Babaye abantu bizerwa kandi badatinya ubwo bari bahanganye n’ikandamiza rya Nazi

Ku itariki ya 17 Kamena 1946, Umwamikazi Wilhelmina w’u Buholandi yoherereje ubutumwa bw’akababaro umuryango w’Abahamya ba Yehova wari utuye muri Amsterdam. Intego y’ubwo butumwa yari iyo gushimagiza umuhungu wo muri uwo muryango witwaga Jacob van Bennekom, wari warishwe n’abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi mu Ntambara ya Kabiri y’Isi Yose. Mu myaka runaka ishize, inama y’abayobozi b’umujyi wa Doetinchem, ukaba uri mu burasirazuba bw’u Buholandi, yafashe icyemezo cyo kwitirira umuhanda umwe Bernard Polman, na we akaba ari umwe mu Bahamya ba Yehova bari barishwe mu gihe cy’intambara.

KUKI abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi bibasiye Jacob, Bernard, hamwe n’abandi Bahamya ba Yehova bo mu Buholandi mu gihe cy’Intambara ya Kabiri y’Isi Yose? Kandi se ni iki cyatumye abo Bahamya bakomeza kuba abizerwa muri iyo myaka y’itotezwa rya kinyamaswa, maze amaherezo bakaza kubahwa no gushimagizwa n’abaturage b’igihugu cyabo hakubiyemo n’umwamikazi? Kugira ngo tubimenye neza, nimucyo twongere dusuzume ibintu byabaye bigatuma habaho guhangana nk’ukwa Dawidi na Goliyati hagati y’itsinda rito ry’Abahamya ba Yehova n’ishyaka ry’igihangange rya Nazi n’ingabo zaryo.

Umurimo wabo warabuzanyijwe—Ariko bagize umwete kurusha mbere hose

Ku itariki ya 10 Gicurasi 1940, ingabo za Nazi zagabye igitero gitunguranye ku Buholandi. Kubera ko ibitabo byakwirakwizwaga n’Abahamya ba Yehova byashyiraga ahagaragara ibikorwa bibi by’ishyaka rya Nazi kandi bikaba byaraharaniraga Ubwami bw’Imana, abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi bahise batangira kugerageza guhagarika ibikorwa by’Abahamya. Mu gihe kitageze ku byumweru bitatu nyuma y’aho abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi bigaruririye u Buholandi, baciye iteka ryo mu ibanga ryabuzanyaga umurimo w’Abahamya ba Yehova. Ku itariki ya 10 Werurwe 1941, inkuru yatangajwe n’ibinyamakuru yashyize ku mugaragaro iryo teka  ryabuzanyaga umurimo, ishinja Abahamya kuba bari barimo bashoza urugamba rwo “kurwanya inzego zose za leta na kiliziya.” Ingaruka zabaye iz’uko ibikorwa byo guhiga Abahamya byakajije umurego.

Igitangaje ariko, n’ubwo Gestapo cyangwa abapolisi ba maneko ba ruharwa bakomeje kugenzura amadini yose, batoteje bikabije umuteguro umwe wonyine wa Gikristo. Umuhanga mu by’amateka w’Umuholandi witwa Dr. Louis de Jong yagize ati “abagize itsinda rimwe gusa ryo mu rwego rw’idini—ni ukuvuga Abahamya ba Yehova, baratotejwe kugeza ku gupfa.”—Byavuye mu gitabo cyitwa Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (Ubwami bw’u Buholandi mu Ntambara ya Kabiri y’Isi Yose).

Gestapo yari ifatanyije n’abapolisi bo mu Buholandi mu gushakisha aho Abahamya baherereye no kubafata. Byongeye kandi, umugenzuzi wasuraga amatorero wari waragize ubwoba akaza guhinduka umuhakanyi, yahaga abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi amakuru ahereranye n’abahoze ari bagenzi be bahuje ukwizera. Ahagana mu mpera za Mata 1941, Abahamya 113 bari barafashwe. Mbese, icyo gitero cyarangwaga n’ubukana cyaba cyaratumye ibikorwa byo kubwiriza bihagarara?

Igisubizo kiboneka mu nyandiko yitwa Meldungen aus den Niederlanden (Raporo Zituruka mu Buholandi), ikaba ari inyandiko y’amabanga urwego rw’abapolisi b’Abadage rwitwaga Sicherheitspolizei (Abapolisi Bashinzwe Umutekano) rwateguye muri Mata 1941. Iyo raporo yerekeza ku Bahamya ba Yehova igira iti “ako gatsiko k’ingirwadini kabuzanyijwe gakora umurimo wako mu gihugu hose kabigiranye imbaraga, kagakora amateraniro atemewe n’amategeko kandi kakamanika ahantu hose impapuro ziriho amagambo nk’aya ngo ‘gutoteza Abahamya b’Imana ni icyaha,’ na ‘abatoteza abandi Yehova azahanisha kurimbuka kw’iteka.’ ” Nyuma y’ibyumweru bibiri, iyo raporo nanone yagize iti “n’ubwo urwego rw’Abapolisi Bashinzwe Umutekano rwakajije umurego mu gufatira ingamba zitajenjetse ibikorwa by’Abigishwa ba Bibiliya, ibikorwa byabo bikomeje kwiyongera.” Ni koko, n’ubwo Abahamya bari bari mu kaga ko kuba bafatwa, bakomeje umurimo wabo, baha abaturage ibitabo bisaga 350.000 mu mwaka wa 1941 wonyine!

Ni iki cyatumye iryo tsinda rito ryagendaga ryiyongera ry’Abahamya babarirwaga mu magana make rishobora kugira ubutwari bwo guhangana n’abanzi baryo bari bariteye ubwoba? Kimwe n’umuhanuzi wizerwa Yesaya wo mu gihe cya kera, Abahamya batinyaga Imana aho gutinya abantu. Kubera iki? Ni ukubera ko biringiraga mu buryo bukomeye amagambo atanga icyizere Yehova yabwiye Yesaya agira ati “jyewe ubwanjye ni jye ubahumuriza; uri muntu ki, yewe utinya umuntu kandi azapfa?”—Yesaya 51:12.

Kudatinya byatumye bubahwa

Ahagana mu mpera z’umwaka wa 1941, umubare w’Abahamya bari barafashwe wari warazamutse ugera kuri 241. Icyakora, hari bake badohotse bitewe no gutinya abantu. Uwitwa Willy  Lages, akaba yari umuntu ukomeye cyane wo muri ba maneko bo mu Budage, avugwaho kuba yaravuze ko “90 ku ijana by’Abahamya ba Yehova banze kugira ikintu icyo ari cyo cyose bahishura, mu gihe umubare muto cyane wo mu yandi matsinda yo mu rwego rw’idini ari bo bagize ubutwari bwo gukomeza kwicecekera.” Amagambo yavuzwe n’umukuru wa kiliziya w’Umuholandi witwaga Johannes J. Buskes, wafunganywe na bamwe mu Bahamya, yemeza ko amagambo ya Lages ari ukuri. Mu mwaka wa 1951, Buskes yanditse ibi bikurikira:

“Icyo gihe, natangiye kumva mbubashye cyane bitewe n’ukuntu biringiraga Imana hamwe n’ukuntu ukwizera kwabo kwari gufite imbaraga. Sinzigera na rimwe nibagirwa umusore umwe—ashobora kuba atari arengeje imyaka 19—wari warakwirakwije udutabo twavugaga mbere y’igihe ibyo kugwa kwa Hitileri hamwe n’ubutegetsi bwe bwa Reich ya Gatatu. . . . Yashoboraga kuba yararekuwe mu gihe cy’amezi atandatu iyo aza gusezeranya ko yari kuzahagarika ibyo bikorwa. Ibyo yanze kubikora yivuye inyuma, maze akatirwa kumara igihe kitazwi akora imirimo y’agahato mu Budage. Twari tuzi neza icyo ibyo byasobanuraga. Bukeye bwaho mu gitondo ubwo bamujyanaga natwe tukamusezeraho, namubwiye ko twari kuzajya tumuzirikana kandi tukamusengera. Nta kindi yanshubije uretse kumbwira ati ‘ntimumpangayikire. Ubwami bw’Imana buzaza nta kabuza.’ Ikintu nk’icyo ntiwacyibagirwa, kabone n’iyo waba ufite impamvu zishoboka zose zo kurwanya inyigisho z’abo Bahamya ba Yehova.”

N’ubwo Abahamya barwanyijwe mu buryo bwa kinyamaswa, umubare wabo wakomezaga kwiyongera. N’ubwo mbere gato y’Intambara ya kabiri y’isi yose hari hari abagera kuri 300, mu mwaka wa 1943 uwo mubare wariyongeye ugera ku 1.379. Ikibabaje ariko, ni uko uwo mwaka waje kurangira hamaze gufatwa Abahamya basaga 350, muri bo 54 bakaba baraguye mu bigo bitandukanye byakoranyirizwagamo imfungwa. Mu mwaka wa 1944, hari hari Abahamya ba Yehova 141 bakomoka mu Buholandi bari bagifungiwe mu bigo binyuranye byakoranyirizwagamo imfungwa.

Umwaka wa nyuma w’itoteza rya Nazi

Nyuma y’umunsi wo ku itariki ya 6 Kamena 1944, itotezwa ry’Abahamya ryatangiye umwaka waryo wa nyuma. Ku rugamba, abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi hamwe n’abo bafatanyije bari barimo batsindwa umusubizo. Muri iyo mimerere, umuntu yashoboraga gutekereza ko abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi bari kureka kwirukanka ku Bakristo b’inzirakarengane. Nyamara muri uwo mwaka, abandi Bahamya 48 barafashwe, naho abandi 68 mu bari bafunzwe barapfa. Umwe muri bo yari Jacob van Bennekom, wavuzwe tugitangira.

Jacob wari ufite imyaka 18, yari umwe mu bantu 580 babatijwe mu mwaka wa 1941 bakaba Abahamya ba Yehova. Nyuma y’aho gato yaretse akazi kamuheshaga amafaranga menshi, kubera ko kamusabaga gutatira igihagararo cye cyo kutabogama kwa Gikristo. Yashatse akazi ko kujya atanga ubutumwa, maze atangira gukora umurimo w’igihe cyose. Igihe yari atwaye ibitabo by’imfashanyigisho  za Bibiliya, yarafashwe arafungwa. Muri Kanama 1944, Jacob wari ufite imyaka 21 yandikiye umuryango we ibaruwa ari muri gereza yo mu mujyi wa Rotterdam, ibaruwa irimo amagambo akurikira:

“Meze neza cyane kandi ibyishimo biransabye. . . . Kugeza ubu bamaze kumpata ibibazo incuro enye. Incuro ebyiri za mbere byari bikaze cyane, kandi narakubiswe cyane, ariko rero ku bw’imbaraga n’ubuntu by’Umwami, kugeza ubu nashoboye kwirinda kugira ikintu icyo ari cyo cyose mpishura. . . . Nashoboye gutanga za disikuru hano mba, zose hamwe ni esheshatu, naho abaziteze amatwi bose hamwe bari 102. Bamwe muri abo bagaragaje rwose ko bashimishijwe, kandi bansezeranyije ko ubwo bazaba bakimara kurekurwa bazabikomeza.”

Ku itariki ya 14 Nzeri 1944, Jacob yajyanywe mu kigo cyakoranyirizwagamo imfungwa cyari mu mujyi w’u Buholandi witwa Amersfoort. Ndetse n’aho ngaho yakomeje kubwiriza. Mu buhe buryo? Mugenzi we bari bafunganywe yagize ati “imfungwa zararuzaga udusigazwa tw’itabi abarinzi bazo babaga bajugunye, maze zigakoresha impapuro za Bibiliya kugira ngo zitekere iryo tabi. Rimwe na rimwe, Jacob yashoboraga gusoma amagambo make ku rupapuro rwa Bibiliya rwabaga rugiye gutekerwamo itabi. Ako kanya yahitaga akoresha ayo magambo akamubera intangiriro yo kutubwiriza. Mu gihe gito, Jacob twaje kumuhimba akazina tumwita ‘Umuntu wa Bibiliya.’ ”

Mu kwezi k’Ukwakira 1944, Jacob yari ari mu itsinda rinini ry’imfungwa zategetswe gucukura imigende ihishe yo gucira burende ibico. Jacob yanze gukora ako kazi kubera ko umutimanama we utari kumwemerera gushyigikira intambara. N’ubwo abarinzi ba gereza bakomezaga kumushyiraho iterabwoba, ntiyigeze adohoka. Ku itariki ya 13 Ukwakira, umupolisi mukuru yaramufashe amukura aho yari afungiye mu bwigunge, amusubiza aho bakoreraga akazi. Nanone, Jacob yakomeje gushikama. Amaherezo, Jacob yategetswe kwicukurira imva, maze baramurasa arapfa.

Ibyo guhiga Abahamya byarakomeje

Igihagararo kirangwa n’ubutwari cya Jacob hamwe n’abandi cyarakaje abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi cyane, maze bituma bongera guhiga Abahamya. Umwe mu bantu bibasiye ni umusore w’imyaka 18 witwaga Evert Kettelarij. Ubwa mbere, Evert yashoboye kubacika ajya kwihisha, ariko nyuma yaho yaje gufatwa arafungwa kandi arakubitwa cyane kugira ngo agire icyo avuga gihereranye n’abandi Bahamya. Yanze kubivuga maze bamwohereza mu Budage kugira ngo akore imirimo y’agahato.

Muri uko kwezi k’Ukwakira 1944, abapolisi  bashakishije muramu wa Evert witwaga Bernard Luimes. Igihe bamubonaga, yari ari kumwe n’abandi Bahamya babiri—Antonie Rehmeijer na Albertus Bos. Albertus yari yaramaze amezi 14 mu kigo cyakoranyirizwagamo imfungwa. Ariko akimara kurekurwa, yongeye gukorana umwete umurimo wo kubwiriza. Mbere na mbere abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi bakubise abo bagabo batatu nta mbabazi, hanyuma barabarasa barapfa. Intambara imaze kurangira, ni bwo gusa bashoboye kumenya aho imirambo yabo yari iherereye, maze bahambwa bundi bushya. Nyuma gato y’intambara, ibinyamakuru byinshi byo muri ako karere byanditse iby’iryo yicwa ryabo. Kimwe muri ibyo binyamakuru cyanditse kivuga ko abo Bahamya batatu bakomeje kwanga gukorera abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi umurimo uwo ari wo wose wari unyuranyije n’amategeko y’Imana, maze cyongeraho ko “ibyo byatumye bahatakariza ubuzima bwabo.”

Hagati aho, ku itariki ya 10 Ugushyingo 1944, Bernard Polman wavuzwe mbere yarafashwe maze yoherezwa gukora mu mushinga wa gisirikare. Ni we Muhamya wenyine wari uri mu bantu bakoreshwaga iyo mirimo y’agahato, kandi ni na we wenyine wanze gukora iyo mirimo. Abarinzi b’imfungwa bagerageje gukoresha amayeri atandukanye kugira ngo batume ateshuka. Nta byokurya yahabwaga. Nanone kandi, yakubitwaga mu buryo bwa kinyamaswa hakoreshejwe indembo, ibitiyo, n’ibibuno by’imbunda. Byongeye kandi, yahatiwe kugenda mu mazi y’ubutita yari amugeze mu mavi, hanyuma afungirwa mu cyumba gikonje cyane cyubatse munsi y’ubutaka, aho yagombaga kurara ijoro ryose yambaye imyenda ye yari yatose. Nyamara kandi, Bernard ntiyigeze adohoka.

Muri icyo gihe, bashiki ba Bernard babiri batari Abahamya ba Yehova bemerewe kumusura. Baramwinginze cyane bamusaba ko yahindura ibitekerezo bye, ariko ibyo ntibyigeze bimuhungabanya na gato. Ubwo babazaga Bernard niba hari ikintu bashoboraga kumukorera, yabagiriye inama yo kujya mu rugo bakiga Bibiliya. Hanyuma, abamutotezaga bemereye umugore we wari utwite kugira ngo amusure, biringiye ko yari gutuma adohoka. Ariko kandi, kuba umugore we yarahigereye hamwe n’amagambo atera inkunga yamubwiye, ibyo ahubwo byatumye Bernard arushaho gushimangira icyemezo cye cyo gukomeza kuba uwizerwa ku Mana. Ku itariki ya 17 Ugushyingo 1944, Bernard yarashwe n’abantu batanu mu bamubabazaga, mu gihe abandi bakoraga imirimo y’agahato bose bareberaga ibyo bintu. Ndetse n’igihe Bernard yari yapfuye, umubiri we watobaguwe n’amasasu menshi, umukuru w’abapolisi wari ubayoboye yararakaye cyane ku buryo yafashe pisitori ye maze akarasa Bernard mu maso yombi.

N’ubwo icyo gikorwa cya kinyamaswa cyahungabanyije ibyiyumvo by’Abahamya bamenye iby’iryo yicwa, bakomeje kuba abantu bizerwa kandi badatinya, bakomeza gukora umurimo wabo wa Gikristo. Nyuma gato y’iyicwa rya Bernard, itorero rimwe rito ry’Abahamya ba Yehova ryari ryegereye akarere yiciwemo ryagize riti “muri uku kwezi, n’ubwo ibihe byabaye bibi cyane hamwe n’ingorane Satani yagiye atega mu nzira ducamo, twashoboye kwagura umurimo wacu. Umubare w’amasaha twamaze mu murimo wo kubwiriza wavuye kuri 429 ugera kuri 765. . . . Igihe umuvandimwe umwe yari arimo abwiriza, yahuye n’umugabo yashoboye kubwiriza mu buryo bwiza. Uwo mugabo yamubajije niba yari ahuje ukwizera n’umugabo wari wararashwe. Akimara kumva ko ari ko byari biri, yariyamiriye ati ‘mbega umugabo, mbega ukwizera! Uriya ni we navuga ko ari intwari mu bihereranye no kwizera pe!’ ”

Yehova yarabibutse

Muri Gicurasi 1945, abo mu ishyaka rya Nazi baratsinzwe birukanwa mu Buholandi. N’ubwo ibitotezo bitigeze bicogora mu gihe cy’intambara, umubare w’Abahamya ba Yehova wariyongereye uva ku magana make ugera ku bihumbi 2.000 bisaga. Mu kuvuga ibihereranye n’Abahamya bo mu gihe cy’intambara, umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Dr. de Jong yagize ati “benshi cyane muri bo banze kwihakana ukwizera kwabo, n’ubwo bashyirwagaho iterabwoba kandi bakababazwa urubozo.”

Ku bw’ibyo rero, hari impamvu yumvikana yatumye abategetsi b’isi bamwe na bamwe bibuka Abahamya ba Yehova ku bwo kuba bararanzwe n’ubutwari ubwo bari bahanganye n’ubutegetsi bwa Nazi. Icy’ingenzi kurushaho ariko, imyifatire yo mu rwego rwo hejuru y’abo Bahamya bo mu gihe cy’intambara izibukwa na Yehova hamwe na Yesu (Abaheburayo 6:10). Mu gihe cy’Ubutegetsi bw’Imyaka Igihumbi bwa Yesu Kristo bwegereje, abo Bahamya bizerwa kandi badatinya batakarije ubuzima bwabo mu murimo w’Imana, bazazurwa bave mu mva bafite ibyiringiro byo kubona ubuzima bw’iteka mu isi izaba yahindutse paradizo!—Yohana 5:28, 29.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 24]

Jacob van Bennekom

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 26]

Ikinyamakuru cyasohotsemo iteka ryabuzanyaga umurimo w’Abahamya ba Yehova

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 27]

Iburyo: Bernard Luimes; ahagana hasi: Albertus Bos (ibumoso) na Antonie Rehmeijer; hasi: Ibiro bya Sosayiti byo muri Heemstede