RUSSIAN SA CADETS Adjutant Otto and Gerda Ljungholm 2nd row 3rd&4th from left-Part Two-
How did it go with Zeligman some will ask… and of course we sought to know his fate – warm, heartwrenching prayers were lifted up throughout the night – because we felt it would be at best a very brief legal process… (we had no time to spare) There were many disturbing rumors and reports coming back to us at the training college compound …
But then we heard it; between 5 and 6 a.m. (as we prayed) a pounding at the front portal of the Training College compound… The watchman said, ‘Stand back! Stand Back, who goes there?’ ‘Zeligman’, was the answer, and rushing in to the hall he tells us the following. “Immediately on arrival at the Red Guards’Commissioner’s office the questioning began, and they asked me what kind of meetings were we conducting and what is your personal relationship with God?”
The determination was made that Zeligman would be executed by a firing squad. He was tied up and placed against a wall. But before any shots were fired he yelled: ‘Listen to me before you shoot, I am not afraid to die’ and as he said those words he tore open his shirt and pointed at his heart and said: ‘I am saved and in few moments I will be in heaven, but before that let me tell you something about my life. I was an active party member, but then my life was turned around when I accepted salvation and now my only motive is to help others find salvation.’ This was interesting to them; those who listened and the Commanding Officer said: ‘Take him away from the wall, we will postpone his execution …’ the execution was postponed and then they spoke and decided to halt everything until the next day.
And now Zeligman said: ‘I wish to sleep and at 12 today I am to return to the Commissioners compound in order that the sentence be carried out…’
At 11.00 am Zeligman bid farewell to his wife, his comrades at the training college and slowly made his way to the Commissioner’s compound. At the stroke of 12 noon he entered with the words ‘I am here … I am Zeligman.’ However, the Commissioner in charge of the case was busy handling another matter in a private office and answered through the door: ‘I don’t have time today, return tomorrow at the same time.’
The following day Zeligman arrived again, promptly at 12 noon. The results were the same as the day before and in due time the entire matter was washed away like sand in the sea. It was so very close, in fact only seconds from his death – the whole matter was now turned upside down and Zeligman continued as a Cadet …
Truly a strange land...
Otto Ljungholm
From fsaof.blogspot.com
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