Der Gud gråter: en afghansk kvinnes mot og livskamp i en brennende region

by Siba Shakib

Prigodom jednoga od svojih brojnih putovanja u Afganistan, iranska snimateljica dokumentarnih filmova u jednome izbjegličkom logoru susrela je junakinju ovoga romana, Shirin-Gol, koja joj pripovijeda o svom životu - tipičnoj sudbini afganistanskih žena, određenoj stotinama godina starom i zapečaćenom tradicijom. Odrasla je u siromaštvu, vjerovanju u Kuran, i odgojena u duhu islamskih predodžaba o ženi. Kad Rusi upadaju u njezinu zemlju, ona je još mala djevojčica. Njezin otac i braća povlače se u brda i priključuju mudžahedinskom pokretu, dok sestre krše pravila, podižu veo i zavode ruske vojnike, ali samo zato da bi ih mogle ubiti. Nakon što im je selo razoreno, žene bježe u glavni grad Kabul, gdje Shirin-Gol mora pohađati rusku školu, što će se odraziti na njezino sazrijevanje. Kao djevojka stupa u brak s muškarcem kojemu je dodijeljena u ime kartaškoga duga, potom proživljava brojne progone i nasilja, da bi naposljetku bježala od talibanskoga režima...

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle East, Biography, Memoir, History, Abuse, Asia

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Writer and maker of documentaries and films, Siba Shakib was born in Iran. She grew up in Teheran and recalls learning early in life that ‘girls have lesser value than boys’. She attended a German school in Teheran. where she received lessons in five religions and where she learnt different languages. Her higher education took place mainly in Germany where she completed her studies at the University of Heidelberg. Her work has taken her to many countries, but her attention became more and more concentrated on the war-torn Afghanistan where she worked before and during the command and terror of the Taliban. Several of her documentaries have won awards, including the moving testimonials she has made of the horrors of life in Afghanistan and the plight of Afghan women in particular.

Reviews

[Biljana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Možda i jesam slučajno pročitala ovu knjigu po drugi put, ali ustvari ništa nije slučajno. Možda mi je baš sad trebala lekcija iz poniznosti.
Što reći, osim hvala Bogu što nije rat, što mi djeca nisu gladna, što ne strahujemo za svoje živote, što uživamo slobode i prava o kojima mnogi mogu tek sanjati...

[Iben]

This book is heartbreaking, important, and poetic. For me, it offered insights into pieces of the lives of people I interact with in my local community, and some whom I can call friends - people who have come to my country as refugees from this region. I don’t want to be a "tourist" in their life stories and traumatic experiences and ask about them for my own benefit - for my own need to understand what women, what children, men and all people from this region have lived throuh. This is why I picked up this book, and kept reading even though it was painful. And while the need for more knowledge and insight was what drew me to the book, the narration and the beautiful, poetic use of language was what kept me reading all the way till it was finished. I'm glad I read this book, and I very much want to read others like it.

[Sara Zovko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slama srce na sitne komadiće i istovremeno te tjera čitati dalje i dalje i dalje sve dok ne dođeš do samoga kraja knjige. Kraja koji ne donosi mržnju i želju za osvetom, kraja koji donosi rođenje djeteta, donosi nadu u bolje sutra i nadu da će rat prestati.

[Monerl · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4,5 Sterne)

Meine Meinung
Ich habe dieses Buch schon sehr viele Jahre ungelesen in meinen Regalen. Aufgrund der derzeitigen desaströsen Situation in Afghanistan, ausgelöst durch den schnellen Abzug der USA, Deutschland und anderen Staaten, hatte ich das Bedürfnis noch mehr über Afhanistan, die afghanischen Bevölkerung und vor allem die afghanischen Frauen zu erfahren! Denn gerade Letztere sind von der erneuten Übernahme des Landes durch die Taliban am meisten betroffen.

In ihrem vor 20 Jahren erstveröffentlichten Buch „Nach Afghanistan kommt Gott nur zum Weinen“ hat die Autorin eine Biografie über eine afghanische Frau, Shirin-Gol, geschrieben, die in ihrer Kindheit bereits den Einmarsch der Russen in Afghanistan erlebt hat und bis zum Ende des Buches, irgendwann im Jahre 2001, nur Flucht, Hunger und Entbehrungen gekannt hat. Und doch hat sie und haben auch andere Menschen immer noch Hoffnung auf ein neues und besseres Leben in Zukunft.

„An diesem Nachmittag wissen Shirin-Gol und Azadine noch nichts von dem, was wenig später in ihrer Heimat geschehen wird. Die Ärztinnen, die Landwirtin, die Biologin, die Lehrerinnen, die Ingenieurin, die Krankenschwestern, die Frauen, die lesen können, die Frauen, die nicht lesen können, die Frauen, die sich in Azadines Haus versammelt haben, wissen noch nicht, dass in weniger als einem Jahr die Amerikaner und Europäer ihnen im Kampf gegen die Taleban endlich zu Hilfe kommen werden. An diesem Nachmittag glauben die Frauen zum soundsovielten Mal voller Hoffnung, die ihnen niemand nehmen kann, an eine bessere Zukunft. An diesem Nachmittag wissen sie noch nichts von den vielen Freunden, die sie im fernen Amerika und Europa haben. Sie wissen noch nicht, dass Bekämpfung von Terrorismus nur mit Bomben und Raketen möglich ist.
Die Frauen wissen an diesem Nachmittag noch nicht, dass bald wieder Bomben auf sie, auf Kabul, auf alle anderen Städte, auf ihr Land geworfen werden.
An diesem Nachmittag wissen sie nicht, dass die Amerikaner zu ihrer Befreiung kommen werden.“ (Buch, S. 295)


Es ist sehr bitter, aus heutiger Sicht und mit heutigem Wissen, 20 Jahre später, dass dieser letzte Satz aus obigem Zitat sich von einer Sekunde auf die andere in Luft aufgelöst hat! Am 16. August 2021 haben die Taliban wieder die Macht in Afghanistan übernommen. Sie sind in Kabul einmaschiert, nachdem die USA und auch Deutschland ihre Truppen wieder aus dem Land zurückziehen. Sie geben Afghanistan auf! Zwanzig Jahre lang konnte das Land sich langsam wandeln, nach vorne entwickeln. Frauenrechte wurden auf den Weg gebracht, Frauen konnten wieder in Ruhe studieren (40% der Studierenden sind Frauen gewesen), arbeiten, eine Schulbildung genießen, Künstlerinnen werden, lachen, tanzen und sich auch ohne Koopftuch auf die Straße trauen.

Die derzeitigen Nachrichten sind niederschmetternd! Menschen fliehen vor der erneuten Herrschaft der Taliban! Die einen, weil sie nicht mehr in einem Land ohne Freiheit, Menschen- und Frauenrechte leben wollen, die anderen, weil sie mit den westlichen Mächten zusammengearbeitet haben und somit potentiell gefährdet sind. Die Taliban haben Namenslisten von diesen Menschen angefertigt, suchen sie, werden sie wahrscheinlich foltern und umbringen.

Shrin-Gol ist 1979, als die Russen in Afghanistan einmarschieren und sie die ersten Raketen hört, ungefähr 5 Jahre alt. Heute ist Shirin-Gol, falls sie noch lebt, eine Frau von fast 50 Jahren, die wieder die Herrschaft der Taliban erleben muss und die sich vielleicht auch wieder auf eine Flucht begeben wird.

Shirin-Gol hat einige Kriege erlebt und hat über 20 Jahre ihres Lebens in der Fremde und auf der Flucht gelebt.

„Wo ist der Unerschied zwischen Heimat und Fremde?, fragen Nafass, Nabi, Navid, Nassim wieder und wieder, bekommen weder von Shirin-Gol noch von Morad eine Antwort. Die vielen Länder, Städte, Berge, Täler, Dörfer, in denen sie gelebt haben, die sie durchquert haben, die sie wieder verlassen mussten, der Sand, die Wüste, die Berge, das ist alles viel zu viel, viel zu groß für die kleinen Seelen der Kinder, die von Mal zu Mal zerbrechlicher, unsicherer, verängstigter werden. Was ist ein Land?, fragen sie. Was bedeutet Heimat? Wo ist mein Zuhause? Was ist eine Grenze? Wo ist sie?“ (Buch, S. 240)


Die Autorin Siba Shakib zeigt überaus deutlich, was Shirin-Gols Kinder, alle afghanischen Kinder in all den Jahren durchmachen mussten. Sie wachsen ohne ein längerfristiges und richtiges Dach über dem Kopf auf, erleiden Hungerperioden, Verluste von Träumen und einer Zukunft.

Shirin-Gol versucht zu überleben, sich und ihre Kinder durchzubringen. Sie ist mental stärker als ihr Mann Morad, der sich und sein Unglück versucht mit Opium zu betäuben. In einem Flüchtlingslager im Irak wird sie von Polizisten vergewaltigt und muss auch ihren Körper verkaufen, um an Geld zu kommen und trauert ihrer Vergangenheit nach, als sie als junges Mädchen unter der russischen Herrschaft verpflichtet wurde in die Schule zu gehen. Shirin-Gol ist eine der wenigen Frauen, die lesen und schreiben können. Sie wollte einmal Ärztin werden, doch dann verließen die Russen wieder Afghanistan und der Bürgerkrieg begann.

Shirin-Gols Leben ist voller Verluste, die sie in ihrem jungen Leben ertragen musste. Ihre älteste Tochter verliert sie an einen jungen Taliban, in den diese sich verliebt hat. Gegen die Liebe gibt es keine Medizin, so stimmt sie nach langer Gegenwehr der Hochzeit zu. Ihren ältesten Sohn verliert sie im Iran, der nicht wieder mit seiner Familie zurück nach Afghanistan will, nachdem der Iran seine Gastfreundschaft zu den geflüchteten Afghanen beendete. Sie verlor ihren Mann Morad an das Opium, das ihn abhängig, schwach und krank gemacht hat. Sie verlor Brüder und Schwestern im Krieg der Mujahedin und doch verlor sie nie die Kraft, immer wieder von vorne anzufangen!

Siba Shakib zeichnet über das Leben von Shirin-Gol die traurige Vergangenheit Afghanistans. Ein Land, das seit Jahrzehnten nicht zur Ruhe kommen durfte und wohl auch sehr lange nicht zur Ruhe kommen wird.

„Wir hatten einen König, der von seinem eigenen Schwager, der die Dinge besser machen wollte, abgesetzt wurde. Die Engländer wollten die Dinge in unserem Land besser machen. Die Russen sind gekommen und wollten uns wer weiß wovor retten. Die Amerikaner haben die Mujahedin mit Waffen beliefert und ausgebildet, wieder um wer weiß was zu ändern und damit alles besser wird. Die Mujahedin führen überall Krieg, für einen besseren Islam. Irgendwelche Kommandanten schießen auf andere Kommandanten, weil sie das Beste für uns wollen. In Kandahar, im Süden unserer Heimat, ist eine neue Bewegung aufgetaucht, die sich Taleban nennt und für einen bessseren Islam kämpft.“ (Buch, S. 162)

Fazit
Ein sehr aufschlussreiches und informatives Buch, das sehr ausführlich über die Menschen in Afghanistan berichtet und was sie alles erleben mussten. Die Biografie von Shirin-Gol schmerzt von Seite zu Seite mehr, denn diese Frau hat in ihren noch nicht einmal 30 Jahren mehr erlitten und Schlimmes erlebt, dass es in mehr als zig traurige Leben passen könnte.
Dies ist leider gerade heute wieder ein sehr lesenswertes Buch, auch wenn ich mit dem Schreibstil nicht ganz so zufrieden war.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goddamnit read this book. Today I opened newspapers and
read this: Afghan widow - Bibi Sanubar, given more than 200 lashes before being shot dead by Taliban for adultery. And then I googled Kabul and there it was: thousands of years old history, and now I only have compassion for this country.

Because in the same time while she was being flogged and ending her life, I was stealing figs from the olive trees fields, close to my beach wearing only bikini, milking and squeezing the life out of them, never wanting for that day to be over. And she was praying Allah to be dead. On the same day, few hours by plane far away.

This book is not about Bibi Sanubar, but it's about some other, equally smart, equally sad, equally proud, equally born in the wrong time, wrong place, wrong everything. Like it is possible for this to be happening. It's a really powerful book about strength and horror. And obviously it’s a never-ending book.

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avtorica v begunskem taborišču spozna Širin-Gol, ki ji zaupa svojo zgodbo.

Širin je le ena izmed ogromno žensk, moških in otrok, ki se morajo iz dneva v dan boriti za preživetje. Je ena redkih, ki zna tudi brati in pisati in njena želja je zmeraj bila, da bi postala zdravnica. Skozi leta Širin in njena družina le stežka najdejo svoj mir. Priča so krutim življenjskim razmeram. Družinski člani in prijatelji umirajo v vojni, ali pa se odločijo za drugo življenje, ločeno od njih. Zgodba je polna trpljenja, pa tudi poguma in vztrajnosti. Je zgodba o družini, prijateljstvu in ljubezni.

[Hedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all books I have read about Afghanistan, this is a wonderful story, but not an unlikely experience written from the female point of view. The story takes you through multiple generations and the events that have had such an impact on Afghanistan that it has planted its name in many of our modern minds. Let us not forget that the struggle for the people of Afghanistan and so many similarly situated countries continues. Reading these stories remind me of how fortunate we are even though many of us have our own modern struggles.

[Babak Fakhamzadeh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The language of the book feels oversimplified and is often very repetitive, which gives the story a tedious and childlike quality.
The events of the lead character feel fairly true-to-life, even if pretty much everything that could have gone wrong does go wrong, adding to the constructed, surreal, quality of the story.

[nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

eye opening and deeply touching.
even if your eyes are already open, and you are a bonafide cynic.

ps- be ready for a stream of consciousness read

[Abdul Babar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Straight up Islamophobic !!!! The story has a flow and the events change fast, but then they change too fast and its hard to keep track. Very poorly translated.
It is astonishing that when the main character is raped, starving, living in filth, pregnant from the rape and her husband becomes an opium addict and then she imagines to be living in good times, the first thing she imagines is that the women are not wearing hijab !! Really?? Is that what a raped and hungry woman supposed to desire of? Then they are leaving town to live in peace, the peace where "men dont have beards", clearly the writer hasnt been empathetic. It is so obvious that the book is written for the westerners who have no idea what islam is and what its like being at war and the image painted is also is what western world thinks of muslims. Russians had attacked afghanistan first, then the americans arrived, both engaged in rape and murder. But the main charachter does not seem to hate shaved men or women with skirts rather she finds them courageous "because they show their skin". I feel like the writer wanted to mock Afghans, as the main character went through so much, rape hunger constant migration, lost her parents, had to leave her children behind and the humiliation yet she survived and strived to move on, but the women who show skin are courageous? To be honest all i see is some woman trying to flatter western readers and just present them with the perception that they already have and stroke their egos. The idea that islam is bad and west is good (regardless of the fact that west threw such countries under the bus) is a lie painted as truth. There are so many things that offended me, constantly reminded me that the writer doesnt know how it feels like to live in such a country. Many governments support writers and film makers to shape public perception in a certain way, probably this is one of them, but she couldnt even do one thing right.

[Jenny Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not an easy novel to read, but it felt necessary to me, given the war that my country is waging in this country. It’s written simply and fluidly, with no analysis or explanation. Each character’s actions explain everything.

It’s the story of Shirin-Gol’s life, beginning when she is a child, and ending when she is a grandmother. It describes how she lives during the Russian invasion, during the tribal wars, and during the rule of the Taliban. It shows how she gives in, resists, escapes, wanders, finds homes, and loses homes.

In her family, there are separations and reunions. Sometimes there is something to eat, sometimes not. Sometimes she is confined to a room, sometimes she is free to work. Sometimes she finds solidarity with other women, sometimes she has no way to connect with anyone, and cannot even see their faces. It’s a haunting book, terribly sad. Shirin-Gol has nothing but a little hope to lean against. Yet still she survives.

[Amalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally I found it a difficult novel to read, but it felt necessary to read and I wanted to read it.

The story is a about the horrifying experiences of an Afghan women who as a child, lives during the Russian invasion of 1979 and as an adult, during the U.S. invasion of 2001. Then she must obey to the culture and the Taliban.

She embodies the plight of Afghanistan women, and the story shows the absurdity of war, the bottom of which even at the end of the book were never reached. Shirin-Gol, the main character had to stop her studies, enter into a marriage to pay off her brother's gambling debt, becomes a mother to several children, was raped, prostituted herself, moved from refugee camps from Pakistan to Iran... Why? Because of war and men and men at war.

I recommend this book, not for fun reading, which it isn't, but to gain an understanding

[➸ Gwen de Sade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think many people will have great pleasure with this read. However, I personally don't like books that are vehemently tear-jerking. It sometimes seems contrived and forced. For example, adding three sentences with God for every quote from the protagonist. I don't think anybody - religious or not - would talk like that in front of a journalist.

All in all, it could be a good insight into the situation of Afghan women ( although that's also debatable, because I actually don't like the fateful victim portrayal either) but this feels so inauthentic that I cannot recommend it.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking read about a woman and her family's struggles in the ever-war-torn Afghanistan. What she went through, having to constantly flee one village after another, suffering extreme poverty and oppression, reminds me of how fortunate many of us in the Western world are. A painful but important book.

[CadyCan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply told story. Moving and eye opening.

[Rschultz]

A must read book for understanding the plight of women and people in general in Afganistan

[Salvatore Leone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult but I thought powerful novel about women in Afghanistan. It was depressing but that's the point.

[Lilake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Priče koje pričaju o Afganistanu obično imaju glavni ženski lik koji nosi cijelu tragediju situacija koje su opisane. Ni ova knjiga nije iznimka. Shirin-gol, slatki cvijet, mlada majka koja stremi obrazovanju i brine za budućnost obitelji, samo je jedna od tisuća žena sa sličnom pričom. Kroz svoj životni put stalno bježi, sva mjesta na kojima se skrasi su samo privremena, rat ju slijedi u stopu i malo po malo nagriza njezinu obitelj. Dostojanstvo je rastrgano između običaja i želje za normalnim životom. Ta podjela je dodatno podcrtana oružjem koje svi muškarci nose. Neke žene pomažu muškarcima u borbi za slobodu, islam i kuran, ali one nisu slavljene zbog toga nego podliježu dodatnoj osudi i obilježene su kao žene koje se ne drže tradicije. Žene koje su ostale bez svojih muškaraca su prisiljene prodavati svoje tijelo, krasti i mučiti se na sve načine samo da bi prehranile djecu koja su im ostala. Svakodnevica je puna pucanja, silovanja, gladi i očaja. Doista, situacija u Afganistanu je godinama samo za plakanje.

[Ana Kandsmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um dos livros mais emocionantes sobre a ocupação russa no Afeganistão. Recomendo!

[Belma Simić · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ne znam kako sam završila ovu knjigu ali našla sam snage u sebi da je završim. Previše je potresna mislila sam da neću nikad ali me je zanimao kraj da li je Shirin Gol našla mir.

[Ayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Peace can not be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding."

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'Afghanistan e i russi. L'Afghanistan e la guerra fratricida tra i mujahedin. L'Afghanistan e le mine. L'Afghanistan e le donne. Donne come Shirin-Gol ( "Dolce fiore" in lingua afghana), costrette a portare il velo, a sottostare alla legge dei padri e dei fratelli che impone loro una vita priva di dignità, una vita in cui le donne non possono studiare, imparare, leggere.
Shirin-Gol Gol assurge assurge a simbolo di quelle donne che, nonostante la miseria, la povertà, la fuga, continuano a lottare, combattere in nome della pace e di un futuro possibile.
Libro, storia non semplice, ma meritevole per conoscere meglio il mondo afghano e le donne che cercano di condurre una battaglia in nome della libertà e dei diritti in un paese martoriato da troppa violenza.

"Indipendentemente da dove viviamo, indipendentemente da quanto sia difficile, dobbiamo combattere".

[Sana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leste romanen for ca 2 1/2 år siden, og kan fortsatt huske at jeg fikk "gåsehud".
"Der Gud gråter" er historien til Shirin-Gol, som forteller om den normale frykten, som tusenvis av kvinner og andre har opplevd og kanskje opplever i Afghanistan i dag, på en liknende eller annen måte."I Afghanistan har nesten alle navn en mening. Shirin-Gol betyr Søte blomst". Dette var den første setningen i romanen som fikk meg til å smile. Og dette var vel et tegn på et godt førsteinntrykk, ikke sant? På den andre siden begynte det å renne noen få "vanndråper" langs skinnene mine imens jeg satt å leste. Dette var den andre gangen jeg hadde opplevd noe slikt. En sterk, bedrøvelig og trist roman som får oss mottakere til å tenke på livet og hvor utakknemlige vi egentlige er!
Anbefales på det sterkeste ...

[Jingga]

This is a story about Shirin-Gol, but it is, at the same time, a story about millions of Afghan women (and men) and their endless suffering.
Shirin-Gol goes through multiple deprivations in childhood, is married at a young age, has several children, and lives life at a sub-human subsistence level, yet her spirit soars high above the mundane level.
This book doesn’t exist for us (by us I mean people who don’t live in a war-torn country) to feel better about our lives, this book exists so that we could do something about them (by them I mean people who are suffering, people caught in the horrors of war). 

[Natasa Tovornik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a woman in Afghanistan and how she deals with her destiny. Overall a good story, I just did not like the style of writing to much. To me it was not descriptive enough and in some places I would like to know more about what went on. Not just listing couple of non-important facts to cover the time from then to now. Still, worthwhile reading, although Thousand splendid suns I liked much more.

[Ginny_1807 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storia bellissima e struggente di una donna afgana, Shirin-Gol, che rifiuta di non pensare, di sottomettersi alle regole assurde che le vengono imposte, di accettare passivamente la fame, la miseria, la guerra.
La sua forza, il suo coraggio, la sua capacità di reagire anche alle prove più dure a cui viene sottoposta, non possono non risvegliare in ognuna di noi l'orgoglio di essere donne.
Da leggere.

[Grete · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the terrible truth about what war does to family,people and our lives. It is just awful to read, but should be read by everyone!

[Donagh Stenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is badly translated and really affects the quality of the story telling.

[Jadranka Sarić · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potresna, strašna, tužna.
Jedva sam čekala da joj dođe kraj.
Ono sta najvise boli je činjenica da se do danas ništa nije promijenilo....

[Senne Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Naar Afghanistan komt God alleen om te huilen' concentreert zich op de menselijke ervaring in tijden van extreme politieke onrust. Shakib hanteert het waargebeurde verhaal van Shirin Gol om de onderdrukking te behandelen van Afghaanse vrouwen voor 2001. Het parcours van Shirin Gol is pakkend en beklijvend, zonder te vervallen in melodramatische clichés.

De schrijfstijl kon me niet altijd bekoren en de toewijding van de vertaler lag duidelijk lager dan die van de auteur. Toch is dit boek een grote aanrader voor wie een beter historisch inzicht wil in het huidige Afghanistan dat helaas de klok decennia terugdraait, met meer focus op het menselijke aspect dan journalistiek doorgaans toestaat.

4,5/5