How I Found the Answer to Injustice

"The Worst Person in the Room" Gave Me Hope

In June 1951, two men came into my office and announced: "You are under arrest." They took me to the prison known as the Roter Ochse, or Red Ox.  One year later I was charge with subversion against the State.  A student had betrayed me to the Stasi,the secret police, informing them of my earlier protest with the leaflets.  The trial was a farce because no one took any notice of what I said in my defense. I was sentenced to six years in prison. During that time, I became ill and was placed in the hospital dormitory with about 40 other women. After seeing all those extremely unhappy people, I began to panic. I ran to the door and struck it with my fists. "What do you want? the guard asked.

"I must get out of here." I shouted.  "Put me  in solitary if you have to, but just get me out of here!" Of course, he ignored  my plea. Shortly thereafter, I noticed a woman who was different from the others.  Her eyes reflected inner tranquility. So I sat beside her.

"If you sit near me, you had better be careful,"  she said, much to my surprise.  Then she added:  "Others think I am the worst person in the room because I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses." 

At the time, I did not know that Jehovah's Witnesses were divided as enemies of the Communist State.  But what I did  know about them was that two Bible Students (as the Witnesses were formerly called) had visited Father regularly when I was a child.  In fact. I recalled Father saying,  "The Bible Students are right!"

I wept with relief to meet this dear woman, whose name was Berta Bruggemeier.  "Please tell me about Jehovah," I said. From then on, we spent a lot of time together and often discussed the Bible. Among other things, I learned that the true God, Jehovah, is a God of love, justice, and peace. I also learned that he will undo all the harm caused by wicked and tyrannical humans.  "Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no  more . . . But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace," says Psalm 37:10, 11. 

Next time: How I Found the Answer to Injustice - My Release and Flight to the West

From the AWAKE! magazine, 2011