ANUARUL ACADEMIC 2003-2004 - Facultatea de Teologie "Andrei ...

Speaking about the tortures the Christians endured in prisons, RichardWurmbrand says that even their remembrance causes disturbance to him: “Tortureswere sometimes horrible. I prefer not to speak too much about those through whichI have passed. When I do, I can not sleep at night. It is too painful” 60 .The result of beatings was terrible in most cases. One young man afterseveral years of beatings was one day in the situation to see himself in a mirror; tohis surprise, he could not recognize himself: “To my wonder, the one in the mirrorwas not like the one I knew. I lived the moment of not being able to recognisemyself. The one in the mirror was no more than a madman who did not look likeanybody” 61 .In another instance, Dumitru Bordeianu was asked to write a declaration byhand; his hands would not listen to him:“The officer gave me a sheet of paper and a pen to write the declarationmyself. I tried, but my weakness made my hands shaking so terribly, that Ifound it impossible to write. The young unknown officer, amazed I could noteven write, asked me for a suggestion what we were to do. So I suggested thathe should write the declaration and after I had read it I would sign it” 62 .Sometimes, a member of the family was brought to the prison and beaten infront of his or her imprisoned relative. This happened to Pastor Florea. As he wasunwilling to betray his cellmates, his son was beaten to death in front of him.Referring to this moment, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand relates:“A Pastor by name of Florescu was tortured with red – hot iron pokers andwith knives. He was beaten very badly. Then starving rats were driven into hiscell through a large pipe. He could not sleep, but had to defend himself all thetime. If he rested a moment, the rats would attack him. He was forced to standfor two weeks, day and night. The communists wished to compel him tobetray his brethren, but he resisted steadfastly. In the end they brought hisfourteen year old son and began to whip the boy in front of his father, sayingthat they would continue to beat him until the pastor said what they wishedhim to say. The poor man was half mad. He bore it as long as he could. Whenhe could not stand it any more, he cried to his son; `Alexander, I must saywhat they want! I can`t bear them beating you any more!`The son answered,`Father, don’t do me the injustice to have a traitor as a parent. Withstand! Ifthey kill me I will die with the words ` Jesus and my fatherland.``The60 R. Wurmbrand, op. cit., p. 35.61 D. Bordeianu, op. cit., p. 212.62 Ibidem, p. 213.163