At June 24, the former editor of "Bergens Tidende", the main newspaper of Bergen, Norway, wrote an article about JW versus Nazi-Germany. Obviously, he has recently seen one of the videos from WTS about the issue. The article stated that JW was the only church that raised their voice in protest against the "Crystal Night" in 1938, when the nazis ravaged Jewish synagoges, shops and homes and sent thousands of Jews to consentration camps. I don't remember this beging claimed before. Is it correct?
Need help: JW and Crystal Night 1938
by Atreyu 16 Replies latest social current
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SixofNine
I'm going straight to hell for saying this , but JW's have traditionally been against any type of prom or extracuricular activity.
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dungbeetle
I can tell you that the 1937 yearbook only complains about Germany's treatment of JW's.
It did mention, however, the letter sent to Hitler by JW's from around the world. It did NOT mention, however:
1) the letter infuriated Hitler so much he set out to kill JW's (by their own admission they had only been arrested before) and this letter resulted in the death of 1000 JW's.
2) it's contents. "Stop persecuting JW's, or God will kill you and your Nazi Party". Of course, God did NEITHER...
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dungbeetle
perhaps this is what the article is referring to:
http://www.jw-russia.org/eng/history/holocaust%20may97wrobel-E.htm
JOHANNES WROBEL (Germany)
How the Watchtower History Archive in Germany
Benefits Holocaust Research<Researchers are aware that the history of Jehovah's Witnesses under the Nazi regime is intertwined with the Jewish experience of the Holocaust. A Jew who survived the Buchenwald camp said about the Bibelforscher: "They were very helpful to other prisoners. When the pogrom sent a massive influx of Jews to the camp on November 10, 1938, the 'Jehovah's schwein', as the guards referred to them, went round with a bread ration for the elderly and famished Jews, going without food themselves for up to four days.">
I especially like this part:
<Naturally we have on file much private, unpublished material from survivors, such as oral history reports, documents, and photographs. Although the Watchtower History Archive is not a public archive, Holocaust researchers and educators will greatly benefit from our work. We are pleased to answer questions and fulfill requests from Memorial Museums and researchers from all over the world, and to share the results of our research with others.>
Yes indeed, researchers are welcome to only those parts of our research that presents us in a good light. Bwahahahahaha
Edited by - dungbeetle on 2 July 2002 13:8:39
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dungbeetle
http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v06/v06p183_Weckert.html
things that make you go hmmmmm
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dungbeetle
On the 99 Watchtower cd rom, Watchtower makes no claims regarding their defense of anyone against the Germans. Here is what they do say:
<Several panels highlighted the indoctrination of the young in the Hitler Youth and the fascination that the huge Nazi rallies in Nuremberg held for the masses. Photos called to mind Jehovahs Witnesses refusal to pledge allegiance to the fhrer and to give the Hitler salute. Other panels showed how Jehovahs Witnesses were the victims of disinformation and how, as of 1935, they distributed magazines and tracts exposing Nazi excesses.>
Of course they did....excesses against the WATCHTOWER.
Hm, that famous letter of 1933 gets no mention by watchtower, wonder why?
awake! 9/8/90
<But even in those early years, there was an ugly side to the Nazi regime. One morning in November 1938, I saw a Jewish synagogue in flames. Strangely, there were firemen standing around, but they didnt move a finger to put out the fire. That same day the main shopping mall was covered with broken glass. Jewish shops had been plundered and vandalized during what later came to be called Kristallnacht (Crystal Night). These acts had been organized by the SS as "spontaneous demonstrations" of popular protest against the Jews. Hatred of the Jews was preached everywhere.>
The interesting thing about this Awake expereince, is that here we have a now-JW-friendly personal eyewitness, who saw or knew nothing of JW being helpful to anyone at that time. You would think by 1990 he could remember something if there was something to remember.
AWAKE 10/8/84
<"Historians of the Third Reich may perhaps have exaggerated the extent of the German Churches resistance to the National Socialist regime, but few have mentioned the martyrdom of the 5,911 Jehovahs Witnesses arrested by the Nazis. More than two thousand perished in concentration camps."
After describing life at the Buchenwald camp where 2,250 Jews were prisoners, the book states that there were "300-400 Jehovahs Witnesses" there "who were particularly helpful to the Jews and even shared their bread rations with them.">
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Atreyu
Thanks, dungbeetle, for refreshing my memory. I think that you are absolutely correct.
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Atreyu
I watched the "Stand Firm" video again.
The video stated that Rutherford held his radio broadcasted speech
"Fascism and Freedom" at October 2, 1938. Rutherford was quoted on a
few passages where he critizises the nazi prosecution of jews.
Just after this, the video tells us about the Crystal Night, which
took place at November 10, 1938. Even if everything is correct, the
occasional viewer may get the impression that Rutheford and JW were
very active in their critizism against the persecution of jews.
And the newspaper editor I told you about really got this impression.
Seems like manipulation to me.
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Nathan Natas
I'm sure you're already aware of the 1934 YEARBOOK, but just in case:
1934 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 134
"The greatest and the most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire. By that is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-American empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact particularly applies to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of Big Business. This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb concerning the city of New York which says: The Jews own it, the Irish Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills."
1934 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 135
"The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in the political affairs of the nations. Such is exactly our position."
1934 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 136
"Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these principles and will give to the people peace and prosperity and the greatest desire of every honest heart."
1934 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 137
"A careful examination of our books and literature will disclose the fact that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national government are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our publications and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high ideals in due time will be attained by all persons who love righteousness..."
1934 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 138
"Let us remind the government and the people of Germany, that it was the League of Nations compact that laid upon the shoulders of the German people the great unjust and unbearable burdens. That the League of Nations compact was not brought forth by the friends of Germany."
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Kenneson
One of my favorite articles on the topic is enitled "The Watchtower's Nazis Conflicts: A History of Watchtower Cowardliness and Witness Preservance" by Jerry Bergman, Ph.D. It covers the suffering that Jws endured under the Nazis, the inconsistences on the number who died in the camps, the betrayal within the German Watchtower leadership and the compromise to the Nazis made by Watchtower leaders.