Part 1​—Germany

GERMANY has exercised a profound influence on history. Its people have a reputation for being hard workers and obedient to authority. These qualities have been a major factor in the nation’s economic growth, so that today West Germany, with its population of over sixty million, is one of the industrial giants of the world. It carries on trade in all parts of the earth. And to meet the needs of its thriving economy, in recent years it has been necessary to bring into the country more than three million “guest workers” from Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and other lands.

The influence of Germany has also been felt in other ways. During the first world war, from 1914 to 1918, German armies pushed eastward into Russia, and west through Belgium into France. Before the conflict ended, they were engaged in warfare against an alliance of twenty-four nations around the globe. Germany was defeated. But it was only a short time until a veteran  of that war, Adolf Hitler, began his rise to power. By 1933, as head of the National Socialist Party, he was made chancellor of Germany. In short order he subjected the German people to a reign of terror, and in 1939 he plunged the world into another global war, far more extensive and destructive than the first.

What were the churches doing while all this was taking place? Every Sunday, in harmony with a concordat signed between the Vatican and Germany in 1933, the Catholic clergy prayed for Heaven’s blessing on the German Reich. Did the Protestant clergy make any protest? To the contrary, in 1933 they unitedly pledged unqualified support to the Nazi State. And in 1941, long after World War II was under way, the Protestant Evangelical Church in Mainz, Germany, thanked God for having given the people an Adolf Hitler.

EARLIER RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS

Interestingly, it was here in Germany, on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses on the church door in Wittenberg, in protest against practices that he believed to be out of line with the Word of God. But the religious protest soon got intertwined with political interests, and long before the twentieth century, not only the Catholic Church, but also the Protestant organizations had clearly identified themselves as part of the world.

However, as the time drew near for “the kingdom of the world” to be given by God to a heavenly king, the Lord Jesus Christ, there was a work to be done in Germany, as in other parts of the world. (Rev. 11:15) It was a work that called for people with genuine faith in the Bible as the Word of God. It required that they appreciate that to be true disciples of Christ they must be “no part of the world.” (John 17:16; 1 John 5:19) Why? Because, instead of giving their support to any government of men, they were to proclaim the Messianic kingdom of God as the only hope for humankind. (Matt. 24:14; Dan. 7:13, 14) Who would seize hold of this opportunity?

In the 1870’s, in America, Charles Taze Russell had begun to gather together a group of Bible students who were keenly interested in the second coming of Christ. They saw the need to share with others the marvelous things that they were learning from God’s Word. As the work progressed, and distribution of Bible literature took on enlarged proportions, it became necessary to form the legal corporation that is known today as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, and Brother Russell was its first president.

 Recognizing the importance of spreading the good news to the most distant parts of the earth, in 1891 the Watch Tower Society made arrangements for Brother Russell to travel abroad to determine the possibilities for expanding the work. (Acts 1:8) During this trip Brother Russell visited Berlin and Leipzig. But he later reported: “We see . . . nothing to encourage us to hope for any harvest in Italy or Austria or Germany.” Nonetheless, after his return, arrangements were made to publish several books and leaflets in German. Persons who had emigrated from Germany to the United States and had read the Society’s literature sent it to their relatives and friends in Germany, encouraging them to use it in their Bible study.

It was after a number of years, in 1897, that the first German issue of The Watch Tower, entitled Zions Wacht-Turm und Verkündiger der Gegenwart Christi, was published in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Charles T. Russell was editor in chief; his assistant editor was Otto A. Kötitz. By that time the first three volumes of Millennial Dawn, in German, had already been printed in the United States.

To simplify shipping to Germany and other European territories, a literature depot was opened in Berlin at Nürnberger Strasse 66. Sister Margarethe Giesecke had oversight and cared for the regular mailing of 500 copies of each issue of Zions Wacht-Turm. At the beginning of 1899 the literature depot was moved from Berlin to Bremen-W.

A SLOW BEGINNING

Despite increased efforts during 1898 the situation was such that the Society felt it appropriate to issue this statement: “Although we recognize the interest and zeal of our dear readers, we must inform them that orders for copies of The Watch Tower this past year were less than expected, causing us to ask: Should we stop printing The Watch Tower either completely or perhaps print it just once every two or three months?” For a while it was printed only every three months, although with twice as many pages.

Although no especially outstanding results had been attained, the efforts put forth were definitely not in vain. For the sake of efficiency an office was opened in Elberfeld (Wuppertal) in 1902, Brother Henninges being in charge. In October of 1903 Brother Russell sent Brother Kötitz to Germany to take over supervision, and Brother Henninges was sent to Australia on a special assignment. Brother Kötitz had emigrated with his parents to America from Germany and had  entered Jehovah’s service there in the spring of 1892. With only one short interruption he had served as assistant editor of the German Watch Tower until Brother Russell sent him to Germany. Yet​—as viewed by the main office—​the results for 1903 were still unsatisfactory. The annual report covering this period read: “The German Branch has opened under fairly prosperous conditions, yet not what we had hoped for. The oneness of the ‘body’ and of the ‘harvest’ work does not seem to be sufficiently appreciated by the German brethren. . . . It is proposed, however, to continue the mission during 1904, giving the field a fair trial and looking to the Lord for guidance as to whether or not there are more favorable fields for the use of consecrated time and money.”

These were difficult years for the preaching of the good news in Germany. Religious and political enemies had already appeared on the scene. Nationalism had blossomed forth with the founding of the German Kaiser Reich in 1871 and was being promoted, not only by the politicians, but also by the religious leaders. “We want a German, not an American, Christianity,” and other suchlike slogans, could be heard in the churches. The tender plants of truth, which had only begun to grow, were being subjected, as it were, to a sudden spring frost. Happily, however, the first evidences that the efforts put forth had not been in vain were forthcoming.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONS

In 1902 a Christian sister moved to Tailfingen, located east of the Black Forest. She had learned the truth in Switzerland and now endeavored to pass it on to the residents of Tailfingen. Her name was Margarethe Demut, but, in acknowledgment of the fact that she was always speaking of a new “golden age,” she was termed “Golden Gretle” by the local residents. Her activity brought her in contact with a man, who, together with his sister and two men of their acquaintance, was searching for the truth. They had already tried to find it in the Methodist Church. After reading a tract she had left at their home, they immediately wrote to request the available Millennial Dawn volumes. They were known to the entire community as devout men, highly thought of because of their proper conduct. One of the first congregations in Germany was formed there and became known among the community residents as the “Millennial Congregation.”

These Christian brothers were zealously supported by another sister, Rosa Möll. Since she so freely spoke  to everyone in the community about the “Millennium,” she was soon given the nickname “Millennial Rösle.” This sister, now eighty-nine, has been serving Jehovah for more than sixty years, including eight years in Hitler’s concentration camp at Ravensbrück.

The seeds of truth also began to sprout in the Bergische Land northeast of Cologne. A representative of the Watch Tower Society from Switzerland moved into this region around 1900. His name was Lauper. In Wermelskirchen he met eighty-year-old Gottlieb Paas, also Otto Brosius, presbyter and a member of the church’s board of directors, and his wife Mathilde. All of them were looking for the truth and, after studying the Watch Tower literature, they realized they had found it. They soon organized meetings in a restaurant in Wermelskirchen. Many members of the Paas and Brosius families attended the meetings; seventy to eighty persons were often present. Soon thereafter Gottlieb Paas died, but on his deathbed he held up The Watch Tower and said: “This is the truth; hold on to it.”

Meanwhile, in the county of Lübbecke, Westphalia, an average of twenty-five men and women from various localities were gathering together to consider God’s Word. They belonged to the Protestant Church but were not diligent churchgoers, as they often returned home dissatisfied, especially so when the minister preached about hellfire. One of their neighbors, while traveling to Saarbrücken to attend an auction, found a tract in the train that mentioned that there is no fiery hell. Thinking this should be something for his neighbors, whom he called the “pious people,” he gave it to them upon his return. They immediately ordered all the available literature, which then became their study material. Although it took considerable time before they left the Protestant Church and were baptized, they enjoyed regular visits from the traveling pilgrim brothers sent out by the Watch Tower Society. Thus the foundation was laid for a congregation in Gehlenbeck, the “mother congregation” for a number of others.

Growth was also taking place in other areas. In 1902 a landowner and dairy farmer by the name of Cunow got the truth and laid the foundation for congregations in the area east of Berlin. In Dresden, Brother Miklich, a shop supervisor for the railway, and his wife learned the truth about this same time. The congregation there grew so rapidly that, with more than 1,000 brothers and sisters, in the 1920’s it was by far the largest in Germany.

 HASTENING THE SPREAD OF THE GOOD NEWS

Although expensive, the brothers decided to try inserting eight-page sample copies of Zion’s Watch Tower into newspapers. How greatly this undertaking was blessed is shown by some of the letters received. Here is an example:

“I have read completely the sample copy of your Watch Tower, which came today as an insert in the Tilsiter Zeitung. My interest . . . has been aroused and I would like to receive further explanation through your publications on the subjects death and hell. Please send me the book mentioned in your folder . . . P. J., East Prussia.”

This is what The Watch Tower issue of April 1905 had to say about this:

“More than one and a half million copies of Watch Tower samples have been distributed, thereby getting the work started. We rejoice over the results. Many hungry souls have responded and the number of those regularly receiving The Watch Tower has increased to 1,000.”

As the seed, the word about God’s kingdom, continued to be scattered by every possible means, more and more results began to be seen. Some, like Brother Lauper, started working as colporteurs so as to cover much territory in a short time.

SOME WERE SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH

It was in 1905 while working near Berlin distributing issues of The Watch Tower that Brother Lauper left his last copy in the home of an elderly Baptist gentleman named Kujath. His son Gustav had recently returned from a Baptist convention quite upset over the emphatic warning given there against a Baptist preacher named Kradolfer, who suddenly had begun teaching that the soul is mortal. Taking note of this, Gustav began to investigate the Bible, inviting his father and his friends to search out the truth of the matter with him. In August of 1905 Gustav Kujath visited his father, who lived about an hour’s traveling time away, and his father drew his attention to this single copy of The Watch Tower that Brother Lauper had left. This was just what they both had been looking for. It was “food at the proper time.”​—Matt. 24:45.

Kujath immediately subscribed for a number of copies of The Watch Tower and started loaning five sets of them out to others. After a certain time his children would pick up the single copies again, and he then gave them to other interested persons. Thus many came in contact with the message. He naturally came  into disfavor with the Baptists, and he was disfellowshiped by them on New Year’s Eve, 1905, with the words: “You are going the way of the Devil.” Later, more than ten of his relatives left the Baptist Church.

The younger Kujath had also understood that Christians are not to neglect meeting together. For that reason, he wrote the Watch Tower Society’s branch office in Elberfeld requesting addresses of others with whom he could meet together and study. Brother Kötitz was able to give him only the address of nineteen-year-old Bernhard Buchholz in Berlin, whom Kujath immediately contacted. At that time Buchholz belonged to a group called the “Saviour Congregation.” He had just burned the Millennial Dawn volumes, being of the opinion that he, an orphan and jobless because of a minor delinquency, could not possibly be the only worthy person in Berlin into whose hands the truth should fall. But Kujath encouraged him to study the books with him, and even encouraged him to become a colporteur. A short time later Kujath took him into his home.

So as to be able to finance the spreading of the good news in this territory, Kujath gave up plans for building a new home. He sold the property where the house was to have been built and used the funds thus made available to convert two rooms in his father’s house into a room where meetings could be held. By 1908 it was possible to form a small group of from twenty to thirty persons.

About the same time a baron named von Tornow with large estates in Russia began searching for the truth. Disgusted with the licentious living among the Russian nobility, he had decided to go to Africa by way of Switzerland and serve there as a missionary. On the evening before his departure, he made a final visit to a small mountain chapel in Switzerland. As he was leaving, someone offered him one of the Watch Tower Society’s tracts. Now, instead of setting off for Africa, he set out next day to obtain more of this literature. This was in about 1907.

In 1909 he appeared in the Berlin congregation decked out in his best attire and accompanied by his personal servant. He was disappointed upon seeing how simple the meeting place was and how unpretentious and unassuming the people were he met there, for he was of the opinion that such priceless truths also deserved an appropriate outward appearance. But what he heard impressed him. Months later, having overcome his feelings, he returned; his appearance now, however, was considerably less conspicuous, for he came without his servant and was dressed more  modestly. He later admitted that he probably would not have returned had he not read in the Bible: “For you behold the calling of you, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world . . . in order that no flesh might boast in the sight of God.”​—1 Cor. 1:26-29.

Now convinced that he had found the truth, he returned to Russia, sold his entire estate, and settled in Dresden. Willing to live a modest life, he was prepared to devote all his wealth to Jehovah’s service.

WELL-ORGANIZED LECTURE TOURS

In 1913 Brother Tornow had the branch office in Barmen arrange three lecturing trips, which he, for the most part, personally financed. Brother Hildebrandt, a baker from Golnow, Pommern, sold his house and also helped in covering the expenses. A traveling group composed of five brothers and four young sisters was formed and appropriately divided into two smaller groups.

Brother Hildebrandt, who functioned as “quartermaster” and “publication supervisor,” traveled ahead with three or four sisters, two of whom today in old age are still endeavoring to further Kingdom interests. After the matter of accommodations for them and for the group that would arrive some days later had been settled, they picked up the cartons of tracts and other literature that had been sent to the post office and brought them to their accommodations. After stamping the tracts with the hall address and the time when the talk would be held (the tracts thereby also serving as invitations), they were folded in such a way that at least 1,200 to 1,600 large tracts could be put into the leather cases that Brother Tornow had bought for this purpose. The brothers and sisters worked hard distributing them, for they tried to be at the first door by 8:30 in the morning and usually worked through until 7:00 in the evening, taking only an hour off at noon. There was no time for coffee breaks.

A few days later Brothers Buchholz, Tornow and Nagel followed. Brother Buchholz delivered the talks. The halls were usually packed out, and so many persons handed in their addresses that three brothers were kept busy the next day visiting them all.

The second trip took our lecturing team through Wittenberg and Halle on up to Hamburg. The third trip led clear up to the Russian border, thus permitting a good witness to be given in these eastern sections before World War I began.

 HOLDING FIRMLY TO THE TRUTH

By 1908 things began to move along in Siegerland. Otto Hugo Lay, now ninety years old, came in contact with the truth back in 1905 through a professional acquaintance. Two years later he, together with both his children, withdrew from the church and refused to pay church taxes, which were then nonetheless sequestered. The sequestering official wanted to paste his stamp on the back of one of the cabinets where it would not be noticed, but Brother Lay protested, saying that everyone could and should see it; he wanted to tell everyone seeing it the truth of the matter. In 1908 he was baptized in a bathtub at Weidenau and began associating with the congregation in Siegen.

Hermann Herkendell became acquainted with the truth in 1905 through a tract he had found in a train compartment. He was a young schoolteacher and was on his way to Jena to continue his education at the university there. The contents of this tract, however, impressed him so greatly that he soon resigned from the Lutheran Church. This resulted in his being at once suspended from giving religious instruction at school. Soon thereafter he was fired from his teaching position.

In 1909 Brother Herkendell was already serving as substitute for Brother Kötitz in visiting the congregations, and, at the end of the year, his name appeared for the first time in The Watch Tower in connection with a proposed trip representing the Society as one of its traveling “pilgrims.” In 1911 he married the daughter of Brother Jander, wealthy owner of a casting factory. As a dowry, young Sister Herkendell requested her father to give them money for a most unusual honeymoon trip. They wanted to spend it preaching the Kingdom message to the German-speaking people in Russia. The Barmen office supplied them with available addresses of German-Russians. The trip lasted many months and was indeed strenuous, since it often took many hours to get from the railroad station to where the brothers and interested persons lived. They had no personal means of transportation, and communication by letter and telegram was undependable, so it was seldom that they were picked up at the railroad station. How many young married couples of today would take such a honeymoon trip?

For a short time during World War I Brother Herkendell was privileged to take over the responsibilities of the Barmen Office. Then after the war he once again served as a traveling pilgrim, passing away in 1926 during a pilgrim trip.

When the 1908 annual report was compiled, it was encouraging to see that for the first time most of the  tracts distributed had been personally put out by Watch Tower readers themselves and only a comparatively few by means of newspapers. It was, however, as a result of this last-mentioned method that a young man, eighteen years of age, came in contact with the truth in Hamburg. After finishing school he began to read the Bible daily, with a sincere desire to understand it. Several years passed and in 1908 he got ahold of a tract entitled “Sale of the Birthright.” This interested the young man very much. Paying no attention to the ridicule of his workmates, he immediately wrote the Society in Barmen for the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures. Shortly thereafter he had the opportunity to meet Brother Kötitz, who invited him to come to Barmen sometime. The young man accepted the invitation, remarking at the time that such a visit to Barmen would also be the day of his baptism. This took place, then, at the start of 1909. The branch overseer took the young friend, now our brother, to the railroad station and asked him before he boarded the train whether he would like to take up pioneering. Our young brother said that the Society would hear from him when he was that far along.

This young brother was named Heinrich Dwenger. He soon arranged his affairs so that he could begin pioneering on October 1, 1910. In the following decades he has had the privilege of serving in nearly every department of almost every Bethel home of the Watch Tower Society in Europe. Periodically he enjoyed traveling for the Society and often substituted for branch overseers during trying times. Many have grown to love him and recognize him as a helpful worker. At present he is eighty-six years old and rejoices in being in good health both spiritually and physically after an uninterrupted period of full-time service of more than sixty years.

BROTHER RUSSELL AGAIN VISITS GERMANY

In 1909 a further organizational improvement was made when the office was moved to larger quarters in Barmen. This naturally meant increased expenses. Without hesitation Brother Cunow sold his property and used the money in furnishing the Bethel home. Much was also done in 1909 in the way of spiritual upbuilding. In February the brothers in Saxony arranged for Brother Kötitz to give a number of public lectures. Six times he was able to witness to an audience of at least 250 to 300 persons.

But the crowning feature of 1909 was beyond doubt Brother Russell’s long-awaited visit to Germany. After  a brief stop in Hamburg, he arrived in Berlin and was met by a group of brothers. They immediately went to the beautifully decorated assembly room, where fifty to sixty brothers had been patiently waiting for Brother Russell’s arrival. Brother Russell spoke about the restoration of that which Adam had lost, especially pointing out the privilege those would receive who had prospects of becoming members of Christ’s body. After having a snack together, they went to the Hohenzollern Hall, where the public lecture was to be held. It was packed out! A crowd of 500 listened to the talk “Where Are the Dead?” About a hundred persons had to stand. An additional 400 were turned away due to lack of space, but were given tracts outside the hall. Later, in Dresden, at least 900 to 1,000 persons heard Brother Russell’s two-hour public talk. The trip continued on to Barmen, where approximately a thousand persons heard his talk. The following afternoon 120 brothers assembled at the Bible House, and that evening some 300 came together to hear Brother Russell answer Biblical questions. This concluded Brother Russell’s visit to Germany, and shortly after 11:00 that evening he boarded the train for Switzerland, where a two-day assembly was to be held in Zurich.

During the year the brothers in Germany were encouraged to use their resources in trying to support the Kingdom work in Germany without outside help. But by the end of the year printing costs, postage, freight, fees for inserts, public lecture and travel expenses, rent, light, heating, and other expenses, had amounted to a total of 41,490.60 marks, whereas contributions amounted to only 9,841.89 marks, leaving a deficit of 31,648.71 marks, which was covered by money advanced from Brooklyn headquarters. This prompted Brother Russell to say the following in his annual report: “What great amounts of money the Society has spent in Germany to make the truth known. . . . The efforts put forth in Germany are comparatively greater than in any other country. We should expect corresponding results​—unless it should be that the majority of consecrated Germans have already immigrated to the United States.”

Brother Russell made a brief stopover of some ten hours in Berlin on his 1910 world trip and addressed two hundred persons waiting for him when he arrived.

About this time Emil Zellmann, a streetcar conductor from Berlin, began to attract considerable attention. He took advantage of every opportunity to read the Bible or to witness to his passengers, sometimes even  between streetcar stops; once while busy reading he contributed to the amusement of his passengers by calling out, not the next streetcar stop, but, rather, “Psalm 91,” which he had just been reading. Soon more than ten fellow streetcar conductors and their families were attending the meetings. This small but very active group did much in spreading the good news in Berlin. Although these brothers started to work at 5:00 a.m., their exemplary zeal often caused them to go to the streetcar depot two hours earlier to place tracts on the seats of the streetcars being put into service.

The year 1911 was marked by talks given by Brother Russell on the subject “Zionism and Prophecy,” which called forth angry responses from audiences in some cases. For example, in Berlin there was a disturbance, and nearly 100 persons left the hall early in the talk, whereas approximately 1,400 remained and attentively followed Brother Russell’s lecture through to the conclusion.

Brother Russell again referred in his travel report to the development of the work in Germany, mentioning that, although ‘the number of brethren and their interest had increased, he was disappointed with the number of interested persons, considering the large population as well as the efforts put forth and the amount of money spent.’ The years had truly indicated that the prerequisites for growth in Germany were at first not as favorable as in America, for example. A large percentage of the German population were Catholics, a further group Socialists, a majority antagonistic toward the Bible and a majority of the better educated estranged from God.

Brother Russell’s trip to Europe in the summer of 1912 took him to Munich, Reichenbach, Dresden, Berlin, Barmen and Kiel. For his public talk he had chosen the very promising subject ‘Beyond the Grave.” It was advertised by means of large banners upon which several churches noted for their teaching the doctrines of immortality of the soul and hellfire were depicted. In the foreground a large Bible was enclosed in a chain, which, however, was burst asunder at one point. In the background Brother Russell could be seen pointing to the Bible. These banners created quite a stir in many cities and some police officials prevented their being displayed. But despite this, audiences of from 1,500 to 2,000 came to hear the discourse in Munich, Dresden and Kiel.

The public talk was also well advertised in Berlin. Exceptionally large newspaper advertisements had highlighted the event several times and everywhere billboards displayed our placards. Additionally, the  “messenger boys” of all the leading newspapers had been hired to help advertise the talk. These were boys dressed in blue-and-white pants and with caps held by a chin band cocked at a jaunty slant. They wore placards, both front and back, and sped through the city streets on roller skates. Whenever these boys appeared on the scene everyone in Berlin knew something big was in the making.

It is, therefore, understandable that early in the afternoon great crowds of people were already streaming to the Friedrichshain, the city’s largest hall, accommodating about 5,000 persons, to hear Brother Russell’s speech. Hours before the hall was opened the entire vicinity was besieged. The unprecedented throng grew from hour to hour, and transportation facilities could no longer handle the crowds. Many, financially able to do so, came in hansom cabs. Many others did not get there at all due to the overtaxed transportation facilities. The section was blocked off by the police and it was variously estimated that some 15,000 to 20,000 persons were turned back at the doors of the completely packed-out hall. Zealous brothers and sisters, taking advantage of the situation, distributed thousands of tracts, as well as large numbers of Studies in the Scriptures and other publications, among the many thousands who could not get into the hall. Brother Russell was, therefore, able to leave satisfied that an impressive witness had been given during this his last visit to Berlin.

The next year, 1913, was marked by a sincere desire to devote, if possible, even more energy, time and money toward acquainting still more persons with the Kingdom good news. Arrangements were made for publishing Brother Russell’s sermons in the weekly magazine called “Der Volksbote,” thereby reaching additional persons with the message. Literature was also put out in braille for the benefit of the blind. The Society even expressed its willingness to supply the brothers with literature free of charge for distribution.

Brother Russell’s crowded schedule did not allow him to visit Germany in 1913, but the brothers were overjoyed when he sent Brother Rutherford, at that time the Society’s legal counselor. His talks were well attended and the halls were filled to capacity everywhere. Persons had to be turned away repeatedly. In Dresden, for example, the hall seated about 2,000, whereas 7,000 to 8,000 were turned away for lack of room. At his talk in Berlin, attended by 3,000, there was a disturbance when troublemakers made so much noise that it was difficult for Brother Kötitz, who was translating the talk for Brother Rutherford, to make himself  heard. It must be remembered that at this time there were no loudspeaker systems, so keeping command of the situation under such difficulties required a powerful voice. Brother Kötitz, although putting forth a tremendous effort, was not up to the situation and was silenced completely when he tore his lung in the process. Immediately a brother jumped atop a table and shouted with a strong voice: “What will the Americans think of us Germans?”, which seemed to quiet down the troublemakers. Brother Kötitz completed the talk, but brothers who knew him report that he never completely recuperated from this overexertion.

Especially gratifying at the end of the year was the fact that expenses of the work could be covered by voluntary contributions, with even a small surplus remaining. Thus the brothers in Germany came to the end of a year full of bountiful blessings convinced that another year of zealous activity lay ahead, a year many considered would be the ‘last year of the harvest.’

1914​—A LONG-AWAITED YEAR

Now the year 1914 had arrived, a history-making year that many Watch Tower readers had looked forward to for several decades. The first half of the year passed just as quietly as the previous year had. It is true that an atmosphere of tension existed in Europe, but since this did not erupt into violence, opposers of the Kingdom began to make negative comments, not a few being too hasty in gloatingly announcing defeat for the “Millennial Dawnites.” But this could not shake the faith of those who had shared in the witness work for many years.

In the meantime the wheel of time continued to turn. Military maneuvers were carried on in several European countries “just in case.” Things still appeared quiet, but the strutting steps of drilling soldiers were like the muffled rumble of a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. Suddenly the entire world held its breath. A shot rang out in Sarajevo. In large cities the world over newsboys hit the streets calling out “Extra! Extra!” and the most murderous war in mankind’s history up until that time had begun, a war that historians termed for the first time a “world war.” For many the war struck like a bolt out of the blue, and just as suddenly the scoffers became silent. Brother Grabenkamp from Lübbecke told his sons, “Well, my lads, the time has now come!” and his brothers throughout the world thought and spoke similar words. They had been awaiting these events, yes, not only that, they had been ordained by Jehovah to announce them to others. They knew that these things would  merely be forerunners of indescribable blessings from Jehovah for mankind.

Now with their own eyes they could look back and see how the witness they had given had been verified. An example is Brother Dathe, who was baptized with his wife in 1912, and who, years later, wrote the following to his good friend and brother Fritz Dassler:

“During the last two hours that I spent at the side of my dear sick wife on June 23, 1954, two and a half hours before she fell asleep in death, we recalled the long past day of June 28, 1914, which was always so important to us. It was a Sunday. We had beautiful summer weather. That afternoon we drank a cup of coffee on the balcony and marveled at the deep-blue heaven. The air was clean and dry. There was not a cloud to be seen. I mentioned the daily newspaper. There appeared to be no tension anywhere on earth; it was serenely peaceful everywhere. And, nonetheless, we were awaiting visible signs of the beginning of Christ’s rule in this year. The newspapers already triumphed and published one defamatory article after another against the true believers that had prophesied the end of the world in 1914. On Monday, June 29, 1914, however, we opened our daily newspaper early that morning and read the headlines: ‘Austrian Heir to Throne Murdered in Sarajevo!’ Overnight the political heavens had blackened. Four weeks later World War I broke out. Now in the eyes of our opposers we were suddenly the greatest of prophets.”

The willingness of these faithful servants to do Jehovah’s revealed will helped them to realize that a still greater work lay ahead of them even when 1914 had come and gone. Jehovah was guiding his people so that his purpose could be carried out. The preparation work for the tremendous witness given through the “Photo-Drama of Creation” is a good example. The necessary equipment, film, slides and instructions arrived in Germany shortly before the outbreak of the war. Some parts had arrived even earlier and had already been shown on April 12, 1914, at an assembly in Barmen and at an assembly in Dresden, attended, by the way, by a number of brothers from Russia and Austria-Hungary, from May 31 to June 2.

When the rest of the film arrived in Germany three weeks before the outbreak of the war, the Society immediately made arrangements to show the Drama at the city auditorium in Elberfeld. Considering public interest in the Drama, the hall was much too small and it had to be shown twice. The big debut was in Berlin, however, where it was shown twice a day to overflow audiences. The series (shown in four parts  on four consecutive days) had to be shown five times from November 1 to November 23, 1914.

But the war brought problems, the first of which was when contact with America was temporarily broken.

PROBLEMS AS REGARDS THE WORK’S OVERSIGHT

God’s people in Germany were now entering a period of great stress, marked by problems as regards the work’s oversight. Toward the end of 1914, about eleven years after Brother Russell had authorized Brother Kötitz to come to Germany to take oversight of the work here, he was suddenly attacked from various sides and accused of improprieties. This led to uneasiness among the brothers and caused Brother Russell to relieve him of his service position.

The need for additional pilgrim brothers in Germany had caused Brother Russell to send a brother from the United States named Conrad Binkele, formerly a Methodist preacher who had been acquainted with The Watch Tower for only about a year, to serve in this capacity, although Brother Russell had done this only hesitantly. Brother Binkele arrived in Germany just as the problems among the servants began to take on serious proportions, and in 1915 he was entrusted with oversight of the work in Germany.

However, Brother and Sister Binkele soon returned to the United States. Their farewell words were prominently displayed in bold type on the last page of the October Watch Tower, with the comment that ‘conditions had taxed their resources to the extremity.’ These “conditions” were probably the difficulties that continued to increase during 1915. In October Brother Russell felt compelled to give special attention to the problem and to take necessary measures to deal with it. A letter entitled “A Personal Letter from Brother Russell to German Bible Students” read as follows:

“Brooklyn, October 1915

“Dear Brethren:

“I think of you often in my prayers and my earnest desire is that the Lord may bless you. We sympathize with you in the tribulations of war affecting you either directly or indirectly. We also want to express our sympathy for you as regards the tribulations suffered in the interests of the truth in Germany. It is not for us to judge one another or to punish by pronouncing final judgment. If erring brothers repent, we must be content to leave the final judgment and punishment  up to the Lord who has said: ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ Heb. 10:30.

“Nonetheless in the interests of truth, righteousness and proper conduct, and for the sake of the influence exercised by the Society’s representatives, it appears to be necessary to appoint new representatives for the Society in Germany. The war has caused certain inconveniences, postal and telegraph service are irregular and it is understandable that certain misunderstandings regarding the leadership in Barmen arose for a time. We believe that our dear Brother Binkele did his best and handled matters correctly under the circumstances. But as you know Brother Binkele has returned to America.

“We want to inform the German brethren that from now on all Society matters are to be regulated by a committee of three brothers: Ernst Haendeler, Fritz Christmann and Reinhard Blochmann. . . .

“Dear Brethren, I recommend that you in every respect cooperate with and support the new leadership in Barmen. The Body of Christ is one, do not permit divisions in the body, even as the Apostle admonishes us.”

But this arrangement did not work out as planned either, for Brother Blochmann had been forced to leave Barmen, and Brother Haendeler had died before Brother Russell’s letter even reached Germany. Since tension did not let up during the following months, in February of 1916 Brother Russell appointed an “overseeing committee” composed of five brothers, H. Herkendell, O. A. Kötitz, F. Christmann, C. Stohlmann and E. Hoeckle.

This “overseeing committee” arrangement did not last long, however. Only a few months after the committee had once again been regrouped, Brother Binkele, who in the meantime had returned to Europe and taken up residence in Zurich, Switzerland, was appointed to serve as the Society’s legal representative for Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, whereas Brother Herkendell was made responsible for editorial work.

Brother Kötitz, who had been replaced in 1914 by Brother Binkele, had been showing the Photo-Drama since that date. He remained the target of attack from brothers, however, intent upon realizing their own selfish desires, rather than contributing to the internal peace of the organization. Elisabeth Lang, who for years had worked with Brother Kötitz, once found him sorrowfully seated on a park bench near the hall where the Photo-Drama was being shown. He told her that he had once again received an accusing letter clearly designed to rob him of his last remaining  privileges of service. He recounted how he had had the privilege of working at Brother Russell’s side for some ten years before being assigned the responsibility of the work in Germany. He often made a scrutiny of himself now, however, as to whether he had been worthy of this trust. He comforted himself, however, with the thought: “If due to my 24 years of activity I have helped only a single person to prove worthy of belonging to the 144,000, then I will have had the privilege of having done 1/144,000th part of the work.”

It is understandable that these continual assaults gnawed at his health, which had been severely weakened by the torn lung he had suffered in Berlin. Thus it was that on September 24, 1916, at the age of 43, he died. The Society’s announcement in The Watch Tower made mention of his “faithfulness” and said that “his zeal, his endurance, his steadfastness, his strong faith and will, his dedication and faithful fulfillment of obligations are acknowledged and appreciated by all the dear brethren.”

A short time later the German brothers received word that on October 31, about five weeks after Brother Kötitz had died, Brother Russell had also completed his earthly course. Some were so depressed by this that they discontinued their course and fell away. But the majority took the news of Brother Russell’s death as an encouragement to devote their energies and time even more intensively to continuing the work they had begun.

The war necessitated repeated changes in oversight. From October 1916 until February 1917, Paul Balzereit served in this capacity; from February 1917 until January 1918, Brother Herkendell; and from January 1918 to January 1920, Brother M. Cunow, who was then replaced by Brother Balzereit.

NEUTRALITY

The outbreak of World War I offered the Devil an opportunity to raise uncertainty among the brothers on the question of neutrality, an uncertainty that even manifested itself in Barmen at the Bible House where Brothers Dwenger, Basan and Hess all were of draft age. Whereas Brothers Dwenger and Basan were determined not to take an oath of allegiance or to take up arms, Brother Hess was undecided. Off he went to the front in Belgium, a companion of those not placing their hope in God’s kingdom. He never returned. A later draft call resulted in the conscription of Brothers Dwenger and Basan. Brother Basan was soon able to return home, whereas Brother Dwenger was not released, but, rather, was forced to file records in a  military office. This he was willing to do, it being compatible with his understanding of the matter at that time. Brother Balzereit, a pilgrim brother, disagreed with Brother Dwenger, however, when he told him that in case of emergency he would refuse induction and the taking up of arms. Brother Balzereit expressed this disagreement by asking: “Do you realize what the results to the work will be if you take such a stand?”

Because of the uncertainty that prevailed among them, not all the brothers followed a course of strict Christian neutrality toward the affairs of the nations. A considerable number of brothers performed military service and fought at the front. Others refused to perform combatant military service but were willing to serve in the army medical corps. Some, however, taking a firm stand, refused to participate in any way, and were sentenced to prison. As a result of the stand that he took Hans Hölterhoff was subjected to cruel deception when he was led onto the grounds under the pretense of being placed before a firing squad. Finally, he was sentenced to two years in prison by a military court.

In view of the uncertainty among God’s people on such an important matter as Christian neutrality, we can certainly thank Jehovah that he continued to deal mercifully with them.

FURTHER EXPANSION DESPITE UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS

The Photo-Drama of Creation contributed greatly to expansion during these years. It was now being shown in smaller cities such as Kiel, where a very rich lady, who soon became our sister, was so impressed that she immediately donated the large sum of 2,000 marks to the congregation, now some forty-five or fifty persons, so that they could obtain a better hall.

It was the book The Divine Plan of the Ages that caused Christian Könninger to take note. A family crisis moved him to ask a well-known Bible Student named Ettel to visit him, and a study was started, which his wife later joined. Their next step was to ask for the addresses of other interested persons and Watch Tower readers in nearby towns. Together they invited their neighbors, friends and acquaintances to talks given at Brother Ettel’s home. Brother Könninger and the other brothers took advantage of every opportunity afforded them to invite speakers to Eschweiler and Mannheim, later also to Ludwigshafen, where their talks were advertised orally as well as by  newspaper, billboard and placards placed in store windows.

In 1917 Brother Ventzke from Berlin was endeavoring to spread the truth out beyond the boundaries of this city. He would take a knapsack full of books and walk to Brandenburg, about fifty kilometers west of Berlin, returning several days later only after first having placed all his literature. At the same time pilgrim brothers visited the city of Danzig and laid the foundation for a congregation there in Brother Ruhnau’s home.

NO HALT TO THE WORK

The brothers had various expectations regarding the year 1918. Some had been certain it would mark the end of their earthly course and they had repeatedly expressed this hope to their friends and acquaintances. Sister Schünke in Barmen, for instance, had explained to her workmates that, should she fail to show up for work someday, it would be because she had been “taken home.” When their expectations went unfulfilled, however, some withdrew in disappointment, even as some had done in 1914. Others asked what would happen now.

There was still work to be done. Most of the brothers were happy about this, as it was their heart’s desire to render sacred service to Jehovah. These continued to work. They found that in the critical times now upon Germany there were more hearing ears than before. This is confirmed by Fritz Winkler’s experience (from Berlin).

In 1919 he was employed in Halle (Saale) and traveled by train each Saturday to his parents in Gera. One Saturday a man and his daughter got onto the train at a station stop, he with a packed knapsack and his daughter with a bag also full of something. The train had hardly begun to move before the man, a brother from Zeitz, opened his knapsack filled to the brim with the book The Divine Plan of the Ages, and gave a talk to the travelers by using the “Chart of the Ages” located on the first page of the book. In conclusion he offered all of them the first volume of Studies in the Scriptures. When he left the train a few stops later his knapsack was empty and his daughter’s nearly half empty. This experience caused Fritz Winkler to attend a public talk, through which he came to a knowledge of the truth.

A SIFTING WORK

But not everyone was in agreement with the manner in which the good news was being published. Especially among some of the ‘elders’ elected democratically by  the congregations there were those who did more to hinder the work than to promote it. It became necessary to warn the brothers not to argue with them. It was better to let them go their own way and to use in the Kingdom ministry the time that would otherwise be lost in useless debating. The Watch Tower left no doubt that such sifting would come, for which reason Christians had been admonished to watch those who caused divisions and controversies and to turn away from them. This necessitated some changes in neighboring countries during 1919, and these affected the brothers and the work in Germany. In the course of the year, for example, Brother Lauper began to work according to his own concept of matters. He was, therefore, requested to return his stock of books and magazines, belonging to the Watch Tower Society but which he had supervised for a number of years.

Toward the end of 1919 the brothers were informed of a still greater problem. Brother Russell had some years before appointed A. Freytag to care for the French-Belgian work from the Society’s office in Geneva. His authorization included publishing a French translation of the English Watch Tower as well as the Studies in the Scriptures. He misused this authorization, however, and began publishing his own literature, thereby causing considerable confusion among the brothers. Freytag was dismissed from his position and the Society’s office was dissolved, a new office being opened in Bern under the direction of Brother E. Zaugg and under the overall supervision of Brother Binkele.

Meanwhile, Freytag supporters had begun to hold separate meetings and to work among the brothers in Germany, some of whom lost their clear vision due to Freytag’s criticizing and defaming the Society and accusing it of spreading false teachings. Brother Binkele found it necessary in September of 1920 to refute Freytag’s false accusations and to answer the many questions from Germany in a four-page circular letter. Nonetheless, the seeds of doubt that had been sown by Freytag began to sprout, and a number of those not steadfast followed him and founded their own congregations. This group is still in existence in Germany until the present day.

IN EXPECTATION OF FURTHER SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS

Beginning in January of 1919 The Watch Tower again was published in a sixteen-page issue and with a title page (which had been omitted during the war years to save on expenses). The pilgrim work was strengthened,  four brothers visiting the congregations regularly. At the same time they worked feverishly on translating the seventh volume of Studies in the Scriptures, the book The Finished Mystery. Additionally, a four-page tract entitled “The Fall of Babylon” was prepared, which was an epitome of the book.

Elaborate preparations were made. Beginning on August 21 and during the following months a virtual flood of tracts and the book The Finished Mystery were distributed. It was an immense campaign, although not all participated in it, especially not the ‘elective elders,’ who, rather, preferred just to deliver speeches. Even some otherwise willing brothers and sisters hesitated after becoming aware of the book’s contents.

Brother Richard Blümel, from Leipzig, who was baptized in 1918, had not given thought to the fact that, although baptized, he was still a formal member of a church of Christendom. He had been of the opinion that “if I do not attend, then I no longer belong to the church.” But upon reading the tract and realizing that he should invite others to leave Babylon, he knew that he could only rightfully share in this work after having left the church himself. Early on the morning of August 21, he had his name officially removed from the church membership roll and in the afternoon he went about distributing The Fall of Babylon tract with a clear conscience.

Later that year, at an assembly in Leipzig, Brother Cunow, who at that time had the oversight of the work in Germany, spoke of the expansion of the work​—almost 4,000 brothers were now active—​and announced that the magazine The Golden Age would be published in Germany as soon as instructions were received from the main office. Those present were truly enthusiastic and all of them expressed their determination to support the work financially.

RIPE FIELD FOR HARVESTING

How Germany had changed in just a few years! Before World War I comparatively few had been willing to listen to the good news of the Kingdom. But the kaiser, who in 1914 had triumphantly proclaimed a glorious future for Germany, had now fled to Holland into exile. Germany’s army, sent out to conquer France, had returned to its homeland in humiliation. The adage on their belt buckle “God with us!” had proved to be a fallacy. The returning soldiers had seen the futility of war, a war never backed by God, as the clergy had repeatedly attempted to persuade them.

 Many brothers still alive confirm that it was this very futile and meaningless war that caused them to wake up to the truth. Many refused to believe that God had had anything to do with this senseless destruction of human life; rather, they held the clergy responsible, who, during their so-called “field religious services,” promised those losing their life in battle a heavenly reward. Others, upon receiving notification that their husband, father or son had fallen on the “field of honor,” began wondering whether they really were in heaven or perhaps in a fiery hell as preached by the clergy. For these the talk “Where Are the Dead?” was very timely. The brothers were able to distribute books as never before. Two colporteur sisters together are said to have placed an average of 400 volumes of Studies in the Scriptures a month. Jehovah’s faithful servants were making the most of their opportunities. Within a comparatively short time healthy congregations blossomed forth in many locations.

In Berlin, on Thursday, May 27, 1920, seven speakers addressed between 8,000 and 9,000 truth-hungry individuals in seven large halls in various sections of the city on the subject “The End Is Near! What Next?” The interest was so great that 1,500 persons requested to be called on, and 2,500 books, plus other literature, were placed.

Now the Photo-Drama really came into its own. One of the most impressive showings was held in the Gustav-Siegle-Haus in Stuttgart for a thousand persons. So much interest was shown that the brothers gave up their seats to interested persons. A special showing for them was held on Sunday with only a small intermission for lunch, whereas the entire program was normally presented in four evenings.

The Photo-Drama was accepted with great appreciation in Saxony, a stronghold of socialistic thinking, where congregations now began springing up like sprouting mushrooms after a gentle rain. Among these was a congregation in Waldenburg with upward of a hundred persons soon meeting together regularly to study God’s Word at a large farm, whose owner had only a short time previously been a member of the church’s board of directors.

IMPORTANT STEPS ON THE WAY TO THEOCRATIC ORGANIZATION

Brother Rutherford, who wanted to visit Germany personally at this time but failed to get entry permission, now invited twenty-six brothers from Germany to Basel, Switzerland, on November 4 and 5, 1920, to discuss ways and means of more effectively carrying  on the work in Germany. The “German branch” was dissolved and a new office termed “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Central European Office,” was opened, its headquarters temporarily remaining in Zurich, but which was to be transferred to Bern as soon as possible. This office, under the direction of a main overseer fully devoted to the Lord and appointed by the president, was to have oversight of the work in Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany and Italy. Each of the above-mentioned countries was to have a local overseer, also appointed by the president. The purpose of this arrangement was to unite the work in central Europe so that it might be done in the most advantageous manner.

The two-day conference with the twenty-six brothers from Germany, including Brothers Hoeckle, Herkendell and Dwenger, was especially for the purpose of finding ways and means of most effectively carrying on the work in Germany and of determining who the local overseer should be. The committee that had served in Germany for many years was dissolved. Brother Cunow, who until then had directed the work for some years, requested that he be relieved of this office and be put in pilgrim work, so it was necessary to find a new overseer. Paul Balzereit was chosen to be the local overseer for Germany and Brother Binkele was appointed as main overseer of the Central European Office.

“MILLIONS” CAMPAIGN

The booklet Millions Now Living Will Never Die, in German, was announced for release in February of 1921, and a lecturing campaign that was to last for several years was officially planned to start on February 15. The best speakers were assigned to deliver the talks and, where none were available, the congregations could write the Society to arrange for such speakers.

The door was thereby opened for giving a mighty witness, the like of which most of our brothers had not dreamed possible a year before. The Society’s annual report stated: “Never before has so much interest been shown in Germany as at present. Great crowds are coming and, although the opposition is increasing, the truth is spreading.”

This was true in Constance. Sister Berta Maurer, who has been serving Jehovah for more than fifty years, still remembers how the public talk “The World Is Ending​—Millions Now Living Will Never Die!” was advertised on huge placards and then delivered in the city’s largest hall, the hall in which John Huss was  condemned to be burned at the stake. Follow-up talks were given, and on May 15, 1921, fifteen persons were baptized​—the beginning of the congregation in Constance.

In Dresden the talk was an outright sensation. The congregation rented three large halls, but in some instances two hours before the talks were to be given, streetcar service was suspended because the huge crowd had brought traffic to a standstill. The overcrowded halls could not accommodate any more. The speakers had difficulty in making their way through the crowds to reach the halls. Only after being promised that the talk would be repeated for the benefit of those waiting was the crowd willing to open the way.

On the street in Wiesbaden, Mrs. Elisabeth Pfeiffer found a handbill advertising the “Millions” talk. She said to herself: “Such nonsense! I will go nonetheless, as I would like to see what kind of people would believe such a thing.” She went and was astonished to see a large crowd of people on the street vainly trying to gain entrance into the already overcrowded high-school auditorium where the talk was to be given. At that time the French were still occupying the country and they kindly took care of ushering. When they saw that the hall was full and that hundreds more were standing on the street, they spoke to Brother Bauer, the speaker, and told the waiting crowd that he would be willing to speak to them too after he had finished his talk. Some three to four hundred persons, including Mrs. Pfeiffer, patiently waited. What she heard that evening impressed her so deeply that she thereafter attended all the meetings and soon became a zealous sister.

At another time Brothers Wandres and Bauer had made arrangements for the talk, but contrary to the experiences they had been having with overcrowded halls, on this evening at first no one at all came. As the time to begin approached they both went out into the street to see if anyone could be expected. They found some who were interested in hearing the talk but who, for some reason unknown to the brothers, hesitated to enter the building. When asked why, they said that since it was April first they were uncertain as to whether it was just some jesters making an April fool’s joke. Nonetheless, in about half an hour thirty to forty people had arrived to listen to the talk.

Brother Erich Eickelberg from Remscheid was distributing the Millions booklet in Solingen when he had the following interesting experience: He introduced himself to a man he met by saying: “I am bringing you the good news that millions now living will never  die but will live in peace and happiness forever upon the earth. This booklet proves this and costs only ten pfennigs.” The gentleman rejected the offer but the small boy standing beside him said: “Daddy, why don’t you buy it? A casket costs a whole lot more.”

ORGANIZATION EQUIPPED FOR NEW ACTIVITY

The postwar years of 1919 to 1922 proved to be years of real development and preparation for the brothers in Germany.

The Society, interested in strengthening the work both internally and externally, now took necessary steps legally to establish the work as regards its status with the government. The results were that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, formed in Allegheny, U.S.A., in 1884, was recognized on December 7, 1921, in Germany as a legal foreign corporation.

The message published during 1922 was concentrated chiefly around the theme “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” The Society set aside February 26, 1922, as a day for worldwide “Millions” lectures. In Germany the talk was delivered on that day in 121 different towns and was attended by some 70,000 persons. A second great worldwide witnessing day was June 25, when 119 lectures were held in Germany, with an attendance of about 31,000. Two more such “worldwide lectures” were delivered during the year, attended in Germany by 75,397 persons on October 29 and by 66,143 on December 10. So thousands of persons were being reached with the good news.

BROTHER RUTHERFORD AGAIN VISITS EUROPE

Brother Rutherford undertook an extensive trip through Europe in 1922, during which time he visited Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Munich, Barmen, Cologne and Leipzig. In Hamburg some 500 brothers showed up for a one-day assembly​—a fine increase since his visit just eight years earlier! In Stuttgart a hall seating only 1,200 was available for the public lecture; hundreds had to be turned away at the doors. And in Munich Brother Rutherford spoke to 7,000 persons in the packed-out “Zirkus Krone.” Before the talk began it became known that a group of anti-Semitics and also a number of Jesuit priests were among those present and that they had come with the purpose in mind of disturbing and, if possible, breaking up the assembly. Brother Rutherford stated: “It has been stated in this city (Munich) and other places that the International Bible Students Association is financed by the Jews.” He had barely got these  words out when cries of “That is true,” and so forth, were heard. But Brother Rutherford spoke with conviction and emphasis and soon closed the mouths of those causing unrest, although they attempted to take over the speaker’s stand to prevent him from completing his talk.

The biggest event in Germany during 1922 was the convention in Leipzig on June 4 and 5. The Society had chosen the city of Leipzig as a fitting location for the German convention. The brothers, most of whom lived in Saxony, were very poor and would have been unable to finance a long trip. So Leipzig was really the most appropriate place.

For Monday morning a question-and-answer session with Brother Rutherford was planned. Among the questions, which had been submitted in writing in advance, was one of particular interest. It had to do with the “Völkerschlachtdenkmal” (“Battle of the Nations Monument”) in Leipzig, dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in 1913 in commemoration of the uprising near Leipzig a hundred years earlier. The question dealing with this monument was, briefly, as follows: “Does Isaiah 19:19 refer to this monument when it says: ‘In that day there will prove to be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside its boundary’?”

Let it be noted here that three years earlier​—namely, at the Leipzig convention held in 1919—​a number of brothers had gone to see this Battle of the Nations Monument one morning. That afternoon a talk was delivered by Brother Alfred Decker, an ‘elective elder’ who later became a bitter opposer of the truth, who attempted to prove that this Battle of the Nations Monument was indeed the pillar mentioned in Isaiah 19:19. The monument’s builder, privy councillor Thieme, was also invited to this festive occasion and he and his architects were invited to offer appropriate explanations.

Before Brother Rutherford answered the question he went to see this tremendous project. Later, in addressing the entire assembled group, he minced no words in declaring that Isaiah 19:19 did not refer to this monument. It had been erected solely due to the burning ambition of a man standing under the influence of the great adversary. There would be no reason for Jehovah to have such a monument erected on the earth at the end of the gospel age. The giant monument’s every part indicated its origin as being from the Devil and of being his work and that of his allies and accomplices, the demons, who had influenced humans to erect this “monument of folly.” The German kaiser had once hoped to be able to say: “There is  where Napoleon who attempted to conquer the world once stood, but his plan failed completely​—and here is where the German kaiser, who likewise set out to conquer the world and whose plan was a great success, now stands, for which reason the entire world should bow down before him.”

“THE HARP OF GOD”

To prepare the way for a rapid distribution of the new book The Harp of God, which had now become available in German, the Society prepared and printed five million copies of a pamphlet entitled “Why?” Unfortunately the printing plants given the job of printing The Harp of God were continually behind schedule, resulting in several delays in the date of publication. The book’s price referred to in the Society’s pamphlet could not be kept, due to the rapidly worsening inflation; and at the beginning of January 1923 the price of 100 marks had to be raised to 250, the equivalent of a quarter pound of margarine, although at this time the cost of publishing the Harp had already reached 350 marks. The book’s contents stirred up tremendous enthusiasm, not only among the brothers, but also among friends of the truth.

In Langenchursdorf, which belonged to the Waldenburg congregation, a young brother named Erich Peters, quite talented as far as speaking was concerned, was so enthused with the contents of the book and the suggestion to start studies with it that he asked his father for permission to invite his friends and neighbors to the parental home once a week on a certain evening so that he might discuss The Harp of God with them. This study evening was later attended by so many persons that seating had to be arranged for in every room on the ground floor. This young brother, speaking with enthusiasm about Jehovah’s kingdom and its blessings, stood in the doorway between the rooms so that he could be heard and seen by all. This example was quickly followed by other congregations and the so-called “Harp study” soon became part of the normal program.

THE FIRST FACTORY

From April 1897 to December 1903 The Watch Tower (German edition) had been printed in Allegheny (U.S.A.), and from January 1904 to July 1, 1923, in worldly firms in Germany. For decades the Society’s books and other publications had been printed by worldly firms, unless sent direct from America. In time, in order to cut down on expenses, two large flatbed presses, along with other equipment, were set  up in Barmen, even though space was extremely limited.

Since, at first, there were no brothers experienced in the setting of type or in the binding of books, Brother Ungerer, an experienced book printer and typographer from Bern, Switzerland, was sent to Barmen to train the first volunteer workers. Their willingness to work and the determination with which they attempted to put out fine printed material, despite the humble equipment they had at their disposal, were amazing.

Since all the rooms were being used as bedrooms, and so forth, the printing machines were placed in the two-story home on the staircase landing and in a 20-by-8-meter woodshed. Brother Hermann Görtz still remembers printing an additional 100,000 copies of the first issue of the magazine The Golden Age (October 1, 1922). They had to feed each sheet of paper into the machine twice, since it was manually operated. Since the brothers could hardly keep up with the demand for printed material, for almost a whole year they often worked until as late as midnight.

HOW SOME LEARNED THE TRUTH

Strange circumstances were sometimes responsible for turning someone’s attention to the truth, such as was the case with Brother Eickelberg, who attended a showing of the Photo-Drama. Speaking of “reformation,” the speaker stated that ‘the Protestants have stopped protesting,’ whereupon someone in the audience cried out, “We are still protesting!” The speaker asked that the lights be turned on, and everyone present turned to see who this “brave” person was. Who should it be but a Protestant clergyman sitting between two Catholic clergymen! The audience was indignant and demanded that the clergyman be expelled from the hall. Brother Eickelberg realized that the truth was not to be found in the church systems.

Eugen Stark went to see the Photo-Drama in Stuttgart. The hall was already packed out with 3,000 persons when it was announced that the projector had some sort of defect and could not be repaired that evening. All were invited to return the following evening. Eugen Stark left disappointed and went to see his mother, who belonged to the New Apostolic Church. Both concluded that the Bible Students could not have the truth, otherwise such a thing would not have happened. Brother Stark decided not to go back the following evening, but to visit his sister instead. His streetcar went right by the hall where the lecture was to be given, however, and he was amazed to see that there were just as many persons trying to get  into the hall as there had been the previous evening. Without thinking twice, he sprang from the streetcar, almost falling beneath its wheels. But despite his bruises he got up and went into the hall. He was so enthused afterward that he obtained the Bible study aids offered and left his address so that he could be called on. No one could stop him from studying the Bible now.

Kurt Diessner became disgusted with religion due to a song his preacher taught him at school during the war year of 1915. It spoke about destroying the enemy nations, and said that the German armies should force them back into the lakes, into the swamps, into Vesuvius or into the ocean. Later, in 1917, the church bells were taken down and melted to be used as grenade rings, and a church paper published a picture of a large bell being blessed by a clergyman with outstretched arms. Underneath was the following caption: “And now go forth and tear into bits the bodies of our enemies.” Kurt Diessner now made his decision. It was early in the 1920’s that he identified and embraced the true worship of Jehovah, and he is still able from time to time to serve in temporary pioneer service.

WHOLEHEARTED IN THE EXPANSION WORK

Some of those who fifty or more years ago heard and responded to Jehovah’s call to serve are still among us and eagerly speak about their activity back then when they were still “young and strong.” Poor materially, they were rich spiritually.

Minna Brandt from Kiel reports that she used to walk long distances to preach the Kingdom message and, when unable to get back the same day, would spend the night in the fields sleeping in a haystack. Later, she hitchhiked up to the northernmost cities of Schleswig-Holstein, often traveling by truck. In those days the brothers were equipped with large loudspeakers that they would use in delivering a public lecture at the marketplace or some other appropriate place in the afternoon after having preached in the village during the morning.

Ernst Wiesner (who was later in circuit work) and others would travel by bicycle a distance of from 90 to 100 kilometers from Breslau to preach. The brothers in Leipzig, where Erich Frost and Richard Blümel served, were very ingenious in their attempts to direct the attention of the people to the Kingdom message. For a time they made use of a small musical group composed of brothers, who would play while marching through the streets. Those accompanying them would  give a short witness at the houses along the way and then hurry on to keep up with the marching musical group.

In 1923 attention was focused on full-time preaching, with the urgent call: “We are looking for one thousand pioneers.” This created quite a stir among God’s people, for this meant that almost every fourth person of the 3,642 “workers” then reporting was being called upon to pioneer. The call did not go unheeded.

Willy Unglaube, for example, realized that he was meant, so he took up pioneering, as he said, “not just for one or two years, but for as long as Jehovah can use me in this capacity.” He worked in various sections of Germany and later was in Bethel in Magdeburg for a number of years. In 1932 he followed the call for pioneers in foreign fields. He was first sent to France, then to Algeria, Corsica, southern France, later on back to Algeria, and on to Spain. From there he went to Singapore, then to Malaysia, on to Java and, in 1937, to Thailand, where he stayed until returning to Germany in 1961. He was twenty-five years old when he answered the pioneer call and now, although approaching seventy-seven, is still among our most willing and successful pioneers.

On February 1, 1931, Konrad Franke took up pioneering. He started early in his youth to remember his Creator. Now, as a member of the Bethel family, he is happy to be able to look back on forty-two years of uninterrupted full-time service, fourteen of which he spent as branch overseer in Germany.

PILGRIM SERVICE

The encouraging talks given by the pilgrim brothers during the twenties doubtless did much in building up the brothers. Transportation was at that time quite limited and not particularly comfortable. Since the pilgrim brothers had much rural territory to cover, it was not seldom that a horse-drawn farm wagon was their means of transport. Walking long distances was at times unavoidable.

Emil Hirschburger was once assigned to deliver a talk in southern Germany. He was traveling by train and found himself seated in the same compartment with six men whose clothing clearly identified them as Catholic clergymen. They were busy discussing the talk that Brother Hirschburger was to give, not knowing, of course, that Brother Hirschburger was right there among them. It seems that they had been at a religious conference and that the clergyman living in the city where Brother Hirschburger’s talk was to be delivered had been advised to challenge him to a public  debate. This clergyman was interested in getting advice from his colleagues as to how to carry on his argumentation so as not to be defeated by “this Bible Student” during the public confrontation. But evidently nothing his colleagues recommended satisfied him. One by one they left the train, each wishing the others well. As the last one was getting ready to leave, the worried clergyman asked his departing colleague in a confidential tone what he thought about the matter and whether he thought it would be wise to go to the meeting. The answer was forthcoming and was spoken in a thick Schwaben dialect: “Well, if you think you are up to him, then go.” Brother Hirschburger failed to see him at the talk.

CREATION DRAMA

At the beginning of the twenties the Photo-Drama films were almost worn out. However, the Society was able to purchase newsreel film, as well as Biblical films, from several worldly film companies, and, after revising them by either deleting certain inappropriate parts or by adding others, was able to show these. In this way completely new films of between 5,000 and 6,000 meters were put together. In addition to this, the slides that had been shown were also replaced by new pictures taken either from the book Creation or from other books published by the Watch Tower Society or by slides obtained on the public market. There was no color photography at the time, but Wilhelm Schumann of the Magdeburg Bethel was untiring in his efforts to touch up the black-and-white photographs with color. The beautifully colored pictures always made a lasting impression on the viewers and, since many of the pictures were of Jehovah’s wonderful creation, the title of the film was changed to “Creation Drama.” Under this subheading the 1932 German Yearbook said:

“Nothing is left over from the earlier creation drama except the name and the usage of slides. The text . . . is taken from the book Creation and from others, and the name ‘Creation Drama’ is likewise from the book Creation.”

In 1928, when a showing was to begin in Stettin, Erich Frost, a professional musician and conductor of a worldly orchestra up until that time, was called to Stettin to provide musical accompaniment for the film, which, of course, was silent. More musicians soon joined the group. Later they even used their instruments to imitate the singing of the birds and the rustling of the trees. During a showing in Munich in the summer of 1930, Heinrich Lutterbach, an excellent  violinist, met with the musical team and was at once invited to travel along. He joyfully accepted, thereby completing the orchestra, which was enjoyed everywhere. Two years later the Society gave Brother Frost a second set of the film and slides and instructed him to go to East Prussia. After that Brother Lutterbach took over the baton for the small orchestra.

A showing of the film was planned for Munich in 1930. The Creation Drama had already been shown there before with great success, so the religious leaders were naturally very much disturbed. In their despair they instructed hundreds of persons in their Munich congregations to obtain tickets for the drama at the publicly announced ticket offices, but then not to attend. The result would be an empty hall. The brothers discovered this soon enough, however, so that they were able to plan countermeasures. As it turned out, the whole action boomeranged on the troublemakers.

SOCIETY MOVES

The brothers in charge soon began to realize that the factory equipment available in Barmen was insufficient. Evidently directed by Jehovah’s spirit, their attention was drawn to Magdeburg where property became available for immediate purchase. Though forced to decide quickly, the Society purchased property there on Leipziger Street. Official transfer from Barmen to Magdeburg took place on June 19, 1923. Suddenly French troops occupied the Rhine and Ruhr areas, including Barmen and Elberfeld. This meant, of course, that the post office, the railroad station and the German bank were also taken over, which would have made it very difficult to look after the interests of the congregations from Barmen. The 1923 annual report stated regarding this event: “Brooklyn headquarters received notification one morning that the German branch had safely moved to Magdeburg. The very next morning the newspapers reported that the French had occupied Barmen. We thank our precious Lord for his protection and blessing.”

It was now possible to print The Watch Tower in our own factory. The first issue printed was that of July 15, 1923. Some three or four weeks later a large flatbed press with automatic feed was set up and work began on the first volume of Studies in the Scriptures. Right afterward the book The Harp of God was printed on the same machine.

But more equipment was needed. For that reason Brother Balzereit asked Brother Rutherford for permission to buy a rotary press. Brother Rutherford saw the necessity and agreed, but on one condition. He  had noticed that over the years Brother Balzereit had grown a beard very similar to the one that had been worn by Brother Russell. His example soon caught on, for there were others who also wanted to look like Brother Russell. This could give rise to a tendency toward creature worship, and Brother Rutherford wanted to prevent this. So during his next visit, within hearing of all the Bible House family, he told Brother Balzereit that he could buy the rotary press but only on the condition that he shave off his beard. Brother Balzereit sadly agreed and afterward went to the barber. During the next few days there were several cases of mistaken identity and some funny situations because of the “stranger” who was sometimes not recognized by his fellow workers.

A year later it was possible to set up the first part of the press on the basement floor, and the second part was delivered shortly thereafter. A person could now speak of a well-equipped printing shop and book bindery capable of turning out 400-page books to the tune of 6,000 copies a day.

There was a large increase in literature distribution in 1923 and 1924. To keep up with the demand, in 1925 the Society bought property adjacent to their first building. The factory equipment, as well as that in the bookbindery, was added to and improved. A solid cement building was constructed on the newly acquired property to house the bookbindery and the flatbed presses, with room for two rotary presses, on the ground floor, with the typesetting department as well as the other preparatory departments on the second story and the office on the third floor. Despite this, much overtime work was necessary, for literature distribution continued to grow. A second rotary press was obtained in 1928, but the need was so great that the brothers ran the machines in two shifts of twelve hours each, even on Sundays. This meant that the machines ran day and night without interruption for several years. In the bookbindery it was similar, of course, since the brothers there had to finish up the work after the literature had been printed. In this way they were able to turn out 10,000 books a day.

It also became possible now to erect a dignified assembly hall on the newly acquired property. It was tastefully decorated and seated some 800 persons. The brothers named it the “Harp Hall,” no doubt out of appreciation for the book The Harp of God.

Those of the Bible House family who were able to get away on Sundays would travel with a large truck, holding temporary seating for fifty-four persons, or go by bus, train, car or bicycle out into the territory in  and around Magdeburg to share in the preaching work. They worked within a radius of several hundred kilometers and were able to lay the foundation for many congregations.

In time the number of Bible House workers increased to over 200.

1924 CONVENTION IN MAGDEBURG

The biggest event of 1924 was the Magdeburg convention, attended by Brother Rutherford. Approximately 4,000 brothers and sisters from all over Germany came, some on bicycles. The most were unable to bring anything other than an inadequate box lunch along, for the entire nation was destitute. Many had no funds to pay for the trip and thousands had to stay home. Those traveling by bicycle had to reckon with a trip of several days. They also had only meager means available for food and accommodations. Many brought food along consisting primarily of dry bread. When during the talks the hunger pangs became severe, the brothers would pull out a piece of dry bread and take a bite. Brother Rutherford was so moved by this that he immediately made arrangements to provide each of the approximately 4,000 in attendance the next day with a pair of warm frankfurters, two buns and a bottle of mineral water free of charge. We can easily imagine the joy of those in attendance when suddenly large kettles full of frankfurters appeared at both ends of the auditorium where the assembly was being held. The brothers lined up to be served. Refreshed by the meal they had enjoyed together, they returned to their seats in the auditorium feeling like guests at a banquet.

In his welcoming speech at the assembly Brother Rutherford asked all those who had already made a dedication and symbolized it by water baptism to raise their hands. As he saw the large number, he added: “Five years ago there were not this many in all of Europe.”

Later, during the public talk, an unfortunate incident occurred in the main hall. Due to someone’s carelessness a small emergency lamp fell to the floor, whereupon an even more careless person cried out “fire,” thereby causing some to panic. Since this was all taking place at the back of the hall, no one on the stage knew exactly what was happening, and at first the brothers supposed that disturbers were trying to break up the meeting. When the disturbance failed to subside, Brother Rutherford motioned to the orchestra to start playing. They responded with the song “I Worship the Power of Love” and, lo and behold, the thousands in the hall began to sing. The waves of hysteria soon  subsided and Brother Rutherford was able to continue his discourse without further interruption.

“ECCLESIASTICS INDICTED”

This was the title of a resolution prepared in 1924 for worldwide distribution. The brothers in Germany shared in this, especially in the spring of 1925. It was an extremely important resolution unsparingly exposing the clergy, resulting in a reaction similar to that from poking a stick into a hornets’ nest. Especially in Bavaria the clergy began to attack and hinder our brothers in their work. The first German president of the Weimar Republic had just died and a new election was scheduled. Politicians were saying, ‘No Catholic dare become president,’ so Catholic Bavaria was responding to this by considering with the greatest mistrust all publications unfriendly to Rome. Not only in Bavaria, but also in other sections of Germany, the clergy fought back with every means available.

Brother Balzereit’s life was threatened. An anonymous letter sent to him read in part:

“You Devil in Sheep’s Clothing!

“The charges you are making against the clergy are your downfall! Before you know it the world will have seen the last of you and your death will frighten your followers into restraint . . . Judgement has been passed upon you!

“We demand the following within three weeks: Public withdrawal of your publication ‘Ecclesiastics Indicted’. If this is not done . . . you will be a candidate for death.

“This is no empty threat . . .”

But this was no reason to compromise either. To the contrary, the small but courageous army of anointed remnant undertook countermeasures. A tract entitled “True or Untrue?” was distributed, informing the public of these threats. The question was asked as to whether the charges contained in the “Ecclesiastics Indicted” pamphlet were “True or Untrue.” Statements made by clergymen and excerpts from religious magazines were then presented.

In desperation, a clergyman in Pommern filed charges with the public prosecutor’s office against the Watch Tower Society and its officers. A court trial then ensued in Magdeburg. But the public prosecutor made the mistake of reading the entire resolution during the trial, thereby refuting his own claim that the resolution was directed against the consistory in Stettin. Everyone in the courtroom realized that the resolution was denouncing not only the consistory in Stettin, but the clergy throughout the world. The court, taking note of this, acquitted Brother Balzereit, but felt itself  obliged to counsel against publication of such sharp attacks in the future.

INFLATION

The publishers had already been advised in August of 1921 to be thrifty in distributing the tract Bible Students Monthly in view of the high cost involved in printing. Copies should not be indiscriminately distributed, but given only to those showing genuine interest.

At the beginning of 1922 the Society was forced to announce that the price of a year’s subscription for The Watch Tower, at that time still printed only monthly, would be set at 16 marks. One month later it was necessary to raise it to 20 marks, and in July of the same year up to 30 marks. Inflation took place at such a rate during the following months, however, that, in October, the Society was forced to announce that in the future subscriptions could be accepted only on the basis of a three-month period. The price for three months in the meantime had risen to 70 marks. For the first three months of 1923 the brothers had to pay 200 marks, and for the second period of three months 750 marks. By June 15 a year’s subscription cost 3,000 marks, and a month later it was 40,000 marks. On August 1 the Society was forced into stopping subscription service altogether, individual copies being available on immediate payment only. But by September 1 a single copy already cost 40,000 marks. One month later a single copy cost 1,660,000 marks, and by October 25 inflation had reached such heights that a single copy cost two and a half billion marks. Money was of no value whatsoever.

This short consideration of the critical years of inflation may show under what difficult conditions the Lord’s work had to be carried on at that time. In fact, during the last three months of 1923 distribution of the Society’s publications almost came to a complete standstill. It was possible to continue only with Jehovah’s help.

‘ELECTIVE ELDERS’

The democratic arrangement for electing elders was something that could have been sufficient to slow down the forward march of the work during the 1920’s. There was a variety of opinions as to how such elections should be held. Some required that the candidates be able to answer at least 85 percent of the V.D.M. questions correctly. (V.D.M. means Verbi Dei Minister, or Minister of the Word of God.) This was the case in Dresden, for example. But the brothers in Halle had an experience that shows us to what kind of difficulties  such arbitrary requirements led. There were brothers in the congregation whose attitude toward the work was not good, but who, on the other hand, wanted to be leaders in the congregation. When they were finally told that they had not even answered the V.D.M. questions, for which reason they were not eligible for leading positions in the congregation, they immediately made up for this apparent oversight. When they afterward still failed to get the position for which they had striven, a rebellion broke out resulting in the congregation’s breaking up, with only about 200 to 250 publishers remaining from an original 400.

In some congregations there were often severe controversies at election time. In Barmen, for example, in 1927 when a vote on certain candidates was to be taken by a showing of hands. An eyewitness reports that before long everyone was shouting, all at the same time, and the brothers were forced to change over to taking the vote by means of a secret ballot, which, by the way, was the method used by many congregations. In Kiel it was even necessary to carry on an election of elders under police protection.

These things occurred because some of the candidates were not mature Christians. In fact, some among them either directly or indirectly opposed the Kingdom work.

For example, when the Society encouraged regular congregational study of The Watch Tower, it was especially a number of ‘elective elders’ who opposed this suggestion and caused divisions in numerous congregations. The director in Remscheid stated that in the future only those would be used in conducting the Watch Tower study who went out on Sunday mornings in the field service, whereupon one of the ‘elective elders’ picked up a chair and, after threatening the director with it, walked out of the congregation, taking forty persons with him. Something similar happened in Kiel, where, despite efforts of the Bible House, 50 of the 200 brothers and sisters in the congregation left.

Looking back, we can certainly say that the second half of the 1920’s was a time of sifting here in Germany. Some who had gone along with us up until that time became overt enemies of the Kingdom. Their departure was certainly no loss for God’s organization because the 1930’s proved to be a real time of testing for those remaining faithful!

LEGAL PROBLEMS

From 1924 to 1926 the State Revenue Department had considered the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society strictly charitable in nature and had demanded no taxes on literature placement receipts, but this exemption  was retracted in 1928. A trial resulting in a good deal of publicity was the outcome, since the Society had seen to it that the public was notified by means of The Watch Tower and The Golden Age of this attack instigated by the leaders of the two large church systems. That this attack had come from the churches was later openly admitted by them with the explanation that it was ‘to hinder the Bible Students in their distribution of Biblical information.’ The brothers urged all righteously disposed persons to sign a petition against this unjust action. It is understandable that the court was deeply impressed when a petition with no less than 1,200,000 signatures was presented. The courts later ruled in our favor.

Another means by which the religious leaders tried to halt the tremendous progress of the work was to get the publishers into conflict with the laws of the land. As early as 1922 came the first cases of “illegal peddling and refusal to pay peddling taxes.” In 1923 there were additional legal cases, and once again the accusation was “violation of peddling regulations.” Severe sentences were meted out. In 1927, 1,169 brothers were arrested and brought to trial for “violation of peddling laws” and “peddling without a license.” In 1928 there were 1,660 court cases, and in 1929 there were 1,694. But the clergy kept searching for a law that could be used as a weapon to silence the Bible Students. Finally, they thought they had found that for which they had been looking. The Saarbrücker Landes Zeitung of December 16, 1929, referred to this:

“Unfortunately the police have been powerless in doing anything about the work of the Bible Students. Arrests made up until now . . . have all ended up in acquittal . . . Now, however, the Court of Justice in Berlin in a similar case has upheld a sentencing, laying down the principle that the offering of religious literature from house to house and on the streets comes under the police ordinances regarding keeping the sabbath rest of Sunday and holidays in those cases where physical effort is involved, thus putting it under the jurisdiction of work, and where the public takes notice of such.

“Fortunately several courts in the Saar territory have been able to sentence defendants in similar cases since hearing about this ruling. This offers an opportunity to now put an end to the work of the Bible Students.”

ACTION IN BAVARIA

Attempts to do this took place all over Germany, but Bavaria held a predominant position, more arrests  being made there than any place else. For a time local laws even succeeded in banning the work briefly. In 1929 the Society decided to make a concerted “one-day attack” on the section south of Regensburg by sending in some 1,200 publishers to preach on a single Sunday. Arrangements were made with the railroad company for two special trains, one to start in Berlin and pick up brothers from Leipzig, and a second from Dresden to pick up brothers from Chemnitz and other cities in Saxony. Each passenger would pay a fare of some 25 marks, which, at that time, was a goodly sum. But the brothers were more than willing to make this sacrifice. They only wanted to make sure that they would be able to take part in this action, for the enemy was not sleeping.

While arrangements were being made for this campaign the brothers were convinced that the clergy would make use of their influence to prevent it should they hear about it beforehand. For that reason the brothers did all they could to keep it secret. Despite this, they were unable to prevent the clergy from finding out, in some way or another, about a week before. Suddenly the railroad was unwilling to let us have the two special trains. Immediately all the congregations involved were instructed to rent buses. The clergy heard about this too, and arranged for all the roads leading out of Saxony to be heavily policed on the coming weekend. These police officials would find some reason for stopping all the cars filled with Bible Students, delaying them long enough so that they would have to return home with their mission unaccomplished.

In the meantime the railroad company had heard about our bus arrangements and, deciding that they were losing a great deal of business, agreed at the last minute to permit the two special trains to run after all. The brothers at once canceled the buses. This last change in plans, just two days before time of departure, went undiscovered by the clergy. So, while they were out in force watching all the highways, the two special trains were joined together at Reichenbach (Vogtland) and entered the Regensburg vicinity as one single special train about 2:00 o’clock in the morning. From there on, the train stopped at every railroad station to let some of the brothers off, some of whom had brought their bicycles along so that they could go out into the countryside and work there too.

A tremendous witness was given that day, for everyone had been provided, not only enough literature to place on a contribution, but also plenty to give away free. The brothers had decided to try to leave something  at every home. A number of brothers were arrested and were unable to return home with the special train, but those who had the privilege of taking part in this campaign never tired of talking about it thereafter. We are certainly not mistaken in assuming that our adversaries also long remembered this weekend.

BANK FAILURE

In the midst of increasing unemployment and economic instability, the bank, in which most of the funds for financing the work in Germany and in central Europe were deposited, went bankrupt. The German branch alone suffered a loss of 375,000 marks.

The Society was forced to notify the congregations that the convention planned for the summer of 1930 in Berlin would have to be canceled. In their letter, mention was also made of a possible “interruption in production.” But this announcement was like an alarm bell. Even though the brothers’ financial situation was very poor, for many of them were unemployed, yet in order to ensure an uninterrupted flow of publications they were immediately willing to contribute the money they had already saved for the Berlin convention, as well as anything else they were able to raise from their limited financial resources. In fact, many sacrificed their wedding rings and other jewelry.

As a result, plans for expanding the work made before the bank problem arose were not hindered, no, not even postponed. In the spring of 1930 an additional piece of property bordering on our former property was purchased. The old buildings that had stood on the newly purchased property were torn down and, as far as possible, the material was used by the brothers in constructing a new large Bethel building of seventy-two rooms, accommodating two persons each, and a large dining room.

MORE COURT CASES

During 1930 another 434 court cases were instituted. That meant that, together with the cases already pending, there were now 1,522 cases up before the courts for settlement.

But our religious enemies had a difficult time attempting to brand us as lawbreakers in 1930, because a circular directed to all police officials from the Ministry of the Interior, dated April 19, contained the following sentence: “The association at present pursues solely religious objectives and is not politically active . . . in the future the introduction of criminal proceedings, especially as regards violations of the Reich’s Peddling laws, is to be avoided.”

 CONVENTIONS IN PARIS AND BERLIN

In 1931 Brother Rutherford once again planned a trip to Europe. A convention was to be held in Paris from May 23 to 26, and one in Berlin from May 30 to June 1. Because of the poor economic situation in Germany, Brother Rutherford suggested that arrangements be made for inviting brothers from southern Germany and the Rhineland to Paris, since it would be cheaper for them to go there than to travel to Berlin. Special trains were organized to leave from Cologne, Basel and Strassburg. The brothers appreciated this very much and, as it turned out, of the some 3,000 persons gathered in Paris, 1,450 were from Germany.

The convention in Berlin was held in the Sports Palace. Attendance was not expected to be large, first, because of the economic crisis and, secondly, due to the fact that almost 1,500 had gone to Paris. So, what a joy to see almost 10,000 persons present, a quite unexpected number!

Brother Rutherford, who took advantage of every opportunity to get rid of worldly religious customs among the brothers, had already provoked a minor revolution at an earlier convention by his clothing. He had noticed that the brothers in Europe​—and this included Germany—​were especially fond of wearing black at the assemblies. The men not only wore black suits​—at funerals even top hats—​but also wore black ties, just as was the custom in false religious organizations. This observation led Brother Rutherford to buy an extremely light-colored suit and a dark-red tie to wear along with it. After he had come to Germany dressed this way, many began to get rid of their black clothes.

Now at the Berlin assembly he called attention to the many pictures of himself and of Brother Russell that were being sold in the form of postcards or pictures, some of which were even framed. After discovering these pictures at the numerous tables in the corridors around the hall, he mentioned them in his next talk, urging those in attendance not to buy any of them and asking the servants in charge in plain words to remove the pictures from their frames and to destroy them, which was then done. He wanted to avoid anything that could lead to creature worship.

In connection with the Berlin convention Brother Rutherford naturally visited the branch office in Magdeburg. Like earlier visits, this one proved to be like a refreshing, liberating breeze. Shortly before Brother Rutherford’s visit, pictures of him and of Brother Russell had been hung up in all the rooms. Now all of  these were removed, just as soon as Brother Rutherford discovered them.

Brother Rutherford had not failed to see several other things during the course of the years either. Not only he, but a large number of those in Bethel had recognized the danger in which Brother Balzereit stood. It is an undeniable fact that he was a good organizer and that the work in Germany made good progress under his direction. His big mistake, however, was in attributing the enormous growth more to his own personal ability than to Jehovah’s spirit. During a meal at the Bethel table Balzereit requested the Bethel family no longer to address him as “brother” in the presence of worldly people. In such cases they were to address him as “Mr. Director,” and he even had a sign placed on his office door reading “director.”

During this time Balzereit’s integrity to Jehovah was threatened from another direction. He had evidently always been afraid of persecution. As the responsible leader of the German office he had been prosecuted in connection with the distribution of the resolution “Ecclesiastics Indicted.” It is true that he was acquitted, but when the judge pleaded with him to avoid making such strong statements in our literature in the future, he evidently was determined to follow this advice, for when expressions and statements in The Watch Tower or in other publications from Brooklyn seemed to be too strong for him, he would “water them down.”

Materialistic desires also began to grow. Balzereit had enjoyed writing poetry and having it published in the magazine The Golden Age under the pseudonym of Paul Gerhard, and now he had written a book and had it published in Leipzig. This book was then added to the list of literature to be distributed by the congregations, who, unaware of the true circumstances, ordered it, thereby bringing Brother Balzereit considerable financial profit. He also had a tennis court built at Bethel at one time, not so much for the benefit of the whole family as for his own use.

In an attempt to finish the new building in time for dedication ceremonies during Brother Rutherford’s visit, Brother Balzereit had increased the number of Bethel workers from 165 at the end of December 1930 to 230 persons, but he was not honest about this. Fearing that Brother Rutherford would not approve of the number of workers, Balzereit arranged for fifty brothers to be sent out on a “preaching trip” to keep them out of sight. On their return they were asked whether they would prefer returning home or taking up the pioneer service. A number of the brothers, realizing that it was Jehovah’s work that was involved and not  a matter of human personalities, grasped this opportunity to start pioneering, whereas others left embittered.

PERSECUTION INCREASES

In 1931, it was once again the officials in Bavaria who took the lead in the fight against God’s people. By misapplying the emergency ordinance of March 28, 1931, dealing with political disturbances, they suddenly saw an opportunity to ban the Bible Students’ literature. In Munich, on November 14, 1931, our books were confiscated. Four days later the Munich police officials issued a statement, applicable throughout Bavaria, placing a ban on all literature put out by the Bible Students.

Naturally the brothers at once took action to appeal. In February 1932 the government of Upper Bavaria upheld this ban. Immediately this was appealed to the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, which rejected the appeal on March 12, 1932, as being “without foundation.”

In line with that court decision, Magdeburg’s police president came out in our defense on September 14, 1932, saying: “We hereby verify that the International Bible Students Association is solely involved in Biblical and religious matters. It has not been politically active up until this time. No tendencies have been seen which would indicate enmity against the state.”

But difficulties continued to increase from month to month, even in the other German states. Paul Köcher had come to Simmern with six special pioneers in order to show the shortened Photo-Drama there on two evenings. He was forced to interrupt the showing, however, for when David was shown with his harp and one of his psalms was quoted the entire hall went into a frenzy. It was quickly discovered that almost everyone in attendance belonged to the SA, Hitler’s storm troopers.

Similar experiences were had in the Saar. In December of 1931 an appeal to the government was made to instruct police officials there not to hinder the work. This instruction was issued, but it so enraged the clergy that warnings against the Bible Students were issued weekly from the pulpit. Hostilities were steadily increasing, and by the end of 1932 no fewer than 2,335 court cases were pending. Despite this, 1932 proved to be the best year ever as far as the publication of literature was concerned.

On January 30, 1933, Hitler took over the position of Reich’s chancellor. On February 4 he issued a decree permitting the police to confiscate literature ‘endangering  public order and security.’ This decree also restricted freedoms of assembly and press.

REMNANT’S THANKSGIVING TESTIMONY PERIOD

The Memorial fell on April 9 that year and in connection with it the “Remnant’s Thanksgiving Testimony Period” was planned for April 8 to 16. A worldwide witness using the booklet Crisis was to be given.

The brothers in Germany were unable to end this eight-day testimony period in peace, however. The campaign with the Crisis booklet led to a ban in Bavaria on April 13. This was followed by bans in Saxony on April 18, in Thüringen on April 26, and in Baden on May 15. Other German states followed. Brother Franke, pioneering in Mainz at the time, reports that the congregation of over 60 publishers there had 10,000 booklets for distribution. The brothers realized that they must act quickly in order to distribute them. They had organized their time in such a way that 6,000 of the booklets had already been put out within the first three days of the campaign. But on the fourth day a number of brothers were arrested and their homes were searched. The police were able to find only a few copies of the booklet, however, since the brothers had reckoned with this action and had hidden the other 4,000 booklets in a safe place.

All the arrested brothers were released the same day. At once they arranged for a campaign whereby the 4,000 booklets would be distributed among all the brothers in the congregation who could participate. That evening they rode their bicycles to Bad Kreuznach, a city about forty kilometers away, where they distributed the rest of the booklets among the populace, giving some of them away free. The next day brought proof that this action had been correct, for in the meantime the Gestapo had searched the homes of all those persons known to be Bible Students. But all the 10,000 booklets had been put out.

In Magdeburg, government officials had notified the office that the picture on the title page (a warrior holding a sword dripping blood) was unacceptable and demanded that it be removed. Brother Balzereit, who had repeatedly shown his willingness to compromise, gave immediate instructions to remove the colored covers from the booklets.

It was a testimony week filled with suspense. The enemy daily revealed ever more clearly his determination to strike with unrelenting force. So it was just that much more encouraging when the report was compiled and it was found that 24,843 persons had attended the  Memorial celebration, to compare with 14,453 the year before. The number of publishers active during the testimony period was likewise a cause for rejoicing: 19,268, in contrast to 12,484 during the Kingdom booklet campaign a year before. During the eight days of the campaign 2,259,983 of the Crisis booklet had been distributed.

THE GESTAPO SEARCH THE BETHEL HOME

The Nazis were hoping to find some kind of material connecting us with Communism when they occupied the Society’s office and factory on April 24. In such a case they could have applied a new law and confiscated the entire property and given it to the state, something that had already been done with the buildings belonging to the Communists. After searching the building the police called up government officials one evening telling them that they had found nothing incriminating. The command was: “You must find something!” But their attempt to do so failed and the property had to be returned to the brothers on April 29. The Brooklyn office had protested the unlawful seizure of the property (owned by an American corporation) through the American government on that same day.

BERLIN CONVENTION ON JUNE 25, 1933

By the summer of 1933 the work of Jehovah’s witnesses had been banned in the majority of German states. The brothers’ homes were being searched regularly and many brothers had been arrested. The flow of spiritual food was partially hampered, although only for a time; still many brothers were asking how long it would be possible to continue the work. In this situation the congregations were invited on very short notice to a convention to be held in Berlin on June 25. Since it was expected that many would be unable to attend because of the various bans, the congregations were encouraged to send at least one or several delegates. But, as it turned out, 7,000 brothers got there. For many of them it took three days, some riding bicycles the entire distance, whereas others went by truck, since the bus companies refused to rent buses to a banned organization.

Brother Rutherford, who, together with Brother Knorr, had come to Germany just a few days before in order to see what could be done to ensure the safety of the Society’s property, had prepared a declaration with Brother Balzereit to be presented to the convention delegates for adoption. It was a protest against the meddling of the Hitler government into the preaching work we were doing. All high government  officials, from the Reich’s president on down, were to receive a copy of the declaration, if possible, by registered mail. Several days before the convention started Brother Rutherford returned to America.

Many in attendance were disappointed in the “declaration,” since in many points it failed to be as strong as the brothers had hoped. Brother Mütze from Dresden, who had worked closely with Brother Balzereit up until that time, accused him later of having weakened the original text. It was not the first time that Brother Balzereit had watered down the clear and unmistakable language of the Society’s publications so as to avoid difficulties with governmental agencies.

A large number of brothers refused to adopt it just for this reason. In fact, a former pilgrim brother by the name of Kipper refused to offer it for adoption and another brother substituted. It could not be rightfully said that the declaration was unanimously adopted, even though Brother Balzereit later notified Brother Rutherford that it had been.

The conventioners returned home tired and many were disappointed. They took 2,100,000 copies of the “declaration” home with them, however, and made fast work of distributing them and sending them to numerous persons in positions of responsibility. The copy sent to Hitler was accompanied by a letter that, in part, read:

“The Brooklyn presidency of the Watch Tower Society is and always has been exceedingly friendly to Germany. In 1918 the president of the Society and seven members of the Board of Directors in America were sentenced to 80 years’ imprisonment for the reason that the president refused to let two magazines in America, which he edited, be used in war propaganda against Germany.”

Even though the declaration had been weakened and many of the brothers could not wholeheartedly agree to its adoption, yet the government was enraged and started a wave of persecution against those who had distributed it.

MAGDEBURG OFFICE ONCE AGAIN OCCUPIED

The distribution throughout Germany of the declaration adopted in Berlin just one day after the work had been banned in Prussia was a signal for Hitler’s police to go into action. On June 27 all police officials were ordered to ‘make immediate search of all local groups and business places and to confiscate any material hostile to the state.’ A day later, June 28, the building in Magdeburg was occupied by thirty SA men, who closed down the factory and hoisted the swastika over  the building. According to the official decree of the police officials, it was even forbidden to study the Bible and to pray on the Society’s property. On June 29 this action was reported to the entire German nation by radio.

Despite the energetic attempts of Brother Harbeck, the branch overseer in Switzerland, to prevent it, books, Bibles and pictures weighing a total of 65,189 kilograms were taken from the Society’s factory on August 21, 23 and 24, loaded into twenty-five trucks and then publicly burned at the edge of Magdeburg. The printing costs for the material amounted to some 92,719.50 marks. Additionally, there were numerous publications confiscated and then burned or otherwise destroyed in the various congregations, such as, for example, in Cologne, where publications worth at least 30,000 marks were destroyed. The Golden Age in its June 1, 1934, issue reported that the probable total value of property (furniture, literature, etc.) destroyed was between two and three million marks.

The loss would have been even greater had steps not been taken to move most of the literature from Magdeburg, in some cases by ship, and to store it in other appropriate places. In this way it was possible to keep great quantities of literature hidden from the eyes and hands of the secret police for many years. Much of this was made use of in underground preaching activity during the following years.

As a result of the intervention of the American government, the Society’s building in Magdeburg was returned to the Society in October. The release document, dated October 7, 1933, said that ‘the Society’s property was released and returned in its entirety for its free usage, although it was still forbidden to carry on any activity there, to print literature or to hold meetings.’

“FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD”

Christendom’s clergy were not ashamed at openly showing their support of Hitler and his efforts to persecute Jehovah’s witnesses. As reported in the Oschatzer Gemeinnützige, of April 21, 1933, Lutheran minister Otto in a radio address on April 20, in honor of Hitler’s birthday, said:

“The German Lutheran Church of the State of Saxony has consciously come to terms with the new situation and will attempt in closest cooperation with the political leaders of our people once again to make available to the entire nation the strength of the ancient gospel of Jesus Christ. The first results of this cooperation can already be reported in the ban today placed  upon the International Association of Earnest Bible Students and its subdivisions in Saxony. Yes, what a turning point through God’s direction. Up until now God has been with us.”

BEGINNING OF UNDERGROUND ACTIVITY

Although in the first year of the Nazis’ coming to power the underground witness activity went practically unorganized and meetings in small groups were not held everywhere, yet the Gestapo found new reasons to arrest the brothers.

Soon after the first brothers had been arrested and their homes searched, those objective in their thinking began to realize that these measures were simply the beginning of a more severe campaign of persecution. They knew that it would be completely senseless to try to settle these questions at the conference table. The only proper course was to fight for the truth.

But a large number hesitated, feeling it best to wait, for Jehovah would surely do something to prevent this persecution of his people. Whereas this group was wasting time in hesitation, and anxiously trying not to make matters worse by any action on their part, the other publishers were determined to continue the work. Courageous brothers soon began holding meetings in small groups in their homes, although they knew that this could lead to arrests and severe persecution.

In some places the brothers began to mimeograph copies of Watchtower articles, a few copies of which were always smuggled in from neighboring countries. Karl Kreis from Chemnitz was one of the first to make arrangements for doing this. After writing the stencils he would take them to Brother Boschan in Schwarzenberg, where they would make mimeographed copies. Among those especially active at the time were Hildegard Hiegel and Ilse Unterdörfer. As soon as the ban was issued they were determined to let nothing prevent them from carrying out their God-given commission. Sister Unterdörfer bought herself a motorcycle and traveled back and forth between Chemnitz and Olbernhau bringing brothers the mimeographed copies of The Watchtower. Those living closer she would visit on her bicycle so as not to attract undue attention.

Brother Johann Kölbl arranged for 500 mimeographed copies of The Watchtower to be made in Munich and these were then distributed among the brothers there as well as in the far-flung territories of the Bavarian Forest.

In Hamburg it was Brother Niedersberg who immediately took the initiative. He had been a pilgrim  brother for a number of years before coming down with multiple sclerosis. Despite this hindrance he had done what he could. Now during this time of testing the brothers enjoyed visiting him, for this always resulted in their faith being strengthened. His love for the brothers soon moved him to take steps to ensure their regularly receiving spiritual food again. He began mimeographing The Watchtower in his home. He taught Helmut Brembach to write the stencils and showed him how to operate the mimeograph machine. Then, seeing that the work could be carried on without him, he advised the others that he was planning a trip to visit the congregations on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein to encourage them and to arrange for getting The Watchtower to them. Once again he carefully discussed with the brothers how the magazines could be sent and worked out a code with them whereby they would know from what he wrote how many copies to send to each congregation.

It was on January 6, 1934, that Brother Niedersberg, despite his poor health, left home. He could walk only with the greatest of effort and with the help of a cane, but he left trusting in Jehovah. After visiting several congregations his first coded messages arrived in Hamburg and the mimeographed copies of The Watchtower began to be sent. He arrived in the vicinity of Meldorf just as a well-known brother in the community died. Since many brothers from neighboring congregations would be present for the funeral, Brother Niedersberg was asked to deliver the funeral discourse. He took advantage of this opportunity to give a forceful talk, his purpose being to strengthen the brothers present, who had been unable to attend any meeting for many months. As was expected, a great many attended and returned to their assigned territories greatly encouraged by what they had heard.

Others were, of course, also in attendance, even officials of the Gestapo. After Brother Niedersberg’s discourse they asked for his name and address, but did not arrest him, evidently not daring to do so because of the occasion. So he was able to continue his trip, which was getting progressively more difficult for him. Upon arriving at Brother Thode’s place in Hennstedt he was suddenly stricken with a severe headache and died shortly thereafter of a stroke. So his last strength had been used in getting things arranged so that the brothers would be provided with upbuilding spiritual food. Two weeks later the Gestapo appeared at his home in Hamburg-Altona to arrest him.

In addition to mimeographed copies of The Watchtower produced in Germany, some were sent to Germany from Switzerland, France, Czechoslovakia, yes,  even from Poland, and it appeared in various forms, often in changing sizes. At first many Watchtower articles were sent from Zurich, Switzerland, bearing the title “The Jonadab.” After the Gestapo discovered this method, all post offices in Germany were instructed to confiscate all envelopes bearing this title and to take appropriate action against those to whom the magazines were addressed. In most cases this led to their arrest.

Later the title and also the manner of wrapping The Watchtower were changed with practically every issue. In most cases the title of the Watchtower article was used, this generally appearing only once, such as, for example, “The Three Feasts,” “Obadiah,” “The Fighter,” “The Time,” “Temple Singers,” and so forth. But even some of these copies fell into the Gestapo’s hands, in which case a circular would be sent to every police station in Germany informing them that this particular magazine was banned. But in most cases this information came too late, because another Watchtower article with a completely different makeup and a completely different title had by then already appeared. The Gestapo soon had to admit with bitter anger that Jehovah’s witnesses were one ahead of them on war strategy.

It was similar with The Golden Age. For a time it was not listed among banned magazines. Later, after it had been officially banned, it was sent privately to German brothers, generally from brothers in foreign countries, especially from Switzerland. Those sending the magazines always made sure that the address was written by hand and by a different person each time.

The more unsuccessful the Gestapo were in their attempts to cut off these sources of supply, just that more brutal they became when dealing with the brothers. They generally arrested them after searching their homes, although often without any reason. At police headquarters the brothers were generally cruelly mistreated in an attempt to squeeze some kind of admission of guilt out of them.

“FREE” ELECTIONS

Another weapon used to intimidate the populace, and especially directed against Jehovah’s witnesses to force them to compromise, was the so-called “free” elections. Those who refused to let themselves be forced into voting were denounced as “Jews,” “traitors to the Fatherland” and “scoundrels.”

Max Schubert from Oschatz (Saxony) was called on five times by election workers who wanted to take him to the polls on election day. His wife was visited  by women with the same intent. Brother Schubert told his visitors each time, however, that he was one of Jehovah’s witnesses and had voted for Jehovah, which was sufficient and made a further voting for someone else unnecessary.

He had a difficult time of it the next day. He was a ticket agent for the railroad and continually came in contact with people. On that day they made a particular point of greeting him with “Heil Hitler.” He returned the greetings with “Good day” or something similar. He felt that something was “in the air,” however, and he discussed it with his wife at lunch, telling her to be ready for any eventuality. After finishing his service that afternoon he was picked up at around five o’clock by a policeman and taken to the home of the National Socialist Party’s local director. A small wagon drawn by two horses stood before the door. Brother Schubert was forced to stand in the middle with a number of SA men seated around him, each with a burning torch in his hand. At the front stood one with a horn and at the back one with a drum, and they took turns sounding the alarm so that everyone would look out to see the procession. Two SA men on the wagon held a large sign reading: “I am a scoundrel and a traitor to the Fatherland, because I did not vote.” Soon someone behind the procession had formed a group that continually chanted the words on the sign. At the end of the sentence they would ask: “Where does he belong?” whereupon the children in the crowd would call out in unison: “In a concentration camp!” Brother Schubert was driven through the streets of the city of some 15,000 population for two and a half hours. The Luxembourg radio station reported on this the next day.

Some of the brothers were engaged in civil service work. Since they did not give “the German greeting” or participate in elections and political demonstrations, the government had been making plans since the summer of 1934 to pass a law banning the Bible Students nationally so that they could be expelled from civil service work. This required a national law banning their activity, rather than just local state laws. Such a law was passed on April 1, 1935. But some individual offices had already acted on their own authority.

Ludwig Stickel was city accountant in Pforzheim. On March 29, 1934, he received a letter from the mayor, stating: “I am opening criminal proceedings against you with the purpose in mind of dismissing you from your position. You are being charged with refusing to vote in the Reichstag elections on November 12, 1933. . . .” In a long letter Brother Stickel explained his position, but since judgment had in reality already  been passed, he was notified that he had been fired on August 20.

Their goal was to rob Jehovah’s witnesses of their means of earning a living​—firing them from their jobs, driving them away from their places of work, closing their places of business and forbidding them to carry out their professions.

Gertrud Franke from Mainz found this out after her husband had been arrested for the fifth time in 1936 and the secret police had assured her that they had no intention of ever releasing him again. After Sister Franke was let free​—she had been held in prison some five months—​she went to the employment office to find a job. She discovered, however, that since she had been in prison no one wanted to hire her. Finally a cement factory was forced to accept her. Two weeks later she had her next surprise when she discovered that without her consent she had been enrolled in the German Labor Front and that the dues had been withheld from her paycheck. Recognizing the political aims of this organization, she immediately went to the office and complained that money had been withheld from her paycheck for an organization that she in no way recognized, and she requested that the matter be taken care of. This resulted in her immediate dismissal. Upon appearing at the employment office again she was told that the employment office would neither find her a job nor would it give her any kind of unemployment assistance. If she refused to join the Labor Front, it was her problem to see how she got by.

YOUTHS FACE TRIALS

In numerous cases the children of Jehovah’s witnesses were robbed of the opportunity of getting an education. Let Helmut Knöller tell his experience in his own words:

“At the very time that Jehovah’s witnesses’ activity in Germany was banned, my parents were baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah! For me the time of decision came when I was thirteen and the ban was announced. In school there were often decisions to make in connection with the flag salute, which I decided in favor of faithfulness and dedication to Jehovah. Under these circumstances, going on to get a higher education was unthinkable and so I began to learn the mercantile trade as an apprentice in Stuttgart; this included attendance twice a week at a commercial school where flag-raising ceremonies were held daily. Since I was taller than any of my classmates, I, of course, attracted undue attention when I refused to salute the flag.

 “When the teacher entered the room, the students were required to stand up, greet with the words ‘Heil Hitler’ and raise the right hand. This I did not do. The teacher naturally directed his attention only to me and there were often scenes like: ‘Knöller, come here! Why don’t you greet with “Heil Hitler?”’ ‘It is against my conscience, sir.’ ‘What? You pig! Get away from me​—you stink—​farther away. Shame! A traitor!’ etc. I was then transferred to another class. My father spoke to the principal and received the following characteristic explanation: ‘Can your God, in whom you trust, even give you a piece of bread? Adolf Hitler can, and this he has proved.’ This meant people were to honor him and to greet him with the words ‘Heil Hitler.’”

After he had served his apprenticeship, World War II broke out and Brother Knöller was called up for military service. He reports about this as follows:

“I was drafted for military service on March 17, 1940. For a long time I had reckoned with what would happen. I figured that upon reporting to the induction center but then refusing to take the oath I would be brought before a war court and shot. In fact, I preferred this to being put into a concentration camp! But it did not turn out that way. I was not tried before a military court, but was imprisoned with rations of bread and water. Five days later the Gestapo came and took me along to a hearing that lasted several hours where every sort of threat was made. That night I was returned to the prison. I was so happy; there was no trace of fear anymore, but only of joy and of expectation of what the future held and how Jehovah would once again help me. Three weeks later top Gestapo agents read me an order saying that because of my attitude of enmity to the state and the danger that I might be active for the banned International Bible Students, I must remain in protective custody. That meant ‘concentration camp.’ So it came about just opposite to what I had hoped. Together with other prisoners, I was dumped into the Dachau concentration camp on June 1.”

Brother Knöller became acquainted with life not only in Dachau but also in Sachsenhausen. He was later transferred, together with a number of other prisoners, to the English Channel island of Alderney. A dramatic trip took him to Steyr, Austria, where he and those with him were finally released on May 5, 1945. The turbulence of those years can be seen in the fact that Brother Knöller, who had been the object of so much persecution, had not yet had an opportunity to symbolize his dedication to Jehovah by means of water baptism, although his years of faithfulness under the most  difficult of circumstances were proof that he had made such a dedication. In the small group of survivors with whom he returned home there were nine other brothers, all of whom had faithfully endured between four and eight years in concentration camps and who now gratefully took the opportunity in Passau to be baptized.

CHILDREN TORN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS

Brother and Sister Strenge experienced just how little chance Jehovah’s witnesses had during those turbulent years of receiving their legal rights. Brother Strenge was arrested and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, whereupon Sister Strenge, now left alone with her children, was thrown into a situation calling for every bit of strength she could muster. She reports:

“At school my son was to learn a patriotic song and patriotic poem by heart. Being unable to harmonize this with his religious convictions, he refused. His teacher had two young boys lead him like a prisoner to the principal, a certain Mr. Hanneberg, who told him his finger should be beaten until it was so bloody and swollen and black and blue that ‘he could no longer stick it up his [rectum].’ He continued to threaten him and said he would never see his father again. Finally he asked this ten-year-old youngster if he would refuse to do military service. Günter referred to the Bible and said, ‘He who takes up the sword will perish by the sword,’ whereupon the principal instructed Günter’s teacher to ‘punish him as is customary.’ Afterward the principal sent him home, saying that he would instruct the police to pick him up at home five minutes later to put him into a reform house. My son had hardly got home when the police drove up in front of our house in a large car. Several officers stormily demanded entrance, but I refused to open the door. After a while the police withdrew to my neighbor’s, demanding from her incriminating evidence against me. Unable to offer any such incriminating evidence, she was pressured so long until she finally admitted having heard us sing a song and offer prayer each morning. Then the police left.

“The next morning at about 10:30 the police returned. Since I was unwilling to open the door, the Gestapo officials cried: ‘You damned Bible Student! Open up!’ Then they went to a locksmith who lived nearby and had him break in.

“Holding a revolver to my chest, one of the Gestapo agents cried: ‘Give us the children.’ But I held them close and they clung to me in search of protection. Out of fear that they would forcibly separate us, we screamed for help at the top of our lungs.

 “The window was open and a large group of persons gathered in front of the house and heard my loud screams of despair: ‘I bore my children under the most severe labor pains and I will never give them to you. You will have to beat me to death first.’ Then overcome by excitement, I fainted. After coming to, I was questioned by the Gestapo for three hours. They tried to get me to incriminate my husband. The questioning was interrupted several times by my fainting spells. Meanwhile, the ever-growing crowd in front of the house increasingly began to indicate by their noise that they were not in agreement with what was going on. Finally the Gestapo withdrew once again, not having accomplished what they had set out to do. Now they went about taking the children away secretly. Apparently in pursuit of this plan I was requested to appear before a special court in Elbing some days later. On the same day my children were to report to the guardian who had been appointed over them. I suspected the worst and visited the guardian with both children the day before. He said my fifteen-year-old daughter was to be put into a work camp and ten-year-old Günter given to a family who would train him along the lines of Nationalist Socialism. In the event of refusal they were both to be placed in a reform school. In my excitement I asked: ‘Tell me, are we already living in Russia, or are we still in Germany?’ whereupon he answered: ‘Mrs. Strenge, I will ignore what you have just said. I too come from a religious family; my father is a minister!’ When I requested that my daughter at least be permitted to accept an apprenticeship somewhere, this attorney retorted: ‘I want no trouble out of you. I would rather deal with twenty other children than with one Bible Student.’

“Saturday arrived, the day I was to go to court in Elbing to defend my faith in Jehovah and his promises. To strengthen myself and so that I could once again pour out my heart, I visited my imprisoned husband before I went. When he was brought in, I collapsed sobbing into his arms. All the grief and all the terrible events of the past few days once again welled up within me: my husband sentenced to three years in prison, the children torn away from me and separated from one another at that. My spirit was broken and I was at the limit of endurance. But like words of angels were the words of my husband, who comforted me by depicting Job’s experiences and his sufferings and yet his unbreakable faithfulness to God, so that even after he had lost everything, he did not accuse God of wrongdoing. He related how he too had been richly blessed by Jehovah after the severe test brought  about by the numerous hearings and the trial. This gave me renewed strength. I now went to the hearing with raised head to hear proudly with what zeal my children had borne witness to Jehovah and his Kingdom and to their faith in front of their teachers and other high officials. The ‘German court’ ruled: Not having reared my children in the sense of National Socialism, and because of having sung songs with them in praise of Jehovah, I would have to be sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment.”

OSTRACIZED BY CLASSMATES

Twelve-year-old Brother Willi Seitz from Karlsruhe had a different kind of experience. He himself reports:

“I can hardly describe what I have had to bear up until now. My fellow students at school have beaten me; when we take hikes, I must go alone, if permitted to go along at all, and I may not speak to my school friends, such as I still have. In other words: ‘I am hated and mocked like a mangy dog.’ My only comfort has been that God’s kingdom will soon come. . . .”

On January 22, 1937, Willi was expelled from school “because of refusal to give the German greeting, to sing patriotic songs and to take part in school celebrations.”

CONDEMNED FOR PRAYING AND SINGING

Max Ruef from Pocking also discovered how systematic attempts were made to force Jehovah’s witnesses to break their integrity. His means of livelihood was completely ruined. A mortgage he had taken out for the purpose of making building changes was canceled. He being unable to pay the mortgage back immediately, all his property was put up for auction in May of 1934.

“The persecution did not stop at that,” Brother Ruef relates. “On the contrary, at the instigation of the political leadership I was falsely charged and hauled into court. Since there was nothing they could accuse me of, I was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by a special court in Munich because of having engaged in the banned praying and singing in my home. I began to serve my sentence on December 31, 1936. My wife, expecting her third child, received, other than rent amounting to 12 Reich marks, no kind of support for herself and the two children aged nine and ten. The time came for her to bear the child. We both petitioned that the serving of my sentence be interrupted for a few weeks so that I could look after certain necessary things. About a week before the child was to be born our petition was denied as being ‘inappropriate.’

 “On March 27 I was notified that my wife had died and that I was to be released for three days in order to transact necessary business. I at once went to the clinic where my wife had been brought after bearing the child, although she had died before getting there. The doctor and one of the nurses, who were still unaware of my being one of Jehovah’s witnesses, strongly urged me to ‘file charges against the doctor and the midwife, for your wife was healthy and there was nothing wrong with her,’ but I only answered tiredly: ‘Then I would have a lot to do.’ At home, with the dead child lying in the bedroom, I found the other two children, nine and ten years of age, in a frame of mind one can easily imagine. Should I leave them alone now with no one to look after them, perhaps never to see them again?”

Brother Ruef’s parents-in-law requested that his wife’s body be sent to Pocking, where no one outside of the immediate family was permitted to speak at the graveside. Thus it was that Brother Ruef himself delivered his wife’s funeral discourse, Jehovah giving him the strength to do so.

The thought of now having to leave his two children alone without anyone to look after them was impossible for Brother Ruef to bear. With just a few more hours left of his respite from imprisonment, he took one of the two children to his parents-in-law, although they were not Jehovah’s witnesses, and the other he took to brothers living near the Swiss border. Finally, he made a dramatic escape across the border into Switzerland, where he received asylum with his child.

FIRST PUNISHMENT, THEN “FRIENDLINESS,” TO BREAK INTEGRITY

There were cases where children who were separated from their parents became weak in faith for a time and actually stood in danger of being drawn into the Nazi camp, just as the movement’s leaders figured they would be. Take, for example, Horst Henschel from Meissen, who, in 1943, was baptized at twelve years of age with his father. He writes:

“My childhood was filled with ups and downs. I withdrew from the Hitler Youth​—at least as far as this was possible—​and was happy and strong. When I refused to give the Hitler greeting, which was daily required at school, I would be struck, but I rejoiced to know, strengthened by my parents, that I had remained faithful. But there were times when either because of physical punishment or out of fear of the situation I would say ‘Heil Hitler.’ I remember how I would then go home, my eyes full of tears and how  we would pray together to Jehovah and how I would once again take courage to resist the enemy’s attacks the next time. Then the same thing would happen again.

“One day the Gestapo came and searched our house. ‘Are you one of Jehovah’s witnesses?’ one of the broad-shouldered SS men asked my mother. As if it were today, I can see her leaning against the door frame and saying firmly ‘Yes,’ although she knew this meant she would be arrested sooner or later. She was, two weeks later.

“She was busy taking care of my little sister, who would be a year old the following day, when the police came with a warrant for her arrest. . . . Since my father was at home at the time we remained under his jurisdiction. . . . Two weeks later my father was arrested too. I can still see him crouching down in front of the kitchen stove gazing into the fire. Before leaving for school I had hugged him as tightly as I could, but he had not turned around to look at me. I have often thought about the hard fight he had and I am grateful to Jehovah to this day that God provided him with the necessary strength to give me such a good example. I came home and found I was alone. My father had been ordered to do military service and had gone to the town’s draft board to explain his refusal. He was arrested immediately. My grandparents and our other relatives​—all of whom were opposed to Jehovah’s witnesses and some of whom were members of the Nazi party—​had taken steps to gain custody of me and my little one-year-old sister so that we would not be put into a juvenile home or perhaps even into a reform school. A second sister of mine, already twenty-one years old, was arrested just two weeks after my father, and died three weeks later in prison from diphtheria and scarlet fever.

“My little sister and I were now with my grandparents. I remember kneeling down before my little sister’s bed to pray. I was not allowed to read the Bible, but after secretly obtaining one from a neighbor lady, I did.

“My grandfather, not in the truth, once visited my father in prison. He returned home highly indignant and terribly angry. ‘This criminal, this good-for-nothing! How can he desert his own children?’ Chained hand and foot, my father was led before my grandfather, who, together with the others, tried to argue him into taking up military service for the sake of the children. But he continued faithful and firmly turned the suggestion down, whereupon an officer remarked to my grandfather: ‘Even if this man had ten children, he would not act differently.’ Though terrible in my grandfather’s ears, for me it was proof that my father  was remaining faithful and that Jehovah was helping him.

“Some time later I received a letter from him. It was his last. Since he did not know where my mother was imprisoned, he wrote it to me. I went up to my attic bedroom and read the first words: ‘Rejoice when you receive this letter, because I have endured. In two hours my sentence will be executed. . . .’ I was sad and I cried, although I did not grasp the depth of the matter then as I do today.

“In the face of all these decisive events I remained relatively strong. Without doubt Jehovah gave me the necessary strength to solve my problems. But Satan has many ways to entice one into his trap and I was soon to experience this. One of my relatives approached my teachers asking them to be patient with me. Suddenly they all became very, very friendly to me. The teachers did not punish me, even when I did not greet with ‘Heil Hitler,’ and my relatives became especially friendly and nice to me. Then it happened.

“On my own initiative I rejoined the Hitler Youth, though no one tried to force me to do so, and though it was only some months before the end of World War II. What Satan had failed to accomplish with severity, he was able to accomplish with flattery and craftiness. Today I can say that severe persecution from without may test our loyalty, but that Satan’s sneaky attacks from other angles are not less dangerous than the brutal attacks. Today I realize what difficult tests of faith my mother had to go through while in prison. I had received my father’s last letter in confirmation of his faithfulness and dedication until death and this strengthened me immensely. She, on the other hand, was sent his clothing and suits, on which bloodstains were still clearly visible, silent witnesses to the harassments of his death. My mother later told me that all these things were very difficult for her to bear, but that her most difficult test during this time were my letters indicating I had stopped serving Jehovah.

“The war quickly ended. My mother came home and helped me return to the way of dedication. She continued to rear me in the love of Jehovah and in dedication to him. Looking back, I see that I had many of the same problems then that many of our young brothers have today. But my mother never stopped fighting to help me stay on the path of dedication. Due to the undeserved kindness of Jehovah I have now had the privilege of being in full-time service for twenty-two years, six years and four months of this time being spent in prison in East Germany, imprisoned even as my parents were.

 “I have often asked myself what I did to deserve to have been so richly blessed by Jehovah in the past. Today I believe that the prayers of my father and my mother have been responsible. They could not have given a better example in Christian conduct than they did through their own course of action.”

There are 860 known cases where children were taken from their parents, although the exact number may be quite a bit higher. In view of such inhumanity it is not strange that in the course of time the authorities went so far as to make it impossible to bear children by simply stating that one of the parents had a “hereditary disease.” He could then be sterilized under provisions of the law.

METHODS AT HEARINGS

One of the cruel tactics employed was letting the marriage mate and other family members experience the torments their loved ones had to go through during questioning. Emil Wilde describes the cruelty of this, he being forced to listen from his cell as his wife was being literally tortured to death.

“On September 15, 1937,” he begins, “early in the morning around 5:00 o’clock, two Gestapo officials came and searched our home, after first questioning my children. Afterward my wife and I were taken to police headquarters and immediately locked up in prison cells. Our first hearing took place some ten days later. I was told my wife was also to have her first hearing that same day, and this proved to be the case.

“From noon on, about 1:00 o’clock, I heard a woman’s loud cries. She was being beaten and as the cries continued to get louder and I could hear them more clearly, I recognized them as coming from my wife. I rang the bell and asked why the woman, my wife, was being beaten; I was told that it was not my wife, but another, who deserved the beatings because of misbehavior. Late that afternoon the screaming started again and grew so in intensity that I once again rang to complain about the treatment being meted out to my wife. The Gestapo continued to deny that it was my wife. Around 1:00 o’clock that night I could stand it no longer and rang once again, this time resulting in the police official, whose name I do not know, saying: ‘If you ring just one more time, we will do the same thing to you that we have done to your wife!’ There followed silence throughout the entire prison, for in the meantime they had taken my wife to the nerve clinic. Early on the morning of October 3, the Gestapo head guard, Classin, came to my cell  and told me my wife had died in the nerve clinic. I told him right to his face that they were to blame for my wife’s death, and on the day of her funeral I filed murder charges against the Gestapo. This resulted in the Gestapo charging me with libel.

“This meant there was to be a further trial in addition to my first one. When it was held, two sisters arose during the special court hearing and testified: ‘We heard Mrs. Wilde crying, “You devils, you are beating me to death.”’ The judge responded: ‘But they did not see it, they only heard it. I sentence you to one month’s imprisonment.’ Several sisters, who saw my wife after her death, confirmed that she was terribly disfigured with large stripes around her throat and across her face. I was refused permission to attend the funeral.”

In other instances attempts were made to hypnotize the brothers. Some of them were given food that had been drugged, so that for a time they lost control over what they said. In an attempt to force others to confess, their hands and feet were tied behind their backs for the entire night. Since some were unable to hold up under such terrible forms of torture, the Gestapo was able to obtain information about how the work of Jehovah’s witnesses was organized and carried out.

FRIENDLY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYERS

Although officials used the ‘new powerful and loud language,’ which especially characterized all the leaders in the new state, based as it was on the so-called ‘Führer principle,’ yet it was gratifying that here and there some police officials, in their dealings with Jehovah’s witnesses both in and outside of prison, showed they were still capable of having compassion for their fellowman.

Carl Göhring, because of his refusal to give the “German greeting” and to join the Working Front Organization, was fired from his job with the private railway company of the Leuna Works in Merseburg. The employment office refused to find him a job and the welfare office refused to give him any kind of support. But Jehovah, who knows the needs of his people, directed the matter so that Brother Göhring soon found a job with the paper factory in Weissenfels. Its director, a Mr. Kornelius, hired all the brothers in the vicinity who had been fired from their jobs and demanded nothing of them that would have conflicted with their consciences.

As it later developed, there were other employers like this too, although not many. Quite a few brothers were thereby saved from the clutches of the Gestapo.

 There were also individual judges who inwardly were not at all in agreement with the violent methods used by the Hitler government. Especially at the beginning, a number of judges presented the brothers with a harmless paper for signing, one that simply stated that they would refrain from engaging in any political activity. Since the brothers could sign this without any reservations, it saved many of them from losing their freedom.

House searches often indicated that not all the officials were as hateful against Jehovah’s witnesses as it may have appeared outwardly. Brother and Sister Poddig experienced this when their home was searched. They had just received mail, including copies of The Watchtower along with other publications, from Sister Poddig’s fleshly sister, who lived in Holland. Before they had a chance to read anything, however, the doorbell suddenly began to ring.

“Quick,” Sister Poddig cried, “put everything in the pantry and close the door.” Since this might have attracted attention, however, she decided at the last minute to leave the door open. In the meantime the Gestapo agent, accompanied by an SA man, had entered the house. “So,” he began, “let’s begin right here.” By this he meant the pantry with its door standing open. Brother Poddig’s little boy suddenly said: “You can look a long time before you’ll find anything in the pantry,” whereupon the agent laughed and replied: “Well, then, let’s go into the other room.” The entire search was unsuccessful. In fact, Brother Poddig and his family got the impression that they​—at least the Gestapo agent—​did not want to find anything. It was apparent that the SA man did not think the search was being carried on thoroughly enough and wanted to continue the search. But the Gestapo agent reprimanded him and forbade him to look farther. Upon leaving he suddenly returned alone and whispered to Sister Poddig: “Mrs. Poddig, listen to what I say. They will take your children away because they are not in the Hitler Youth. Please send your children, even if it is only for appearance’ sake.” “Then both of them left and we were able to read our mail from Holland in peace,” Brother Poddig writes. “We thanked Jehovah for the many new things and for The Watchtower that was once again included.”

OUTWITTED

There are, of course, numerous cases where Gestapo officials were apparently struck with blindness when they conducted their searches and where they were frequently outwitted by the lightning-quick actions of  the brothers, clearly indicating Jehovah’s protection and angelic help.

Sister Kornelius from Marktredwitz tells an experience: “One day another policeman appeared to make a search. We had several publications in the house, including several mimeographed Watchtowers. At the moment, I saw no other possibility than to stick them all into an empty coffee pot, which just happened to be standing on the table. After their looking through everything, it was only a matter of time before this hiding place would be found. Just at that moment my fleshly sister unexpectedly dropped into the apartment. Without any preliminaries I said to her, ‘Here, take your coffee along with you.’ She looked a little startled at first, understood what I meant, however, and left at once, taking the coffee pot along. The literature was out of danger and the officials had not noticed that they had been outwitted.”

Amusing is the story that Brother and Sister Kornelius tell about their five-year-old son Siegfried, who at the time had no difficulties with the “German greeting” and similar things because he was not yet of school age. But since his parents were raising him in the truth, he knew that his parents’ literature, which they always hid after reading, was very important and that the Gestapo was not to be allowed to find it. One day when he saw two officials coming through the yard to his parents’ place, he immediately realized they would be looking for hidden literature and at once knew what he should do to prevent them from finding anything. Although not yet of school age, he grabbed his older brother’s schoolbag, emptied everything out and stuffed all the literature into it. He hung the bag on his back and went out onto the street with it. There he waited until the officials left, after making an unsuccessful search. Afterward he returned to the house and rehid the literature where he had found it.