhi wahlala izinsuku ezingu-14 imqulekisile. Kamuva wasetshenziswa ekuhloleni kodokotela. Ukusuka eDachau wathunyelwa eMauthausen, ikamu lokuhlushwa elibi ngaphezu kweDachau, lapho asebenza khona kanzima futhi wabhaxabulwa futhi wahlaselwa yizinja zamaphoyisa. Kodwa wasinda futhi ekugcineni wayeselapha ekhaya.

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-17 ubudala, ngangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengesikhonzi soFakazi BakaJehova futhi kamuva ngaya eGileyadi e-United States, isikole sezithunywa zevangeli se-Watch Tower Society. Endlunkulu yomhlaba yeNhlangano, ngahlangana noMax Liebster, umJuda waseJalimane owayebe uFakazi kwelinye lamakamu okuhlushwa kaHitler. Sashada ngo-1956, futhi ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, siye saqhubeka sisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele njengezikhonzi ezingamaphayona akhethekile lapha eFrance.

Yeka indlela aba yiqiniso ngayo amazwi uMama ayewashilo ngami emkhulekweni wakhe eminyakeni eminingi edlule, ngobusuku bangaphambi kokuba angishiye endlini yokuqondisa izigwegwe: “Ngiyanxusa kuwe, oh, Jehova, gcina intombazanyana yami ithembekile!”

Kuze kube namuhla, uJehova uye wenza lokho kanye!—Njengoba ilandiswa uSimone Arnold Liebster.

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

USimone Arnold Liebster nomyeni wakhe, uMax Liebster