Ukufunda Embizeni Yamafutha
Izenzakalo zempi ezisabekayo zingezinye zezinto ezahlala enkumbulweni yami kusukela ebuntwaneni, ikakhulukazi lapho sibaleka ngasekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II, lapho ngineminyaka emine kuphela ubudala. Umkhaya wakithi wabangu-7 wawuhlala eMpumalanga Prussia, ngaleso sikhathi eyayiyingxenye yeJalimane.
NGABHEKA ebumnyameni obesabekayo, ngilalele izindiza zaseRussia ezazisondela zidedela amabhomu. Ngokungazelele, ukukhanya okuxhophayo nokuqhuma okuvala izindlebe kokhela amathangi kaphethiloli ebangeni elingamamitha angamakhulu ambalwa. Isitimela esasigibele kuso sacishe saphuma kujantshi waso, futhi abantu bamemeza. Kodwa ngokushesha lezi zindiza zahamba, futhi uhambo lwethu lwaqhubeka.
Ngesinye isikhathi ngaphaphama kobenyoni ngabona owesifazane othile ememeza ezama ukwehla etilogweni elithwala izinkomo esasigibele kulo. Ubaba wambamba wamdonsela ngaphakathi. Lona wesifazane wayezumeke engasemnyango, egone usana lwakhe. Lapho ephaphama, wathola ukuthi umntwana ubulawe amakhaza. Khona-ke amadoda alahla isidumbu ngaphandle eqhweni, ngakho elusizi, lomama wayezama ukuvula umnyango ukuze agxumele ngaphandle afe nomntanakhe.
Ukuze kuncishiswe amakhaza ashubisa umnkantsha, kwakubaswe isitofu esiyindilinga etilogweni elithwala izinkomo esasigibele kulo. Izinkuni ezincane ezazingakolunye uhlangothi lwetilogo zazongiwa ukuze kuphekwe amazambane. Sasilala naphezu kwawo lamazambane, njengoba ayevikela emakhazeni aphansi.
Sasibalekelani? Umkhaya wakithi waphila kanjani izinyanga eziningi njengababaleki? Ake ngilandise.
Indabuko YobuJuda
Ngazalwa ngo-December 22, 1940—ngiwuthumbu ezinganeni ezinhlanu—eLyck, eMpumalanga Prussia (manje esiyi-Elk, ePoland). Ushushiso olungokwenkolo lwaluphoqelele okhokho bami abangamaJuda ukuba bahambe eJalimane ngasekupheleni kwawo-1700. Bathuthela eRussia phakathi nokunye ukufuduka okukhulu emlandweni. Khona-ke ngo-1917, ebalekela ukushushiswa kwamaJuda eRussia ngaleso sikhathi, umkhulu owayengumJuda wafudukela eMpumalanga Prussia esuka emzini wakubo eduze noMfula iVolga.
Umkhulu wathola ilungelo lokuba isakhamuzi eJalimane, futhi iMpumalanga Prussia yabonakala iyindawo ephephile yokuhlala. Labo ababenamagama esiJuda bashintshela emagameni esi-Aryan. Ngakho ubaba, owayenguFriedrich Salomon, wabizwa ngokuthi uFritz. Kanti umama wayengowasePrussia. Yena nobaba, owayengumculi, bashada ngo-1929.
Ukuphila kwabazali bami kwakubonakala kuchichima injabulo nethemba. Ukhulu uFredericke nogogo uWilhelmine (abazala umama) babenepulazi elikhulu, nalo elaba ikhaya labazali bami nathi bantwana. Umculo wawunengxenye enkulu ekuphileni komkhaya wakithi. Umama wayeshaya izigubhu eqenjini likababa lomdanso.
Ukuhlasela KwamaNazi
Ngo-1939, isimo sezombangazwe saqala ukuba sibi. Lokho okwakuthiwa ikhambi lokugcina lika-Adolf Hitler lenkinga yamaJuda kwaqala ukukhathaza abazali bami. Thina bantwana sasingayazi indabuko yethu yobuJuda, futhi sasingazi lutho ngayo kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kukamama ngo-1978—eminyakeni engu-9 ngemva kokushona kukababa.
Ukuze kungabi bikho osolayo ukuthi ungumJuda, ubaba wajoyina iButho Lempi LaseJalimane. Ekuqaleni, wakhonza eqenjini lomculo. Nokho, othile owayazi ngendabuko yakhe wamceba ukuthi ungumJuda, ngakho wonke umkhaya wakithi waphenywa ngemibuzo futhi wathwetshulwa izithombe. Ochwepheshe bamaNazi bazama ukuthola ukuthi sibukeka njengamaJuda yini. Kumelwe ukuba basibona sifana nama-Aryan, ngakho ngenhlanhla asizange siboshwe.
Lapho iJalimane ihlasela iPoland ngo-September 1, 1939, indawo yakithi eyayinokuthula yasitshekelwa ukwesaba. Umama wayefuna ukuthuthela endaweni ephephile ngokushesha, kodwa izikhulu zamaNazi zaphoqa umkhaya wakithi ukuba ungakwenzi lokho. Khona-ke njengoba amabutho aseRussia ayesondela ngaseMpumalanga Prussia ehlobo ngo-1944, amaJalimane anquma ukususa abantu eLyck nasezindaweni ezizungezile. Ngolunye usuku ngo-July, sanikezwa amahora ayisithupha kuphela okuba siphume siphele.
Ukufuduka Kwezixuku Ezisovalweni
Umama wayekhungathekile. Sasizothathani? Sasizolibangisaphi? Sasizohamba kanjani? Ingabe sasizophinde sibuye? Zazilinganiselwe ngempela izinto umkhaya ngamunye owawungazithatha. Ngokuhlakanipha umama wakhetha izinto eziyisisekelo—kuhlanganise nembiza yobumba enkulu eyayinamafutha anqumayo enyama yenkomo nezingcezu zikabhekeni—okwakulula ukuzithwala. Eminye imikhaya yanquma ukuthatha izimpahla zayo ezibonakalayo eziyigugu.
Ngo-October 22, 1944, amabutho aseRussia angena eMpumalanga Prussia. Umlobi othile wachaza: “Kwakungamangalisi ukuthi amasosha aseRussia ayebone imikhaya yakubo ibulawa futhi kushiswa amakhaya nezilimo zakubo ayefuna ukuziphindiselela.” Ukucekela phansi kwawo kwashaqisa wonke umuntu eMpumalanga Prussia, ngakho abantu babaleka, besaba.
Ngaleso sikhathi sase singababaleki, sihlala entshonalanga yeMpumalanga Prussia. Okuwukuphela kwendlela yokubaleka kwakubonakala kuwukungena eBaltic Sea, ngakho abantu babalekela edolobheni eliyitheku laseDanzig (manje eliyiGdansk, ePoland). Lapho, kwakusetshenziswa imikhumbi ukuze kusindiswe abantu esimweni esiphuthumayo. Umkhaya wakithi washiywa isitimela esasiya emkhunjini waseJalimane othwala abantu i-Wilhelm Gustloff, owasuka eGdynia, eduze naseDanzig, ngo-January 30, 1945. Kamuva sezwa ukuthi amabhomu aseRussia acitshwa emanzini abhubhisa lowo mkhumbi futhi abagibeli abangaba ngu-8000 baminza emanzini abandayo.
Njengoba indlela yokubaleka ehamba olwandle yayisivaliwe, salibangisa entshonalanga. Lapho esahlabe ikhefu empini, ubaba wasijoyina engxenyeni yohambo lwesitimela, njengoba kuchazwe esethulweni. Ngokushesha kwadingeka aphindele empini, futhi saqhubeka nohambo olude oluyingozi sisodwa. Umama wayinakekela imbiza yamafutha, ekha ingcosana isikhathi ngasinye. Yayithasisela kunoma imaphi amanembe okudla esasiwathola endleleni, okwasigcina siphila phakathi nobusika obude, obubandayo. Leyo mbiza yamafutha yaba igugu kunanoma iliphi igolide noma isiliva!
Ekugcineni, safika edolobhaneni laseStargard, lapho amasosha aseJalimane nabeSiphambano Esibomvu babelungiselele khona isobho eduze nesiteshi sikaloliwe. Kumntwana olambile, lelo sobho laliyigugu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, safika eHamburg, eJalimane, silambile futhi sikhathele siyingcuba, kodwa sijabulile ngokuthi sisindile. Sabekwa epulazini ngasemfuleni i-Elbe, kanye neziboshwa zempi zaseRussia nasePoland. Njengoba impi eYurophu ifika esiphelweni sayo ngo-May 8, 1945, isimo sethu sasibucayi kakhulu.
Ukuphila Njengababaleki
Ubaba wayeboshwe amaMelika, futhi amnakekela kahle kakhulu, ikakhulukazi lapho ezwa ukuthi wayengumculi. Asebenzisa ikhono lakhe kwezomculo lapho kulungiselelwa umkhosi woSuku Lwenkululeko. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, wakwazi ukubalekela eHamburg, lapho sajabulela khona ukuphinde sibonane. Sahlala endlini encane eyikotishi, futhi ngokushesha bobabili ogogo bafika bephephile bezohlala nathi.
Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izakhamuzi zendawo, kuhlanganise neSonto LaseLuthela esasikhonza kulo, zaqala ukubazonda ababaleki abaningi. Ngolunye usuku kusihlwa umfundisi wavakashela ekhaya. Kubonakala sengathi wasichwensa ngamabomu ngokusihlambalaza ngoba singababaleki. Ubaba, owayeyisidlakela, wathukuthela futhi wahlasela umfundisi. Umama kanye nogogo bamkhuza. Kodwa-ke waqukula umfundisi, wamyisa emnyango, wamjikijela ngaphandle. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, ubaba wenqaba ukuba kuqhutshwe izingxoxo zenkolo emzini wakhe.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalesi senzakalo, ubaba wathola umsebenzi kwaloliwe waseJalimane futhi sathuthela emaphethelweni eHamburg, lapho sahlala khona etilogweni lesitimela elingasebenzi. Kamuva, ubaba wasakhela ikhaya elihle. Kodwa ukuzondwa kwababaleki kwaqhubeka, futhi njengomntwana, ngaxhashazwa kakhulu ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo yizingane zendawo.
Inkolo Eyakhethwa Umkhaya Wakithi
Lapho ngisengumntwana, ngangilala ekamelweni elilodwa nogogo bami bobabili. Naphezu komthetho owawushaywe ngubaba, lapho engekho, bobabili ogogo babevame ukungixoxela ngoNkulunkulu, bahlabelele futhi bafunde amaBhayibheli abo. Ngaba nesithakazelo ezintweni ezingokomoya. Ngakho, lapho sengineminyaka eyishumi ubudala, ngaqala ukuhamba amakhilomitha angu-11 ukuya nokubuya esontweni ngamaSonto. Nokho, mangisho ukuthi ngadumala lapho eminingi yemibuzo yami ingaphendulwa ngendlela egculisayo.
Khona-ke, ehlobo ngo-1951, kwafika indoda eyayigqoke kahle ekhaya futhi yanikeza umama ikhophi kamagazini INqabayokulinda. Yathi: “INqabayokulinda inikeza ukuqonda ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” Ngajabula ngafa, ngoba yilokho kanye engangikufisa. Umama wawenqaba ngesizotha, ngokusobala ngenxa yokuphikisa kukababa inkolo. Nokho, ngamncenga kakhulu kangangokuba wangitholela ikhophi. Esikhathini esithile kamuva, u-Ernest Hibbing wabuya futhi washiya incwadi ethi “UNkulunkulu Makabe Oneqiniso.”
Cishe ngalesi sikhathi, ubaba wathola ingozi emsebenzini waphuka umlenze. Lokho kwakusho ukuthi akahlale endlini, okwakumcasula kakhulu. Nakuba ayefakwe ukhonkolo emlenzeni, wayekwazi ukuhambahamba. Sasimangazwa ukuthi wayevame ukunyamalala phakathi nosuku, abuye ngesikhathi sokudla. Lokhu kwaqhubeka isonto lonke. Ngaqaphela ukuthi njalo lapho ubaba enyamalala, nencwadi yami yayinyamalala. Khona-ke, ngolunye usuku sidla ubaba wathi kimi: “Uma leya ndoda ifika futhi, ngifuna ukuyibona!”
Lapho uMfoweth’uHibbing ebuya, samangala lapho ubaba ebeka incwadi etafuleni futhi ethi: “Lencwadi iyiqiniso!” Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli ngokushesha, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi namanye amalungu omkhaya ahlanganyela esifundweni. UMfoweth’ uHibbing waba uthisha onokwethenjelwa nomngane wami omkhulu. Ngokushesha emva kwalokho ngaxoshwa kuSonto-sikole ngenxa yokuzama ukuhlanganyela nabanye izinkolelo zami ezintsha. Ngakho ngalishiya iSonto LaseLuthela.
Ngo-July 1952, ngaqala ukuhlanganyela nomngane wami othandekayo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu endlini ngendlu. ISonto ngalinye, uMfoweth’uHibbing wayengiyala ukuba ngilalelisise indlela abeka ngayo isigijimi kubaninikhaya. Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, wangibonisa ingxenye enkulu yezakhiwo wayesethi: “Yonke uzoyisebenza wedwa.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngalunqoba uvalo futhi ngaphumelela kakhulu ekuxoxeni nabantu futhi ngibahambisela izincwadi zeBhayibheli.
Ngokushesha, ngafanelekela ukubhapathizwa ukuze ngibonakalise ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova. Mina nobaba sabhapathizwa ngo-March 29, 1953, futhi kamuva ngalowo nyaka nomama wabhapathizwa. Ekugcineni, wonke amalungu omkhaya wakithi abhapathizwa, kuhlanganise nodadewethu u-Erika; abafowethu uHeinz, uHerbert noWerner; kanye nogogo abathandekayo, ngaleso sikhathi abase bevile eminyakeni engu-80 ubudala. Khona-ke, ngo-January 1959, ngaba iphayona, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele.
Ukukhonza Kwelinye Izwe
Ubaba wayelokhu engikhuthaza ukuba ngihambe eJalimane, futhi uma ngibheka emuva ngicabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakubangelwa ukwesaba kwakhe ukushushiswa kwamaJuda. Ngafaka isicelo sokufudukela e-Australia, nginethemba lokuthi lokhu kuzoba usizo ekukhonzeni njengesithunywa sevangeli ePapua New Guinea noma kwesinye isiqhingi sasePacific. Mina nomfowethu uWerner safika eMelbourne, e-Australia, ngo-July 21, 1959.
Phakathi nama-sonto ambalwa, nga-hlangana noMelva Peters, owayekhonza njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele eBandleni LaseFootscray, futhi sashada ngo-1960. Sabusiswa ngamadodakazi amabili, nawo amthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu futhi anikezela ukuphila kwawo kuye. Siye sazama ngokuzikhandla ukugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula futhi kungaminyanisiwe ukuze njengomkhaya sikwazi ukuphishekela imigomo engokomoya ngokugcwele. UMelva wakhonza njengephayona iminyaka eminingi kwaze kwaba yilapho ethiywa izinkinga zempilo. Okwamanje ngingumdala futhi ngiyiphayona eBandleni LaseBelconnen, edolobheni laseCanberra.
Kusukela ezimweni engahlangabezana nazo ngisemncane, ngiye ngafunda ukuba ngijabule futhi nganeliswe amalungiselelo kaJehova. Njengoba kwaboniswa imbiza kamama yamafutha, ngiye ngaqaphela ukuthi ukuphila akuxhomekile egolideni noma esiliveni, kodwa ezidingweni eziyisisekelo zezinto ezibonakalayo, futhi okubaluleke kakhulu, kuxhomeke ekufundeni iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, nokusebenzisa lokho elikufundisayo.—Mathewu 4:4.
Amazwi asemqoka kanina kaJesu, uMariya, ngempela ayiqiniso: “[UJehova] uye wabanelisa ngokugcwele abalambileyo ngezinto ezinhle futhi wabamukisa belambatha labo ababenomcebo.” (Luka 1:53) Ngokujabulisayo, kunamalungu angu-47 omkhaya wakithi ahamba endleleni yeqiniso leBhayibheli, kuhlanganise nabazukulu abangu-7. (3 Johane 4) Sikanye nabo bonke, kuhlanganise nabantwana nabazukulu bethu abaningi abangokomoya, mina noMelva sibheke phambili esikhathini esizayo esimangalisayo sokulondeka ngaphansi kokunakekela kukaJehova okumnene nokuphinde sihlangane nabanye abathandekayo bethu lapho bevuswa.—Njengoba ilandiswa uKurt Hahn.
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Amabutho aseRussia engena eMpumalanga Prussia, ngo-1944
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Sovfoto
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Umfowethu uHeinz, udadewethu u-Erika, umama, abafowethu uHerbert noWerner, kanye nami ngaphambili
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Nginomkami, uMelva
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Sondliwa yimbiza enjengalena, igcwele amafutha