Inqaba yeHamptons iyathengiswa. Hamba uye elwandle. Ifakwe. Kufuneka ubone ukukholwa. Amagumbi okulala asixhenxe, izindlu zokuhlambela ezili-10, iikhitshi ezimbini, i-5,000 iinyawo ezisikwere. Iinguqulelo. Incwadi yeTrompe l'oeil ifihla indlwane yeentaka zothando. Iimbombo ezinkulu. Ipaseji yomtshato. Ipuli yokuqubha. Ikhotjiyethenisi. Ngaphakathi, iJacuzzis yangaphandle. Amagqabi egolide. I-Picassos yenkohliso. I-Faux tchotchkes yamaxesha aphakathi. Igumbi lokuhlala liphindwe kabini njenge-discotheque, egcwele ibhola ebengezelayo. Eyakhelwe ngaphakathi ngo-1997. Kufuneka ubone ukukholwa. Ixabiso lokuhamba kwi-5 yezigidi zeedola, njengoko kunjalo.
Yeyabazalwana bakaWilzig – uAlan, oneminyaka engama-33, no-Ivan, oneminyaka engama-43- kunye nababhanki abasendle nabaphambeneyo abathi, kule minyaka imbalwa idlulileyo, babe yimixholo yezinto ezinamanzi eetheyibhile. Kodwa ngasemva kwento ehlekisayo encinci (amantombazana aphuma kumanqaku akhulule echibini, njl. Njl.) Kukho into engaphaya: Ngelixa abantakwabo baseWilzig bezonwabele, kukho into ebangxolileyo-inyani yokuba utata wabo, owasinda e-Auschwitz kunye I-multimillionaire, uSiggi Wilzig, 72, ayisiyiyo yonke le nto ichukumisayo. Kunzima, emva kwayo yonke loo nto, ukuchukumisa indoda eyasinda kwiinkampu zokufa kunye nokhangelo lokufa emva koko yakwazi ukuziguqula ibe yibhanki esisityebi kwelinye ilizwe.
Xa abantakwabo baseWilzig baba ngamagama abhalwe ngqindilili kwikholamu yokuhleba kwimibutho yabo yasendle, kwabakho ingxaki kusapho malunga nenqaba yeHamptons. Utata wayenomsindo, utshilo uAlan, umninawa wakhe. Wayenee-intshi kude nokuqhushumba indlu nge-bazooka.
Ngexesha leveki, abazalwana bahlala kumagumbi ahlukeneyo kwisakhiwo seCity Spire kwiWest 56th Street. Bangene kwinqaba edolophini lolwandle i-Watermill, i-LI, ngokuyinxalenye njengotyalo-mali. UAlan ngulowo wayakhayo, encediswa yintombi yakhe ekudala ikho, uKarin Koenig. Ndixelele umama, udadewethu kunye nentombazana endithandana nayo, ‘Ukuba ubona into oyithandayo, yithenge. Siza kuyifumana indawo, utshilo u-Alan. Ngezandla ezininzi ezihombisa le ndawo, i-décor yaphela i-eclectic, efana nayo yonke into ye-bagel.
U-Alan uneemvakalelo ezingafaniyo malunga nokuba yintoni na le nqaba. Abantu babengayiqondi, watsho. Ndifuna nje ukwenza into ukuze utata azingce. Wabeka ityala kuyo yonke ingxwaba-ngxwaba enqabeni kaIvan's laissez-faire attitude: Umntakwethu waziva kakubi ukuba abantu abasebenza kwiiklabhu zange bafike kuba basebenza, utshilo uAlan. Ke wathi ukuba bafuna ukuza ngo-3: 45, kulungile. Ngesiquphe, abantu bayakhalaza i-buzzer ezinzulwini zobusuku.
Njengomnini weTrustcompany Bank yaseNew Jersey, umseki weMyuziyam yoHolocaust eWashington, D.C., kunye nomsindisi wokuqala we-Holocaust ukufundisa ii-cadet eWest Point, uSiggi Wilzig akanamdla wokuchitha ixesha elininzi apho. Umbono wonke wekhaya lasehlotyeni awunamdla kuye, enyanisweni. Ukuba uthatha iholide, uya e-Kutsher's Resort Hotel nakwiKlabhu yelizwe kwiiCatskills.
Okwangoku, uthanda izinto ezithile malunga nenqaba. Umgangatho ubalaseleyo, utshilo uSiggi Wilzig. Yikhredithi kuAlan, kuba uIvan uyayithanda uyilo, kodwa uAlan wayakha. Yakhiwe njengenqaba. Umntu akufuneki ukuba akhathazeke xa kukho isaqhwithi esibi okanye inkanyamba. Kodwa ndingumfana olula. Andiqhubi iiyure ezimbini ezinesiqingatha ndisiya kwindawo.
Utyelele amatyeli amabini kuphela kwinqaba yoonyana bakhe. Ngethuba lokuqala, wakhwela ileli kwipropathi kwizihlangu zakhe zeshishini. Ndifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba uyalubona ulwandle ngaphezulu kwemithi, utshilo uMnu. Wilzig. Emva kokuhlola indawo, uxelele uAlan ukuba atshintshe izinto ezine. Ndaye ndenza iinguqu, utshilo uAlan. Wazibona iingxaki ngokuhamba nje ngokukhawuleza.
Kwiklasta yezakhiwo ezaziwa njengeAuschwitz, uSiggi Wilzig wayengenakucinga iiHamptons. Apho, wabukela njengamalungu angama-59 osapho lwakhe ebulawa kwisithuba seminyaka emithathu. Ukufika kwakhe eMelika, wayengenanto kwaye engazi mntu. Ikhredithi yakhe ikroliweyo emarmore emhlophe ngaphezulu kweziko kwenye yeofisi yakhe kwibhanki yeTrustcompany: Amadoda asimahla alibala ikamva lawo elikrakra awalifanelanga ikamva eliqaqambileyo.
Isakhiwo seTrustcompany esinemigangatho eyi-12 sesona sakhiwo silinganiselweyo ngokude kule ndawo yeSixeko saseJersey. UMnumzana Wilzig wandibulisa kwii-ofisi zakhe zolawulo waza wandikhokelela kwigumbi lokutyela eliphantsi. Uziimitha ezintlanu ii-intshi ezintlanu ubude, ngomothuko weenwele ezibhabhalaza ezibhabha zihluma entlokweni yakhe. Ndikhumbula yonke imihla enye apho ndandilapho, utshilo. Amehlo akhe ayemnyama kwaye enzulu.
AmaNazi athumela usapho lakwaWilzig eAuschwitz ngo-1943. USiggi wayeneminyaka eli-16 ubudala ngelo xesha kwaye wayesele eqinile kwiminyaka emibini yokusebenza nzima. Emva nje kokuba efikile eAuschwitz, umntakwabo wabethwa wafa. Unina wabulawa kwangoko akufika kwinkampu yokufa. Uyise wabulawa phambi kwakhe. USiggi Wilzig uyawazi umhla: Epreli 8, 1943. Amanye amalungu osapho amabini abulawa kwiintsuku ezimbini ngaphambi kwenkululeko yaseAuschwitz – bangcwatywa kwiintsuku ezimbini emva kokuba imfazwe iphelile.
USiggi Wilzig waphantse wathunyelwa kwigumbi legesi amatyeli amaninzi: ndigqithile kwi-18 ukuya kwi-20 yokukhetha, utshilo. Ndime ze kunye nomthwalo phantsi kweengalo zam. Kodwa ndiyakuxelela oku: Khange ndiyicinge into yokuba ndiza kufa.… Yayingumnqweno wokuphila, ngekungeke kwenzeke kum ukuba ndingasindi!
Iinyanga zakhe zokugqibela eAuschwitz wazichitha esebenza nzima kwindawo yokuhlamba iimpahla. Apho, abasebenzi babekwa ityala lokuhlamba iimpahla zamaJuda abuleweyo- iimpahla ezathi zaphinda zanikwa amaJamani. Ngasekupheleni kwemfazwe, wafika kwimpahla yabahlobo bakanina. Bonke babalekela eHolland, utshilo. Babanjwa beza nothutho lokugqibela ekuqaleni kuka-Agasti, kwiinyanga ezimbini emva ko-D-Day, ukusuka eHolland ukuya eAuschwitz – kwaye ndafumana amanqaku okuhlamba iimpahla.
Kwaye enye into, azakuyifaka kwimemo asebenza kuyo ngoku: Ngo-1943 no-44, bathatha igazi kubantu abangamaJuda abanukayo balinika amajoni angxwelerhekileyo ngaphambili. Akukho namnye owakha wayibhala loo nto. Ndiyenzile kabini. Bandinike iqhekeza lesonka elongezelelekileyo kunye nexesha elinye kunye nethambo. Njengesobho esikhethekileyo esivela kwinyama yehashe. Uye wathula. Khange ndibaxelele abantwana lonto.
Ilizwi lakhe lokuqina lalinyuka amaxesha ngamaxesha. Uyayifumana le nto? wakhala. Ngaba loo nto iyabetha? Ingalo kaMnumzana Wilzig inenombolo yomvambo amaNazi amtyabeka ngayo, i-104732, ukongeza kunxantathu ochaza ubuzwe bakhe. Wacelwa ukuba axelele eyona nkumbulo yakhe imbi kuloo minyaka.
Ukudutyulwa ebusuku kwabantu, amaDatshi namaGrike, watsho, phantse ebubini. Imvula imini yonke kwaye ndingenampahla. Abakufundisi oku eHarvard: Ngaba ulala unxibe iimpahla ezimanzi ukuze ubushushu bomzimba ubomise, okanye uyazikhulula uzifake ngumkhenkce ekufeni?
Kwaye inkumbulo engaqhelekanga, eyaphambukayo: Kwakukho umtshato eAuschwitz – ubuyazi lo nto? Kwi-bordello. Intombazana yaseSpain yayizibandakanye nesososhiyali saseJamani esasisemkhosini, bayikhupha imikhosi bordello kwaye watshata apho. Akukho mntu waxelayo.
NgoJanuwari 1945, wayishiya i-Auschwitz kumngcelele wokuya ngenkani. Wahlangulwa ngoMeyi 8, 1945, eMauthausen, eOstriya, ngumkhosi wase-U.S.
Iminyaka yokuqala eMelika kwakungekho lula kangako: Emva kokufuduka ngo-1947, wasebenza njengomshicileli we-bow-tie, emva koko wathengisa iincwadana zesikolo kuba mathidala kubaphathi beevenkile zeyunivesithi. NdinguKufa kwasekuqaleni koMthengisi, utshilo. Iminwe yam yafumana isifo samathambo ekubambeni amatyala. Ngo-1954, watshata noNahomi Sisselman, intombi yomntu othengisa izindlu nomhlaba eNew Jersey. Abazali bakhe khange bamvume Mnumzana Wilzig – ke esi sibini saqhwesha saya eNew York.
Ekuqaleni kweminyaka engama-60, waqala ukudlala imarike yemasheya. Wabona into kwivenkile yeoyile kunye negesi yaseCanada eyayibonakala ingaxatyiswanga. Wafumana enye, i-Wilshire Oil, ngokukodwa. I-Wilshire yeoyile yayisiqingatha-American, isiqingatha seCanada, utshilo. Ndonwabe kakhulu xa ndiyithengile. Kodwa xa ndibuya ekhaya umfazi wam wathi kum: ‘Uthenge isitokhwe esininzi?’ Kwaye bendizokuthi, ‘Inokuba babefumene i-odolo evulekileyo kum.’ Ndaxoka.
Waqala ke ngoku ukuthatha kancinci kwenkampani. Zadlula iintsuku zakhe njengomthengisi ohambahambayo. Kodwa nasemva kokuba ekwazile ukufumana isabelo esikhulu, akazange amkelwe ngabantu baseWilshire Oil. Kwisithuba seminyaka emihlanu, wathi, bebengazukundinika ulawulo. Ndiqale umlo wokumela kwaye bandilimaza bandinika izihlalo ezine ebhodini.
UMfanekiso weTevye njengoJR Ewing – yiloo nto uSiggi Wilzig waba yiyo. Ngo-1968, wabeka umbono wakhe kwiNkampani yeTrust yaseNew Jersey, njengoko yayibizwa njalo, njengendlela yokunciphisa umngcipheko kuphononongo lweoyile. Ibhanki yasekwa yindoda yezomkhosi enegama elivakala isiJamani. Umnumzana Wilzig weva amabali malunga nento eyenzeka kwiNkampani yeTrust ngexesha lemfazwe: Xa amagosa amabini kule bhanki eve amaNazi ethatha iParis, badlala iingoma zamaNazi kwaye badanisa kwisebe eliphambili, utshilo uMnu. Yile ndlela yayiyiyo iJamani apha.
Kodwa wazingisa, kakhulu ngendlela awayenayo kwinkampani yeoyile. Isiqingatha sebhodi sandibiza emva komqolo wam umJuda omncinci, kwaye andizange ndigxothe omnye xa kufika ixesha, utshilo. Andinguye umlo. Ndenze konke ukulwa kwam eAuschwitz.
Ngaphezulu kweminyaka engama-30, uMnu.Wilzig uthathe iNkampani yeTrust ukusuka kwishishini lezigidi ezili-170 leedola ukuya kwi-3 yezigidigidi. Wazuza igama ngokusebenza iiyure eziyi-14 kunye nokwazi bonke abathengi bakhe. Ukunyanzelwa ukuba ijikeleze inkampani yeoyile ukuze ithobele umthetho weBhanki ebambe iNkampani ka-1980, uMnu.Wilzig kunye nosapho bakhe batya imali: Kwizabelo ezili-1 000 zesitokhwe saseWilshire, abanini zabelo bafumana izabelo ezili-111 zebhanki. Umnumzana Wilzig ngokusesikweni waba ngumcebisi weedola ezingama-75,000 kwinkampani yeoyile, ngelixa wayelawula ulawulo lwebhanki. Intombi yakhe uSherry, isidanga sikaBrown, ngoku ukhonza njengomongameli weWilshire.
Kude kube kutshanje, akazange asebenzise i-ofisi kamongameli ebhankini, ekhetha ukuzula e-ofisini aye eofisini, eqhuba ishishini lakhe ehamba. Andikuthandi ukuvalelwa kokuba semva kwedesika, utshilo.
Oonyana bakhe bakhumbula ukuba kufuneka baphume ngaphandle kwesihlwele xa bephuma noyise. Nokuba into eyonwabileyo, njengemovie, ibiyingxaki, utshilo uAlan. I-Holocaust yayikunye nabo ngexesha lokukhuliswa kwabo eClifton, NJ Ivan, owakhula ekupheleni kweminyaka yama-60 nakwiminyaka yokuqala yama-70, wathi: Abahlobo bam babedla ngokuhlanya xa bezokuza- yonke iTV yayilungiselelwe i-World War .
Singaba kuhambo oluya eColonial Williamsburg, utshilo u-Alan, kwaye umama angathi, ‘Sukuthenga ikomityi yepewter. Akukho ziikomityi zentsimbi endlwini kayihlo. '
Kodwa bobabini oonyana bajoyina ishishini losapho.
Ukusukela ngexesha bendineminyaka eyi-8, ndihleli edolweni lotata wam, bendisazi ukuba ndifuna ukuba ngumgcini-bhanki kwaye ndisebenze notata, utshilo u-Alan, ophumelele isidanga kwiYunivesithi yasePennsylvania yaseWharton, kwicandelo lesidanga sokuqala. Ndinomdla kuyo.
Emva kweminyaka eli-15 ebhankini, u-Ivan ubonakala ngathi akazibophelele kangako. Ukanti isidanga seDyunivesithi yasePennsylvania, wayekhe wacwangcisa ukuba sisayikholojisti, kodwa wafumana isidanga somthetho kuBenjamin N. Cardozo weSikolo soMthetho kwiYunivesithi yaseYeshiva kuba utata wakhe wayecinga ukuba sibaluleke kakhulu. Okwangoku, u-Ivan usike isivumelwano kungekudala-ukuvula amasebe ebhanki angama-40 kwi-A. & P. iivenkile ezinkulu – ezachukumisa utata wakhe. Sesona siganeko sibaluleke kakhulu kwimbali yebhanki, utshilo uSiggi Wilzig.
Bobabini aba bazalwana bathi ngekhe batshate okoko utata wabo esaphila. Imfuno kaSiggi Wilzig kubafazi abangamaJuda kuphela ingqongqo ngakumbi kunaleyo yeBhunga lamaRabi obuOthodoki. Utata unokuba ngumntu onamandla kwaye ofuna ukubambana naye, utshilo u-Alan. Ulawula ngesandla sesinyithi. Ewe, uSiggi Wilzig akanabuthathaka bungako, ngaphezulu kweminyaka engama-50 emva kwemfazwe, malunga nemicimbi ethile. Ucacisile ukuba kutheni engahambisi iMercedes: Ayibangelwa ngumgangatho welori yakwaMercedes. Kuba ayizange yehle nakanye xa yayisa abantwana kwigumbi legesi!
Emva kokushicilelwa okubi kwiikholamu zokuhleba zabazalwana bakaWilzig (kwaye, hayi, loo mantombazana echibini ayengengabo abadanisi, watsho uAlan, kodwa iindwendwe okanye imihla yeendwendwe zethu- kwaye zazingatshisi ilanga zingenanto, zinganxibanga okanye eG. -imitya), UAlan uzama ukuphucula umfanekiso wakhe, ngenxa yebhanki kunye negama losapho. Kutshanje uvele kwiphepha eliphambili lephephandaba iJersey City Coptic kunye noPopu Shenouda III –umfana olungileyo ongumYuda ovela eNew Jersey efumana umnqamlezo omkhulu wesilivere kusolusapho weentshebe weOrthodox. Ukwayindoda yenqaku lebhanki ekubuyiselweni kwezigidi ezisixhenxe zeedola zeJersey Square's Journal Square.
Ngoku, ukuba angathengisa loo nqaba ngaphambi kokuba imozulu ifudumale kwaye ingxaki iqala kwakhona…
