Babethembekile Futhi Bengesabi Ngaphansi Kokucindezela KwamaNazi

Ngo-June 17, 1946, iNdlovukazi uWilhelmina yaseNetherlands yathumela umyalezo wenduduzo emkhayeni othile woFakazi BakaJehova e-Amsterdam. Injongo yawo yayiwukuncoma indodana yalowo mkhaya, uJacob van Bennekom, owabulawa amaNazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Eminyakeni ethile edlule, umkhandlu-dolobha waseDoetinchem, idolobha elisengxenyeni esempumalanga yeNetherlands, wanquma ukuqamba umgwaqo othile ngoBernard Polman, naye ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova owabulawa phakathi nempi.

KUNGANI amaNazi amelana noJacob, uBernard nabanye oFakazi BakaJehova eNetherlands phakathi neMpi Yezwe II? Futhi yini eyenza labo Fakazi bakwazi ukuqhubeka bethembekile phakathi neminyaka yoshushiso olunonya baze bagcina behlonishwa futhi baziswa abantu abaphila nabo kanye nendlovukazi? Ukuze sithole izimpendulo, ake sihlole ezinye zezenzakalo ezaholela kulokhu kubhekana ngeziqu zamehlo okufuze okukaDavide noGoliyati okwakuphakathi koFakazi BakaJehova ababeyidlanzana nebutho lempi elinamandla lamaNazi.

Bavinjelwa—Kodwa Baba Matasa Kakhulu Kunanini Ngaphambili

Ngo-May 10, 1940, ibutho lamaNazi lathatha izwe laseNetherlands. Njengoba izincwadi ezazisakazwa oFakazi BakaJehova zaziveza obala izenzo ezimbi zobuNazi futhi zitusa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, amaNazi azama ngokushesha ukuvimba imisebenzi yoFakazi. Kungakapheli namasonto amathathu amaNazi engene eNetherlands, akhipha umyalo ngasese owawuvimbela oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngo-March 10, 1941, umbiko wabezindaba wamemezela ngalokho kuvinjelwa, usola oFakazi ngokwenza umkhankaso “omelene nazo zonke izinhlangano zikahulumeni  nezamasonto.” Ngenxa yalokho, ukuzingelwa koFakazi kwaqina.

Okuthakazelisayo ukuthi nakuba amaGestapo anedumela elibi, noma amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi, aqapha wonke amasonto ngeso elibukhali, iyodwa kuphela inhlangano yobuKristu ayeyishushisa kakhulu. Isazi-mlando esingumDashi uDkt. Louis de Jong, sithi: “Ushushiso olwaphumela ekufeni lwahlasela iqembu elilodwa nje lenkolo—oFakazi BakaJehova.”—I-Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (UMbuso WaseNetherlands Phakathi NeMpi Yezwe Yesibili).

AmaGestapo ayebambisene namaphoyisa aseNetherlands ekutholeni nasekubopheni oFakazi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umbonisi ojikelezayo owayethembekile owayesengenwe yingebhe waphenduka isihlubuki wanika amaNazi ukwaziswa ngokuphathelene nalabo ayekholwa nabo. Ekupheleni kuka-April 1941, kwase kuboshwe oFakazi abangu-113. Ingabe lokhu kuhlaselwa ngonya kwawumisa umsebenzi wokushumayela?

Impendulo itholakala kwethi Meldungen aus den Niederlanden (Imibiko YaseNetherlands), umbiko ogodliwe owenziwa ngo-April 1941 yi-Sicherheitspolizei yaseJalimane (Amaphoyisa Ezokulondeka). Lo mbiko uthi ngoFakazi BakaJehova: “Leli hlelo elenqatshelwe laqhubeka lisebenza kulo lonke izwe, liba nemihlangano engekho emthethweni futhi linameka amaphepha aneziqubulo ezinjengokuthi ‘Ukushushisa oFakazi bakaNkulunkulu kuyicala’ nesithi ‘UJehova uyobajezisa ngembubhiso yaphakade abashushisi.’” Ngemva kwamasonto amabili i-Sicherheitspolizei yabika ukuthi “naphezu kokuqiniswa kakhulu kwezinyathelo amaPhoyisa Ezokulondeka azithathela imisebenzi yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, imisebenzi yabo iyaqhubeka yanda.” Yebo, naphezu kwengozi yokuboshwa, oFakazi baqhubeka ngomsebenzi wabo, behambisa izincwadi ezingaphezu kuka-350 000 emphakathini ngo-1941 kuphela!

Yini eyenza leli qembu elincane kodwa elandayo loFakazi abangamakhulu ambalwa laba nesibindi sokumelana nezitha zalo ezazesabeka? Njengomprofethi othembekile wasendulo u-Isaya, oFakazi babesaba uNkulunkulu, hhayi abantu. Ngani? Ngoba babeqiniseka ngamazwi aqinisekisayo ashiwo uJehova ku-Isaya: “Yimina, yimi enginguye oniduduzayo; ungubani wena ukuba wesabe umuntu ofayo?”—Isaya 51:12.

Ukungesabi Kuholela Ekuhlonishweni

Ekupheleni kuka-1941, inani loFakazi abase beboshiwe lase linyuke laba ngu-241. Nokho, abambalwa banqotshwa ukwesaba abantu. UWilly Lages, ilungu elalinedumela elibi emaphoyiseni omshoshaphansi aseJalimane, ucashunwa ethi “amaphesenti angu-90 oFakazi BakaJehova enqaba ukudalula noma yini, kuyilapho kungamaphesenti ambalwa kakhulu kwamanye amaqembu aba namandla okungasho lutho.” Ukuphawula  okwenziwa umfundisi waseNetherlands uJohannes J. Buskes, owayeboshwe nabanye oFakazi, kwawaqinisekisa amazwi kaLages. Ngo-1951, uBuskes wabhala:

“Emuva ngaleso sikhathi, ngabahlonipha kakhulu ngenxa yokuthemba kwabo namandla okholo lwabo. Ngeke ngiyikhohlwe insizwa—eyayingaba neminyaka engu-19 noma ngaphansi—eyayisakaze amapheshana ayebikezela ukuwa kukaHitler noMbuso Wesithathu. . . . Ngabe yakhululwa kungakapheli nengxenye yonyaka ukube yathembisa ukungabe isenza imisebenzi enjalo. Yenqaba ngokuqinile ukwenza kanjalo, futhi yathola isigwebo sokusebenza kanzima phakade eJalimane. Sasazi kahle ukuthi kwakusho ukuthini lokho. Ngosuku olulandelayo ekuseni lapho ithathwa futhi siyivalelisa, ngayitshela ukuthi sizocabanga ngayo futhi siyithandazele. Ukuphela kwempendulo yayo yaba ukuthi: ‘Ningakhathazeki ngami. UMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyofika ngokuqinisekile.’ Into enjalo awuyikhohlwa, ngisho noma uphikisana ngazo zonke izindlela nezimfundiso zalab’ oFakazi BakaJehova.”

Naphezu kokushushiswa ngonya, inani loFakazi laqhubeka landa. Njengoba kwakunabangaba ngu-300 ngaphambi nje kwempi yezwe yesibili, lelo nani landa lafinyelela ku-1 379 ngo-1943. Ngokudabukisayo, ekupheleni kwalowo nyaka, abangu-54 boFakazi abangaphezu kuka-350 ababeboshiwe base befele emakamu okuhlushwa ahlukahlukene. Ngo-1944, kwakusenoFakazi BakaJehova abangu-141 baseNetherlands ababesesemakamu okuhlushwa ahlukahlukene.

Unyaka Wokugcina Woshushiso LwamaNazi

Ngemva kwe-D day, u-June 6, 1944, ushushiso loFakazi lwangena onyakeni walo wokugcina. Ngokwempi, amaNazi nalabo ababebambisene nawo base begoba uphondo. Umuntu ubengacabanga ukuthi esimweni esinjalo amaNazi ayezoyeka ukukhathaza amaKristu ayengenacala. Nokho, phakathi nalowo nyaka, kwaboshwa abanye oFakazi abangu-48, kanti abanye abangu-68 ababeboshiwe bafa. Omunye wabo kwakunguJacob van Bennekom, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni.

UJacob owayeneminyaka engu-18 ubudala wayephakathi kwabantu abangu-580 ababhapathizwa ngo-1941 baba oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho wayeka umsebenzi omuhle ngoba wawubizela ukuba ayekethise ekungathathini kwakhe uhlangothi njengomKristu. Wasebenza njengesithunywa futhi waqala ukuba isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Wabanjwa ethwele izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziyisa ndawana-thile, futhi waboshwa. Ngo-August 1944, uJacob owayeseneminyaka engu-21 wabhalela umkhaya wakubo esejele elisedolobheni laseRotterdam:

“Ngisesimweni esihle kakhulu futhi  ngigcwele injabulo. . . . Kuze kube manje sengiphenywe ngemibuzo izikhathi ezine. Izikhathi ezimbili zokuqala zazinzima kakhulu, futhi ngashaywa kakhulu, kodwa ngamandla nomusa ongafanelwe weNkosi, ngiye ngakwazi ukungathi vú kuze kube manje. . . . Sengiye ngakwazi ukunikela izinkulumo lapha, eziyisithupha sezizonke, engqikithini yezilaleli ezingu-102. Abanye balaba babonisa isithakazelo futhi baye bathembisa ukuthi lapho nje bededelwa, bayoqhubeka nalokhu.”

Ngo-September 14, 1944, uJacob wayiswa ekamu lokuhlushwa elalisedolobheni laseNetherlands i-Amersfoort. Ngisho nalapho waqhubeka eshumayela. Kanjani? Omunye ayeboshwe naye wakhumbula: “Iziboshwa zazicosha izinqamu zikagwayi onogada ababezilahlile bese zisebenzisa amakhasi eBhayibheli ukusonga lowo gwayi. Ngezinye izikhathi uJacob wayekwazi ukufunda amazwi ambalwa ekhasini leBhayibheli elase lizosetshenziselwa ukusonga ugwayi. Ngemva nje kwalokho, wayesebenzisa lawo mazwi njengesisekelo ukuze ashumayele kithi. Akuthathanga sikhathi, setha uJacob ngokuthi ‘iNdoda YeBhayibheli.’”

Ngo-October 1944, uJacob wayephakathi kweqembu elikhulu leziboshwa elayalwa ukuba limbe imisele yokucupha izinqola zamasosha. UJacob wenqaba ukwenza lowo msebenzi ngoba unembeza wakhe ungamvumeli ukuba asekele imizamo yempi. Nakuba ayelokhu esongelwa onogada, akazange ayekethise. Ngo-October 13, iphoyisa lamkhipha endaweni ayehlaliswe kuyo yedwa, wayiswa lapho kwakusetshenzelwa khona. Nalapho, uJacob wama eqinile. Ekugcineni, uJacob wayalwa ukuba ambe ithuna lakhe wabe esedutshulwa ebulawa.

Ukuzingelwa KoFakazi Kuyaqhubeka

Ukuma kukaJacob nabanye beqinile ngesibindi kwawathukuthelisa amaNazi futhi kwavusa okunye ukuzingelwa koFakazi. Omunye walabo abazingelwa kwakungu-Evert Kettelarij owayeneminyaka engu-18 ubudala. Ekuqaleni, u-Evert wakwazi ukubaleka wayocasha, kodwa kamuva waboshwa futhi washaywa kakhulu ukuze anikeze ukwaziswa ngokuphathelene nabanye oFakazi. Wenqaba wabe esethunyelwa eJalimane ukuyosebenza kanzima.

Ngayo leyo nyanga, ngo-October 1944, amaphoyisa aya kumyeni kadadewabo, uBernard Luimes. Lapho emthola, wayenabanye oFakazi  ababili—u-Antonie Rehmeijer no-Albertus Bos. U-Albertus wayesechithe izinyanga ezingu-14 kakade ekamu lokuhlushwa. Nokho, lapho ededelwa, waphinde wawuqala ngentshiseko umsebenzi wokushumayela. Laba besilisa abathathu baqale bashaywa ngokungenazwela amaNazi babe sebedutshulwa bebulawa. Izidumbu zabo zaze zatholakala ngemva kwempi futhi zangcwatshwa kabusha. Ngemva nje kwempi, amaphephandaba amaningana endawo abika ngalokhu kubulawa. Elinye lamaphephandaba labhala ukuthi lab’ oFakazi abathathu babenqabe ngokuphindaphindiwe ukwenzela amaNazi noma yimuphi umsebenzi owawuphambene nomthetho kaNkulunkulu, labe selinezela ukuthi “ngenxa yalokho, kwadingeka bakhokhe ngokuphila kwabo.”

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngo-November 10, 1944, uBernard Polman, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, waboshwa futhi wathunyelwa ukuyokwenza umsebenzi ophathelene nezempi. Wayewukuphela kukaFakazi owayephakathi kwezisebenzi ezisetshenziswa kanzima futhi kunguye kuphela oweyenqaba ukwenza lo msebenzi. Onogada bazama amasu ahlukahlukene ukuze bamenze ayekethise. Wayenganikwa kudla. Futhi washaywa ngonya ngezinduku, ngefosholo nangesidunu sesibhamu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, waphoqelelwa ukuba angene emanzini abandayo afika emadolweni, wabe esevalelwa egunjini langaphansi kwendlu elalinomswakama, lapho kwadingeka achithe ubusuku bonke egqoke lezo zingubo zakhe ezimanzi. Noma kunjalo, uBernard akazange ayekethise.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, odadewabo kaBernard ababili, ababengebona oFakazi BakaJehova, bavunyelwa ukuba bamvakashele. Bamnxusa ukuba ashintshe, kodwa lokho akuzange kumnyakazise nganoma iyiphi indlela. Lapho bembuza ukuthi kukhona ababengamenzela kona, uBernard wasikisela ukuba babuyele ekhaya, batadishe iBhayibheli. Abashushisi bakhe babe sebevumela umkakhe owayekhulelwe ukuba amvakashele, benethemba lokuthi umkakhe wayezophula ubuqotho bakhe. Kodwa ukuba khona kwakhe namazwi akhe esibindi kwamane kwaqinisa ukuzimisela kukaBernard ukuhlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu. Ngo-November 17, 1944, uBernard wadutshulwa abahlanu babahluphi bakhe kubukele zonke izisebenzi ezazisebenza kanzima. Ngisho noma uBernard ayesefile, isidumbu sakhe sigcwele izimbobo zezinhlamvu, isikhulu esasiphethe sasithukuthele kangangokuba sakhipha isibhamu saso samdubula kuwo womabili amehlo.

Nakuba le mpatho yobudlova yabashaqisa oFakazi abezwa ngokubulawa kwakhe, baqhubeka bethembekile, bengesabi futhi baqhubeka ngomsebenzi wabo wobuKristu. Ibandla elincane loFakazi BakaJehova, elaliseduze nendawo uBernard abulawelwa kuyo, ngemva nje kokubulawa kwakhe labika: “Kule nyanga, naphezu kwesimo sezulu esingesihle nobunzima obubekwa uSathane endleleni yethu, siye sakwazi ukwandisa umsebenzi wethu. Inani lamahora esiwasebenze ensimini likhuphukile lisuka ku-429 laya ku-765. . . . Lapho eshumayela, omunye umfowethu wahlangana nendoda akwazi ukufakaza kahle kakhulu kuyo. Le ndoda yabuza ukuthi ingabe wayengowenkolo efanayo neyale ndoda edutshuliwe. Lapho izwa ukuthi kwakunjalo, le ndoda yababaza: ‘Yeka indoda, yeka ukholo! Yilokho engikubiza ngokuthi iqhawe okholweni!’”

UJehova Uyobakhumbula

Ngo-May 1945 amaNazi ahlulwa futhi axoshwa eNetherlands. Naphezu koshushiso olwaluqhubeka ludlangile phakathi nempi, inani loFakazi BakaJehova landa lisuka emakhulwini ambalwa laya kwabangaphezu kuka-2 000. Sikhuluma ngalab’ oFakazi bangesikhathi sempi, isazi-mlando uDkt. de Jong savuma: “Abaningi kakhulu kubo benqaba ukulahla ukholo lwabo naphezu kokusongelwa nokuhlushwa.”

Ngakho-ke, kungesizathu esihle iziphathimandla ezithile zezwe ziye zakhumbula oFakazi BakaJehova ngenxa yokuma kwabo ngesibindi ngaphansi kombuso wamaNazi. Nokho, okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi uJehova noJesu bayowukhumbula lo mlando omuhle kangaka walab’ oFakazi bangesikhathi sempi. (Heberu 6:10) Phakathi nokuBusa KukaJesu Kristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane okuzayo, lab’ oFakazi abathembekile nabangesabi abanikela ukuphila kwabo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu bayovuswa emathuneni ayisikhumbuzo, benethemba lokuphila okumi phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi!—Johane 5:28, 29.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

UJacob van Bennekom

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Isiqeshana sephephandaba esinesimemezelo sokuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova

[Izithombe ekhasini 27]

Ngakwesokudla: uBernard Luimes; ngezansi: u-Albertus Bos (kwesokunxele) no-Antonie Rehmeijer; ekugcineni: ihhovisi leNhlangano eHeemstede