UNkulunkulu Uyisiphephelo Namandla Ami

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UCHARLOTTE MÜLLER

“Iminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye ngaphansi kukaHitler iyancomeka,” kusho ijaji lamaKhomanisi. “Wawumelene ngempela nempi, kodwa manje umelene nokuthula kwethu!”

LALIBHEKISELA ekuboshweni kwami kwangaphambili ngamaNazi nasesimisweni sokusebenzela uhulumeni kuyiGerman Democratic Republic. Ngaqale ngabindeka kodwa ngabe sengithi: “UmKristu akalweli ukuthula kweqiniso ngendlela okwenza ngayo abanye abantu. Ngimane ngizama ukulandela umyalo weBhayibheli wokuthanda uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane wami. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lingisiza ukuba ngilondoloze ukuthula ngamazwi nangezenzo.”

Ngalolo suku, ngo-September 4, 1951, amaKhomanisi angigweba iminyaka engu-8 ejele—engaphansi ngonyaka kwengangiyigwetshwe amaNazi.

Lapho oFakazi BakaJehova beshushiswa abasekeli be-National Socialism nangamaKhomanisi, ngathola induduzo kumaHubo 46:1: “UNkulunkulu uyisiphephelo sethu namandla ethu; ufunyaniswa elusizo impela ekuhluphekeni.” UJehova kuphela owanginika amandla okukhuthazela, futhi lapho ngiqhubeka ngenza iZwi lakhe libe ngelami, ngangiqina ngokwengeziwe.

Ukuqiniselwa Isikhathi Esizayo

Ngazalwa ngo-1912 eGotha-Siebleben eThuringia, eJalimane. Nakuba abazali bami babengamaProthestani, ubaba wayefuna iqiniso leBhayibheli nohulumeni wokulunga. Lapho abazali bami bebona i-“Photo-Drama of Creation,” bajabula kakhulu.a Ubaba wayesekutholile lokho ayekufuna—uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Ubaba nomama, kanye nathi zingane eziyisithupha, basula esontweni ngo-March 2, 1923. Sasihlala eChemnitz eSaxony futhi lapho sasihlanganyela nabaFundi BeBhayibheli. (Abathathu babafowethu nodadewethu baba oFakazi BakaJehova.)

Emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, izindinyana zemiBhalo namaqiniso ayigugu kwangithinta kakhulu futhi kwagcwalisa inhliziyo yami eyayisencane ngenjabulo. Okokuqala nokusemqoka, kwakunesifundo thina njengentsha engamaKristu, esasingaphezu kuka-50, esasiqhutshelwa sona ngeSonto, mina nodadewethu uKäthe esaya kuso isikhathi eside. Eqenjini lethu kwakukhona noKonrad Franke owayesemusha, owayehlela uhambo lokuqwala izintaba futhi asiprakthizise ukuhlabelela. Kamuva, kusuka ngo-1955 kuya ku-1969, uMfoweth’uFranke wakhonza njengombonisi wegatsha le-Watch Tower eJalimane.

Ngawo-1920 kwakuyiminyaka yesiyaluyalu, ngezinye izikhathi ngisho naphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Abanye, ababengasayamukeli INqabayokulinda ‘njengokudla okufika ngesikhathi esifanele,’ babemelene nomsebenzi wokushumayela endlini ngendlu. (Mathewu 24:45) Lokhu kwaholela ekuhlubukeni. Kodwa yikho kanye lokhu “kudla” okwasinika amandla esasiwadinga kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunesihloko se-Nqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) esasithi “Babusisiwe Abangesabi” (1919) nesasithi “Ngubani Oyodumisa UJehova?” (1926) Ngangifuna ukudumisa uJehova ngokusebenza ngesibindi, ngakho ngasakaza izincwadi nezincwajana eziningi zikaMfoweth’uRutherford.

Ngo-March 1933, ngabhapathizwa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngawo lowo nyaka, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ivangeli wavinjelwa eJalimane. Obhapathizweni, kwanikezwa iseluleko sesikhathi esizayo sencwadi yesAmbulo 2:10: “Ungazesabi izinto osuzohlupheka ngazo. Bheka! UDeveli uzoqhubeka ephonsa abanye benu etilongweni ukuze nifakwe ovivinyweni ngokugcwele, nokuba nibe nosizi izinsuku eziyishumi. Zibonakalise ukholekile kuze kube ngisho nasekufeni, futhi ngiyokunika umqhele wokuphila.” Ngazindla kakhulu ngaleli vesi, ngingangabazi ukuthi ngangilindelwe uvivinyo olunzima. Lokhu kwaba yiqiniso.

Ngenxa yokuthi saqhubeka singathathi hlangothi kwezombangazwe, omakhelwane bethu abaningana babesisola. Ngemva kokhetho lwezombangazwe, iqembu lamanxusa ebutho lamaNazi elalifake iyunifomu lamemeza phambi kwakithi lithi, “Kuhlala amambuka lapha!” Isihloko esasithi “Ningabesabi,” esasikumagazini wesiJalimane we-Nqabayokulinda ka-December 1933, saba yisikhuthazo ngokukhethekile kimi. Ngangifuna ukuhlala nginguFakazi kaJehova othembekile ngisho nangaphansi kwezimo ezinzima kakhulu.

Ikhambi Lesitha—Ijele

Sakwazi ukunyathelisa INqabayokulinda ngomshoshaphansi eChemnitz kwaze kwaba sekwindla ka-1935. Ngemva kwalokho umshini wokwenza amakhophi owawusetshenziswa kwadingeka ukuba uyiswe eBeierfeld e-Ore Mountains, lapho wasetshenziselwa ukwenza khona amakhophi ezincwadi kwaze kwaba ngu-August 1936. Mina noKäthe sasithumela lawo makhophi emakhelini abazalwane esasiwanikwe ngubaba. Konke kwahamba kahle isikhathi esithile. Kodwa amaGestapo abe esengiqapha ngeso elibukhali, futhi ngo-August 1936 angilanda ekhaya angivalela ejele, ngilinde ukuqulwa kwecala.

Ngo-February 1937, abazalwane abangu-25 nodadewethu ababili—kuhlanganise nami—bavela phambi kwenkantolo ekhethekile eSaxony. Kwathiwa inhlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova yayonakalisa. Labo bafowethu ababenza amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda bagwetshwa iminyaka emihlanu ejele. Mina ngagwetshwa iminyaka emibili.

Kunokuba ngikhululwe ngemva kokuqeda isigwebo sami, ngathathwa amaGestapo. Kwakulindeleke ukuba ngisayine iphepha elalithi ngangingeke ngisaba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngenqaba ngokuqinile, okwenza isikhulu sathukuthela, sasukuma futhi sakhipha incwadi egunyaza ukuba ngiboshwe. Leyo ncwadi iboniswe esithombeni. Ngingazange ngivunyelwe ukuba ngibone abazali bami, ngayiswa ngokushesha ekamu lokuhlushwa elincane labesifazane eLichtenburg emfuleni i-Elbe. Ngemva nje kwalokho ngahlangana noKäthe. Wayesekamu lokuhlushwa eMoringen kusukela ngo-December 1936, kodwa lapho lelo kamu lokuhlushwa livalwa, yena kanye nodadewethu abaningi, beza eLichtenburg. Ubaba naye wayeboshiwe futhi angizange ngiphinde ngimbone kwaze kwaba ngo-1945.

ELichtenburg

Angizange ngivunyelwe ukuba ngiye kwabanye oFakazi besifazane ngokushesha, ngoba babejeziselwa okuthile. Kwelinye lamahholo, ngaphawula amaqembu amabili eziboshwa—abesifazane ababevame ukuhlala ematafuleni noFakazi ababehlala usuku lonke ezigqikini benganikwa kudla.b

Ngangisamukela ngokushesha noma isiphi isabelo somsebenzi, nginethemba lokuhlangana noKäthe ngandlela-thile. Futhi yilokho kanye okwenzeka. Wayesendleleni eya emsebenzini nezinye iziboshwa ezimbili lapho sihlangana. Ngigajwe injabulo, ngamsingatha ngemfudumalo. Kodwa unogada wesifazane wasiceba ngokushesha. Saphenywa, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, sahlukaniswa ngenhloso. Lokho kwakunzima kakhulu.

Kunezinye izehlakalo ezimbili zaseLichtenburg ezingalibaleki. Ngesinye isikhathi zonke iziboshwa kwakudingeka zibuthane egcekeni ukuze zilalele enye yezinkulumo zikaHitler zezombangazwe emsakazweni. Thina, oFakazi BakaJehova, senqaba ngoba kwakuhileleke imikhosi yokushisekela izwe. Ngakho onogada bavulela amapayipi amanzi bewabhekise kithi, basithela ngeziwolokohlo zamanzi anamandla ayephuma kulamapayipi besidudula singabesifazane abangenakuzilwela besisusa esitezi sesine besiyisa phansi egcekeni. Kwadingeka sime lapho simanzi té.

Kwesinye isenzakalo, mina kanye noGertrud Oehme noGertel Bürlen sayalwa ukuba sihlobise ihhovisi lomphathi wekamu ngezibani, njengoba kwakusondela usuku lokuzalwa lukaHitler. Senqaba, siqaphela amaqhinga kaSathane okuzama ukusiphambukisa ngokuba siyekethise ezintweni ezincane ukuze siphule ubuqotho bethu. Njengesijeziso, ngamunye wethu, odade abasebasha, kwadingeka achithe amasonto amathathu alandelayo eyedwa esitokisini esincane esimnyama. Kodwa uJehova wahlala eseduze nathi, futhi ngisho nasendaweni esabeka kangako, wazibonakalisa eyisiphephelo.

ERavensbrück

Ngo-May 1939 iziboshwa zaseLichtenburg zathuthelwa ekamu lokuhlushwa laseRavensbrück. Lapho, ngabelwa ukusebenza elondolo, kanye nabanye odadewethu abaningana abangoFakazi. Ngemva nje kokuqubuka kwempi, kwakulindeleke ukuba silande ifulege le-swastika, kodwa senqaba. Ngenxa yalokho, ababili bethu, mina noMielchen Ernst, safakwa endaweni yokujeziswa. Leyo kwakungenye yezindlela ezinzima kakhulu zokujezisa futhi kwakusho ukuthi kwakudingeka senze umsebenzi onzima nsuku zonke, ngisho nangeSonto, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinjani isimo sezulu. Ngokuvamile, isigwebo esikhulu kwakuyizinyanga ezintathu, kodwa sahlala lapho unyaka. Ngaphandle kosizo lukaJehova, ngangingeke ngisinde.

Ngo-1942, izimo zethu njengeziboshwa zaba ngcono ngandlela-thile, futhi ngabelwa umsebenzi wokuhlanza indlu yomkhaya wama-SS owawungekude nekamu. Lowo mkhaya wanginika isilinganiso esithile senkululeko. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye isikhathi lapho ngangihambahamba nezingane, ngahlangana noJosef Rehwald noGottfried Mehlhorn, iziboshwa ezimbili zonxantathu abansomi, engakwazi ukuba nengxoxo ethile ekhuthazayo nabo.c

Iminyaka Enzima Yangemva Kwempi

Ngo-1945 lapho ibutho lamazwe ahlangene lisondela, umkhaya engangiwusebenzela wabaleka, futhi kwadingeka ngibaleke nawo. Bahlangana neminye imikhaya yama-SS, bakha iqembu elikhulu balibangisa ngasentshonalanga.

Izinsuku ezimbalwa zokugcina zempi zazinezinxushunxushu futhi zinezingozi. Ekugcineni, sahlangana namasosha athile aseMelika angivumela ukuba ngibhalise edolobheni elilandelayo njengomuntu okhululiwe. Obani engahlangana nabo lapho? UJosef Rehwald noGottfried Mehlhorn. Babezwe ukuthi bonke oFakazi abavela ekamu lokuhlushwa laseSachsenhausen base befinyelele eSchwerin ngemva kohambo oluyingozi oluholela ekufeni. Ngakho sobathathu saqonda kulelo dolobha, elaliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-75. Yeka injabulo esaba nayo eSchwerin lapho sihlangana nabo bonke labo bafowethu abathembekile, ababesinde emakamu okuhlushwa, kuhlanganise noKonrad Franke.

Ngo-December 1945 isimo ezweni sase sithuthuke kangangokuthi ngakwazi ukuhamba ngesitimela. Ngakho ngase ngibhekise amabombo ekhaya! Nokho, uhambo lwaluhlanganisa ukuchitha isikhathi esithile ngilele ophahleni lwenqola kaloliwe futhi ngimi endaweni encane yokuma yesitimela. EChemnitz, ngasuka esiteshini sesitimela ngaqonda lapho sasihlala khona njengomkhaya. Kodwa emgwaqweni lapho ibutho lamaNazi lalimi khona esikhathini esidlule, limemeza lithi, “Kuhlala amambuka lapha!” kwakungasindanga ngisho nendlu eyodwa. Yonke indawo yokuhlala yayishaywe yaqothulwa ngamabhomu. Nokho, ngakhululeka lapho ngithola umama, ubaba, uKäthe nabafowethu nodadewethu besaphila.

Isimo sezomnotho ngemva kwempi sasishaqisa eJalimane. Noma kunjalo, amabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu aqala ukuchuma kulo lonke elaseJalimane. I-Watch Tower Society yenza wonke umzamo wokusihlomisela umsebenzi wokushumayela. Umsebenzi eBethel eseMagdeburg, amaNazi ayewuvalile, waphinde waqalwa. Entwasahlobo ka-1946, ngamenyelwa ukuyosebenza lapho futhi ngabelwa ukusebenza ekhishini.

Ukuphinda Sibe Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa Nokuba Sejele

IMagdeburg isengxenyeni yeJalimane eyalawulwa amaKhomanisi. Avimbela umsebenzi wethu ngo-August 31, 1950, futhi avala iBethel yaseMagdeburg. Ngaleyo ndlela inkonzo yami eBethel yanqamuka, eyaba isikhathi sokuqeqeshwa okunenzuzo. Ngabuyela eChemnitz, ngizimisele ukubambelela ngokuqinile eqinisweni ngisho nangaphansi kwamaKhomanisi futhi ngimemezele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu esicindezelekile.

Ngo-April 1951, ngahamba nomzalwane othile sayolanda amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda eBerlin. Lapho sibuya, sashaqeka ukuthola isiteshi sesitimela eChemnitz sihaqwe amaphoyisa kahulumeni. Kwakusobala ukuthi ayesilindele, futhi saboshwa khona lapho.

Lapho sifika endaweni esasizogcinwa kuyo ngaphambi kokuqulwa kwecala, ngangiphethe amaphepha afakazela ukuthi ngangiboshwe iminyaka eminingana ngamaNazi. Ngenxa yalokho, onogada bangiphatha ngenhlonipho. Omunye wezikhulu zonogada besifazane wathi: “Nina boFakazi BakaJehova anizona izigebengu; akumelwe nibe sejele.”

Ngesinye isikhathi wafika esitokisini engangikuso, lapho nganginabanye odadewethu ababili, futhi wabeka okuthile ngesinyenyela ngaphansi komunye wemibhede. Kwakuyini? IBhayibheli lakhe siqu, ayesipha lona. Ngesinye isikhathi, waya kubazali bami ekhaya, ngoba babehlala eduze nejele. Wathatha amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda nokudla, wakufihla kuye konke, futhi wakungenisa ngesinyenyela esitokisini engangikuso.

Kunokunye engithanda ukukukhumbula. Ngezinye izikhathi ngeSonto ekuseni, sasihlabelela izingoma ezingokwasezulwini kakhulu kangangokuba ezinye iziboshwa zaziyishayela ihlombe ngenjabulo ingoma ngayinye.

Amandla Nosizo Oluvela KuJehova

Phakathi nokuqulwa kwecala ngo-September 4, 1951, ijaji lasho lamazwi ashiwo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko. Ngadonsa isigwebo sami eWaldheim, ngabe sengiya eHalle, futhi ngagcina eHoheneck. Isenzakalo esisodwa noma ezimbili ezimfushane zizobonisa indlela uNkulunkulu ayeyisiphephelo namandla ethu ngayo kithi njengoFakazi BakaJehova nendlela iZwi lakhe elasivuselela ngayo.

Ejele laseWaldheim, sonke odade abangoFakazi sasihlangana njalo ehholweni elilodwa, ukuze sikwazi ukuqhuba imihlangano yobuKristu. Kwakungavunyelwe ukuba nepeni nephepha, kodwa odadewethu abathile bathola izichibi ezithile zendwangu futhi bakwazi ukwenza isiqephu sendwangu esasinetekisi lonyaka lango-1953, elalithi: “Khulekelani uJehova ngemvunulo engcwele.”—IHubo 29:2, American Standard Version.

Omunye wonogada besifazane wasibhadama singazelele futhi wasiceba ngokushesha. Umphathi wejele weza futhi watshela ababili bethu ukuba baphakamisele phezulu leyo ndwangu. “Ngubani owenze lento?” ebuza. “Isho ukuthini?”

Omunye wodadewethu wayefuna ukuvuma ukuthi nguye futhi asithwalele icala, kodwa sahlebelana ngokushesha, sivumelana ngokuthi kufanele silihlanganyele leli cala. Ngakho saphendula: “Siyenzele ukuqinisa ukholo lwethu.” Yathathwa leyo ndwangu futhi sajeziswa ngokuncishwa ukudla. Kodwa phakathi nayo yonke ingxoxo, odadewethu babeyiphakamisele phezulu lendwangu ukuze sikwazi ukuwufaka ngokugxilile lombhalo okhuthazayo ezingqondweni zethu.

Lapho livalwa ijele labesifazane eWaldheim, thina bodade sayiswa eHalle. Lapho sasivunyelwa ukuba samukele amaphasela, futhi yini eyayithungelwe ezicathulweni ezithambile engangizithunyelelwe ubaba? Izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda yesiJalimane! Ngisasikhumbula esasithi “Uthando Lweqiniso Luwusizo” nesithi “Amanga Aholela Ekulahlekelweni Ukuphila.” Lezi zihloko nezinye zazikhetheke ngempela, futhi lapho sishushumbiselana, ngamunye wayezibhalela amaphuzu.

Phakathi nokusesha okungalindelekile, omunye wonogada wathola amaphuzu engangiwabhalile efihlwe kumatilasi wami wotshani. Kamuva, wangibiza ukuze angiphenye futhi wathi ukufuna ngempela ukwazi incazelo yesihloko esithi: “Amathemba Ngabesaba UJehova Ngo-1955.” Njengoba ayeyiKhomanisi, wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngokushona komholi wakhe, uStalin, ngo-1953, futhi ikusasa lalibonakala lifiphele. Kithina, ikusasa laliyoletha intuthuko ethile ezimweni zethu zasejele, kodwa ngangingakazi ngalokho. Ngachaza ngesibindi ukuthi amathemba ekusasa oFakazi BakaJehova ayemahle kakhulu. Ngani? Ngacaphuna umbhalo leso sihloko esasisekelwe kuwo, iHubo 112:7: “Ngeke esabe izindaba ezimbi; inhliziyo yakhe igxilile, uthembela kuJehova.”—AS.

UJehova Useyisiphephelo Namandla Ami

Ngemva kokugula kakhulu, ngakhululwa ejele kusasele iminyaka emibili, ngo-March 1957. Izikhulu zaseMpumalanga Jalimane zaphinde zangicindezela ngenxa yemisebenzi yami enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngakho, ngo-May 6, 1957, ngasebenzisa ithuba engalithola ukuze ngibalekele eNtshonalanga Berlin, futhi kusuka lapho ngathuthela eNtshonalanga Jalimane.

Kwathatha iminyaka eminingana ngaphambi kokuba ngilulame. Kodwa kuze kube namuhla ngisakulangazelela kakhulu ukudla okungokomoya futhi ngibheka phambili ekhophini ngayinye entsha ye-Nqabayokulinda. Ngivame ukuzihlola. Ingabe ngisenomqondo ongokomoya? Ingabe ngiye ngahlakulela izimfanelo ezinhle? Ingabe isimo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwami siyimbangela yokudunyiswa kukaJehova? Kuwumgomo wami ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izinto, ukuze ahlale eyisiphephelo namandla ami phakade.

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Ihhovisi lama-SS eRavensbrück

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