Part 2​—Germany

“SHEEP” ARE FOUND IN PRISON

The brothers contacted persons of all kinds while in prison and naturally, as far as possible, told them about their hope. How great their joy when one of their fellow prisoners accepted the truth! Willi Lehmbecker tells us of such an experience. He was incarcerated with a number of other prisoners in a room where smoking was allowed:

“My bunk was above, but the prisoner who slept below me smoked so much I could scarcely breathe. While all the others were asleep I was able to witness to him from the Bible about God’s purpose for mankind. I found him to be an attentive listener. This young  man was active in politics and had been taken into custody for distributing illegal magazines. We promised each other that, once we were free again, if still alive, we would try to visit each other. But it turned out differently. In 1948 I met him again at one of our circuit assemblies. He recognized me at once, greeted me joyfully and then told me his story. After serving his time and being released, he had been drafted into the military and served at the front in Russia. Here he had an opportunity to think over all the things I had told him. . . . Finally he said to me: ‘Today I became your brother.’ Can you imagine how moved I was and how I rejoiced?”

Hermann Schlömer had a similar experience. It was likewise at a circuit assembly where a brother approached him and asked: “Do you recognize me?” Brother Schlömer answered: “Your face is familiar, but I don’t know who you are.” The brother then introduced himself as having been the prison guard in charge of Brother Schlömer in the Frankfurt-Preungesheim prison during his five-year prison term there. Brother Schlömer had told the guard a great many things about the truth. He had also asked him for a Bible, which the prison clergyman had refused to get for him. The prison guard was humane and obtained a Bible for Brother Schlömer. So that he would have something to do in solitary confinement he also brought him the family stockings for mending. Yes, Brother Schlömer really had cause for rejoicing, realizing that in this case Jehovah’s word had fallen on fertile soil.

SPIRITUAL FOOD BECOMES SCARCE

The spiritual menu in Germany continued to shrink. How dangerous it was for individuals, as well as groups, when they lost contact with the organization and no longer had an opportunity to obtain spiritual food, is reported on by Heinrich Vieker:

“When the Nazis seized power, we were between thirty and forty publishers in our congregation. The challenging position taken by this system soon caused many brothers to ‘move over into the shade,’ thus becoming inactive, about half of the publishers no longer making an appearance. This meant we had to be very careful in dealing with those who had drawn away, greeting them when we would meet, but not supplying them with magazines when available. During a discussion, we once discovered that all the brothers, with the exception of about fourteen, had voted in an election held.”

Naturally there was the danger that some brothers would be deprived of spiritual food simply because of  some unhappy circumstance causing suspicion that they had drawn away from Jehovah’s organization. This is what happened to Grete Klein and her mother in Stettin. Let us hear from her:

“We met together in small groups in the homes of various brothers. Our congregation overseer gave me The Watchtower so that I could make stencils for it to be mimeographed. But only for a short time, and then this privilege, which I so treasured, was over. The brothers had become frightened and were afraid that they might be discovered after they found out that my father was opposed to the truth. We, my mother and I, did not even get a copy of The Watchtower. In fact, the brothers’ fear went so far that they did not even greet us when meeting us on the streets. Both of us were completely cut off from the organization. In Stettin a congregation of Bible Students ceased to exist because, although still free, we were without leadership and without spiritual food. . . .

“Standing still actually means going backward; this we soon saw from our spiritual attitude. After the war began, I continued to pray for our spiritual brothers in concentration camps; soon, however, I was also praying for my fleshly brothers who were carrying on war with literal weapons in Russia and Greece. At the time it did not even dawn on me that what I was doing was wrong. The thought often came up in my mind as to whether it was at all possible to set up a new order under God’s kingdom.

“Besides me, there were many other young persons in the Stettin congregation who did not know where they stood. Several young men, such as Günter Braun, Kurt and Artur Wiessmann, were in military service fighting with fleshly weapons. Kurt Wiessmann was even killed in action. An important reason for our negative stand was undoubtedly the fact that our leadership in the Stettin congregation had fallen victim to the fear of man. . . .

“On the other hand, these brothers who grew weak during that time are an example of Jehovah’s patience, love and forgiveness, since, as I later found out, some of them sincerely repented of their actions after the work began again and were restored to Jehovah’s favor. Some of them are still in full-time service today, as, for example, the former congregation overseer in Stettin, who due to fear of man broke off all contact with me and my mother and moved with his wife to a place where they were completely unknown. But how I rejoiced when I met them again in Wiesbaden when I began serving at Bethel and have been able to see both of them continue in full-time service up into old age. Because of his course of action some of the  brothers suffered a great deal in concentration camps and prisons, and many had a difficult time forgiving him. But Jehovah’s mercy helped them do so and served as a wonderful example for them.”

UNCERTAINTY IN MAGDEBURG AND ELSEWHERE

Going back in the account to 1933 when Hitler became chancellor, we find that Brother Rutherford soon realized that the German government had its eye on our building in Magdeburg and the valuable printing presses there. Strong efforts were made to prove to the responsible officials that the Wachtturm Bibel- und Traktat-Gesellschaft was a subsidiary of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and that, since the Magdeburg property to a great degree consisted of gifts from America, it was in actuality American property. Under these circumstances Brother Balzereit as a German citizen was only partially effective in fighting for the release of American property. Brother Rutherford, therefore, asked Brother Harbeck, the branch overseer in Switzerland, to step into the controversy, making use of his American citizenship.

Brother Balzereit, who had chosen to move to Czechoslovakia for safety, now felt that his authority was being restricted, and his pride was hurt. Yet he himself showed little desire of wanting to return to Germany and personally direct the negotiations going on for retaining possession of the Society’s property and to support his brothers in their fight for the faith. At the same time, Brother Balzereit and several brothers who had taken his side of the controversy accused Brother Harbeck of being negligent in looking after German interests, while others went so far as to telegraph Brother Rutherford in behalf of Balzereit.

Brother Rutherford answered Balzereit as follows: “Return to Magdeburg and stay there and take charge of matters and do what you can, but notify Brother Harbeck about everything. . . . In fact it should not be necessary for you to ask permission to return to Germany, since, as far as I am concerned, and this you know, you could have stayed there right from the beginning. You tried to lead me to believe, however, that your personal safety was dependent upon your taking refuge outside the country.”

The year 1933 drew to a close without any unity being achieved as regards the holding of regular meetings and the carrying on of the preaching work. Brother Poddig describes the situation: “Two groups developed. The fearful ones maintained that we were disobedient and were endangering both them and Jehovah’s work.”  A letter written by Brother Harbeck in August 1933 was given wide distribution among the German brothers and was used by the fearful ones in their discussions as proof of the rightness of their stand. Meanwhile the Society published a Watchtower article entitled “Fear Them Not,” which supported the action of those who, despite increasing persecution and mistreatment, had followed the voice of their conscience and had continued to meet together in small groups and carry on the preaching work underground. It showed them that their action had been in harmony with the divine will.

Negotiations for release of the Magdeburg property had broken down, so that Brother Rutherford wrote to Brother Harbeck on January 5, 1934: “I have little hope that we will get anything at all from the German government. I am of the opinion that this wing of Satan’s organization will continue to oppress our people until the Lord intervenes.”

In the meantime, additional letters from brothers in Germany had reached Brother Rutherford, giving him a more accurate idea of the condition of the work in Germany and also of the spiritual attitude of the brothers. One of these, from Brother Poddig, dealt with the Watchtower article “Fear Them Not.” It explained that some of the brothers were refusing to accept this Watchtower as “food in due season.” Some were even trying to prevent the brothers from carrying on any underground preaching. Brother Rutherford’s answer was passed on to the brothers everywhere. It said, in part: “The article ‘Fear Them Not’ which appeared in the December 1 Watchtower was written especially for the benefit of our brothers in Germany. It is surprising that any of the brothers would oppose those interested in finding opportunities to bear witness to the Lord. . . . The above-mentioned article applies to Germany just as much as it does to any other part of the earth. It especially applies to the remnant wherever the individual members happen to be. . . . This means that neither literature servant, the service director, the harvest work leader nor anyone else has the right to tell you what to do or to refuse to provide you with such literature as is available. Your activity in the service of the Lord is not illegal, for you do it in obedience to the Lord’s command . . .”

PLANS FOR UNITED ACTION MADE AT BASEL

A convention was arranged to be held at the fairgrounds in Basel, Switzerland, from September 7 to 9, 1934. Brother Rutherford hoped to meet a number of brothers from Germany there, to hear from them firsthand about the actual situation in the country. Under  most adverse conditions almost a thousand brothers from Germany were able to attend. They later reported how distressed Brother Rutherford was when he personally heard what the brothers had already been forced to suffer.

On the other hand, he was forced to recognize that even the traveling overseers present were not of one mind as regards the preaching work. He spoke to them about steps to be taken in Germany after the convention. Plans for united action were made.

October 7, 1934, will forever remain something special in the memories of all those who had the privilege of participating in the events of that day. On that day Hitler and his government were confronted by the fearless action of Jehovah’s witnesses​—in his eyes a ridiculous minority.

Details were spelled out in a letter from Brother Rutherford, a copy of which was to be taken by special messenger to every congregation in Germany. At the same time these messengers were instructed to make preparations for meetings to be held throughout Germany on this particular day. Brother Rutherford’s letter said, in part:

“Every group of Jehovah’s witnesses in Germany should gather together at a convenient place in the city where they live, on Sunday morning, October 7, 1934, at 9:00 o’clock. This letter should be read to all present. You should join together in prayer to Jehovah asking him through Christ Jesus, our Head and King, for his guidance, protection, deliverance and blessing. Immediately thereafter send a letter to German government officials which text will have been prepared beforehand and will then be available. A few minutes should be spent discussing Matthew 10:16-24, keeping in mind that by doing as this text says, you are ‘standing for your lives.’ (Esther 8:11) The meeting should then be closed and you should go out to your neighbors giving them a witness about Jehovah’s name, about our God and his Kingdom under Christ Jesus.

“Your brothers throughout the world will be thinking of you and will direct a similar prayer to Jehovah at the same time.”

UNITED DECLARATION OF DETERMINATION TO OBEY GOD

The preparations had to be made in complete secrecy, of course. Every brother who had anything to do with them was required to agree not to speak even to his own wife or other family members about what was being planned for October 7. Despite these precautions, a situation arose at the last minute which, had it not  been for Jehovah’s powerful and protecting arm, could have had terrible consequences. Concerning what took place in Mainz, Konrad Franke reports:

“I had been arrested early in 1933 for the first time and put in a concentration camp, so after my release I often had to appear before the Gestapo, who accused me each time of being in charge of organizing the work in this city, the continual number of arrests bearing witness to an organized preaching campaign going on. I, therefore, had my mail sent to a cover address, an address which Brother Franz Merck, our regional service director, knew. But for some unexplainable reason he had not delivered Brother Rutherford’s letter containing the necessary instructions to me personally as had been agreed upon in Basel, but sent it to me by mail and this to my normal address and literally ‘at the last minute.’ Happily my attention had already been called to the campaign by Brother Albert Wandres, with whom I worked very closely, and so I was acquainted with all the details set out in the letter. Since the days until October 7 were passing by very quickly and I still had not received this important information from Brother Merck, I went ahead without his help and made arrangements for the meeting to be held at a brother’s house in a suburb of Mainz, to which meeting almost twenty persons were invited.

“Two days before the meeting was to take place an abrupt change had to be made, since the home where we were to have met turned out to be a dangerous place. After all the brothers and sisters had been notified of a new address, it was suddenly discovered that a family in this house had also expressed great enmity and had threatened to have anyone they knew to be one of Jehovah’s witnesses arrested immediately if they at any time in the future should set foot in their house. So the brothers who owned the house, in whose apartment the meeting was to have been held the next morning, asked to have it somewhere else. Therefore, it became necessary on October 6 to visit all the brothers again, notifying them of a third location for the meeting at 9:00 o’clock the next morning. But where? There seemed to be no possibilities left. After prayerful consideration I decided to invite the brothers to my small pioneer apartment, although this was dangerous.

“I returned home tired out on the evening of October 6 and was handed a letter by my wife which had been delivered late in the evening outside of the normal postal delivery times, and this despite the fact that it was just a normal letter rather than special delivery, which would have called for the postal authorities to  have delivered it at that time. I opened it and discovered it was Brother Rutherford’s letter. Brother Merck had sent it to me probably because he had no possibility of getting it to me personally in time.

“The manner of delivery was proof to me, however, that the letter had first gone to the Gestapo​—as was true of all my private mail—​and that they had then arranged to deliver it, evidently thinking that I did not yet know anything about the campaign. They figured I would then make the necessary arrangements in harmony with the letter’s contents sometime during the night, so that they could find all of us together and arrest us without any special effort on their part the next morning. In fact, there had been sufficient time to warn officials all over Germany. It would be a simple matter to arrest all of Jehovah’s witnesses gathered together in the various cities the next morning.

“What should I do? My apartment, located in a building also housing a tavern, was anything but safe. All those living in the house, with the exception of the sister who owned the building and whose bedroom adjoined our apartment, were bitterly opposed. On the other hand, there were no other possibilities of where we could meet. Trusting in Jehovah’s help, I decided not to make any more changes nor to excite unduly the brothers and sisters, who, for the most part, lived in divided families and who had not the slightest idea of what the purpose of the meeting was. Inwardly I prepared myself for being arrested again.

“At 7:00 o’clock the morning of October 7, the first brothers had already arrived, arrangements having been made for everyone to come individually over a period of two hours so that it would not be so noticeable. The brothers appeared one by one, all very expectant of what would come, although in harmony with instructions they had not been informed of the real reason for the meeting. But there was no one among them who did not feel that this was to be an extremely meaningful day. Everyone, including the sisters whose husbands in most cases were opposers and most of whom had small children to look after, impressed me as being determined and willing to do anything they were asked to do in the interests of the vindication of Jehovah’s name.

“By ten minutes to 9:00 everyone was gathered in our one-room pioneer apartment. I fully expected to see the Gestapo drive up in a large car at any minute and to arrest us all. I, therefore, felt called upon to explain the situation to the brothers and to give them an opportunity to withdraw from participation in the meeting in case they feared the possible consequences. I told them: ‘The situation is such that we could all  be arrested within the next ten minutes. I do not want any of you to be able to accuse me later of having got you into this situation without having informed you of its seriousness. I, therefore, ask you to open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 20.’ I read verse 8:De 20:8 ‘Who is the man that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, that he may not cause the hearts of his brothers to melt as his own heart.’ After reading this to those present, I said: ‘Anyone who feels that the situation is too dangerous now has the opportunity of withdrawing from participation in the meeting.’

“But not one, not even the sisters with opposing husbands and small children, considered drawing back in fear. What now followed is something one can hardly express in words. During the few minutes remaining until 9:00 o’clock there was a festive silence in the room. It was apparent that all in attendance were entrusting the matter in silent prayer into Jehovah’s protective hand. It was 9:00 o’clock. And while the thought kept wanting to creep into my mind that ‘the Gestapo will pull into the yard at any moment now’ I opened the meeting with prayer. Suddenly we all had the feeling that a strong, protective ring had been placed around us, enclosing not only the endangered brothers in Germany but the brothers throughout the world who, in harmony with instructions, had assembled in many countries at the same hour and who naturally also began their meetings with prayer, all of this for the purpose of protesting to Hitler against the inhuman treatment of their brothers in Germany.

“Afterward I delivered a talk to the brothers repeating the main thoughts of Brother Rutherford’s noteworthy talk in Basel for the encouragement of the German brothers. It presented Biblical proofs that, despite changed conditions, we had not been freed of our responsibility before Jehovah to assemble together regularly to study his Word and to praise him, nor from our obligation to serve as his witnesses and to publicly make known the Kingdom.”

In harmony with the action being taken by Jehovah’s witnesses throughout Germany, everyone in the group enthusiastically agreed that the following letter should be sent to the government on that day by registered mail:

“TO THE OFFICIALS OF THE GOVERNMENT:

“The Word of Jehovah God, as set out in the Holy Bible, is the supreme law, and to us it is our sole guide for the reason that we have devoted ourselves to God and are true and sincere followers of Christ Jesus.

“During the past year, and contrary to God’s law  and in violation of our rights, you have forbidden us as Jehovah’s witnesses to meet together to study God’s Word and worship and serve him. In his Word he commands us that we shall not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25) To us Jehovah commands: ‘Ye are my witnesses that I am God. Go and tell the people my message.’ (Isaiah 43:10, 12; Isaiah 6:9; Matthew 24:14) There is a direct conflict between your law and God’s law, and, following the lead of the faithful apostles, ‘we ought to obey God rather than men,’ and this we will do. (Acts 5:29) Therefore this is to advise you that at any cost we will obey God’s commandments, will meet together for the study of his Word, and will worship and serve him as he has commanded. If your government or officers do violence to us because we are obeying God, then our blood will be upon you and you will answer to Almighty God.

“We have no interest in political affairs, but are wholly devoted to God’s kingdom under Christ his King. We will do no injury or harm to anyone. We would delight to dwell in peace and do good to all men as we have opportunity, but, since your government and its officers continue in your attempt to force us to disobey the highest law of the universe, we are compelled to now give you notice that we will, by his grace, obey Jehovah God and fully trust Him to deliver us from all oppression and oppressors.”

In full support of their German brothers, Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the earth met on October 7 and, after united prayer to Jehovah, sent a cablegram warning the Hitler government:

“Your ill-treatment of Jehovah’s witnesses shocks all good people of earth and dishonors God’s name. Refrain from further persecuting Jehovah’s witnesses; otherwise God will destroy you and your national party.”

Surprisingly, few brothers were arrested that day, although the Gestapo​—if only at the last minute—​had found out what was going to be done. Let us return to Brother Franke’s report:

“Despite the fact that more than an hour had passed since we had closed the meeting with prayer, still no one from the Gestapo had put in his appearance. Now the first ones began to leave again, as before, at intervals. About eight brothers were still there when I left to ride my bicycle to the adjoining city of Wiesbaden to deliver the letter to the postal authorities myself. The letter had been written during the night and left in Wiesbaden, where the brothers were to have mailed it if I, as I fully expected, had been arrested. As I rode  through the garden gate, a Gestapo agent rode up on his bicycle but failed to recognize me. The other eight brothers were warned and fled into Sister Darmstadt’s adjoining bedroom, the sister to whom the house belonged. The questions the Gestapo agent directed to my wife as he searched our apartment indicated that the Gestapo knew all about our meeting. Despite this, neither I nor any of the other brothers were arrested that day. It was only several months later when I was rearrested by the Gestapo that they told me they were in possession of Brother Rutherford’s letter.”

While some of the brothers were busy visiting their neighbors right after the meeting and calling their attention to God’s kingdom, there was great consternation in many of the post offices outside Germany. Especially on the European continent, the postal authorities in many places refused to accept the telegram. This was the case in Budapest. Martin Pötzinger attended the meeting there and was asked to take the telegram to the post office. He reports: “The telegram was accepted, but the next day I was notified by the main post office that I should appear personally there. We all thought that the Gestapo would take me into custody, expel me from the country, and thereby put an end to my activity . . . but this did not happen. I was only told that Hungary would not transmit the telegram and I was given my money back.” In Doorn (Holland), where the German Kaiser Wilhelm II lived in exile, the post office at first refused to send the telegram, but later notified Hans Thomas, who had turned it in, that it had been sent and that its arrival in Berlin had been confirmed.

The effect that the letters, and especially the telegrams, had upon Hitler can be seen by a report written by Karl R. Wittig, attested by a notary public in Frankfurt (Main) on November 13, 1947:

“DECLARATION​—On October 7, 1934, having been previously summoned, I visited Dr. Wilhelm Frick, at that time Minister of the Interior of the Reich and Prussia, in his home office of the Reich, located in Berlin, 6 am Köenigsplatz, since I was a plenipotentiary of General Ludendorff. I was to accept communications, contents of which were an attempt to persuade General Ludendorff to discontinuance of his objection to the Nazi regime. During my discussion with Dr. Frick, Hitler suddenly appeared and began taking part in the conversation. When our discussion obligatorily dealt with the action against the International Bible Students Association [Jehovah’s witnesses] in Germany up until now, Dr. Frick showed Hitler a number of telegrams protesting against the Third Reich’s persecution of the  Bible Students, saying: ‘If the Bible Students do not immediately get in line we will act against them using the strongest means.’ After which Hitler jumped to his feet and with clenched fists hysterically screamed: ‘This brood will be exterminated in Germany!’ Four years after this discussion I was able, by my own observations, to convince myself, during my seven years in protective custody in the hell of the Nazis’ concentration camps at Sachsenhausen, Flossenbürg and Mauthausen​—I was in prison until released by the Allies—​that Hitler’s outburst of anger was not just an idle threat. No other group of prisoners of the named concentration camps was exposed to the sadism of the SS soldiery in such a fashion as the Bible Students were. It was a sadism marked by an unending chain of physical and mental tortures, the likes of which no language in the world can express.”

After we had sent our letters to Hitler, a wave of arrests took place. Hardest hit was Hamburg where, just a few days after October 7, the Gestapo arrested 142 brothers.

UNDERGROUND WORK ORGANIZED

Having now notified Hitler in our letter of October 7 that, despite his ban, we would continue to obey God’s commands exclusively, we endeavored to organize all the courageous and willing brothers and sisters into small groups under the direction of a mature brother, whose obligation it was wholeheartedly to care for and shepherd the Lord’s sheep.

The country was divided into thirteen regions, and a brother with good shepherding qualities was appointed in each region to serve as regional service director, as he was then called. These had to be brothers who, regardless of the dangers involved, were willing to contact the small groups to provide them with spiritual food, support them in their preaching activity and strengthen them in their faith. Except for just a few, the positions were filled by servants completely unknown to the brothers heretofore. They had proved, however, since Hitler’s coming to power, that they were willing to subjugate their own personal interests to those of the Kingdom.

MIMEOGRAPHING AND DISTRIBUTING “THE WATCHTOWER”

The brothers mimeographed and distributed copies of The Watchtower in many different locations throughout Germany. In Hamburg, for example, Helmut Brembach continued to supply the brothers in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg with copies that he and his  wife made at night. Sister Brembach relates the following experience from the many she and her husband had:

“It was forenoon as the doorbell suddenly rang but much louder than usual. When I opened the door I found three men standing there. I suspected who they were. ‘Gestapo’ one of them said and all three were already inside the apartment. My heart leaped into my throat as I thought of all the things hidden in the house. Trembling inwardly for fear, I prayed to Jehovah.

“From a human standpoint it would have been no problem to find the packed Watchtowers and the entire equipment we used in making them. Since our house was one in which several families lived, including those of two police officers, there was no place to hide anything, especially in view of the fact that the necessary materials​—paper, mimeograph machine, typewriter and ink, as well as packing materials—​were all large. Not knowing how to hide these things from the eyes of those who should not see them​—we needed them every two weeks—​we decided to pack everything into our potato bin, which stood in the middle of the basement and which any of the other occupants of the house could have got into. Each time we had finished making The Watchtower, we carefully put everything back into this bin, covered it with empty sacks and then piled empty tomato boxes on top up to the ceiling, hoping that, if worse came to worse, those trying to find something would either fail to notice it or would be too indifferent and lazy to want to move everything away from atop the potato bin. We trusted in Jehovah; there was nothing else we could do.

“The officer asked me if we had any banned literature in the house. To avoid lying, I said: ‘Please look around for yourself.’ They searched the apartment, opening the cabinet door in such a way that they failed to see the typewriter, which we had forgotten to pack away in the bin and which they would have recognized as being the machine needed for writing The Watchtower, had they discovered it. But Jehovah blinded them. After finding nothing in the apartment, they asked if they could check the basement. I felt now that discovery of all the materials and records was unavoidable. I tried to hide my fear from them although my heart was beating ever louder. To make matters worse, a suitcase filled with mimeographed Watchtowers, which my husband was to take on a trip the next day, stood directly behind the bin. But what happened? The three officers stood in the middle of the room, mind you, right there where the bin stood with the suitcase  full of Watchtowers behind it. But none of them seemed to notice it; it was as though they had been struck blind. None of them made any efforts of any kind to look through the bin or even to see what was in the suitcase. Finally one of the officers asked about our attic; there they found several older publications, which seemed to satisfy them, and so they left. But the most important things, thanks to Jehovah’s help and that of his angels, had remained hidden from their eyes.”

Many similar cases could be related showing Jehovah’s guidance in keeping these mimeograph operations intact for long periods of time and thus supplying his people with literature.

ORGANIZED PREACHING WORK

Not everyone associated with us engaged in the preaching activity. To the contrary, in some congregations only half did so. In Dresden, for example, at one time the congregation had reached a peak of some 1,200 publishers, but after the ban this dropped rapidly to 500. Nevertheless, there may have been at least ten thousand throughout Germany who declared themselves willing to preach regardless of the danger involved.

At first most worked just with the Bible, whereas older booklets and books that had been rescued from the claws of the Gestapo were placed when making return visits. Others made up witnessing cards. Still others wrote letters to persons they knew, taking advantage of some special occasion. Door-to-door activity continued, though great dangers were involved. Every time someone opened the door it could be an SA or SS man. After calling at a door, the publishers generally skipped over to another apartment house or, in cases where it was extremely dangerous, even to another street.

For at least two years it was possible almost everywhere in Germany​—in some places even longer—​to preach from house to house. There is no doubt that this was possible only because of Jehovah’s special protection.

The small amounts of literature available for the preaching activity were soon used up. We therefore checked the possibilities of getting literature from foreign countries. Ernst Wiesner from Breslau acquaints us with some interesting details as to how it was done:

“Literature was sent to us from Switzerland by way of Czechoslovakia. It was stored at the border with outsiders and then brought from there over the Riesen Mountains into Germany. The work, which was done  by a team of mature, willing brothers, was very dangerous and extremely fatiguing. We crossed the border at midnight. The brothers were well organized and were equipped with large knapsacks. They made the trip twice a week, although they had to be at their jobs every day besides. In winter they used toboggans and skis. They knew every path and byway, had good flashlights, binoculars and hiking shoes. Being cautious was the supreme law. Upon arriving at the German border around midnight and even after crossing it no one dared speak a word for a long time. Two brothers went ahead and, whenever they met anyone, at once signaled with their flashlights. This was a sign for the brothers with their heavy knapsacks following about 100 meters behind to hide in the bushes along the way until the two brothers ahead of them came back and gave a certain password, which was changed from week to week.

“This could happen several times a night. Once the way was clear again, the brothers would proceed to a certain house in a village on the German side where the books were put into small packages that same night or early the next morning, addressed, and then taken by bicycle to the post office in Hirschberg or other nearby towns. Brothers throughout Germany received their literature in this way. . . . This team of brothers, zealous and extraordinarily skillful, was able to bring a large amount of literature into Germany over a period of two years without getting caught, thereby strengthening many throughout the whole country.” Similar arrangements were also used at the French, Saar, Swiss and Dutch borders.

Of interest in this connection is a letter written by a sister: “When you read the Yearbook report from Germany you will ask yourself how it is possible that so much literature could be placed under such conditions. We ask ourselves the same question. If Jehovah were not with us, it would be impossible. Many of the brethren are being watched by the police constantly whenever they leave their homes. . . . But Jehovah is aware of this and, despite it, he permits us to be strengthened over and over again by the bountiful food we are enjoying.”

We had sufficient time to hide the literature in various places before the ban was announced. In order to understand what took place, however, it is important to keep in mind that the brothers had never had any experience in storing literature when under ban. So instead of dividing it among many brothers, the tendency at the beginning was to deposit it in large depots, thinking this to be safer, especially in view of the fact that those in charge felt the ban would be only  temporary. Some of the depots had storage space for thirty to fifty tons of literature. As time went on, however, some of the brothers began to worry, wondering what would happen if the enemies should find and confiscate these large depots. For that reason the brothers in charge of the depots began giving the books out for use in the ministry regardless of whether they could be placed on a contribution or not.

Once it became apparent that persecution would continue and that keeping the hiding places was becoming ever more dangerous, the brothers started giving away as many books and booklets as possible. As they shared in field ministry they simply laid them inside the door when no one was watching or shoved them under the doormat, hoping that in some cases they would fall into the hands of sincere persons desirous of the strength and hope they could give.

MEMORIAL

Since we were determined not to neglect meeting together, in harmony with Jehovah’s command, it is obvious that we would be extremely conscientious about celebrating the Memorial. On such days the Gestapo were especially active, having in most cases determined the date of the Memorial either from publications printed outside Germany or from the mimeographed Watchtower, which sometimes fell into their hands. Their anger was particularly concentrated upon the anointed, who were mentioned, not only in connection with the Memorial, but also in connection with special campaigns. They saw in them the “heads” of the organization who would have to be crushed first in order to destroy the organization.

The Memorial on April 17, 1935, was especially exciting. Several weeks before, the Gestapo had already learned the date and had plenty of time to alert all their offices. A secret circular dated April 3, 1935, said:

“A surprise attack launched at this time against the known leaders of the Bible Students would be quite successful. Please report any information regarding success by April 22, 1935.”

But there could be little talk of “information regarding success,” for the majority of officers, like the one in Dortmund, was able to report only that the homes of those believed to be leaders of the Bible Students Association had been placed under surveillance but that in no case were meetings held. As a pacifier they added that “the leading and active members of the Bible Students in this district are already in custody so there is no one left to organize such meetings.”

 However, the secret police were mistaken, for shortly after this secret circular was sent out, we received a copy of it from a friend of the truth who had access to such secret information. The regional service directors warned all the servants in plenty of time and gave them proper counsel as to how to avoid detection and yet still obey the instructions of our Lord and Master.

So it was that many met together immediately after 6:00 o’clock, whereas others waited until the Gestapo had come and gone before they left to meet with their brothers in small groups, some celebrating the Memorial in the middle of the night. In any case, the majority of Gestapo departments sent in reports similar to the one sent in from Dortmund.

Willi Kleissle reports that the brothers in Kreuzlingen celebrated the Memorial right at 6:00 o’clock. They had been instructed that before leaving the building they should go into the store located in the same building and which was owned by a brother, where they could buy sugar, coffee or similar items. Then they could leave by the regular store exit. The “cudgel corps,” as Brother Kleissle called them, did show up, but only after the brothers had all gone into the store, so they were unable to prove anything. But the questions asked by the Gestapo as well as various comments made by the police indicated clearly that they had got information through The Watchtower as to the date of the Memorial.

The brothers were always prepared for surprises, however, and this was good. They tried to connect, not only their attendance at the weekly meetings, but, above all, their attendance at the Memorial with some inoffensive everyday activity, and this often saved them from arrest. Franz Kohlhofer from near Bamberg reports:

“On this particular day the spies were especially active in watching the homes of Jehovah’s witnesses in the hope of being able to catch some of them in illegal activity and then to arrest them. . . . We had decided several days before to meet together for the celebration at the home of a brother who raised swine. Everyone was to bring along a basket full of potato peelings and other garbage. This all had to take place in a hurry, because the Gestapo could make an appearance at any moment. Just in case, we also took along our playing cards so that we could deceive the police should they surprise us. And guess what happened! Just as the brother had completed his final prayer there was a knock at the door. But by then the four of us were sitting around the table harmlessly involved in a card game. They could hardly believe their eyes,  as we gazed at them quietly and naïvely. Since they had failed to catch us at the right time, they were forced to leave without having accomplished what they had set out to do.”

BAPTISM

Not a few of those who learned the truth during this time were baptized under the most trying circumstances. Soon many of these newly baptized ones were thrown into prison or into concentration camps, and a number of them lost their lives the same as those who had brought them the good news.

Paul Buder had already had his attention called to the “Millions” lecture as far back as 1922, but did not come into close contact with the truth until 1935 when a young girl employed at the same place he was, and of whom he had been warned by the others, gave him the Creation book. “That was May 12, 1935,” he writes in his memoirs, “and it was what I had been looking for. On May 19, 1935, I withdrew membership from the church and told the young girl I would like to become one of Jehovah’s witnesses. How happy she was! She had already been in prison for six weeks accused of being a colporteur. Then I contacted Brother and Sister Woite from the Forst congregation. Despite the fact that I was considered as a spy for the Nazis in that congregation, I went regularly from house to house in all villages with my little Luther Bible. On July 23, 1936, I was baptized in the Neisse River in Forst with Brother and Sister Woite present and also an older brother who delivered the talk.”

Baptisms were often held in small groups in private homes. From time to time they were held out in the open, sometimes with only a few candidates, at other times with more. Heinrich Halstenberg tells us about a baptism in the Weser River.

“In 1941 a number of interested persons expressed their desire to be baptized. When we found that there were a number with the same desire in the neighborhood we began to look for an appropriate location and this we found in Dehme on the Weser River. After everything had been well thought through and carefully planned, the baptism was set for May 8, 1941. The brothers and baptismal candidates were already there early in the morning. To others it looked as though we were a group enjoying a swim. Then so that no one could surprise us some were sent to keep watch and after speaking of the importance of baptism we prayed to Jehovah. Then sixty candidates for baptism were baptized in the river. Others, who were either too old or sickly to take the cold water, were  baptized privately in a bathtub, making a total number of eighty-seven baptized that day.”

A MANHUNT GETS UNDER WAY

Albert Wandres had been one of the regional service directors even before October 7, 1934, and his name soon became well known to the Gestapo, especially through the steady stream of court trials in the various cities of the Ruhr where he was working. In answer to the question as to where the defendants had got their literature, the name “Wandres” was often heard. The Gestapo put forth every effort to take him into custody. Cleverly, however, he had asked all the brothers who had pictures of him either to return them or to destroy them. The result was that, although the Gestapo knew his name, they had no idea what he looked like. He did not fall into the hands of his persecutors until after a three-and-a-half-year manhunt. Let us listen as Brother Wandres tells us some of his experiences in his underground activity.

“For a time I met several brothers in Düsseldorf at a brother’s grocery store. We thought that if we entered and departed from the store shortly before closing time it would be least noticed. Once we had been together for about an hour, when the Gestapo suddenly demanded entry. Just in time I fled from the storage room, where we had had our discussion, into the store, which was just a few steps away. Fortunately the lights had already been turned off. A moment later they stormed into the storage room and arrested all the brothers present. They searched the whole room, and found my briefcase full of Watchtowers. Suddenly one of the agents cried out joyfully: ‘This is what we are looking for! Who does the briefcase belong to?’ No one responded. Now he demanded to know where the store owner’s living quarters were. ‘On the third floor,’ was the reply. ‘Out,’ the Gestapo agent shouted, and all the brothers took off up the stairs to the apartment with the Gestapo agents in hot pursuit, hoping to find the one they were looking for in the brother’s apartment.

“I then reentered the storage room cautiously, put on my coat and hat, picked up my briefcase and checked to make sure that no one was on the street outside. Then I hurriedly left. When the gentlemen returned from upstairs they discovered to their chagrin that the bird had flown the coop, and was already on its way to Elberfeld-Barmen.” Brother Wandres adds: “This is all very entertaining and nice to tell, but to go through it yourself is another story.”

“Once,” Brother Wandres continues, “I was taking  two heavy suitcases full of Preparation books to Bonn and Kassel. They had been sent across the border near Trier. I arrived in Bonn late in the evening and left the suitcases in a safe place in the congregation servant’s basement. The next morning about 5:30 the doorbell rang. The Gestapo had come once again to search the apartment. Brother Arthur Winkler, at that time congregation servant, knocked on my door and called my attention to the fact that unwanted guests were coming. Since there was no possibility of escaping we decided to take things as they came. When the police entered my room, they asked what I was doing there and I answered briefly that I was taking a tour of the Rhine River and wanted to visit the Bonn Botanical Gardens. They checked my papers carefully and, although a little uncertain, returned them to me then. Brother Winkler had to go with them to police headquarters where one of the agents told his superior​—as Brother Winkler later told me—​‘There was another one there.’ ‘You didn’t bring him along? You were certainly the right ones to send.’ ‘Why?’ one asked. ‘Should we go back and get him?’ ‘Get him? Do you think he’s waiting for you to return?’ Actually the agents had scarcely left the house when I also made my departure with one of the two suitcases (they had not found them), which I took along to Kassel.

“Arriving in Kassel, the congregation servant, Brother Hochgräfe, told me: ‘You can’t stay here. You must leave at once. The Gestapo has been coming to the house every morning for a whole week.’ We agreed that he should walk some 50 meters ahead of me and show me the way to a place where I could leave the literature. We had scarcely gone more than two hundred meters along the beautiful Kastanienallee when Gestapo agents well acquainted with the congregation servant approached us. Since I was following some fifty meters behind, I could see their scornful grin but they did not stop him. A few minutes later the literature by means of which the brothers could be strengthened in their faith had once again been brought into safety.

“Another time I was taking two heavy suitcases with literature at Burgsolms near Wetzlar. It was 11:00 o’clock at night and pitch black. Hardly anyone could have seen me but still I had the strange feeling of being watched. After arriving at my destination, I advised the brothers to hide the suitcases in a safe place. Around 5:30 the next morning the town’s police sergeant came. I was standing in the middle of the room just getting ready to wash when he turned to the sister and said: ‘Yesterday evening a man with two heavy suitcases came here. No doubt you have  got literature again. Where do you have it?’ The sister answered: ‘My husband has already gone to work. And I don’t know what happened last evening because I was not at home!’ The sergeant replied: ‘If you do not surrender the suitcases willingly, then we will have to search the house for them. I will get the mayor, for without him I cannot conduct a search. But until I return you are forbidden to leave the house.’ During this whole discussion I had been standing in the middle of the room wondering why the agent had such a glassy look in his eye and why he had not even spoken to me. I could only surmise that it was as though he had been struck blind. After he left to get the mayor, I got ready to leave at once. I went outside and waited behind the house until the mayor and the police sergeant entered the house from the front. At that moment I slipped out the back. Neighbors who happened to see this were evidently happy that I had escaped. I finished dressing in the woods and then ran as fast as I could to the next railroad station and traveled on.”

The other regional service directors had similar experiences.

A TRIAL OF ANOTHER SORT

During the years 1934 to 1936 faithful shepherds were supporting their brothers throughout Germany, encouraging them to share in meeting attendance and, if possible, in all branches of service, despite persecution. Meanwhile a trial was held in Halle on December 17, 1935, against Balzereit, Dollinger and seven others viewed as “prominent” brothers. For at least half of them it was the end of their Christian race.

Many brothers at the numerous trials taking place in Germany at the time openly admitted what they had done in furthering Kingdom interests under trying conditions. In contrast, these men on trial in Halle denied ever having done anything forbidden by the government. Balzereit, when asked by the chairman what he had to say for himself, said that just as soon as the ban had been announced in Bavaria he had issued instructions not to work there, and that the same was true in all the other states. He said that he had never issued instructions encouraging anyone to disregard the ban.

When asked by the chairman about the annual Memorial celebration, Balzereit answered that he too had heard that the brothers were planning on meeting together to celebrate it despite the ban. He had warned them about this, however, since he knew the police were planning special action on that day.

Naturally the defendant’s personal attitude as regards  military service came up, even as it did at all the trials held at that time. He declared himself completely satisfied with the Führer’s explanation, namely, that war in itself was a crime, but that every country had the right and duty to protect the lives of its citizens.

Shortly thereafter Brother Rutherford wrote the following letter to the German brothers:

“To Jehovah’s faithful people in Germany:

“In spite of the wicked persecution upon you, and the great opposition put forth by Satan’s agents in that land, it is gratifying to know that the Lord still has a few thousand in that country who have faith in Him and who persist in proclaiming the message of His kingdom. Your faithfulness in standing out against the persecutors and remaining true to the Lord is in striking contrast to the action taken by the one who formerly was the manager for the Society in Germany, and others associated with him. Recently a copy of the testimony taken at the trial of those men at Halle has been furnished to me and I am astounded to find therein not one of those on trial at that time gave a faithful and true testimony to the name of Jehovah. It was especially incumbent upon the former manager Balzereit to hold high the banner of the Lord and declare himself for God and his kingdom amidst all opposition, but not one word was uttered showing his complete reliance upon Jehovah. Time and again I had called his attention to the fact of things that could be done in Germany and he assured me that he was putting forth every effort to encourage the brethren to get on with the testimony. But at the trial he emphatically stated that nothing was done. It is needless for me to here discuss that further. Suffice it to say that the Society will henceforth have nothing to do with him, nor any of those who on that occasion had an opportunity to bear testimony to the name of Jehovah and His kingdom and failed to do so. The Society will put forth no effort looking to release them from prison, even if it had the power to do anything.

“Let now all those who love the Lord turn their faces to Him, Jehovah and His King, and remain true and steadfast on the side of the kingdom, regardless of all opposition that may come to you. . . .”

The matter was handled in the German issue of the July 15, 1936, Watchtower, as a warning to those sincerely desiring to be faithful witnesses for Jehovah under all circumstances.

In contrast to many of the faithful brothers in Germany who had been sentenced to terms of up to five years’ imprisonment, Balzereit was sentenced to two  and a half years and Dollinger to two years. After serving his term in prison Balzereit was put in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he was forced to play an extremely inglorious role. He had signed the declaration abdicating association with the brothers and avoided all contact with them. Because of his conduct he was released about a year later, but meanwhile he was forced to put up with many a humiliation, for, basically, the SS hated traitors too. It was the SS themselves who gave him the name “Beelzebub,” and once an SS man required him to stand in front of all his brothers​—there were some 300 in the camp at the time—​and repeat his signed declaration abdicating association with Jehovah’s witnesses, and this he did!

In 1946, by which time Balzereit had become a violent opposer of the truth, he wrote a letter to reparations authorities revealing the hostile attitude that he had even before the trial was held. Thus ended a dark chapter in the history of God’s people in Germany, the first lines of which had already been written in the 1920’s.

THE GESTAPO STRIKE​—AUGUST 28, 1936

Two years of zealous activity had passed, during which time the Gestapo had failed to have any real influence upon the organized underground activity despite their careful shadowing of all known Jehovah’s witnesses. But with time they learned more and more about our activity and were soon well informed of what we were doing. To help fight against us a “special Gestapo Command” was formed, according to a confidential notification to the Prussian Secret State Police dated June 24, 1936.

During the first half of 1936 the Secret State Police compiled a large file containing the addresses of persons who were either suspected of being Jehovah’s witnesses or, at least, of being friendly to them. This file was based to a great degree on the addresses found in the book Daily Heavenly Manna, confiscated during house searches. Special courses were even conducted for the Gestapo agents. They were instructed in conducting the Watchtower study; they had to study carefully the newest Watchtower articles so that they could answer questions as though they were brothers. Finally, they even had to learn to pray. This all for the purpose of, if possible, getting right into the midst of the organization and destroying it from within.

Anton Kötgen from Münster reports that, after delivering literature to a “friendly” lady, he was promptly arrested and put into prison. At the same time, Brother  Kötgen goes on to say, “Gestapo agents called on my wife who was outside in the garden. They introduced themselves as brothers, but only for the purpose of finding out the names of other brothers. My wife saw through their scheme, however, and showed them up to be Gestapo agents.” But not in every case were the Gestapo recognized in time.

Meanwhile, Brother Rutherford was planning a trip to Switzerland and wanted, if possible, to speak with brothers from Germany. Arrangements were made for a convention in Lucerne from September 4 to 7, 1936. The central office in Switzerland had suggested that we compile a number of reports from brothers throughout Germany regarding their arrests, their mistreatment by the Gestapo, their being fired from their jobs because of refusing to give “the German greeting,” also reports of cases where brothers had died as the result of mistreatment, and so forth. These reports were to be secretly taken to Switzerland before the convention started so that Brother Rutherford might have opportunity to examine them.

But suddenly, on August 28, 1936, the Gestapo struck a concerted merciless blow, setting into operation a campaign during which Jehovah’s witnesses were hunted down like wild beasts. All available forces were mobilized for action both day and night, but chiefly at night, in an attempt to capture Jehovah’s witnesses. All the information the Gestapo had gathered over the preceding months now proved to be a great help to them. Unsuspecting persons, including some who had never claimed to be Jehovah’s witnesses, were caught up in the web. Such persons naturally were more than willing to tell the Gestapo all they knew about Jehovah’s witnesses so that they might regain their freedom; and even though it often appeared to be very little that they knew to tell, yet these little pieces of information helped to fill out the picture that the Gestapo had until now been able to construct. At later hearings the Gestapo often boasted that such information had helped them to capture thousands of persons, the majority of whom were put into prison and afterward into concentration camps.

When the Gestapo’s campaign was finally running at top speed, a grand offensive succeeded in taking into custody Brother Winkler, who was at that time in charge of the entire work in Germany, and the majority of the regional service directors, whose names and territories had, in most cases, already been known. The Gestapo judged this “campaign” as being of such importance that the entire police net was involved in striking at Jehovah’s witnesses, leaving criminal elements of the underworld unmolested.

 The Gestapo’s detailed work over a period of months had led to the discovery that important meetings were being held between Brother Winkler and other responsible servants from all over Germany in the Berlin zoological gardens. This was especially true during the warmer part of the year. These meetings could long be camouflaged by means of Brother Varduhn’s chair-renting agency there. He could inconspicuously tell the brothers arriving where a brother was waiting for them in the zoological gardens and direct them to a safe spot where the discussion could then take place. Whenever danger hovered in the air he would warn them simply by going up to the brothers and collecting payment for the chairs they had “rented.” But this wonderful arrangement was not long to remain a secret. In some way or other the Gestapo had found out the details, and it proved to be a help to them in their cunning plan of attack. Brother Klohe, who himself was involved, tells us what took place during those exciting days in Berlin:

“I was looking forward to the Lucerne convention; I had good chances of being able to attend, since I already had been able to obtain a Swiss visa. But before, I wanted to go to Leipzig to discuss organizational matters with Brother Frost whose territory I was to take over as regional service director, since an opening had come about through Brother Paul Grossmann’s arrest. I was unable to reach Brother Frost, however, and where I had expected to meet him I was met by the Gestapo instead. I was completely numb at first, for just as I was able to start such a gratifying service I was to be torn away from association with my brothers and taken by the Gestapo to Leipzig. [From there he was taken to Berlin.]

“Meanwhile the Gestapo had learned that we had a meeting place in the zoological gardens and they had found out many other things about our organization. This information had been obtained in a number of ways, including blackmail.

“A few days later five officers armed with loaded pistols suddenly appeared, told me to put on my civilian clothes, and led me to the place near the goldfish pond where Brother Varduhn rented his garden chairs. They did not suspect him of being one of Jehovah’s witnesses, however. Now I was to serve as ‘bait’ for my brothers who would eventually show up for the planned meeting about which the Gestapo had now got information.

“I had scarcely sat down where I was told to before I saw our Sister Hildegard Mesch approaching me. She had wondered why I had not come to them, since I had been expected, and she now wanted to see why I had not come. Since my festering shins were very  painful due to the blows I had received, the officers did not suspect anything when I suddenly bent over grimacing with pain just at the very moment she was passing by on the other side of the path and attempting at the same time to signal to her with my eyes that the Gestapo were in the zoological gardens. She understood, hesitated for just a second and then returned to Brother Varduhn, whom she informed of this new situation. This meant the greatest of danger for Brother Winkler, who actually did come shortly thereafter and unsuspectingly seated himself on an empty chair. Very shortly Brother Varduhn approached him, asked for payment of the chair rent and at the same time warned him of the Gestapo agents in the zoological gardens. Brother Winkler soon rose, leaving his briefcase behind and escaped​—as it appeared—​through the ring of Gestapo agents. I found out later that late that night he appeared at Brother Kassing’s apartment, where a group of Gestapo agents waiting for him immediately took him into custody.”

Within a few days at least half of the regional service directors in Germany, along with thousands of other brothers and friends, had been arrested. This included Brother Georg Bär, who reports:

“Every evening at about 10:00 o’clock I would hear prisoners being taken from their various cells. Shortly thereafter I would hear them being beaten downstairs in the basement; I heard their cries and their sobs. Every evening when I heard the cell doors being opened I would think, Now it is my turn. But I was not bothered until finally on the fourth or fifth day around 6:00 o’clock when I was called to be questioned. This time it was an SS man who directed me into his room and told me to sit down. Then he said: ‘We know that you could tell us more than you want to.’ He stood up, picked up a pencil that he sharpened on the edge of a wastepaper basket, and continued his little speech: ‘I won’t make it difficult for you; come here.’ He asked me to step to his desk, showed me several typewritten pages and let me read them. It was a list of all the traveling servants in Germany, with my name at the bottom. I read the names of the congregations we had visited, as well as the names of the brothers there. In black and white I read how many pieces of literature, phonographs and records we had ordered. Also contributions and other monies we had turned in were listed. I could hardly believe it. Here our entire underground organization lay in the hands of the Gestapo. Truly I needed a few minutes before I could completely grasp the situation. Where had the Gestapo been able to get ahold of these records? I asked myself. Had my own activity not been accurately  listed, I would have doubted the report’s veracity. The Dresden SS-Gestapo man, Bauch, who was conducting the hearing, gave me time to collect my thoughts. I’m afraid I must have had a rather stupid look on my face when I sat back down. He then said, ‘Now, really, there is no reason to remain silent.’

“For months the thought tormented me as to where the Gestapo could have got ahold of our records. Later I found out that all our orders, reports and monies that we had turned in had been carefully kept track of in a file and kept in Berlin. Later this was found and confiscated by the Gestapo.”

BOLD ACTIVITY CONFOUNDS POLICE

The carefully planned convention for Lucerne from September 4 to 7, 1936, suddenly took on a new aspect as a result of the mass arrests that had taken place two weeks before. Perhaps the convention, about which the Gestapo also had information, determined the date for their campaign against us. At least they did everything they could to make it impossible for the German brothers to attend. This can be seen from a confidential circular of the Secret State Police dated August 21, 1936, which says as regards the brothers traveling to the convention: “Such persons are to be prevented from leaving the country. The passport is to be confiscated in such cases.”

Actually, of the more than a thousand persons who had planned on taking the trip, only some three hundred were able to do so. But most of these had to cross the border illegally and many were arrested upon their return.

Brother Rutherford naturally took advantage of the opportunity to speak to the servants from Germany who were present about their problems. He was especially interested in how to care for the brothers spiritually. Heinrich Dwenger was present and reports concerning the further discussion:

“The regional service directors were now called upon to make suggestions. They recommended that Brother Rutherford send me back to Germany. They had asked me to make the suggestion myself, but I had told them that I could not do so since I had been sent to Prague and could not say that I wanted to return to Germany. It would appear as though I were dissatisfied with my assignment. So it was that, for the time being, Brother Frost was appointed to take over the responsibility. Then Brother Rutherford asked: ‘What happens if you are arrested?’ In the case of Brother Frost’s arrest, Brother Dietschi was recommended by the brothers to take over.”

 A resolution was adopted and about two to three thousand copies were sent to Hitler and his government offices in Germany. An additional copy was sent to the pope in Rome. Confirmation of delivery to both the Vatican in Rome and to the Reichs Chancellory in Berlin was received by Franz Zürcher from Bern, who, at the direction of the convention, had sent the resolutions on September 9, 1936. The resolution, which was some three and a half typewritten pages long, included the following thoughts:

“We raise strong objections to the cruel treatment of Jehovah’s witnesses by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their allies in Germany as well as in all other parts of the world, but we leave the outcome of the matter completely in the hands of the Lord, our God, who according to his Word will recompense in full. . . . We send heartfelt greetings to our persecuted brethren in Germany and ask them to remain courageous and to trust completely in the promises of the Almighty God, Jehovah, and Christ. . . .”

Arrangements were made to distribute the resolution adopted there to a large number of persons in Germany by means of a blitz campaign. Of the 300,000 copies printed in Bern, 200,000 were sent to Prague, from where they were taken across the border near Zittau and other places in the Riesen mountains. The other 100,000 copies were to have been brought into Germany from the Netherlands, but, sad to say, they were confiscated in the Netherlands. So several regional service directors had to make their own for Berlin and northern Germany. The date for distribution was to be December 12, 1936, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

According to later reports, some 3,450 brothers and sisters took part. Each had twenty or, at the most, forty copies, and the idea was to get rid of them as quickly as possible in the territory one had been assigned. They were simply to be stuck in mailboxes or shoved under the doors.

One copy was left in each house; in large apartment houses, generally not more than three copies. Then those distributing the leaflets would hurry into a neighboring street and do the same there so that the copies would be distributed over as large an area as possible.

The effect on the opposers was devastating! Erich Frost, who was in close contact with the office in Prague during the eight months that he was in charge of the work in Germany, delivered the following report about this campaign during one of his trips to Prague:

“The distribution of the resolution proved to be a tremendous blow to the government and the Gestapo. It was delivered in one sudden burst of activity, on  December 12, 1936. Everything was prepared down to the minutest detail, all faithful fellow workers were notified and each one was given his territory and his pack of resolutions twenty-four hours before the work was to begin at 5:00 o’clock p.m. sharp. Within an hour the police and the SA and SS men were racing around patrolling the streets in an attempt to catch some of the courageous distributors. But they caught only a very few, scarcely more than a dozen in the entire country. On the following Tuesday, however, officers appeared at many of the brothers’ homes and accused them point-blank of having participated in the distribution work. Our brothers, of course, knew nothing about it, and very few arrests were made.

“Now, according to the press, there is a feeling not only of horrified anger because of our boldness, but also of increased fear. They are completely amazed that after four years of terror by Hitler’s government it is still possible to carry out such a campaign in such secrecy and on such a wide scale. And, above all, they are afraid of the populace. Many complained to the police, but when the police officers and other uniformed officials went to the homes and asked the inhabitants whether they had received such a leaflet or not, they denied it. This is because, in fact, only two or, at the most, three families in each house received such a resolution. The police did not know that, of course, but assumed that one was left at every door.

“So they feel the populace got our resolution but for certain reasons has refused to admit it under questioning by the police, and this is causing them extreme confusion and fear.”

The Gestapo was sorely disappointed, for they thought they had completely crushed our activity with their extensive campaign of August 28. And now the distribution of our resolution, which they considered to have been even more extensive than it, in reality, was! It was an undeniable fact that the enemy had succeeded in making serious breaches in the ranks of God’s people, but they never succeeded in bringing the work to a complete standstill. The brothers continued to carry out their preaching commission, as can be seen from the regional service directors’ report compiled for Brother Rutherford, covering the period from October 1 to December 1, 1936. The results were as follows: (all figures are approximate) 3,600 workers, 21,521 hours, 300 Bibles, 9,624 books and 19,304 booklets. This compared favorably with the last monthly report before the wave of arrests (May 16 to June 15): 5,930 workers, 38,255 hours, 962 Bibles, 17,260 books and 52,740 booklets.

 EXPOSÉ BY AN “OPEN LETTER”

At practically every hearing and trial held after the resolution was distributed on December 12, 1936, mention was made of it. Officials made it even more difficult for many of our brothers because, they claimed, these statements were untrue and we could offer no proofs for our claims. The brothers in charge, therefore, suggested to Brother Rutherford that an “open letter” be distributed in a “blitz campaign” such as had been conducted with the resolution itself. It would present the Gestapo with an answer proving their claims untrue. Brother Rutherford agreed and asked Brother Harbeck in Switzerland to write the “open letter,” since he had access to all the material gathered up until 1936 about the persecution.

The following paragraph quoted therefrom clearly shows the kind of unsparing argumentation the brothers used in answering their enemy publicly:

“Christian patience and shame have held us back long enough from calling the public’s attention, both in Germany and elsewhere, to these outrages. We have in our possession a crushing amount of documentation showing that the above-mentioned cruel mistreatment of Jehovah’s witnesses has taken place. Especially prominent in responsibility for such mistreatment have been a certain Theiss from Dortmund and Tennhoff and Heimann from the Secret Police in Gelsenkirchen and Bochum. They have not shrunk back from mistreating women with horsewhips and rubber clubs. Theiss from Dortmund and a man from the State Police in Hamm are especially noted for their sadistic cruelty in the mistreatment of Christian women. We are in possession of names and details of some eighteen cases where Jehovah’s witnesses have been violently killed. At the beginning of October 1936, for example, one of Jehovah’s witnesses named Peter Heinen, Neuhüller Street, Gelsenkirchen, Westfalen, was beaten to death by officials of the Secret Police in the Gelsenkirchen city hall. This tragic incident was reported to Reich’s Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Copies were also sent to Reich’s Minister Rudolf Hess and the chief of the Secret Police, Himmler.”

After the “open letter” had been finished, the entire text was written on aluminum stencils in Bern and sent to Prague. From time to time Ilse Unterdörfer, who was working closely with Brother Frost in the underground activity, was instructed by him to take reports and to pick up information there. On one of these trips to Prague, Sister Unterdörfer was given the stencils with which the “open letter” was to be printed on a Rotaprint-mimeograph machine that had  just been purchased. On March 20, 1937, Sister Unterdörfer arrived in Berlin with her precious package.

“I accepted the package,” Brother Frost reports, “and then passed this ‘dangerous’ material on to another sister who saw to it that it was put in a safe place. That night I and Sister Unterdörfer, who had brought these valuable stencils, were both arrested at the place where we were staying. As hard as it was for us to accept the fact that we had lost our freedom for the remainder of the Nazi dictatorship, it still made us happy to know that we had ensured the safety of the new pamphlet campaign.”

But Brother Frost was mistaken. While being transported to prison he discovered the Rotaprint-mimeograph machine right next to him in the police car. The Gestapo had found it during one of their searches. Besides, the stencils, which could not be used on any other machine, had apparently disappeared and were never found again.

Ida Strauss, to whom Brother Frost had given the stencils and who was well acquainted with the details of the campaign, thought likewise. “I had the aluminum stencils in my bag,” she recalls, “and was taking them to the place where the machine was located. It was late at night and dark; the owner of the house, an interested person, stood on the stairs and called: ‘Go away immediately, get yourself into safety. The Gestapo has confiscated the machine, have arrested the brothers and up until just a little while ago were waiting for you, but then the agents finally gave up.’ What would happen now? During the next few days I discovered that many brothers had been arrested that night and I found no one among the brothers who had any connection with the organization.”

I now began looking for a brother and several sisters fearless enough to dedicate themselves further to the interests of Jehovah’s work. I knew that I was on the Gestapo’s blacklist and that I had to reckon with being arrested at any time. When it did happen I was happy that the interests of the work were in faithful hands.”

As far as the stencils for the “open letter” were concerned, Sister Strauss was also mistaken. The stencils could no longer be used, since the machine had been confiscated and another one was not available.

Now that Brother Frost had been arrested, Heinrich Dietschi took charge of the work, as had been decided upon in Lucerne at the discussion with Brother Rutherford. His first objective was to get out this “open letter.” He, therefore, got in touch with Brother Strohmeyer in Lemgo. Both Brother Strohmeyer and Brother Kluckhuhn had just been released from prison after  serving six months for printing the 1936 Yearbook. But Brother Strohmeyer agreed to help out.

The problem was to get stencils from Switzerland again. This time we got cardboard mats, which first of all had to be stereotyped by the brothers so that they could make the plates for the press. Brother Dietschi had obtained the mats from Switzerland after 200,000 copies of the “open letter” had been printed there, but attempts to get them across the border into Germany had failed.

After the matter of printing had been settled, it was decided that the “open letter” was to be distributed in a “blitz campaign” to be held on June 20, 1937. Sister Elfriede Löhr reports: “Brother Dietschi organized the campaign. We were all courageous, everything had been wonderfully arranged and each region had sufficient letters. I picked up a large suitcase of them at the train station for the territory around Breslau and took them to the brothers in Liegnitz. I also had my own, which at the appointed time I distributed like all the other brothers.”

The distribution of the “open letter” must have struck the Gestapo unawares, because they had boasted for months that they had completely destroyed the organization. This only increased their excitement. It was as though someone had suddenly stirred up an anthill. As though in a frenzy with no clear goal before them, they ran around in the greatest of confusion, especially persons like Theiss in Dortmund.

But Theiss’ time of triumph had also reached its end. Since Theiss believed he should show no mercy in his treatment of Jehovah’s witnesses, he called for a search to be made one day of a house owned by a former brother by the name of Wunsch, who, in the meantime, however, had turned away from the truth and was serving as a sergeant major in Hitler’s air force. When Wunsch came home, his wife told him that the house had been searched. He immediately went to Theiss in Dortmund and asked him why he had done this. Startled to see a sergeant major in the air force standing before him, Theiss stammered: “Are you with the Bible Students?” Replied Wunsch: “I heard some of their talks, but I went everywhere I could hear something.” Now Mrs. Theiss interrupted. Excited, Theiss now broke in and said: “If I had only known, I would never have started trying to destroy the Bible Students. It can drive a person crazy. You think you’ve imprisoned one of the beasts and suddenly there are ten others rushing forth. I am sorry that I ever started the whole thing.”

It is not to be supposed that the conscience of this agent of the Devil ever settled down. To the contrary,  the book Kreuzzug gegen das Christentum (Crusade Against Christianity) under the subtitle “You have won, Galilean!” concluded by saying:

“We hear that Theiss from Dortmund, who has repeatedly been mentioned, has for some time now been experiencing frightful pangs of conscience because of his criminal acts and that the demons are driving him slowly to insanity. Several months ago he boasted of having ‘broken to pieces’ 150 of Jehovah’s witnesses. He it was who defiantly said: ‘Jehovah, I pronounce upon you everlasting scorn; long live the king of Babylon.’”

Now, however, he has looked these people up, has promised not to torment them anymore and pleads with them to tell him what he must do to escape the threatening punishment and to rid himself of the terrible mental torment he is suffering. He says that he had received the ‘command to mistreat from above’ and he now wants to stop, because new Jehovah’s witnesses keep popping up all the time. Like Judas after he had betrayed the Master to the enemy, Theiss is looking for repentance and cannot find it. Even though few, yet there are cases where Gestapo agents and other party members have been so shaken by the steadfastness of Jehovah’s witnesses that they have seen the error of their ways and have quit their jobs.”

The distribution of the “open letter” caused the Gestapo great anxiety, and right afterward they laid down a dragnet. After only a matter of a few days a clue led them directly to Lemgo and Brothers Strohmeyer and Kluckhuhn who had printed the “open letter.” They were able to prove that they had printed at least 69,000 copies. Both were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, and after they had served their time the Gestapo took them into protective custody, calling them “incorrigible.”

Since the majority of the regional service directors had been arrested, sisters were called on to fill the breaches and maintain contact between Brother Dietschi and the congregations. One of these was Elfriede Löhr, who tried to get in touch with Brother Dietschi after Brother Frost and Sister Unterdörfer had been arrested. She traveled to Württemberg and, after searching, found Brother Dietschi in Stuttgart. He took her along to acquaint her with the various methods of maintaining contact with the brothers. Extensive preparations were also made for a transportable radio transmitter to be built in the Netherlands and put into operation sometime in the fall of 1937. The Gestapo had already got wind of this and were furious with Brother Dietschi, whose name they knew but who proved to be just as elusive as Brother Wandres.

 It must have been about this same time that Sister Dietschi was arrested by the Gestapo and taken to the infamous “Steinwache” in Dortmund. They tried to force her to tell where her husband was hiding, but she refused to talk. She was so badly mistreated that one of her legs was thereafter shorter than the other. Besides that, she had to be completely wrapped in bandages soaked in alcohol for several weeks after her release.

AFTERMATHS OF THE 1937 PARIS CONVENTION

The 1937 convention in Paris, like the one the year before in Lucerne, was to be attended by Brother Rutherford. This time there were only a few brothers who were able to go from Germany. The enemy had created large gaps in the ranks of the brothers. Brother Riffel, one of the few able to attend, later told that in Lörrach and its vicinity alone forty brothers and sisters had been imprisoned, ten of whom had been hanged, gassed or shot, or had starved to death or died due to the results of the concentration camp “medical experiments.”

Another resolution was adopted at Paris, once again setting out our clear and unbreakable position as regards Jehovah and his kingdom under the rulership of Jesus Christ and openly calling attention to the brutal persecution in Germany, warning those responsible of God’s righteous judgment.

During the two-week absence of Germany’s last regional service director, things had been taking place. Sister Löhr, who was generally present at the weekly meetings held by Brother Dietschi with some fifteen brothers and sisters for discussion of service problems, had been arrested. It happened like this:

Since the meetings in most cases began about 9:00 in the morning and often lasted until 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, the brothers and sisters had asked if they could not eat their noon meal together. Sister Löhr had been invited to do the cooking. For reasons of safety, the brothers changed the meeting place from week to week, thereby making it necessary to transfer from one place to the next the large stew pot used in preparing the meal. Whether the Gestapo found out from recently arrested brothers or in some other way, no one knows, but they did find out where the last meeting before the Paris convention had been held. The Gestapo kept this apartment under observation, and when Sister Löhr came to pick up the stew pot some three or four days before the next meeting was to be held, she was followed by the Gestapo to the new meeting place and promptly arrested. The Gestapo  soon realized that they had not only found the new meeting place but also Brother Dietschi’s secret hiding place. After the Paris convention he returned directly to Berlin and, without checking for any possible danger, went to the apartment. Brother Dietschi fell into the trap and was arrested on the spot. Naturally, the meetings with the now even smaller group of traveling servants had to be changed as to time and place.

Brother Dietschi had served untiringly for many years in the underground activity and had not shrunk back in the face of danger. He was sentenced to four years, but, unlike the majority of his brothers, was not put into a concentration camp after he had served his time.

In 1945, when the work began to be reorganized, he was one of the first to begin serving the congregations as a “servant to the brethren.” But, sadly, years later he began developing his own theories and turned away from Jehovah’s organization.

But let us return to 1937. After dangerous gaps in the ranks of our brothers had once again been created, Brother Wandres tried to close these up, at least temporarily, so as to ensure the brothers their spiritual food. After Brother Franke’s arrest he had taken over his territory, but now he felt responsible for the other unoccupied territories as well, so he asked Sister Auguste Schneider from Bad Kreuznach to deliver spiritual food to the brothers in Bad Kreuznach, Mannheim, Kaiserslautern, Ludwigshafen, Baden-Baden and the entire Saar territory. Like all the brothers who had to travel at this extremely difficult time, she was given another name; from now on she was “Paula.”

Brother Wandres, realizing that the enemy had been especially furious in Saxony, asked Hermann Emter from Freiburg to care for this territory. On September 3, both of them traveled to Dresden. Although Brother Wandres had never been there before, the Gestapo were waiting for them. A manhunt that had lasted for three years was over!

Toward the middle of September, in harmony with arrangements made with Brother Wandres, unsuspecting “Paula” was waiting at the railroad station in Bingen with two large suitcases full of literature. Suddenly a gentleman approached her and said: “Good day, Paula! Albert is not coming and you will have to go along with me!” It was useless trying to resist, for the stranger was a Gestapo agent. He added: “You need not wait for Albert; we have already arrested him and have taken all his money. . . . Mr. Wandres said that you would be here with two large suitcases and that you are Paula!” It is a mystery until this day where the Gestapo got this information. But this was a popular method of the Gestapo, that is, claiming  that certain brothers had said certain things so as to break down the confidence among the brothers, causing them to withdraw from such “traitors.”

A PLAN OF PERPETUAL DETENTION

With this series of arrests an important era ended for the German brothers. The period of well-organized activity was over. Everything now pointed to the start of a new phase in the fighting. The Gestapo’s goal was now: Each individual courageous enough to hold to Jehovah must be destroyed, thereby destroying the organization.

According to a circular released by the Düsseldorfer Gestapo on May 12, 1937, Bible Students were henceforth to be put into concentration camps even in cases where no judicial warrant for arrest existed but simply on the grounds of suspicion. Similar notices were released throughout Germany. Besides, the Bible Students were to be automatically placed in concentration camps after serving their court-appointed terms of imprisonment. This decision was made more severe and extended in April of 1939. From now on, only those willing to sign a declaration disassociating themselves from Jehovah and his organization were to be freed. Many brothers were not even given an opportunity to decide whether to sign the declaration.

When Heinrich Kaufmann from Essen had served his prison sentence and had put on his civilian clothes he was simply told by a criminal agent that he was being taken into protective custody. First they took him to his home, however, which he had not seen for a year and a half, and asked him: “Do you want to rescind your faith and follow Hitler?” At the same time they showed him his house keys and a package of twenty pounds of foodstuffs, promising him that his wife would also be returned from the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Brother Kaufmann rejected the offer.

At times attempts were made to trick the brothers, as Ernst Wiesner reports. A short time before he was to be released he had a paper placed before him. The statement was so general in nature that, after reading it through carefully, he decided he could sign it. But now came the trick. Brother Wiesner was to put his signature at the bottom of the page, but the bottom half of the page was empty. There was no doubt that the Gestapo would later add other things that Brother Wiesner would not have been able to sign with a good conscience. But he realized at once what they were up to and, before they could stop him, he signed his name directly underneath the typewritten text. The  result was that, despite his signature, he was not released, but was informed by the secret police three weeks before his sentence was over that he was at once being transferred to a concentration camp.

THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS​—A YAWNING ABYSS

In the Vierteljahresheft für Zeitgeschichte (History Quarterly) Hans Rothfels writes in his second pamphlet for 1962: “Being put into concentration camps was for the Earnest Bible Students the last and the most difficult phase of their period of suffering under the National Socialists. . . .”

Consoling for the majority was the fact that there were already incarcerated faithful brothers who were hardened by the heat of persecution. Being with them and experiencing their loving care was comforting and quickened the hearts of each new “entry.”

But whenever our brothers’ steadfastness was seen and reported to the government, its only thought was of how it could increase their sufferings. So it was that for a time Jehovah’s witnesses were, as a matter of routine, given twenty-five stripes with a steel whip, besides the many other brutal means of torture, when they arrived at the camps. Their slave labor began at 4:30 in the morning, when the camp bell sounded to wake everyone up. Shortly thereafter a tumult broke forth: making the beds, washing, drinking coffee, taking roll call​—and all of this on the double. No one was allowed to do anything at a normal pace. They marched to roll call, then stepped out to join the various work crews. What now followed was a real drama: carrying gravel, sand, stones, poles, entire sections of barracks, and this all day​—all on the double. The taskmasters, who yelled at the prisoners without letup and forced them to the limits of endurance, were the worst that Hitler could offer.

Remembering that Jesus suffered similar things was comforting and encouraging and gave them strength to persevere under the inhuman treatment.

For the sake of variety, “punishment exercises” were sometimes held for no particular reason. The brothers were often forced to go without food. It could be a real test when, instead of being able to sit down to eat a meal, a tired brother was forced to stand at attention another four or five hours in the courtyard, and this only because one of the brothers had a button missing from his jacket or for some other insignificant infraction of the rules.

Finally they were permitted to go to sleep, if hunger would allow it. But the nights were not always just  for sleeping. Often one, or sometimes several, of the infamous “block leaders” would show up in the middle of the night to terrorize the prisoners. These episodes would sometimes be introduced by revolver shots into the air or into the barracks rafters. Then the inmates would be forced to run around the barracks, or, at times, even to climb over them, in their night shirts, this as long as the “block leaders” desired. It is understandable that the older brothers suffered the most under such treatment, and it cost many of them their lives.

In March 1938 an absolute correspondence ban was enforced for Jehovah’s witnesses in concentration camps. This lasted for nine months, during which time the brothers could neither get in touch with their relatives nor vice versa. Even after this ban was rescinded, the limitation that each of Jehovah’s witnesses might write his relatives only five lines a month stayed in effect for between three and a half and four years​—in some camps even longer. The text was prepared and read: “Your letter has been received; thank you very much. I am well, am healthy and hearty. . . .” But there are cases where the death notification arrived before the letter that read: “I am well, am healthy and hearty.” On the empty space on the letter the following text was stamped: “The prisoner remains, as before, a stubborn Bible Student and refuses to reject the Bible Students’ false teachings. For this reason the usual privileges of correspondence have been denied him.”

“FOURSQUARE” MEETS HIS MATCH

Life in a concentration camp was full of its daily anxieties, often caused by the camp commander himself. For a time the commander in Sachsenhausen was a man by the name of Baranowsky, and, because of his husky build, the prisoners soon nicknamed him “Foursquare.”

He generally met each new arrival of prisoners himself and delivered his “welcoming speech” to them. It usually started with the words: ‘I am the camp commander and am called “Foursquare.” Now listen, all of you! You can get anything you want from me​—a shot in the head, a shot in the chest, a shot in the stomach! You can cut your throats if you want to or rip open your arteries! You can run into the electric fence if you’d like. Just remember that my boys are good shots! They will send you right straight to heaven!’ He never missed an opportunity to poke fun at Jehovah or his holy name.

But at the beginning of the ban on Jehovah’s witnesses  a young man about twenty-three years old from Dinslaken had learned the truth. His name was August Dickmann. Though he had not yet been baptized, the Gestapo had arrested him and brought him to trial. After serving his sentence he had let the Gestapo pressure him into signing the “declaration,” no doubt in the hope that this would free him from further persecution. Despite this, he was put into Sachsenhausen in October of 1937 immediately after serving his prison term. The brothers there used every opportunity to carry on joyful and encouraging discussions with one another, and now, being among them, he realized that he had compromised with the enemy due to weakness. He repented and asked to have the statement he had signed annulled.

In the meantime his fleshly brother Heinrich had also been delivered into the Sachsenhausen camp. August told him about having signed the statement but that he had, in the meantime, demanded that it be annulled.

The next few weeks passed rapidly. When the second world war broke out in the latter half of 1939, the camp commander, Baranowsky, began to carry out his plans. He saw his opportunity when August Dickmann’s wife sent her husband his military induction slip, which had been sent to their home in Dinslaken. Three days after the war broke out, Dickmann was ordered to the “political department.” Before roll call was taken, Heinrich, whom August had notified of this new development, warned him that now that war had broken out he should be prepared for anything. He should be completely sure of what he wanted to do. August answered: “They can do what they want to with me. I will not sign and will not compromise again.”

The hearing was held that afternoon, but August did not return to the brothers. As it later turned out, he had not only refused to sign the military induction slip but had given a fine witness. He was placed in solitary confinement in the dungeon while the camp commander notified Himmler of the case, asking permission to execute Dickmann publicly in the presence of the brothers and the entire camp. He was convinced that a large number of Jehovah’s witnesses would sign if actually faced with death. The majority until now had refused to do so, but only threats had been made. Himmler answered by return mail that Dickmann was sentenced to death and should be executed. Now the way was open for “Foursquare” to put on his ‘big show.’

It was a Friday. There was an eerie quiet hanging over the entire camp when suddenly a command group came and, in a short time, set up a firing range in the courtyard. This, of course, led to all sorts of rumors.  Excitement grew even more intense when orders were given to quit work an hour earlier than usual. Paul Buder still remembers how, when their work crew was marching back, an SS man laughingly told him: “Today is Ascension Day! One of you will be going to heaven today.”

When the crew to which Heinrich Dickmann was assigned entered, the camp elder approached him and asked if he knew what was going on. When he replied he did not, he was told that his brother August was to be shot.

But there was no time for long discussions. Commands were issued for all the prisoners to march onto the field. Jehovah’s witnesses were placed directly in front of where the firing squad would stand. All eyes were fixed on this point. The SS guards marched in; security precautions were four times what they normally were. The cover was withdrawn from the guns and munition was placed in the weapons for immediate use. SS men were perched on the high wall looking forward to what was going to take place​—so many of them that a person felt that the entire group had been commanded to be present for this bloody spectacle. The main gate was constructed of strong round iron bars and the sensation-loving SS men were standing and hanging on it like a bunch of grapes. Some of them had even climbed up on the crossbars so as to be able to see better. Their eyes were full, not only of curiosity, but also of bloodthirstiness. Some of the faces revealed a certain horror, for they all knew what would soon be taking place.

Accompanied by several ranking SS officers, August was led in, his hands tied in front of him. Everyone was impressed by his calmness and composure, like someone who had already won the battle. Approximately six hundred brothers were present, his fleshly brother Heinrich standing only a few meters away.

Suddenly there was a crackling in the loudspeakers as the microphones were turned on. One could hear “Foursquare’s” voice: “Prisoners, listen!” There was immediate silence. There was just the slightly asthmatic breathing of this monster as he continued:

“The prisoner August Dickmann from Dinslaken, born on January 7, 1910, refuses to perform military service, claiming he is a ‘citizen of God’s kingdom.’ He has said: He who sheds human blood will have his blood shed. He has placed himself outside of society and in accordance with instructions from SS leader Himmler he is to be executed.”

While a deathly silence reigned over the entire courtyard, “Foursquare” continued: “I notified Dickmann  an hour ago that his miserable life would be blotted out at 6:00 o’clock.”

One of the officials approached and asked if the prisoner should once again be asked if he had changed his mind and was willing to sign the draft papers, whereupon “Foursquare” answered: “It would be useless.” Turning to Dickmann, he commanded: “Turn around, you swine,” and then gave the command to shoot. At that, Dickmann was shot from behind by three SS men. A ranking SS leader later walked over and shot him in the head, sending blood streaming down his cheek. After a lower-ranking SS man had taken off his handcuffs, four brothers were instructed to put him in a black box and to carry him into the ward.

Whereas all the other prisoners were now permitted to break ranks and to go to their barracks, Jehovah’s witnesses had to remain. Now was the time for “Foursquare” to make good his claim. With great emphasis he asked who was now ready to sign the statement​—not only a rejection of one’s faith, but also indicating one’s willingness to become a soldier. No one responded. Then two stepped forward! But not to sign the statement. They asked that the signature that both of them had given approximately a year before be annulled!

This was too much for “Foursquare.” Furious, he left the courtyard. As can be expected, the brothers had a very bad time of it that evening and during the next few days. But they remained steadfast.

Dickmann’s execution was announced several times over the radio during the next few days, apparently in the hope of intimidating other Witnesses still free.

Three days later his brother Heinrich was called to the “political department.” Two high-ranking Gestapo agents had come from Berlin to find out what effect his brother’s execution had had upon him. According to his own report, the following conversation took place:

“‘Did you see how your brother was shot?’ My answer was: ‘I did.’ ‘What did you learn from this?’ ‘I am and I shall remain one of Jehovah’s witnesses.’ ‘Then you will be the next one to be shot.’ I was able to answer several Bible questions, until finally an agent shouted: ‘I don’t want to know what is written, I want to know what you think.’ And while he tried to show me the necessity of defending the fatherland, he kept throwing in sentences like: ‘You will be the next one to be shot . . . the next head to roll . . . the next one to fall.’ Until the other agent said: ‘It is useless. Here, finish up the records.’”

The statement was once again placed before Brother Dickmann for signing. He refused, saying: “If I would  recognize the state and government by signing this I would be signifying agreement with my brother’s execution. This I cannot do.” The answer: “Then you can start figuring out how much longer you will be alive.”

But what happened to “Foursquare,” who had mocked and challenged Jehovah as few humans ever had? He was seen in the camp only a few times after that, and then not at all. The prisoners found out, however, that shortly after August Dickmann’s execution, he was struck with a terrible illness. He died five months later without ever having an opportunity of mocking Jehovah or his witnesses again. “I have taken up a fight with Jehovah. We will see who is the stronger, I or Jehovah,” “Foursquare” had said on March 20, 1938, when he placed the brothers in the “isolation crew.” The battle had been decided. “Foursquare” had lost. And whereas our brothers were released from the “isolation crew” a few months later, and, in certain instances, received a certain amount of relief, the rumor continued to circulate throughout the camp that “Foursquare” was seriously ill and that when officers visited him at his sickbed he would whimper: “The Bible Students are praying me to death, because I let their man be shot!” It is also a fact that after he had died, his daughter, when asked the cause of her father’s death, would always answer: “The Bible Students prayed my father to death.”

DACHAU

Brother Friedrich Frey from Röt reports about the treatment meted out in the “isolation group” at Dachau: “One can scarcely describe the hunger, the cold, the torments. An officer kicked me in the stomach with his boots once, bringing on a serious ailment. Another time the bridge of my nose was so deformed by repeated beatings that to this day I have difficulty breathing. Once an SS man caught me eating a couple of dry crumbs of bread during working hours to still my hunger. He kicked me in the stomach with his booth and knocked me to the ground. As further punishment I was hung on a three-meter-high pole with my arms chained behind me. This abnormal position of the body and its weight caused a blockage in the blood circulation and excruciating pain. An SS man grabbed both of my legs and swung them back and forth, crying, ‘Are you still one of Jehovah’s witnesses?’ But I was unable to answer because the sweat of death was already breaking out on my forehead. I have a nervous twitching from this even until this day. I could not help but think of the last few hours that our Lord  and Master spent with his hands and feet run through with nails.”

In Dachau, shortly before “Christmas,” a large Christmas tree was put up and decorated with electric candles and other forms of decoration. The camp’s 45,000 prisoners, including over a hundred of Jehovah’s witnesses, hoped that they would be able to enjoy a few days of peace. But what happened? At 8:00 o’clock on Christmas Eve when all prisoners were in their barracks, the camp sirens suddenly began to wail; the prisoners were to march out onto the courtyard as fast as possible. One could hear the SS band playing. In marched five companies of fully equipped SS troops. The camp commander, accompanied by SS officers, delivered a short speech telling the prisoners that they wanted to celebrate Christmas with them this evening in their own particular way. He then pulled a list of names from his briefcase and for almost an hour read the names of prisoners who had been recommended for punishment during the last few weeks. The block was brought out and set up and the first prisoner was strapped down upon it. Afterward two SS men equipped with a steel whip took their places to the right and to the left of the block and began to beat the prisoner while the band played “Silent Night”; all the prisoners were expected to sing along. At the same time the prisoner being given the twenty-five strokes was forced to count these out in a loud voice. Each time a new prisoner was strapped down to the block two new SS men stepped forward to administer the punishment. Truly a worthy way for a “Christian nation” to celebrate Christmas.

In the face of such treatment our brothers needed strong faith, a faith made strong by a careful study of God’s Word. How a failure to study can be dangerous and can leave a person unprepared for such tests, Helmut Knöller experienced. Let him tell his own experience:

“My first days in Dachau were very difficult. At twenty, I was the youngest of the new arrivals. I was assigned to a special crew that had to work even on Sundays. My overseer was especially hard on me. I had to do the most difficult jobs, to which I was not accustomed, on the double. I collapsed repeatedly but was revived each time by being placed in the basement in water up to my hips and then having water poured over my head.

“I was driven to almost complete physical exhaustion. This went on day after day and I was near the point of despair, knowing that it could go on for weeks, yes, even months. . . . But the difficulties became so  great that I finally went to the camp leaders and signed the declaration indicating that I no longer had anything to do with the International Bible Students. That I signed this was a direct result of insufficient study on my part at home. My parents had studied too little themselves and we children had received only faulty instruction from them. . . . I had been told that we could go ahead and sign such a declaration, since, first of all, nothing was said about Jehovah’s witnesses in it, but only about the Bible Students, and, secondly, it was not wrong to deceive the enemy if this would result in our being set free so that we might better serve Jehovah outside.” It was only later while in Sachsenhausen that mature brothers helped him to appreciate the meaning of Christian integrity and built up his faith.

MAUTHAUSEN

Even though many persons were gassed or cruelly killed at Dachau, yet Mauthausen was a regular destruction camp. The camp commander, Ziereis, repeatedly said he was only interested in seeing death certificates. In fact, within a period of six years 210,000  men were cremated in the two modern crematories they had there, an average of a hundred a day.

When prisoners were made to work at all, it was generally in the quarry. A steep cliff located there was called the “wall of parachutists” by the inhuman SS. Hundreds of prisoners were shoved over this cliff and then lay motionless below. They were either killed by the fall or drowned in a ditch filled with rainwater. Many despondent prisoners even jumped into the abyss of their own will.

Another attraction was the so-called “stairs of death.” A pile of 186 loose blocks of various height piled on top of one another was called a stairway. After the prisoners had lugged heavy stones on their shoulders up to the top, the SS men enjoyed starting mass slides by kicking them or striking them with the butt end of their rifles, thereby knocking them over backward down the “stairs.” This resulted in many deaths, the number of dead increased by the falling rocks from above. Valentin Steinbach from Frankfurt recalls that groups of 120 men put together in the morning often returned in the evening with only some 20 still alive.

CONCENTRATION CAMPS FOR WOMEN

Concentration camps were set up not only for men but also for women. One of these went into operation as early as 1935 in Moringen near Hannover. When the pressure on Jehovah’s witnesses became more severe in 1937, the camp in Moringen began to be evacuated. In December some 600 prisoners, including a number of sisters, were taken to the Lichtenburg camp. Since efforts to talk our sisters into changing from their steadfast course failed, a “penal crew” was formed. Their overseers gave them very little to eat and constantly tried to find reasons for meting out punishment. The camp commander told them: ‘If you want to stay alive, then come to me and sign.’

One method used in an attempt to get our sisters to break their integrity is reported upon by Ilse Unterdörfer: “One day Sister Elisabeth Lange from Chemnitz was called to the director. She resolutely refused to sign the declaration, whereupon she was taken to a cell located in the basement of this old castle. As anyone acquainted with old castles and their dungeons can imagine, this was extremely trying. The cells were dark holes with a small barred window. The bed was of stone and most of the time a person was forced to lie upon this cold, hard ‘bed’ without even a straw sack. Sister Lange spent half a year in solitary confinement in this hole in the basement. Although she  suffered physically, it did not shake her determination to remain faithful.”

Another method that was employed to try to break the steadfastness of our sisters was hard physical labor. For this reason a number of sisters were taken to Ravensbrück. It was on May 15, 1939, that the first group arrived, closely followed by others. The camp soon grew to include 950 women, some 400 of them Jehovah’s witnesses. All of them were called upon to do the most difficult construction and cleaning up work, jobs normally required only of men. The new camp commander, who was especially noted for his brutality, thought he would be able to wear the sisters down by making them perform hard physical labor.

Such treatment naturally resulted in many deaths. Then, too, complete groups were taken to Auschwitz, a camp which, like Mauthausen, was especially equipped for mass destruction. Women who were old, in poor health or did not meet up to the SS men’s standards for women who could produce a “master race” were faced with death. Berta Mauerer tells us what went on there:

“We were forced to stand naked in front of a commission which made its selection. Immediately thereafter, the first group left for Auschwitz. Among them were a number of sisters who had been deceived into thinking that they were being taken to a camp where they would have it easier, although everyone knew that Auschwitz was even more unbearable. Those making up the second group were told the same thing. Among this group were many weak and sickly sisters.” Soon thereafter their relatives were notified of their deaths. In most cases ‘circulatory ailments’ was listed as the cause of death.

Another thing that could have presented a test for the sisters is reported on by Auguste Schneider from Bad Kreuznach:

“One day a prisoner came to me and said: ‘Mrs. Schneider, I am leaving here!’ I asked her where she was going and she answered: ‘There are so many men here that a brothel is being set up for the prisoners. We were asked, and about twenty to thirty women have volunteered. We are being given nice clothes and prettied up!’ I asked her where it was going to be, and she answered, ‘In the men’s camp.’

“One can hardly describe what took place there. But one day an SS leader told me: ‘Mrs. Schneider, you will have heard what is taking place in the men’s camp. I just wanted to let you know that none of Jehovah’s witnesses have taken part!’”

Ravensbrück became widely known as the most notorious of all the concentration camps for women.  When the second world war broke out, the number of sisters there had risen to some five hundred.

One day several sisters were suddenly ordered from their cells and put to work shining up the entire building, since Himmler had indicated he would be coming for inspection. But the day passed and he failed to show up. Our sisters had already got ready for bed, that is to say, they had taken off their shoes, which served as pillows, but because of the cold they slept in their clothing. They lay down as close together as possible so as to keep warm. From time to time they would change positions so that everyone would be on the outside once, where it was naturally colder. Suddenly there were loud noises in the corridors and cell doors began to be opened. Our sisters now stood before the man who in Germany decided over life and death. Himmler examined the sisters critically, asked them some questions and was forced to the realization that they were unwilling to make any concessions.

That same evening after Himmler and his attendants had left, a large number of prisoners were called out and other prisoners could hear their screams. Himmler had introduced the “intensified” punishment also for women; they received twenty-five strokes with the steel whip on their naked buttocks.

One sister tells of the courage with which many faced their problems: “In my block there was a Jewish woman who had accepted the truth. One night she too was awakened. I heard her as she got up and I tried to give her a word of comfort. But she said: ‘I know what is awaiting me. But I am happy to have learned of the wonderful hope of the resurrection. I am calmly awaiting death.’ And courageously she walked out.”

DIVISIONS ADD TO THE HARDSHIP

Cut off from the brothers outside, those in the camps felt a great craving for spiritual food. New arrivals were questioned by the brothers to find out what had been published in The Watchtower. Sometimes the information was accurately conveyed, and sometimes it was not. There were also brothers who tried to use the Bible to set the date when they would be delivered, and, although the arguments were weak, some hopefully grasped at these “straws.”

During this time a brother who had an exceptional memory was put in Buchenwald. At first his ability to recall and to share with others the things he had learned was a source of encouragement to the brothers. But in time he became an idol, “the wonder of Buchenwald,” and his statements, even his personal opinion, were viewed as final. From December of 1937 until  1940 he delivered a talk every evening, about a thousand in all, and many of these were taken down in shorthand so that they could be mimeographed. Though there were many older brothers in the camp who were capable of giving discourses, this brother was the only one who did so. Any who were not in full agreement with him were referred to as “enemies of the Kingdom” and “Achan’s family,” to be avoided by the “faithful ones.” Almost four hundred brothers more or less willingly went along with this arrangement.

Those thus labeled “enemies” were also brothers who had been willing to risk their lives to promote Kingdom interests to the best of their abilities. They, too, had been put into the camp because of determination to prove their integrity, even to death. Some of them were not fully applying Bible principles, it is true. Yet when they sought to establish contact with the responsible ones so that they too could benefit from what spiritual food became available in Buchenwald, these viewed it as “beneath their dignity” to discuss matters.

Wilhelm Bathen from Dinslaken, who is still serving Jehovah, relates how he personally was affected: “When I realized that I too had been disfellowshiped I was so spiritually shaken and depressed that I asked myself how such a thing was possible. . . . I often got down on my knees and prayed to Jehovah that he should give me a sign. I asked myself if I were to blame for the situation and whether he too had disfellowshiped me. I had a Bible and I would read in it in the dim light and I found a great deal of comfort in the thought that this was coming upon me as a test, otherwise I already would have been destroyed, for this being cut off from the brothers was a tremendous pain.”

Thus human imperfections and an exaggerated view of one’s own importance, led to divisions among God’s people, resulting in severe tests for some.

OVERREACHED BY CONCERN FOR “SURVIVAL”

Some who were put into the camps, determined not to compromise, later allowed concern for “survival” to eclipse their love for Jehovah and for their brothers. If a person could attain to some responsible position in the camp organization, entrusted with oversight of some sphere of activity, he would no longer have to wear his strength down with hard labor. But this was dangerous. In many cases it required that he work closely with the SS, that he drive the prisoners to work at a faster pace and that he report prisoners​—even his own brothers—​for punishment.

 A brother by the name of Martens found himself in such a position while in the Wewelsburg camp. At first he had oversight of 250 Bible Students. He constantly strove to be a very good “camp elder” in the eyes of the SS. In time, many political prisoners and others were added to the camp. Martens did not want to lose his position, so he had to champion the interests of the SS and employ their methods.

Before long he was forbidding the brothers to consider the daily text or to pray together. Soon he was frisking them and beating with a rubber hose those on whom a copy of the daily text was found. One morning, as several brothers were praying together, he jumped into the midst of them and disrupted the session, saying: “Don’t you know the camp rules? Do you think I want trouble just because of you?” Thus much additional suffering was brought on a large number of faithful brothers by a very few who lost sight of their goal.

THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER

After the second world war began available food was sent to the fronts. Meals in the concentration camps consisted mostly of a type of turnip that, generally, was used only for feeding animals. Everything was prepared with such a lack of love that the prisoners were often heard to say that even the swine would have refused to eat the food. But it was not a question of having appetizing food, it was simply a question of survival. Many starved to death. “My greatest test was hunger,” Brother Kurt Hedel writes, and explains by saying: “I am about 6 foot 2 inches tall and normally weigh some 230 pounds. But in the winter of 1939/1940 I weighed only 90 pounds and even less. I was nothing more than skin and bones. Despite my size I was not given more to eat than those smaller than I was. I often dug my fists into my stomach for pain until a mature brother advised me to take my problem to Jehovah in prayer and to ask him to help me endure the pain. I soon realized what a help prayer proves to be in such situations.” Another brother recalls that he often put sand in his mouth to fight the pangs of hunger.

How comforting was the brotherly association in such situations. Yes, it was very touching to see brothers, themselves marked for death, give some of their scant bread rations to those having a harder time of it than they were. Often it was just crumbs that they secretly hid under the pillows of those who for some reason or another had not been given anything to eat  and who had been forced to stand out in the courtyard in the fierce cold with hardly anything on. How soothing it was for those the enemy had almost “broken down” to hear from the mouth of a mature brother encouraging words trickling down like oil onto a wound and giving new strength at a time when they felt their situation to be unbearable! And how powerful united prayer proved to be! Frequently, evenings, when the barracks were locked up and everything was quiet in the dormitories, problems were unitedly presented to Jehovah in prayer. They were often matters that had to do with them all, but just as often with problems of individual brothers. Whenever Jehovah​—as he did in so many cases—​immediately brought about a change for the better, this was a cause for a united prayer of thanks on the next day. Up against a situation a person could not have mastered alone, the brothers realized once again that “we are never alone.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE THAT COMPROMISED

It is interesting that the SS, who often used the dirtiest tricks to try to get someone to sign the declaration, frequently turned against them once they had actually signed and harassed them more afterward than they had before. Karl Kirscht confirms this: “More than anyone else Jehovah’s witnesses were the victims of chicanery in the concentration camps. It was thought that in this way they could be persuaded to sign the declaration. We were repeatedly asked to do so. Some did sign, but, in most cases, they had to wait more than a year before they were released. During this time they were often publicly reviled by the SS as being hypocrites and cowards and were forced to take a so-called ‘honor walk’ around their brothers before being permitted to leave the camp.”

Wilhelm Röger recalls that a brother signed the declaration when his wife and daughter came to visit, but he did not tell the brothers about having done so. “Several weeks later he was informed he should get ready for release. (Such ones generally had to stand at the gate until their names were called.) This brother stood at the gate all day and was still standing there that evening, so he had to return to the brothers in the barracks. After the evening roll call, which was conducted by a much feared captain by the name of Knittler, this brother was sent to get a footstool from the barracks and then forced to stand on it in the courtyard in front of the brothers marching in. Knittler now directed attention to the brother and, giving us all a sharp look, said: ‘Look at your coward; he has signed without telling any of you about it!’ In actuality  the SS would have liked for all of us to sign. But the respect which they secretly had for us was gone once someone did.”

Sister Dietrichkeit remembers two sisters who signed the declaration. When they returned they told Sister Dietrichkeit they had signed because they were afraid they were going to starve to death. They did not hide the fact that the SS had asked them: “Now that you have denied your God, Jehovah, what God will you serve?” The two sisters were soon released, but when the Russians invaded the country both were rearrested for some reason or another and taken to prison by the Russians where they actually did starve to death. In another case a sister who signed was raped by the Russians during the last few days of the war and then murdered by them.

A large number of the brothers who signed the declaration were drafted into the military and taken to the front, where most of them lost their lives.

Even though there is proof enough that those brothers who signed thereby placed themselves outside of Jehovah’s protection, it did not hold true in most cases that they were “traitors.” Many had their signature annulled before their release, once understanding, mature brothers had helped them to realize what they had done. Repentantly asking Jehovah to give them another chance to prove their faithfulness, many of these, after the breakdown of Hitler’s regime, spontaneously joined the publishers’ ranks and began working as congregation publishers, in time as pioneers, overseers, even as traveling overseers, promoting in an exemplary way the interests of Jehovah’s kingdom. Many were comforted by the experience of Peter, who had denied his Lord and Master too, but had been taken back into his favor.​—Matt. 26:69-75; John 21:15-19.

TREASON

Whereas some temporarily lost their spiritual balance due to the sly methods used or because of human weaknesses, there were others who turned traitor and caused their brothers much suffering.

Julius Riffel reports that in 1937/1938 “a Brother Hans Müller from Dresden came to the Bern Bethel and tried to get in touch with brothers in Germany, allegedly with the goal in mind of ‘rebuilding the underground organization in Germany after so many brothers had been arrested.’

“I naturally declared my willingness to cooperate, as did several other brothers. Sorry to say, we did not know at the time that this ‘Brother’ Müller was working  with the Gestapo in Germany. Unsuspectingly we made plans in Bern and began our work. I was to take over Baden Württemberg. In February 1938 I crossed the border into Germany and tried to reorganize the activity by getting in touch with the brothers who were still free. Two weeks later I was arrested. . . . The Gestapo knew about our activity in all its details and this through this false brother who helped rebuild the underground organization, only to betray it to the Gestapo afterward. This ‘brother’ did the same thing a year later in the Netherlands and also in Czechoslovakia. . . .

“In 1939 I was taken by prison truck to Coblenz, where I was to testify at the trial of three sisters with whom I had worked underground in Stuttgart. There I myself heard a Gestapo agent tell a court official how they knew all the details about our work, things like cover addresses and aliases, as well as the structure of the organization. Once when we were waiting outside in the corridor this same Gestapo agent told me they would not have been able to get behind our activity so easy had it not been for the fact that we had good-for-nothings in our ranks. Sorry to say, I could not deny this. From time to time I was able to warn the brothers from prison about this traitorous ‘brother,’ but Brother Harbeck ignored the warning, simply being unable to believe it. According to my opinion, this Müller was responsible for hundreds of brothers being thrown into prison.”

THE STREAM CONTINUES TO FLOW

Even though the enemy repeatedly opened up new gaps in the ranks of God’s people and decimated the number of those still free, there were always others who recognized the necessity of providing the brothers with spiritual food. This they did despite the danger to their lives. One of the brothers who rebuilt the Watchtower distribution system among the brothers, while Müller continued to do his dirty work in Dresden, was Ludwig Cyranek. He did this until he was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison. Then, just as soon as he had left the prison doors behind him, Brother Cyranek went right back to work.

Many sisters joyfully filled up the places left open by the arrests of the brothers, although they realized that in accordance with the more severe war laws they could lose their lives if they were caught. Among those used to distribute The Watchtower, for example, were Sister Neuffert in Holzgerlingen, Sister Pfisterer in Stuttgart and Sister Franke in Mainz. Brother Cyranek wrote these sisters letters containing harmless information,  letters that the sisters ironed so that they could read the secret message he had written underneath in lemon juice, telling them where they should take Watchtowers and how many.

From time to time Brother Cyranek would go to Stuttgart, where Maria Homback worked for him as secretary. He dictated reports to her about the work in Germany, which he would then send to Arthur Winkler in the Netherlands, who looked after Germany and Austria. Sister Hombach wrote these letters in lemon juice, too, so that important information would not fall into unauthorized hands.

That this underground activity functioned for at least a year can be attributed only to Jehovah’s guidance. He often saw to it that his people were led in strange ways, that they might be supplied with spiritual food in due season. Müller soon felt the time opportune to betray this entire organizational ring to the Gestapo. Everyone involved was arrested within several days. At the trial in Dresden, Brother Cyranek was sentenced to death and the others received long prison terms. On July 3, 1941, just a few hours before his execution, he wrote his relatives the following letter:

“My dear brother, sister-in-law, parents, and all other brothers included,

“Fear God and attribute to him the honor! I must write you the painful news that when you receive this letter I no longer will be alive. Please do not be overly sad. Remember that it is a simple matter for Almighty God to raise me from the dead. Yes, he can do all things and if he permits me to drink this bitter cup, then it certainly serves a purpose. Know that it was my attempt to serve him in my weakness and I am completely convinced that he has been with me right up unto the end. I put myself into his keeping. My thoughts during these last few hours are with you, my dears. May your hearts not be dismayed, but, rather, maintain your composure, for it is much better than for you to know that I am suffering in prison, which would have been a continual worry for you. And now, my dear mother and father, may I thank you both for all the good things you have done for me. I can only stammer out a weak thank you. May Jehovah repay you for all you have done. My prayer is that he may protect and bless you, for his blessing alone makes rich. Dear Toni, I can only too well believe that you would have done everything possible to rescue me from the ‘lions’ den,’ but this in vain. I received notification tonight that the petition for clemency has been rejected and that my sentence will be carried out tomorrow morning. I have made no plea of any kind nor asked for mercy at the hands of man. I appreciate  your good will, however, to help me and thank you as well as Luise from the bottom of my heart for all the good things that you have given me. Your lines of sympathy did me good. Many greetings to you all and may I send you all a kiss. I especially have a place in my heart for Karl. May God be with you until we meet again. I put my arms around you in departure. [signed] Ludwig Cyranek.”

Julius Engelhardt, who mimeographed Watchtowers with Sister Frey in Bruchsal, had worked closely with Brother Cyranek in the southern part of Germany. It was planned that in case of Brother Cyranek’s arrest he would continue the work. Sorry to say, Müller betrayed him to the Gestapo too, and they soon found his hiding place in his hometown of Karlsruhe. But Brother Engelhardt had always encouraged the sisters by telling them ‘it can’t cost us anything more than just our heads,’ and he was determined to sell his freedom at the highest price possible. Although the Gestapo agent had already taken him into custody, he suddenly broke away and bounded down the stairs, where he disappeared into the crowds on the street faster than the police could stop him. It is interesting what secular historians, in the book Widerstand und Verfolgung in Essen 1933 – 1945 (Opposition and Persecution in Essen 1933 – 1945), say about Brother Engelhardt’s activity, as taken from Gestapo files:

“With the arrest of Cyranek, Noernheim and others, the distribution of illegal publications was by no means stopped, for Engelhardt, who at first had been active in the southwest, had been forced to flee to the Ruhr territory in 1940 when threatened by arrest at his former base in Karlsruhe. After a brief stay in Essen he found an illegal place to live in Oberhausen-Sterkrade where from the beginning of 1941 to April 1943 he produced 27 different issues of the Watchtower in an edition of 240 and later 360 copies. From the Ruhr territory he arranged for bases in Munich, Mannheim, Speyer, Dresden as well as Freiberg in Saxony and served as treasurer for the entire country. . . . On September 18, 1944, high prison sentences were handed down by the superior court in Hamm against members of the Essen group who held meetings and regularly distributed the Watchtower in connection with Engelhardt’s activity. . . . Many were put to death.”

Christine Hetkamp also gives us an encouraging report about Brother Engelhardt’s activity: “My husband, who was baptized, turned into a malicious opposer. . . . I had not missed any of the meetings which had been held alternately at my mother’s home, at mine and at my brother’s. I could have them in my  home because my husband left on Mondays and stayed at his sister’s place until Saturday; she lived a short way outside of town. Hers was a rabid Nazi family and he found shelter there, since he could no longer put up with our spirit, which is understandable. So during his absence The Watchtower was printed in our home for almost three years. A brother (Brother Engelhardt) who lived with us for three years first of all wrote the stencils on a typewriter and then used them to make mimeographed copies of The Watchtower. Afterward he would travel with my mother to Berlin, to Mainz, Mannheim, etc., where they would deliver the magazines to trustworthy persons who would then distribute them further. Brother Engelhardt and my mother were in charge of the whole arrangement, whereas I did the cooking and the washing. When my mother was put in prison I took over the job of delivering The Watchtower to Mainz and Mannheim. . . . In April 1943, my mother was arrested the second time, this time forever. Shortly thereafter Brother Engelhardt, who had been in charge for so long and who had directed the underground work, was also arrested.”

Later Sister Hetkamp’s daughter, her brother-in-law, her sister, her sister-in-law and her aunt were arrested. All of them were tried on June 2, 1944. Brother Engelhardt and seven additional defendants, including Sister Hetkamp’s mother, were sentenced to death. They were all beheaded shortly thereafter.

From then on conditions in Germany continued to grow ever more confused. It was no longer possible to determine for sure where Watchtowers were being mimeographed, but they were being produced.

FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH

The numerous executions that took place during the Third Reich take a special place in the history of persecution. At least 203 brothers and sisters, according to incomplete reports, were either beheaded or shot. This figure does not include those who died from starvation, disease and other brutal mistreatment.

Concerning a brother who was sentenced to death, Brother Bär reports: “All the prisoners and also the prison officials were amazed at him. He was a locksmith and did repair work throughout the entire prison. He went about his daily work without any sign of dejection or sadness; to the contrary, while busy working he sang songs of praise to Jehovah.” One day around noon he was taken from the shop, and put to death that evening.

Brother Bär continues his report, saying: “My wife once saw a sister in prison in Potsdam she did not  know. She walked past her in the prison courtyard. When the sister saw my wife she raised both of her handcuffed arms and waved a joyful greeting. Although sentenced to death, there was no look of pain nor of sadness in her glance.” This calmness and peace that were radiated by our brothers and sisters sentenced to death takes on added value when a person remembers what they had to put up with in their cells.

Whereas our brothers and sisters were resolute and resigned, in fact, sometimes even joyful in face of the difficult way they were called on to go, others who were not Witnesses often collapsed or, out of their intense fear of death, would let out loud cries until forcibly restrained.

Jonathan Stark from Ulm, however, did not give way to such fear. True, he was only seventeen years old when he was arrested by the Gestapo, and, without legal formalities, was sent to Sachsenhausen, where he was put in the death barracks. His offense? Refusal to take up premilitary work. Emil Hartmann from Berlin heard that Jonathan was confined to those barracks and, though it could have brought severe punishment on him, Brother Hartmann gained entrance to speak to this young brother and strengthen him. For both of them these brief visits were very encouraging. Jonathan was always very happy. Though himself facing death, he comforted his mother with the wonderful hope of a resurrection. When taken by the camp commander to the place of execution just two weeks after his arrival, Jonathan’s last words were “For Jehovah and for Gideon.” (Gideon was a faithful servant of Jehovah who foreshadowed Jesus Christ.)​—Judg. 7:18.

Elise Harms from Wilhelmshaven remembers that her husband was asked seven times to recant after he was sentenced and, when he refused, she was offered permission to visit him on the condition that she do all in her power to persuade him to change his mind. But this she could not do. When he was beheaded, she was happy that he had remained faithful to Jehovah and that he was no longer under pressure to be unfaithful. In the meantime his father, Martin Harms, had been arrested for the third time and put in Sachsenhausen. Deeply moving is the letter his son wrote him shortly before his execution on November 9, 1940:

“My dear father,

“We still have three weeks until December 3, the day on which we saw one another two years ago for the last time. I can still see your dear smile when you were working in the prison basement and I was out walking in the prison courtyard. In the early morning  hours we did not suspect that my dear Lieschen (his wife) and I would be released that afternoon nor that you, my dear father, to our pain, would be taken that same day to Vechta and then later on to Sachsenhausen. Those last moments when we were alone in the visiting room of the prison in Oldenburg are still indelibly impressed upon my memory, how I put my arm around you and promised you that I would take care of mother and you as far as it was in my power to do so. My last words were: ‘Remain faithful, my dear father!’ During the last one and three quarters years (21 months) of ‘slavery in freedom’ I have kept my promise. When I was taken into custody on September 3 I turned the responsibility over to your other children. I have considered you with pride during this time and also with amazement at the way you have been carrying your burden in faithfulness to the Lord. And now I, too, have been given an opportunity to prove my faithfulness to the Lord unto death, yes, in faithfulness not only up unto death, but even into death. My death sentence has already been announced and I am chained both day and night​—the marks (on the paper) are from the handcuffs—​but I still have not conquered to the full. Remaining faithful is not made easy for one of Jehovah’s witnesses. I still have an opportunity to save my earthly life, but only thereby to lose the real life. Yes, one of Jehovah’s witnesses is given an opportunity to break his covenant even when in view of the gallows. Therefore, I am still in the midst of the fight and I still have many victories to win before I can say that ‘I have fought the fine fight, I have observed the faith, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness with God, the righteous judge, will give me.’ The fight is doubtless difficult, but I am wholeheartedly grateful to the Lord that he not only has given me the necessary strength to stand up until now in the face of death, but has given me a joy I would like to share with all my loved ones.

“My dear father, you are still a prisoner, too, and whether this letter will ever reach you, I do not know. If you should ever go free, however, then remain just as faithful as you are now, for you know that whoever has laid his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of the kingdom of God. . . .

“When you, dear father, are at home again, then be sure to take particular care of my dear Lieschen, for it will be particularly difficult for her, knowing that her dear one will not return. I know that you will do this and I thank you ahead of time. My dear father, in spirit I call to you, remain faithful, as I have attempted  to remain faithful, and then we will see one another again. I will be thinking of you up until the very last.

“Your son Johannes

“Auf Wiedersehen!”

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE OUTSIDE

Not only were death candidates encouraged by brothers outside; those outside in freedom were often encouraged even more so by their brothers in prison. Sister Auschner from Kempten confirms this. She received a letter from her twenty-one-year-old son on February 28, 1941, which contained the following brief lines directed to his eighteen-and-a-half-year-old brother: “My dear brother. In my last letter I called your attention to a book and I hope that you have taken to heart what I said, for this can only be of benefit to you.” Two and a half years later Sister Auschner received from this, her youngest son, a farewell letter. He had taken to heart what his older brother had written and had followed him faithfully into death.

The two brothers Ernst and Hans Rehwald from Stuhm, East Prussia, also assisted each other in a similar way. After Ernst was brought before a military court and sentenced to death, he wrote from his death cell a letter to his brother Hans in prison at Stuhm: “Dear Hans, In case the same thing should happen to you, then remember the power of prayer. I know no fear, for the peace of God is within my heart.” A short time later his brother was in the same position and, although he was only nineteen years old at the time, was executed.

A TEST OF LOYALTY FOR MARRIAGE MATES

It was impressive to see how close relatives encouraged their loved ones not to waver in their integrity. Sister Höhne from Frankfurt/​Oder was one who accompanied her husband to the railroad station when he received his induction order, never to see him again. Her last words were: “Be faithful”​—words that Brother Höhne bore in mind up until his death.

In many cases the brothers were newly married and, had their love for Jehovah and for Christ Jesus not been so strong, they would certainly not have been able to bear breaking off the bonds of communication with their loved ones. Two sisters, who have been widows now for more than thirty-two years, look back on those turbulent times grateful for the help Jehovah gave them. Sisters Bühler and Ballreich, from Neulosheim near Speyer, both got married near the beginning  of the ban and learned the truth around the same time. In 1940 both husbands got their draft call and, upon refusal to take up military service, were arrested.

Sister Ballreich went to the district draft officials in Mannheim, where she learned that the two brothers had been sent to Wiesbaden to appear before a military court. Sister Ballreich received permission to visit her husband on the condition that she try to persuade him to change his mind. Sister Bühler was given permission to visit her husband on the same condition. Both sisters at once went to Wiesbaden. Sister Bühler reports:

“I can hardly describe how sad the reunion was. He (her husband) asked: ‘Why have you come?’ I answered that I was supposed to try to influence him. But he comforted me, gave me Biblical counsel and told me not to be sad like the rest who have no hope but to place my entire confidence in our great God, Jehovah. . . . A young court clerk, who had accompanied us to the prison, advised us to stay in Wiesbaden until Tuesday, which was the day the case was to be heard. If we were there we would certainly be permitted to attend. So we stayed until Tuesday. We waited outside on the street until our husbands, accompanied by two soldiers with loaded weapons, were led through the street like professional criminals. Truly a spectacle for men and angels. Sister Ballreich and I walked along. We were able to attend the trial. It lasted less than an hour, ending up with two blameless and brave men being sentenced to death. Afterward we could be with them for about two hours in a room on the ground floor. But after we had left the courthouse we walked the streets of Wiesbaden like two lost sheep.”

Shortly thereafter the two young sisters received notification that their husbands had been shot to death on June 25, 1940, with the words on their lips “Jehovah forever!”

PARENTS AND CHILDREN PUT JEHOVAH FIRST

A case that occupied the attention, not only of the courts, district attorneys and defenders, but also of the public, involved two Kusserow brothers from Paderborn. Based on the good instruction in Jehovah’s ways that they had received at home, they were willing to surrender their lives without fear. And their mother used their death as further opportunity to tell others in her community about the resurrection hope. A third brother, Karl, was arrested three months later and taken to a concentration camp; he died four weeks after his release. There were thirteen members of this family; twelve were put into prison, sentenced to a total of sixty-five years of which they served forty-six.

 Similar to the Kusserow case, where, not just the parents, but also the children put Kingdom interests ahead of self was the Appel family from Süderbrarup. They owned a small printing establishment there. Let us hear how Sister Appel tells what happened:

“In 1937 when the large wave of arrests was rolling over Germany, my husband and I were taken away from our four children late on the night of October 15. Eight persons (Gestapo and police officers) entered our home and searched the whole house from the basement to the attic. Then they took us along with them. . . . After we were sentenced my husband was taken to Neumünster and I to the women’s prison in Kiel. . . . In 1938 after a series of amnesties we were released. . . . When the second world war broke out, however, we knew what was ahead of us, for my husband was determined to maintain neutrality. We spoke to our children about the whole thing and called their attention to the Biblical pronouncements in regard to persecution.

“As far as possible we arranged to have sufficient clothing on hand for the children so that they would be cared for in this regard. After my husband had told the draft officials his Biblical reasons for being unable to engage in war he got the rest of his personal matters in order. We daily presented all our problems to Jehovah in prayer. On March 9, 1941, at 8:00 in the morning the doorbell rang and two soldiers came to pick up my husband. They waited outside and gave him fifteen minutes to tell us good-bye. Our son Walter had already gone to school. The other three children and Sister Helene Green, who worked in our printery, were asked to come to the apartment at once. My husband’s last request was that we sing the song ‘He that is faithful, he that is loyal, yields not his soul unto fear.’ Although the words stuck in our throats, we sang. After a prayer, the soldiers came in and led my husband away. That was the last time the children ever saw their father. He was taken to Lübeck, where a high official spoke at length with him in a fatherly way, trying to persuade him to put on the uniform. But Jehovah’s unchangeable law was so firmly anchored in my husband’s heart that there was no turning back. . . .

“It was early on the morning of July 1, 1941, that police officials presented me with a letter . . . notifying me that our car was being confiscated as Communist property and that the printing establishment was being closed by the police. Then he handed me another letter that said: ‘You are to bring your children to the city hall on the morning of July 3, 1941. Clothing and shoes are to be brought along.’ This was a hard blow.

“So it was that on the morning of July 3, supervisors  from two juvenile homes came to pick up our children. The woman who took charge of my fifteen- and ten-year-old girls, Christa and Waltraud, told me: ‘I have known for several weeks that I was to pick up your children, and I have been unable to sleep at night since, knowing that I am taking children out of a well-organized family. But I must do it.’

“Some of the neighbors did not refrain from showing their dislike of the action being taken, but a warning was soon circulated by the responsible authorities that ‘anyone speaking about the Appel case is committing national sedition!’ Just to make sure, three police officials were sent to oversee the matter of taking away the children. . . . My husband was naturally notified by the officials of the steps that had been taken in regard to the business and the children. They hoped that this would soften him up. He was accused of being dishonest and unscrupulous in having left his family in the lurch. My husband wrote me a very loving letter saying how he had got up very early the next morning, got down on his knees and in prayer committed the care of his family to Jehovah. . . .

“The same day the children were picked up I received notification from the military court in Berlin-Charlottenburg to come there. I was taken before the chief public prosecutor, who asked me to try to influence my husband to put on the uniform. When I told him the Biblical reason for being unable to do this, he shouted full of rage: ‘Then he’ll get his head chopped off!’ Despite this, I asked for permission to speak to my husband. He gave me no answer but pressed a bell that summoned a soldier who took me down one story where several officers greeted me with icy glares and accusations. When I left, one of them followed me, took my hand and said: ‘Mrs. Appel, always stay as steadfast as you are now. You are doing the right thing.’ I was truly surprised. What was important, however, was that I could speak to my husband.

“While I was in Berlin the Nazis had already sold our business. I was forced to sign the bill of sale because​—as I was told—​I would otherwise be put into a concentration camp.

“After I had visited my husband in Berlin several times, he was sentenced to death. The lawyer who ‘defended’ him remarked: ‘Your husband has been given a golden opportunity to get out of this, but he has refused to make use of it.’ To which my husband replied: ‘I have made my decision for Jehovah and his kingdom and that is the end of the matter.’

“On October 11, 1941, my husband was beheaded. In his last letter, which he was permitted to write just a few hours before his execution, he said: ‘When  you get this letter, my beloved Maria and my four children, Christa, Walter, Waltraud and Wolfgang, everything will already be over and I will have won the victory through Jesus Christ and my hope is that I have been a conqueror. From my heart I wish you a blessed entry into Jehovah’s kingdom. Remain faithful! Three young brothers, who will be going the same way that I am tomorrow morning, are here beside me. Their eyes are aglow!’

“A short time later I was forced to vacate my home in Süderbrarup. The furniture was stored in five different places. I personally landed penniless at my mother’s.

“My son Walter was taken out of school by the juvenile home and sent to Hamburg where he took up an apprenticeship in printing. In 1944, he was drafted, although he was only seventeen years old. In a most wonderful way he had come into possession of the book The Harp of God before this and had learned a great deal from it during the nights of bombings in Hamburg in his little room in the attic. His desire was to dedicate himself to Jehovah. After many difficulties he was able to go to Malente, at New Year’s time of 1943/1944, where, in a darkened laundry, a brother baptized him secretly. . . .

“He was able to get in touch with me secretly and I waited in the streets of Hamburg several hours until he came, because I was forbidden to see my children under any circumstances.

“For his encouragement I could tell him that I had received a letter from the brothers in Sachsenhausen who had heard of our lot. Brother Ernst Seliger wrote that after the camp had quieted down at night several hundred brothers from various nations would bow their knees to Jehovah and make mention of us in their prayers. Then my son was taken by force to East Prussia to the military group to which he was assigned. In the icy cold they took away his clothes and laid his uniform down in front of him, but he refused to put it on. It was two days before he got something warm to eat. But he remained firm.

“In Hamburg we had bidden each other farewell. He told me he would be going the way of his father. Some seven months later, after his papers had been falsified to make him appear to be older, he actually was beheaded, without ever having had a trial. According to law, he was still underage and under juvenile jurisdiction.

“A Süderbrarup policeman visited me and read me the police report from East Prussia. I myself was given nothing at all. Although I had not really counted on my boy having to go through what his father had,  since he was so young and the end of the war was so near, yet despite the great pain I felt, I offered a prayer of thanksgiving to Jehovah. I could now say: ‘Thank you, Jehovah, that he has fallen on the battlefield for you.’

“Then came the upheaval of 1945. Joyfully I welcomed my three remaining children back into my arms. The two youngest ones had been taken out of the juvenile home and had been living with a labor office director for the last three years, where they were to be reared in the sense of National Socialism. I was permitted to visit them only once every fourteen months and to speak to them for several hours, but always with someone else present. Despite this, my two girls were once able to whisper to me that they had a little testament which they kept carefully hidden. When they were alone one of them would listen at the door to make sure no one was coming and the other would read several verses. How happy I was!

“Now in 1945 the faithful brothers began returning from their imprisonment. In Flensburg a ship arrived with many brothers and sisters mainly from the East. At that time a period of intense activity began. There it was that I became acquainted with my present husband, Brother Josef Scharner. He, too, had been robbed of nine years of freedom. Truly, both of us had gone through difficult times and both of us had the same desire to spend our last remaining years in serving Jehovah with all our strength.”

MAKING DISCIPLES EVEN IN A DEATH CELL

That it would be possible to make disciples even in the death cells sounds hard to believe, but Brother Massors reports such an experience in a letter to his wife dated September 3, 1943:

“During 1928/30/32 I pioneered in Prague. Lectures were delivered and the city was covered with literature. At that time I met a political lecturer from the government named Anton Rinker. I talked to him a long time. He accepted a Bible and several books but explained that he had no time to study such things, since he must look after his family and make a living. He said, however, that his relatives were all very religiously inclined, although they did not go to church.

“It must have been in 1940/41 when a new partner was sent into my cell, as was often the case. He was very depressed, but everyone is at first. Only at the time when the cell door flies shut behind him does a person suddenly realize where he is. ‘My name is Anton Rinker and I am from Prague,’ my new cellmate told me. I recognized him at once and said: ‘Anton, yes,  Anton, do you not know me?’ ‘Yes, you do look familiar, but . . .’ It took only a little while for him to remember that I had been at his place in 1930/32 and that he had taken a Bible and several books from me at the time. ‘What!’ said Anton, ‘you are here because of your faith? That I cannot understand; none of the ministers do anything like that. What do you believe actually?’ He was to find out.

“‘But why don’t the clergy tell us these things?’ was his question. ‘This is the truth. Now I know why I had to come to this prison. I must say, dear Franz, that before I entered this cell I prayed to God that he might send me to a believing person, otherwise I was thinking of committing suicide. . . .’

“Weeks and months passed. Then Anton told me: ‘Before I leave this world, may God help my wife and my children find the truth, so that I can leave in peace.’ . . . One day he received a letter from his wife in which she wrote:

“‘ . . . How happy we would be if only you could read the Bible and books that you bought from that German man years ago. Everything has turned out just as the books said. This is the truth for which we never had time.’”

[Picture on page 171]

Courtyard at entrance to Mauthausen concentration camp, with group of naked entrants