Indaba Yokuphila

“Yeka Ukholo Olungayikufekela”!

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUHERBERT MÜLLER

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa ibutho likaHitler lingené eNetherlands, oFakazi BakaJehova bavinjelwa. Kungakabiphi, igama lami lase lisohlwini lwabantu abafunwa kakhulu ngamaNazi, ngizingelwa njengesilwane.

NGESINYE isikhathi ngangikhathele ukubaleka nokucasha kangangokuthi ngatshela umkami ukuthi ngingaphumula uma ibutho lempi lingase lingibambe. Ngabe sengikhumbula amagama engoma ethile: “Yeka ukholo olungayikufekela, naphezu kokuvinjezelwa yizitha zonke.” * Ukucabanga ngaleyo ngoma kwanginika amandla kwangikhumbuza nabazali bami eJalimane nosuku mhla abangane bami bengiculela le ngoma bengivalelisa. Ngingakuxoxela ezinye zalezi zinto engizikhumbulayo?

Isibonelo Sabazali Bami

Lapho ngizalwa ngo-1913 edolobhaneni laseCopitz eJalimane, abazali bami babengamalungu eSonto LabaVangeli. * Ngemva kweminyaka eyisikhombisa, ngo-1920, ubaba washiya esontweni. Ngo-April 6, wacela i-Kirchenaustrittsbescheinigung (ISaziso Sokusula Esontweni). Umabhalane wedolobha wamgcwalisela yona. Nokho, ngemva kwesonto ubaba waphindela kuleli hhovisi eyochaza ukuthi igama lendodakazi yakhe lalingafakwanga esazisweni. Umabhalane wagcwalisa incwadi yesibili eyayithi isaziso sokusula esontweni sasisebenza nakuMartha Margaretha Müller. Ngaleso sikhathi, uMargaretha, udadewethu, wayenonyaka nengxenye ubudala. Uma kuziwa ekukhonzeni uJehova, ubaba wayengakwamukeli ukukhekheleza!

 Ngawo lowo nyaka, abazali bami babhapathizwa abaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ubaba wasikhulisa ngesandla esiqinile thina zingane, kodwa ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova benza kwaba lula ukuba samukele isiqondiso sakhe. Ubuqotho bashukumisela abazali bami futhi ukuba benze ukulungisa. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunesikhathi lapho sasingavunyelwe ukuyodlala phandle ngeSonto. Nokho, ngelinye iSonto ngo-1925, abazali bethu basitshela ukuthi sizophuma sishaywe umoya. Saphatha ukudla okululana futhi saba nesikhathi esimnandi—yeka ushintsho okwakuyilo ekuvalelweni endlini usuku lonke! Ubaba wathi wayethole amaphuzu athile emhlanganweni owawusanda kudlula ayelungise umbono wakhe mayelana nezinto ezingase zenziwe ngeSonto. Nangezinye izikhathi wayebonisa ukuzimisela okufanayo ukulungisa umbono wakhe.

Nakuba impilo yabazali bami yayingeyinhle, babengazigodli emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuze sisakaze ipheshana elithi Abefundisi Bamangalelwe, sagibela isitimela nebandla kusihlwa ngolunye usuku saya edolobhaneni laseRegensburg, eliqhelelene neDresden ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-300. Ngakusasa, sasakaza amapheshana kulo lonke leli dolobhana, sase sigibela isitimela siphindela emuva lapho sesiqedile. Lapho sifika ekhaya kwase kuphele amahora acishe abe ngu-24 sihambile.

Ukuhamba Ekhaya

Ukuzihlanganisa kwami ne-Jugendgruppe (IQembu Lentsha) ebandleni lethu nakho kwangisiza ukuba ngikhule ngokomoya. Isonto ngalinye, intsha eneminyaka engaphezu kuka-14 ubudala yayihlangana nabanye abazalwane asebekhulile basebandleni. Sasidlala, sicule, sitadishe iBhayibheli futhi sixoxe ngendalo nesayensi. Nokho, ngo-1932, lapho ngineminyaka engu-19 ubudala, ngayeka ukuba naleli qembu.

Ngo-April walowo nyaka, ubaba wathola incwadi evela ehhovisi le-Watch Tower Society eMagdeburg. INhlangano yayifuna umuntu okwazi ukushayela futhi ofuna ukuphayona. Ngangazi ukuthi abazali bami babefisa ukuba ngiphayone, kodwa nganginomuzwa wokuthi ngeke ngikwazi. Njengoba abazali bami babempofu, lapho ngineminyaka engu-14 ubudala ngangiqalé ukulungisa amabhayisekili nemishini yokuthunga neyokuthayipha nezinye izinto zasehhovisi. Ngangingawushiya kanjani umkhaya wakithi! Wawungidinga ukuba ngiwusekele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngangingakabhapathizwa nokubhapathizwa. Ubaba wahlala phansi nami wangibuza imibuzo ethile ukuze abone ukuthi ngiyakuqonda yini okuhilelekile obhapathizweni. Lapho izimpendulo zami zimkholisa ukuthi ngase ngithuthuke ngokwanele ngokomoya ukuba ngibhaphathizwe, wathi: “Kufanele usithathe lesi sabelo.” Ngasithatha.

Ngemva kwesonto ngamenyelwa eMagdeburg. Lapho ngitshela abangane bami eQenjini Lentsha, bafuna ukungivalelisa ngengoma yokwenama. Yabamangaza ingoma engayikhetha ngoba babeyibheka njengejulile impela. Nokho, abanye bathatha ama-violin, ama-mandolin nezigingci zabo base becula bonke: “Yeka ukholo olungayikufekela, naphezu kokuvinjezelwa yizitha zonke; olungayikuvevezela onqenqemeni  losizi lwasemhlabeni.” Ngalolo suku, ngangingazi ukuthi lawo mazwi ayezongiqinisa kaningi kanjani eminyakeni eyayiseza.

Isiqalo Esineziyaluyalu

Ngemva kokuba abazalwane baseMagdeburg behlole indlela engishayela ngayo, basinika imoto mina namaphayona amane, sabhekisa amabombo eSchneifel, okuyindawo engaseBelgium. Saqaphela ngokushesha ukuthi imoto yethu yayidingeka ngempela. ISonto LamaKatolika kuleyo ndawo lalingakwenameli ukuba khona kwethu, futhi abantu bedolobhana ababegqugquzelwa abefundisi, babevame ukuhlala belindele ukusixosha. Kaningi imoto yasisiza ukuba sisinde ngokulambisa emagejeni nasezimfolokweni zabo.

Ngemva kweSikhumbuzo sango-1933, umbonisi wesifunda, uPaul Grossmann, wasitshela ukuthi umsebenzi weNhlangano wawusuvinjelwe eJalimane. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ihhovisi legatsha langicela ukuba ngize nemoto eMagdeburg, ngizothatha izincwadi, ngiziyise esifundeni saseSaxony, esiqhelelene neMagdeburg ngamakhilomitha angaba yikhulu. Nokho, ngathi ngiqambe ngifika eMagdeburg, amaGestapo (amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi amaNazi) ayeselivalile ihhovisi leNhlangano. Ngashiya imoto kumzalwane othile eLeipzig ngaphindela ekhaya—kodwa akubanga yisikhathi eside.

Ihhovisi leNhlangano laseSwitzerland langimema ukuba ngiyoqala ukuphayona eNetherlands. Ngangizimisele ukuhamba ngemva kwesonto noma amabili. Nokho, ubaba wangicebisa ukuba ngihambe ngaso leso sikhathi. Ngalithatha icebiso lakhe, ngahamba ekhaya ngemva kwamahora ambalwa. Ngakusasa, kwafika amaphoyisa ekhaya ezongibophela ukulaxaza izwe lakithi. Ayesindwe yizinyawo.

Ukuqala Ukuphayona ENetherlands

Ngo-August 15, 1933, ngafika emzini wamaphayona eHeemstede, idolobhana eliqhelelene ne-Amsterdam ngamakhilomitha angu-25. Ngakusasa, ngaphuma ngayoshumayela ngingazi negama elilodwa lesiDashi. Ngihlome ngekhadi lokufakaza, elalinentshumayelo enyathelisiwe, ngaqala. Ngakhuthazeka kakhulu lapho owesifazane othile ongumKatolika ethatha incwadi ethi Reconciliation! Ngalo lolo suku, ngahambisa nezincwajana ezingu-27. Ekupheleni kwalolo suku lokuqala, ngangijabule ngifile ukukwazi ukuphinde ngishumayele ngenkululeko.

Ngalezo zinsuku, amaphayona ayengatholi mali ngaphandle kweminikelo ayeyithola ngokuhambisa izincwadi. Leyo mali yayisetshenziselwa ukuthenga ukudla nezinye izidingo. Uma kuba nemadlana esele ekupheleni kwenyanga, yayihlukaniselwa amaphayona ukuze ahlangabezane nezindleko zawo. Sasinobala ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, kodwa uJehova wayesinakekela kahle kangangokuthi ngo-1934 ngakwazi ukuya emhlanganweni waseSwitzerland.

Umngane Othembekile

Emhlanganweni ngabona u-Erika Finke owayeneminyaka engu-18 ubudala. Ngangimazi ngisahlala ekhaya. Wayengumngane kadadewethu, uMargaretha, futhi yayilokhu ingihlaba umxhwele indlela u-Erika ayelimelela ngokuqinile ngayo iqiniso. Lapho esanda kubhapathizwa ngo-1932, othile watshela amaGestapo ukuthi u-Erika wayenqabile ukuthi “Heil Hitler!” AmaGestapo ambamba afuna ukwazi ukuthi wayenqabeleni. U-Erika wafundela isikhulu esiteshini samaphoyisa izEnzo 17:3 wayesechaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubeke umuntu oyedwa kuphela ukuba abe uMsindisi, uJesu Kristu. “Bakhona abanye abakholelwa njengawe?” kubuza lesi sikhulu. U-Erika wenqaba ukubiza amagama abanye. Lapho iphoyisa lisongela  ukumvalela, u-Erika walitshela ukuthi angamane afe kunokuba alinike amagama. Lamgqolozela lase limkhakhabisa: “Phuma. Hamba kini. Heil Hitler!”

Ngemva komhlangano, ngabuyela eNetherlands kuyilapho u-Erika ayesele eSwitzerland. Nokho, sobabili sasizwa ukuthi ubuhlobo bethu base bukhulile. NgiseseSwitzerland, u-Erika wezwa ukuthi emuva le ekhaya amaGestapo ayemfuna. Wanquma ukuhlala eSwitzerland aphayone khona. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa iNhlangano yamcela ukuba aye eSpain. Waphayona eMadrid, eBilbao naseSan Sebastián kamuva, lapho ushushiso olwalugqugquzelwa abefundisi lwabafaka khona ejele yena nayephayona naye. Ngo-1935 baxoshwa eSpain. U-Erika weza eNetherlands, futhi sashada ngalowo nyaka.

Ukuhloma Kwempi

Ngemva kokushada saphayona eHeemstede, kamuva sathuthela edolobheni laseRotterdam. Indodana yethu, uWolfgang, yazalelwa lapho ngo-1937. Ngemva konyaka sathuthela edolobheni laseGroningen, enyakatho yeNetherlands, lapho sasihlala khona namaphayona angamaJalimane uFerdinand noHelga Holtorf nendodakazi yabo. Ngo-July 1938 iNhlangano yasitshela ukuthi uhulumeni waseNetherlands wawukhiphe isixwayiso esithi oFakazi abayizakhamuzi zaseJalimane babengasavunyelwe ukushumayela. Cishe ngaso leso sikhathi, ngamiswa njengenceku yesifunda (umbonisi wesifunda), futhi umkhaya wami wathuthela kuyi-Lichtdrager (uMphathi Wokukhanya), okwakuwumkhumbi weNhlangano owawuhlala amaphayona ayeshumayela enyakatho yeNetherlands. Isikhathi esiningi ngangiwushiya umkhaya wami, ngivakashele amabandla ngamabandla ngebhayisekili ngikhuthaza abafowethu ukuba baqhubeke beshumayela. Futhi abafowethu bakwenza lokho. Abanye baze bakhuphula nezinga lenkonzo yabo. UWim Kettelarij wayeyisibonelo esihle.

Lapho ngihlangana noWim, wayeyinsizwa eyayilibona iqiniso kodwa imatasa kakhulu emsebenzini wokusiza epulazini. “Uma ufuna ukuba nesikhathi sokukhonza uJehova,” ngimcebisa, “kufanele uthole umsebenzi ohlukile.” Wawuthola. Kamuva, lapho siphinda sibonana, ngamkhuthaza ukuba aphayone. “Kodwa kudingeka ngisebenze ukuze ngidle,” ephendula. Ngamqinisekisa: “Uzodla. UJehova uzokunakekela.” UWim waqala ukuphayona. Kamuva, ngisho naphakathi neMpi Yezwe II, wakhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Namuhla, njengoba esevile eminyakeni engu-80 ubudala, uWim usalokho enguFakazi oshisekayo. UJehova wamnakekela ngempela.

Sasivinjelwe Futhi Ngifunwa

Ngo-May 1940, cishe sekuphele unyaka kuzelwe umntwana wethu wesibili, uReina, ibutho lamaDashi lacela umaluju, iNetherlands yathathwa amaNazi. Ngo-July iGestapo yathatha amahhovisi eNhlangano nendawo yokunyathelisa. Ngonyaka olandelayo, kwaboshwa oFakazi abaningi, nami ngabanjwa. Njengoba nganginguFakazi futhi ngingumJalimane oseminyakeni yobudala yokubuthelwa empini, kwakusobala ukuthi amaGestapo ayezongenzani. Ngazama ukuxolisa umoya ngokuthi ngangingeke ngiphinde ngiwubone umkhaya wami.

Kwabe sekuthi ngo-May 1941, amaGestapo angidedela ejele angiyala ukuba ngiyobhalisela inkonzo yempi. Angikholwanga. Ngalo lolo suku ngaphela emehlweni, ngabuyela ngaleyo nyanga emsebenzini wesifunda. AmaGestapo angifaka ohlwini lwawo lwabantu abafunwa kakhulu.

 Indlela Umkhaya Wami Owabhekana Ngayo Nesimo

Umkami nezingane zami babethuthele edolobhaneni laseVorden engxenyeni esempumalanga yeNetherlands. Nokho, ukuze bangabi sengozini kwakudingeka ngizinciphise kakhulu izikhathi zokuvakasha ekhaya. (Mathewu 10:16) Ngenxa yokuphepha, abazalwane babengalisebenzisi igama lami langempela, babesebenzisa igama-mbumbulu elithi Duitse Jan (MJaliman’ uJohn). Ngisho nendodana yami eneminyaka emine ubudala, uWolfgang, yayingavunyelwe ukukhuluma ngo-“baba,” kwakudingeka ithi u-“Ome Jan [uMalum’ uJohn].” Kwakunzima kakhulu kuyo lokhu ngokomzwelo.

Lapho ngisabaleka, u-Erika wayenakekela izingane futhi eqhubeka nokushumayela. Lapho uReina eneminyaka emibili ubudala, u-Erika wayembeka kubhasikidi wezimpahla webhayisekili ahambe naye lapho eyoshumayela emaphandleni. Nakuba kwakunzima ukuthola ukudla, u-Erika akazange nanini akuswele ngokuphelele ukudla komkhaya. (Mathewu 6:33) Umlimi ongumKatolika, engangike ngamlungisela umshini wokuthunga, wayemupha amazambane. Wayengidlulisela nemiyalezo eya ku-Erika. Ngelinye ilanga, u-Erika wakhokha i-gulden elilodwa (amaRandi amathathu) ethenga okuthile ekhemisi. Umnini-sitolo, owayazi ukuthi u-Erika wayebhacile futhi engenakuthola amakhadi okwabelwa ukudla, wamnika lokho ayekuthenga kanye nama-gulden amabili (amaRandi ayisithupha). Ukubonakaliswa okunjalo kozwela kwamsiza ukuba aphile.—Heberu 13:5.

Ukubambisana Nabazalwane Abanesibindi

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngaqhubeka ngihambela amabandla—nakuba ngangixhumana kuphela nabazalwane abanomthwalo wemfanelo emabandleni. Ngenxa yokuthi amaGestapo ayehlale esezithendeni zami, ngangingahlali endaweni eyodwa isikhathi esingaphezu kwamahora ambalwa. Iningi labazalwane nodade lalingavunyelwe ukubonana nami. Lalazi kuphela oFakazi abaseqenjini labo elincane elifunda iBhayibheli. Ngenxa yalokho, odade ababili abayizelamani ababehlala ezindaweni ezihlukene edolobheni elilodwa baze bathola ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II ukuthi bobabili babebe ngoFakazi phakathi nempi.

 Ukuthola izindawo zokufihla izincwadi zeNhlangano kwakungomunye wemisebenzi yami. Sasifihla nephepha, imishini yokugxiviza neyokuthayipha yokwenza amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda, uma kwenzeka edingeka. Ngezinye izikhathi, kwakudingeka sithuthe izincwadi ezinyatheliswe yiNhlangano sizisuse endaweni ezifihlwe kuyo siziyise kwenye. Ngikhumbula ngesinye isikhathi ngithutha amabhokisi angu-30 agcwele izincwadi ngibe ngizama ukungazidonseli amehlo abantu—kwakuwumsebenzi osiphuzelisa unwele!

Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasihlela ukuhanjiswa kokudla kusuka emapulazini asempumalanga yeNetherlands kuya emadolobheni asentshonalanga, yize lokhu kwakwenqatshelwe. Sasigcwalisa ukudla enqoleni edonswa amahhashi silibangise entshonalanga. Lapho sifika emfuleni, sasingawasebenzisi amabhuloho ngoba ayeqashwe amasosha. Kunalokho, sasigcwalisa izimpahla ezikejaneni, siziwelise umfula, bese sizilayisha kwenye inqola. Lapho sifika edolobheni esasilibangise kulo, sasilinda kuze kuhwalale, sifake amasokisi ezinselweni zamahhashi, bese sinyenya siya edepho yokudla yebandla eyimfihlo. Ukusuka lapho, ukudla kwakwabelwa abazalwane abaswele.

Uma ibutho lamaJalimane lalingase lithole idepho yokudla enjalo, kwakungafa umuntu. Nokho, abazalwane abaningana bazinikela ukuze basize. Ngokwesibonelo, umkhaya wakwaBloemink edolobhaneni lase-Amersfoort wavuma ukuba elinye lamakamelo endlu yawo lisetshenziselwe ukugcina ukudla, yize umuzi wawo wawuseduze nekamu lebutho lamaJalimane! OFakazi abanesibindi njengalaba babeka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa yabazalwane babo.

UJehova wasiza umkami ukuba ahlale ethembekile kuyo yonke iminyaka yokuvinjelwa. Ngo-May 1945 ibutho lamaJalimane lanqotshwa, futhi ngayeka ukuphila ngokubaleka. INhlangano yangicela ukuba ngiqhubeke ngikhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo kuze kube yilapho kutholakala abanye abazalwane. Ngo-1947, uBertus van der Bijl waqhubeka nomsebenzi wami. * Ngaleso sikhathi, kwase kuzelwe umntwana wethu wesithathu, futhi sazinza engxenyeni esempumalanga yeNetherlands.

Usizi Nenjabulo

Ngemva kwempi, ngathola ukuthi ngemva konyaka ngihambile ekhaya ngaya eNetherlands, ubaba waboshwa. Wadedelwa kabili ngenxa yempilo engeyinhle, kodwa isikhathi ngasinye wayephinda aboshwe. Ngo-February ka-1938, wathunyelwa ekamu lokuhlushwa laseBuchenwald wayesethunyelwa eDachau. Ubaba washonela lapho ngo-May 14, 1942. Waqhubeka egxilile futhi ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekugcineni.

Umama naye wathunyelwa ekamu laseDachau. Wahlala khona waze wadedelwa ngo-1945. Njengoba isibonelo esinamandla sabo bobabili abazali bami saba nengxenye enkulu ezibusisweni ezingokomoya engiye ngazijabulela, kwaba yilungelo ukuba umama azohlala nathi ngo-1954. Udadewethu uMargaretha—owayephayona eMpumalanga Jalimane yobuKhomanisi kusukela ngo-1945—weza naye. Nakuba umama ayegula futhi engakwazi ukukhuluma isiDashi, waqhubeka ehlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini waze waphetha inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ethembekile ngo-October 1957.

Umhlangano wango-1955 eNuremberg, eJalimane, wawukhethekile. Ngemva kokuba sifikile khona, abazalwane baseDresden batshela u-Erika ukuthi umkhwekazi wami wayekhona naye emhlanganweni. Njengoba ngaleso sikhathi iDresden yayibuswa yiMpumalanga Jalimane, kwase kuphele iminyaka engu-21 u-Erika nonina bengabonani. Kwahlelwa ukuba bahlangane, futhi umama nendodakazi bangana. Yeka indlela abakujabulela ngayo ukuphinde babonane!

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umkhaya wethu wanda saba nezingane ezingu-8. Ngokudabukisayo, enye yamadodana ethu yashona engozini yemoto. Nokho, ukubona zonke ezinye izingane zethu ezisele zikhonza uJehova kujabulisa kakhulu. Siyajabula ngokuthi indodana yethu uWolfgang nomkayo basemsebenzini wesifunda nangokuthi nendodana yabo ikhonza njengombonisi wesifunda.

Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ngiye ngazibonela ukuthuthuka komsebenzi kaJehova eNetherlands. Lapho ngiqala ukuphayona lapha ngo-1933, kwakunoFakazi abangaba yikhulu. Namuhla bangaphezu kuka-30 000. Nakuba amandla ethu angokomzimba esencipha, mina no-Erika sisazimisele ukuphila ngokuvumelana namazwi aleya ngoma yakudaló: “Yeka ukholo olungayikufekela.”

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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I-“Jugendgruppe” isekhefwini ngemva kwenkonzo yasensimini

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Thina namaphayona esasikanye nawo sahlanganisa insimu yaseScheifel. Ngangineminyaka engu-20 ubudala

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Ngino-Erika noWolfgang ngo-1940

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Ukusuka kwesokunxele kuya kwesokudla: Umzukulu wami uJonathan nomkakhe, uMirjam; u-Erika, yimina, indodana yami uWolfgang nomkayo, uJulia

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Umzalwane owayeboshwe nobaba wadweba lesi sithombe sakhe ngo-1941