Ibali Lobomi

Ukuphuma Kwizisele Ezimnyama Ukuya Kwiintaba Ezintle ZaseSwitzerland

KUBALISA ULOTHAR WALTHER

Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emithathu neyayingathi ayipheli kwizisele ezimnyama kwiintolongo zamaKomanisi eMpuma Jamani, ndandikhangele phambili ngolangazelelo kwinkululeko nolwalamano olusenyongweni kunye nentsapho yam.

NDANDINGALINDELANGA ukubona unyana wam oneminyaka emithandathu ubudala, uJohannes, edidekile. Wayengazange ambone uyise kangangeminyaka emithathu. Ndandingumntu wasemzini kuye.

Ngokungafaniyo nonyana wam, mna ndikhulele kwikhaya elinothando eChemnitz, eJamani, apho ndazalelwa khona ngowe-1928. Utata wayethetha ngokuphandle ngokungaluthandi kwakhe unqulo. Wayekhumbula ukuba ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I, ngoDisemba 25 amajoni “angamaKristu” akwicala ngalinye ayewanqwenelela iKrismesi emnandi amanye, andule ke ngosuku olulandelayo aqhubeke ebulalana. Kuye, unqulo lwalulolona luhanahaniso lubalaseleyo.

Ukuba Nokholo Emva Kodano

Okuvuyisayo kukuba, andizange ndidane ngaloo ndlela. IMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaphela xa ndandineminyaka eli-17 ubudala, yaye ndasinda cebetshu ukuba ndisiwe emkhosini. Sekunjalo, ndandisoloko ndikhathazwa yimibuzo enjengethi ‘Kutheni kubulalwana kangaka? Ngubani endinokumthemba? Ndinokulufumana phi unqabiseko lokwenene?’ IMpuma Jamani, apho sasihlala khona, yalawulwa ngamaSoviet. Iingcamango zobuKomanisi zokuba kubekho okusesikweni, kulinganwe, kumanyanwe kuze kubekho ulwalamano olunoxolo zazibangel’ umdla kwabo babekruqulwe yimfazwe. Kungekudala uninzi lwaba bantu lwaluza kudana gqitha—ngesi sihlandlo, bengadaniswa  lunqulo, kodwa zezobupolitika.

Kwakusebudeni bokufuna kwam iimpendulo ezanelisayo xa umakazi, ongomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, wandixelela ngeenkolelo zakhe. Wandinika incwadi esekelwe eBhayibhileni eyandenza ukuba ndifunde—okwesihlandlo sokuqala—sonke isahluko sikaMateyu 24. Ndachukunyiswa yingcaciso esengqiqweni neyinyaniso endayifumana kule ncwadi, eyayichaza imihla yethu ‘njengesiphelo senkqubo yezinto’ kunye noyena nobangela weengxaki zabantu.—Mateyu 24:3; ISityhilelo 12:9.

Kungekudala ndafumana iimpapasho ezingakumbi zamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye njengoko ndandizifunda ngolangazelelo, ndaqonda ukuba ndiyifumene inyaniso ekudala ndiyifuna ngokunyaniseka. Kwakuvuyisa ukufunda ukuba uYesu Kristu wabekwa etroneni ezulwini ngowe-1914, nokuba kungekudala uza kushenxisa abantu abangahloneli Thixo ukuze azise iintsikelelo kubantu abathobelayo. Enye into enkulu endayifumanisayo, kukuyiqonda ngokucacileyo intlawulelo. Oku kwandinceda ndathandaza kuYehova uThixo ngokunyanisekileyo, ndimcela ukuba andixolele. Ndachukunyiswa gqitha sisimemo sobubele esifumaneka kuYakobi 4:8 esithi: “Sondelani kuThixo, naye uya kusondela kuni.”

Nangona ndandingakwazi ukuzibamba lihlombe ngenxa yezi nkolelo zam zintsha ndizifumeneyo, abazali bam nodadewethu ekuqaleni babethandabuza ukukwamkela oko ndandibaxelela kona. Noko ke, oku akuzange kuwuthothise umnqweno wam wokuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu ezaziqhutywa liqela elincinane lamaNgqina kufuphi naseChemnitz. Okwandimangalisayo kukuba, abazali bam nodadewethu bahamba nam ukuya kwintlanganiso yokuqala endaya kuyo! Oko kwenzeka kubusika bowe-1945/46. Kamva, xa kwamiselwa iqela lesifundo seBhayibhile eHarthau, apho sasihlala khona, intsapho yakowethu yaqalisa ukuya rhoqo.

“Ndiyinkwenkwe Nje”

Ukufunda iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo zeBhayibhile nokunxulumana rhoqo nabantu bakaYehova kwandikhokelela ekubeni ndizahlulele kuYehova, yaye ndabhaptizwa ngoMeyi 25, 1946. Ndavuya gqitha xa amalungu entsapho yakowethu nawo enza inkqubela ngokomoya, yaye ekugqibeleni omathathu aba ngamaNgqina athembekileyo. Udadewethu uselilungu elikhutheleyo lelinye lamabandla aseChemnitz. Umama notata bakhonza ngokunyaniseka de bafa ngowe-1965 nangowe-1986 ngokulandelelana kwabo.

Emva kweenyanga ezintandathu ndibhaptiziwe, ndaba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo. Esi yayisisiqalo senkonzo yobomi bam bonke “ngexesha elilungileyo nangexesha lenkathazo.” (2 Timoti 4:2) Kungekudala kwavela amathuba enkonzo amatsha. Kwakufuneka abavangeli bexesha elizeleyo kwindawo ekwanti empuma Jamani. Mna nomnye umzalwana senza isicelo sokuya kwesi sabelo, kodwa ndavakalelwa kukuba ndandingenamava yaye ndingaqolanga ukuba ndamkele imbopheleleko engako. Ekubeni ndandineminyaka eli-18 kuphela ubudala, ndavakalelwa ngendlela efanayo noYeremiya  owathi: “Awu, . . . Yehova! Yabona, okunene andikwazi kuthetha, kuba ndiyinkwenkwe nje.” (Yeremiya 1:6) Nangona ndandinamathandabuzo, abazalwana abaneembopheleleko ngobubele bagqiba kwelokuba basicele ukuba sizame ukuya kukhonza kwesi sabelo. Ngenxa yoko, sathunyelwa eBelzig, idolophana ekwilizwana laseBrandenburg.

Kwakunzima gqitha ukushumayela kuloo ntsimi, kodwa yandinika uqeqesho oluhle. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, amabhinqa aliqela angoosomashishini abaziwayo asamkela isigidimi soBukumkani aza aba ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Noko ke, ngoku iinkolelo zawo zazichasene namasiko nezithethe ezinzulu zaloo lali incinane. Abefundisi bamaKatolika namaProtestanti basichasa ngokukrakra baza basibeka amabala ngomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kodwa ekubeni sasithembele kukhokelo nakwinkuselo kaYehova, sakwazi ukunceda abantu abaninzi abanomdla ukuba bamkele inyaniso.

Kuvuka Inkcaso

Ngowe-1948 ndafumana iintsikelelo neengxaki endandingazilindelanga. Okokuqala, ndafumana isabelo sobuvulindlela eRudolstadt, eThuringia. Apho ndaye ndaqhelana nabazalwana noodade abaninzi abathembekileyo, yaye ndandikuvuyela ukuba kunye nabo. Enye intsikelelo engathethekiyo ndayifumana ngoJulayi waloo nyaka. Ndatshata noErika Ullmann, ibhinqa eliselula elingumKristu elithembekileyo nelinenzondelelo endamazi ukususela ngexesha endaqalisa ukuya ngalo kwiintlanganiso kwiBandla laseChemnitz. Saqalisa inkonzo yobuvulindlela sobabini eHarthau, idolophu yasekhaya. Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, uErika akazange akwazi ukuqhubeka ekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ngenxa yokugula nangenxa yezinye izizathu.

Lawo yayingamaxesha anzima kubantu bakaYehova. ISebe Labasebenzi eChemnitz alizange livume ukuba ndisebenzise ikhadi lam lokuthenga ukutya lizama ukundinyanzela ukuba ndiyeke umsebenzi wokushumayela ndize ndifumane umsebenzi wempangelo osisigxina. Abazalwana abaneembopheleleko basebenzisa eli thuba ukucela uRhulumente asamkele ngokusemthethweni. Esi sicelo sakhatywa, yaye ngoJuni 23, 1950, ndagwetyelwa ukuba ndihlawule isixa esithile semali okanye ndichithe iintsuku ezingama-30 entolongweni. Sabhena, kodwa inkundla ephakamileyo yasikhaba eso sibheno yaye ndathunyelwa entolongweni.

Oko kwakusisiqalo nje senkcaso nobunzima obuzayo. Kungaphelanga nenyanga kamva, ngoSeptemba 1950, emva kokuseka iphulo lokusinyelisa kumajelo eendaba, ulawulo lobuKomanisi lawuvala umsebenzi wethu. Ngenxa yokwanda ngokukhawuleza nokungathabathi kwethu icala kwezobupolitika, kwathiwa siziimpimpi zamazwe aseNtshona, yaye “sikumzabalazo” ntonje sisithele ngonqulo. Ngosuku kanye owavalwa ngalo umsebenzi wethu, umfazi wam wabeleka unyana wethu, uJohannes, ekhaya ngoxa ndandisentolongweni. Nangona umbelekisi wayengavumi, amagosa eState Security anyanzelisa engena endlwini yethu aza agqogqa efuna into enokuba bubungqina kwizityholo zawo. Kakade ke, akazange afumane nto. Sekunjalo, kamva aphumelela ekuthumeleni impimpi ebandleni lethu. Oku kwaphumela ekubeni ngo-Oktobha 1953, kubanjwe bonke abazalwana abaneembopheleleko, kuquka nam.

Kwizisele Ezimnyama

Emva kokubanjwa nokufumana isigwebo esisusela kwiminyaka emithathu ukusa kwemithandathu, saba kunye neqela labazalwana bethu kwizisele ezimnyama nezimdaka zaseOsterstein  Castle, eZwickau. Phezu kwabo nje obo bugxwayiba balapho, kwakuvuyisa gqitha ukuba kunye nabazalwana abaqolileyo. Ukungabi nankululeko kwethu kwakungathethi ukuba sasingenakutya kokomoya. Nangona urhulumente wayesicekisa yaye esivale umlomo, IMboniselo yayithutyeleziswa entolongweni de siyifumane kwizisele zethu! Njani?

Abanye babazalwana bethu babesebenza kwimigodi yamalahle, apho babedibana khona namaNgqina awayengabanjwanga awayebanika amaphephancwadi. Babesandula ke aba bazalwana bawangenise amaphephancwadi ngokufihlakeleyo entolongweni baze ngobulumko basidlulisele sonke oku kutya kokomoya kufuneka ngokwenene. Kwandivuyisa gqitha yaye kwandikhuthaza ukubona indlela uYehova asinyamekela nasikhokela ngayo!

Ekupheleni kowe-1954, sathunyelwa kwintolongo edume kakubi eTorgau. AmaNgqina awayelapho akuvuyela ukuba kunye nathi. De kube ngoko, ahlala eqinile ngokomoya ngokucengceleza izinto anokuzikhumbula kwiinkupho ezindala zeMboniselo. Hayi indlela ayekulangazelela ngayo ukufumana ukutya kokomoya okutsha! Ngoku sasiziva sinyanzelekile ukuba siwaxelele iingongoma ezibalulekileyo esiye sazifunda eZwickau. Kodwa sasiza kukwenza njani oko ekubeni sasiyalelwe ngokungqongqo ukuba singancokoli xa sihambahamba emini? Kaloku, abazalwana babesinike amacebiso amahle ngendlela yokwenza oku, yaye uYehova wayesikhusela ngesandla sakhe esomeleleyo. Oku kwasifundisa ukubaluleka kokufundisisa iBhayibhile ngenkuthalo nokucamngca ngoxa sisenenkululeko nethuba lokwenjenjalo.

Ixesha Lokwenza Izigqibo Ezibalulekileyo

Ngoncedo lukaYehova, sahlala siqinile. Samangaliswa gqitha, xa uninzi lwethu lwaxolelwa ekupheleni kowe-1956. Ndiswele amazwi okuchaza indlela esavuya ngayo xa sakhululwa entolongweni! Ngelo xesha, unyana wam wayeneminyaka emithandathu ubudala, yaye ndandivuye gqitha ukuba kunye nomfazi wam nokukhulisa kunye umntwana wethu. Okwexeshana uJohannes wayendithabatha njengomntu wasemzini, kodwa kungekudala sakha ulwalamano olusenyongweni.

AmaNgqina kaYehova eMpuma Jamani ayejamelene nexesha elinzima gqitha. Ukwanda kwentiyo kubulungiseleli bethu bamaKristu nokungathabathi cala kwethu kwezobupolitika kwakuthetha ukuba sasiza kusoloko sisongelwa—ubomi bethu babuza kuhlala busengozini, sixhalabile yaye sidakumbile. Ngenxa yoko, mna noErika kwafuneka sihlolisise imeko yethu ngenyameko nangomthandazo, yaye savakalelwa kukuba kufuneka sifuduke ukuze sihlale kwindawo ebhetele kunale ukuze singasoloko sisexhaleni. Sasifuna ukuba nenkululeko yokukhonza uYehova nokuba nosukelo lwezinto zokomoya.

Ngentwasahlobo yowe-1957, safumana ithuba lokufudukela eStuttgart, eNtshona Jamani. Umsebenzi wobuvangeli wawungekavalwa apho, yaye sasikwazi ukunxulumana ngokukhululekileyo nabazalwana bethu. Indlela ababesixhasa ngayo ayithetheki. Sachitha iminyaka esixhenxe nebandla laseHedelfingen. Ebudeni baloo minyaka, unyana wethu waqalisa isikolo waza wenza inkqubela enyanisweni. NgoSeptemba 1962, ndafumana ilungelo lokuya kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobukumkani eWiesbaden. Apho ndakhuthazwa ukuba ndifuduke nentsapho yam ndiye kukhonza apho kufuneka abafundisi beBhayibhile abathetha isiJamani. Oku kwakuquka imimandla ethile yaseJamani naseSwitzerland.

KwiiNtaba ZaseSwitzerland

Ngenxa yoko, ngowe-1963 safudukela eSwitzerland. Sathunyelwa ukuba sisebenze nebandla elincinane eBrunnen, kwiLake Lucerne entle, kumbindi weeNtaba zaseSwitzerland. Kwakungathi siseparadesi. Kwakufuneka siqhelane nesiJamani esithethwa eSwitzerland, indlela yalapho yokuphila nesimo sengqondo sabantu. Sekunjalo, sasikuthanda ukusebenza nokushumayela phakathi kwabantu abathanda uxolo. Sachitha iminyaka eli-14 eBrunnen. Unyana wethu wakhulela apho.

 Ngowe-1977, xa ndandineminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-50 ubudala, safumana isimemo sokuba siye kukhonza kwiBheteli yaseSwitzerland eThun. Oku sakugqala njengelungelo elikhethekileyo yaye sakwamkela ngoxabiso olukhulu. Mna nomfazi wam sachitha iminyaka esithoba kwinkonzo yaseBheteli, nto leyo esiyikhumbula njengelona thuba likhethekileyo kubomi bethu bobuKristu nasekukhuleni ngokomoya. Kwakhona sasikuthanda ukushumayela nabavakalisi basekuhlaleni eThun nakwimimandla ekufutshane, sisoloko sibona ‘imisebenzi emangalisayo’ kaYehova, kwiintaba ezinkulu zaseBern ezigqunywe likhephu.—INdumiso 9:1.

Ukufuduka Kwakhona

Ekuqaleni kowe-1986 safuduka kwakhona. Sacelwa ukuba sibe ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwintsimi enkulu gqitha yeBandla laseBuchs kwimpuma yeSwitzerland. Kwakhona, kwafuneka siqhelane nendlela eyahlukileyo yokuphila. Noko ke, siqhutywa ngumnqweno wethu wokukhonza uYehova naphi na apho sinokusetyenziswa khona, sasamkela esi sabelo yaye wasisikelela. Maxa wambi ndiye ndabambela umveleli ohambahambayo, ndityelela yaye ndisomeleza amabandla. Sele kudlule iminyaka eli-18, yaye siye safumana amava amaninzi avuyisayo ngenxa yokushumayela kulo mmandla. Ibandla laseBuchs liye lakhula, yaye sivuyela ukuhlanganisana kwiHolo yoBukumkani entle, enikezelwe kwiminyaka emihlanu edluleyo.

UYehova uye wasinyamekela gqitha. Siye sachitha eyona minyaka yethu emininzi kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, sekunjalo asizange saswela nto. Sinovuyo nolwaneliseko lokubona unyana wethu, umfazi wakhe nabantwana babo, neentsapho zabantwana babo, behamba ngokuthembeka kwindlela kaYehova.

Xa ndikhangela emva, ngokwenene ndivakalelwa kukuba, siye sakhonza uYehova “ngexesha elilungileyo nangexesha lenkathazo.” Imigudu yam yokuba kubulungiseleli bobuKristu iye yandikhupha kwizisele ezimnyama zeentolongo zamaKomanisi yandisa kwiintaba ezintle zaseSwitzerland. Mna nentsapho yam asizisoli nakancinane.

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 28]

“Amaxhoba Amaqela Amabini” Ama Eqinile Xa Etshutshiswa

Phantsi kweGerman Democratic Republic (GDR), ekwaziwa ngokuba yiMpuma Jamani, amaNgqina kaYehova ayephathwa gadalala. Iingxelo zibonisa ukuba amaNgqina angaphezu kwama-5 000 athunyelwa kwiinkampu ekusetyenzwa nzima kuzo nasezintolongweni ngenxa yobulungiseleli bawo bamaKristu nokungathabathi cala kwezobupolitika.—Isaya 2:4.

Amanye awo ayebizwa ngokuba “ngamaxhoba amaqela amabini.” Anokuba ngama-325 avalelwa kwiinkampu zoxinaniso zamaNazi nasezintolongweni. Kwandula ke, kwiminyaka yee-1950 azingelwa aze avalelwa entolongweni yiStasi, iState Security Service saseGDR. Kwanamanye amabanjwa asetyenziswa ngamaqela amabini—kuqala njengamabanjwa amaNazi aza emva koko aba ngamabanjwa eStasi.

Ebudeni beminyaka elishumi yokuqala yentshutshiso ekrakra, ukususela ngowe-1950 ukusa kowe-1961, amaNgqina angama-60—amadoda namabhinqa—afela entolongweni ngenxa yokuphathwa kakubi, ukungondleki, ukugula nokwaluphala. AmaNgqina ali-12 agwetyelwa ukuhlala ubomi bawo bonke entolongweni kwaza kamva sahliswa sayiminyaka eli-15 entolongweni.

Namhlanje, kwindawo eyayisakuba likomkhulu leStasi eBerlin, kukho imiboniso ebalaselisa iminyaka engama-40 yokutshutshiswa kwamaNgqina kaYehova ngokusemthethweni eMpuma Jamani. Iifoto neengxelo zabantu eziboniswa apho zinikela ubungqina benkalipho nokomelela ngokomoya kwala maNgqina awayethembekile ngoxa ayetshutshiswa.

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 24, 25]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

EAST GERMANY

Rudolstadt

Belzig

Torgau

Chemnitz

Zwickau

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

IOsterstein Castle, eZwickau

[Inkcazelo]

Fotosammlung des Stadtarchiv Zwickau, Deutschland

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ndikunye nomfazi wam, uErika