Indaba Yokuphila

Ukulwela Kwethu Ukuhlala Siqinile Ngokomoya

ILANDISWA UROLF BRÜGGEMEIER

Incwadi yokuqala engayithola ngemva kokuboshwa yayivela kumngane wami. Wayengitshela ukuthi umama nabafowethu abancane—uPeter, uJochen noManfred—nabo babeboshiwe. Odadewethu abancane ababili basala bodwa, bengekho abazali noma thina zingane zakubo. Iziphathimandla zaseMpumalanga Jalimane zaziwushushiselani umkhaya wakithi? Yini eyasisiza ukuba sihlale siqinile ngokomoya?

IMPI YEZWE II yakuqeda nya ukuthula esasinakho sisakhula; sazizwela unya lwempi. Ubaba wajoyina ibutho laseJalimane futhi wathunjwa ibutho lezitha, lambulala. Lokhu kwasho ukuthi umama, uBerta, kwakudingeka akhulise yedwa izingane eziyisithupha, eyokugcina inonyaka owodwa kanti endala inengu-16.

Isonto umama ayesonta kulo lamenza akangayithanda nhlobo inkolo, okwenza akangafuna kuzwa lutho ngoNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngolunye usuku ngo-1949, u-Ilse Fuchs, owesifazane onokuqonda futhi onomzimba omncane, wafika ekhaya ezokhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Imibuzo yakhe nendlela ayechaza ngayo izinto yenza umama waba nelukuluku lokwazi. Isifundo seBhayibheli sanikeza umama ithemba.

Nokho, thina bafana sasimathintanyawo ekuqaleni. AmaNazi ayesithembise izinto ezinkulu kabi, kamuva namaKhomanisi enza okufanayo, kodwa sagcina ngokudumazeka. Nakuba sase sisola noma iziphi izithembiso ezintsha, kwasihlaba umxhwele ukuzwa ukuthi kunoFakazi ababekade besemakamu okuhlushwa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukusekela impi. Ngonyaka owalandela, mina, umama noPeter sabhapathizwa.

Nomfowethu omncane uManfred wabhapathizwa kodwa kusobala ukuthi iqiniso leBhayibheli lalingagxilanga enhliziyweni yakhe. Lapho amaKhomanisi evimba umsebenzi wethu ngo-1950  futhi amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi—ama-Stasi adume kabi—emcindezela, wawatshela ukuthi sasiyiqhubela kuphi imihlangano. Yilokho okwaholela ekuboshweni kukamama nabanye abafowethu.

Ukukhonza Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa

Ngenxa yokuvinjelwa, kwakudingeka sizingenise ngomgunyathi izincwadi zeBhayibheli eMpumalanga Jalimane. Njengoba kwakuyimina engangiphathiswe ukunakekela izincwadi, ngangizilanda entshonalanga yeBerlin, lapho zazingavinjelwe khona, ngeqe nazo umngcele. Ngasinda ngokulambisa emaphoyiseni izikhathi eziningana, kodwa ngo-November 1950, ngaboshwa.

Ama-Stasi angifaka esitokisini esingaphansi esingenamafasitela. Ayengangivumeli ngilale emini, futhi ebusuku ngangiphenywa ngemibuzo, ngezinye izikhathi ngishaywe. Ngangingaxhumani nhlobo nabasekhaya kwaze kwaba ngo-March 1951 ngesikhathi umama, uPeter noJochen bezothamela icala lami. Ngagwetshwa iminyaka eyisithupha.

UPeter, uJochen nomama baboshwa ngemva kwezinsuku eziyisithupha kuqulwe icala lami. Kamuva, omunye uFakazi wanakekela udadewethu uHannelore, owayeneminyaka engu-11, futhi umamekazi wanakekela uSabine, owayeneminyaka engu-7. Onogada bama-Stasi babephatha umama nabafowethu njengezigelekeqe eziyingozi, baze babamuka izintambo zabo zezicathulo. Lapho bephenywa kwakudingeka bame ngezinyawo. Ngamunye wabo wagwetshwa iminyaka eyisithupha njengami.

Ngo-1953, mina nezinye iziboshwa ezingoFakazi sanikwa umsebenzi wokwakha ishashalazi lezindiza zempi, kodwa senqaba. Izikhulu zasijezisa ngokusihlalisa sodwa izinsuku ezingu-21, okwakusho ukuthi sasingasebenzi, singatholi zincwadi futhi sithola ukudla okuwubala. Abanye odade babeshiya izinkwa zabo basilethele zona isinyenyela. Ngazana lapho no-Anni, omunye walab’ odade. Kwathi lapho sidedelwa, omunye ngo-1956 omunye ngo-1957, sashada. Ngemva konyaka sishadile, kwazalwa indodakazi yethu, uRuth. UPeter, uJochen noHannelore nabo bashada cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo.

Ngabuye ngaboshwa ngemva kweminyaka engaba mithathu ngikhululiwe. Isikhulu sama-Stasi sazama ukungiphoqa ukuba ngibe impimpi. Sathi: “Mnu. Brüggemeier othandekayo, sicela ucabange kahle. Wazi kahle ukuthi kunjani ukuba sejele, futhi asifuni zikuphinde izinto ezakwehlela. Ungaqhubeka unguFakazi, uqhubeke nokufunda, futhi ukhulume ngeBhayibheli ngendlela othanda ngayo. Sifuna nje ukuhlala sazi ukuthi kuqhubekani. Cabanga ngomkakho nentombazanyana yakho.” Lawo mazwi aso okugcina azwela. Kodwa ngangazi ukuthi phakathi nesikhathi engangizosichitha ngisejele, uJehova  wayezonakekela umkhaya wami kangcono kunami, futhi wakwenza ngempela lokho!

Izikhulu zazama ukuphoqa u-Anni ukuba asebenze umsebenzi wamahora avamile bese uRuth egadwa abanye abantu phakathi nesonto. U-Anni wenqaba futhi wasebenza ebusuku ukuze akwazi ukunakekela uRuth emini. Abafowethu abangokomoya babengeve bekhathalela futhi babepha umkami izinto eziningi kakhulu akwazi nokuzipha abanye abantu. Mina-ke ngahlala cishe eminye iminyaka eyisithupha ejele.

Indlela Esalulondoloza Ngayo Ukholo Ejele

Lapho ngibuyela ejele, abanye oFakazi enganginabo esitokisini babemagange ukwazi ukuthi iziphi izinto ezintsha ezazisanda kunyatheliswa. Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ngokuthi ngangiwutadishisisa kahle umagazini INqabayokulinda futhi ngiya njalo emihlanganweni, ngaleyo ndlela ngakwazi ukubakhuthaza ngokomoya!

Lapho sicela iBhayibheli konogada, basiphendula: “Kuyingozi kabi ukunikeza oFakazi BakaJehova iBhayibheli, kufana nokunikeza isigelekeqe esigqekeza imizi amathuluzi okweqa ejele.” Usuku nosuku, abazalwane abaholayo babekhetha umBhalo wosuku sixoxe ngawo. Lapho silula izinyawo njengoba kwakuyinto eyayenziwa nsuku zonke imizuzu engu-30, sasingabi nandaba kangako nokuzivivinya umzimba nokushaywa umoya, kodwa sasifuna ukuzuza emBhalweni walolo suku. Nakuba kwakudingeka sigqagqane ngamamitha amahlanu futhi singavunyelwe ukukhuluma, sasiyithola indlela yokudluliselana umBhalo wosuku. Uma sesibuyele ezitokisini, sasihlanganisa lokho ngamunye wethu ayekuzwile, bese siba nengxoxo yeBhayibheli yansuku zonke.

Ekugcineni, impimpi ethile yasidayisa, futhi ngagqunywa ngedwa esitokisini. Ngangingeve ngijabule ngokuthi ngaleso sikhathi ngase ngazi ngekhanda amavesi angamakhulu amaningana. Lapho ngidliwa umzwangedwa ngangizindla ngezindaba ezihlukahlukene eziseBhayibhelini. Ngabe sengiyiswa kwelinye ijele, futhi unogada wangifaka esitokisini nabanye oFakazi ababili wasinikeza neBhayibheli—into eyasijabulisa kakhulu. Ngemva kokugqunywa ngedwa izinyanga eziyisithupha, ngakwazisa ukuphinde ngikwazi ukuxoxa ngezindaba eziseBhayibhelini namanye amakholwa.

Umfowethu uPeter ukuchaza kanje okwamsiza wakwazi ukukhuthazela kwelinye ijele: “Ngangicabanga ngokuphila ezweni elisha futhi ngangihlala ngicabanga ngezinto eziseBhayibhelini. Thina boFakazi sasiqinisana ngokubuzana imibuzo yeBhayibheli noma sibhale izivivinyo ngemiBhalo. Ukuphila kwakungelula. Ngezinye izikhathi sasigqunywa sibe ngu-11 endaweni engamamitha-skwele angu-12. Kwakudingeka senze yonke into khona lapho—sidle, silale, sigeze size sizikhulule khona lapho. Sagcina sesinezinhliziyo ezincane.”

UJochen, omunye wabafowethu, ukhumbula isikhathi asibhadla ejele: “Ngangicula izingoma engangizikhumbula eculweni lethu. Nsuku zonke, ngangizindla ngomBhalo engangiwubambe ngekhanda. Ngemva kokukhululwa, ngaqhubeka nesimiso esihle semfundo engokomoya. Usuku ngalunye ngifunda umBhalo wetekisi nomkhaya wami futhi silungiselela yonke imihlangano.”

Ukukhululwa Kukamama Ejele

Umama wakhululwa ngemva kweminyaka engaphezudlwana kwemibili. Wasebenzisa leyo nkululeko yakhe ukuze atadishe iBhayibheli noHannelore noSabine, ebasiza bakhe isisekelo esihle sokholo lwabo. Wabafundisa nokuba bakwazi ukusingatha izinkinga ezaziba sesikoleni ngenxa yokholo lwabo kuNkulunkulu. UHannelore uthi: “Ubunzima obabuvela esikoleni babungasikhathazi kangako ngoba ekhaya sasikhuthazana. Indlela esasisondelene ngayo ekhaya yayenza izinkinga esibhekana nazo zibe ubala.”

UHannelore uyaqhubeka: “Sasithumelela nabazalwane bethu ukudla okungokomoya ejele. Sasikopisha yonke INqabayokulinda ngamagama amancane ephepheni elenziwe bushelelezi. Sasibe sesigoqa lawo makhasi ngephepha elingangenwa manzi silifihle phakathi kwamaphulamuzi omisiwe (prunes) esasiwathumela njalo nephasela lenyanga. Yeka indlela esasijabula ngayo lapho sithola umbiko wokuthi amaphulamuzi ‘ayeconsisa amathe.’ Sasimatasa kakhulu emsebenzini  wethu kangangokuthi kumelwe ngivume ukuthi kwakuyisikhathi esimnandi.”

Ukuphila Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa

UPeter uchaza ukuthi ukuphila kwakunjani phakathi namashumi ngamashumi eminyaka umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwe eMpumalanga Jalimane: “Sasihlangana emakhaya abazalwane singamaqembu amancane, sifika futhi sihamba ngezikhathi ezingafani. Emhlanganweni ngamunye sasenza amalungiselelo omhlangano olandelayo. Lokhu sasikwenza ngokukhuluma ngezandla nangokubhala phansi ngoba phela ama-Stasi ayehlale ecuthe izindlebe.”

UHannelore uyachaza: “Ngezinye izikhathi sasithola amakhasethi aqoshiwe ezinkulumo zomhlangano. Lokhu kwakwenza imihlangano ijabulise. Iqembu lethu elincane lalihlangana ukuze sichithe amahora amaningana sithola imfundo yeBhayibheli. Nakuba sasingaziboni izikhulumi, sasizilalelisisa izinkulumo sithathe namaphuzu.”

UPeter uthi: “Abafowethu abangamaKristu kwamanye amazwe babenza konke okusemandleni ukuze basilethele izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Phakathi neminyaka ecishe ibe yishumi ngaphambi kokuwa koDonga LwaseBerlin ngo-1989, babesinyathelisela ngokukhethekile izincwadi ezincane. Abanye badela izimoto zabo, imali ngisho nenkululeko yabo beletha ukudla okungokomoya eMpumalanga Jalimane. Ngobunye ubusuku umbhangqwana esasiwulindile awuzange ufike. Amaphoyisa ayethole izincwadi futhi athatha imoto yawo. Naphezu kwalezo zingozi, asizange sikucabange nokukucabanga ukuyeka umsebenzi wethu ukuze nje ukuphila kwethu kube nokuthula.”

UManfred, umfowethu omncane owayesithengise emaphoyiseni ngo-1950, uchaza okwamsiza wakwazi ukuphinde akhe ukholo lwakhe: “Ngemva kokuboshwa izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngathuthela eNtshonalanga Jalimane ngashiya iqiniso. Ngabuyela eMpumalanga Jalimane ngo-1954 futhi ngashada ngonyaka olandelayo. Ngokushesha umkami wamukela iqiniso futhi ngo-1957 wabhapathizwa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi unembeza wami waqala ukungihlupha, futhi ngosizo lomkami ngabuyela ebandleni.

“Abafowethu abangamaKristu engangibazi ngaphambi kokushiya iqiniso bangamukela ngothando, njengokungathi kwakungenzekanga lutho. Akuve kumnandi ukubingelelwa nokwangiwa ngemfudumalo. Ngijabula kakhulu ngokuthi ngiye ngabuyelana noJehova nabafowethu.”

Impi Engokomoya Iyaqhubeka

Sonke ekhaya kuye kwadingeka silulwele kanzima ukholo. Umfowethu uPeter uthi: “Namuhla, sibhekene neziphazamiso nokuyenga kwezinto ezibonakalayo okuningi kunanini ngaphambili. Ngesikhathi sivinjelwe sasaneliswa yilokho esasinakho. Ngokwesibonelo, akekho owayefuna ukuba kwesinye isifundo seqembu ngenxa yezizathu zomuntu siqu, futhi akekho owayekhononda ngokuthi imihlangano ikude noma ingena sekwephuzile. Sonke sasikujabulela ukuba ndawonye, ngisho noma abanye bethu kwakudingeka bahlale kuze kushaye u-11 ukuze siphume esifundweni.”

 Ngo-1959, umama wanquma ukuthuthela eNtshonalanga Jalimane noSabine owayeneminyaka engu-16 ngaleso sikhathi. Ngenxa yokuthi babefuna ukukhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona yabamemezeli boMbuso, ihhovisi legatsha labayisa e-Ellwangen, eBaden-Württemberg. Ukushiseka kukamama naphezu kwempilo ebuthaka kwashukumisela uSabine ukuba aqale ukuphayona lapho eneminyaka engu-18. Lapho uSabine eshada, umama—owayeneminyaka engu-58 ngaleso sikhathi—wafunda ukushayela ukuze andise umsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela. Wayazisa le nkonzo kwaze kwaba yilapho eshona ngo-1974.

Ngemva kokuba mina ngihlale eminye iminyaka ecishe ibe yisithupha ejele, ngayiswa eNtshonalanga Jalimane ngo-1965 umkhaya wami ungazi. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaphinde ngaba nomkami u-Anni nendodakazi yethu uRuth. Ngabuza ihhovisi legatsha ukuthi singakhonza yini lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona yabamemezeli, ngakho sacelwa ukuba siye eNördlingen, eBavaria. Wakhulela lapho uRuth nomfowabo omncane uJohannes. U-Anni wangenela inkonzo yamaphayona. Isibonelo sakhe esihle sashukumisela uRuth ukuba aqale ukuphayona eqeda nje isikole. Zombili izingane zethu zashada namaphayona. Manje zinemikhaya futhi sibusiswe ngabazukulu abayisithupha abahle.

Ngo-1987, ngathatha umhlalaphansi kungakabi isikhathi ngaphayona no-Anni. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu, ngacelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha laseSelters ngisize ekunwetshweni kwezakhiwo zakhona. Ngemva kwalokho, sasiza ekwakhiweni kweHholo Lomhlangano lokuqala loFakazi BakaJehova eGlauchau esendaweni eyayiyiMpumalanga Jalimane, futhi kamuva sahlala lapho salinakekela. Ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo, sabuyela emuva ukuze sibe nendodakazi yethu eBandleni LaseNördlingen futhi sikhonza njengamaphayona lapho.

Ngijabula kakhulu ngokuthi bonke abafowethu nodadewethu kanye nabaningi emndenini bayaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova, uNkulunkulu wethu omuhle kakhulu. Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, siye safunda ukuthi uma nje sihlala siqinile ngokomoya, singazibonela iqiniso elisemazwini eHubo 126:3: “UJehova wenze into enkulu ngakwenzile kithi. Sijabulile.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Ngosuku lwethu lomshado, ngo-1957

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Nginabasekhaya ngo-1948: (phambili, kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla) uManfred, umama uBerta, uSabine, uHannelore noPeter; (emuva, kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla) yimina noJochen

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Incwadi encane esasiyisebenzisa ngesikhathi sivinjelwe kanye nomshini wama-“Stasi” wokulalela izindaba

[Umthombo]

Forschungs- und Gedenkstätte NORMANNENSTRASSE

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Nginezingane zasekhaya: (phambili, kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla) uHannelore noSabine; (emuva, kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla) yimina, uJochen, uPeter noManfred