Simone maria arnold liebster born 17 august 1930 was a victim of nazi persecution during world war ii as she was a jehovahs witness. The book is full of interviews of nonjehovahs witness survivors about their. Jehovahs witnesses sent to the auschwitzbirkenau death. Jehovahs witnesses summarizes the history of nazi persecution of jehovahs witnesses. Early during their development, the nazis began to suppress several christian minorities whom they felt were subversive to their goals. Seems like a pretty straightforward sentence, right. Inside story of jehovahs witnesses internet archive.
Since the witnesses refused to hail hitler or vote for any german official they were deemed unnationalistic and banned from germany. The books include articles about jehovahs witness holocaust survivors, the stories of jewish survivors and nazi soldiers who. The nongerman jehovahs witnesses suffered a considerably higher percentage of deaths than their german coreligionists. Comprised in this collection are several name lists detailing basic biographical information of polish men, women, and children of the jehovah s witness faith who were interned at auschwitz and in the case of children, kinder kz. I am writing this paper to shed light on the treatment of a group of lesser known victims of the nazi regime, the jehovahs witnesses. Although the numbers of jehovahs witnesses victims were relatively small they were huge when expressed in a proportion of their total. What happened to jehovahs witnesses during the time of the. Theres an old saying in the black community, when white folks get a cold, blacks folks catch pneumonia. What happened to jehovahs witnesses during the time of. Jehovahs witnesses aside from brief mentions, the literature on the history of auschwitz concentration camp does not take account of the jehovahs witnesses referred to in the camp records as bible researchers who were imprisoned because of their religious convictions. By eric mcmullan eric mcmullan is no longer one of jehovahs witnesses. Witnesses were uniquely sustained in the campus by the support they gave each other and by their belief that their suffering was part of their work for god. A teachers guide to the holocaustjehovahs witnesses. It is most compelling in subject matter and style, is long overdue and is the first of its kind.
Jehovahs witnesses categories of prisoners history. In 1936 some 400 jehovahs witnesses were imprisoned at sachsenhausen concentration camp. I found it quite distasteful, therefore, that jehovahs witnesses had set up an exhibition as part of the universitys holocaust memorial day on 23rd january 2002. The first section, jw life stories, tells the stories of jehovahs witnesses around the world who have lived through hardships or personal growth. An estimated 1,400 jehovahs witnesses were killed in the holocaust. Replace the persecution of jw in nazi germany section with a short summary of what was there before, with a reference using template. Posted on march 11, 2018 by dirkdeklein under history, holocaust, jehovah witnesses, world war 2 jehovah witnesses were one of the groups of people hated by the nazis and were killed by the hundreds, the numbers are unclear but are estimated to. The more recent publications are used by jehovahs witnesses for their ministry and for their own personal study to understand jehovah s witnesses doctrine. How many jehovahs witnesses were killed during the holocaust. Jehovahs witnesses were marked by purple triangular patches. View and discuss these powerful accounts of the holocaust, told by survivors, rescuers, and witnesses, selected from usc shoah foundations visual history archive. Jehovahs witnesses suffered religious persecution in nazi germany between 1933 and 1945 after refusing to perform military service, join nazi organizations. Trump consoles jehovahs witnesses on russia ban as he. An estimated 10,000 witnesseshalf of the number of members in germany during that periodwere imprisoned, including 2000 who were sent to nazi concentration camps.
Washington the united states holocaust memorial museum is deeply concerned over recent reports of harassment of jehovahs witnesses in russia and the russian justice ministrys announced intent to ban the. The role of jehovahs witnesses in the holocaust is a little known story now. Persecution and resistance of jehovahs witnesses during the naziregime. Jehovahs witnesses united states holocaust memorial museum. Founded in the united states in the 1870s, the jehovahs witnesses organization sent missionaries to germany to seek converts in the 1890s. Why were jehovahs witnesses persecuted during the holocaust. Materials relating to jehovahs witnesses in auschwitz.
Jehovahs witnesses united states holocaust memorial. Holocaust survivor israel arbeiter returns to auschwitzbirkenau with the wwii foundation duration. Monument to witness holocaust survivor unveiled in germany. The songbooks are organized into the year that the works were published, and in descending order. The conference of five thousand delegates also noted as is expressed in the declaration that the bible researchers.
Judaism is one of the 4 worlds most well known religions while jehovahs witness is far common. Consists of four books of articles, clippings, and information compiled by rob knight entitled, the history of the holocaust memorial museum in washington, d. Many of the older publications are no longer used by jehovahs witnesses. Here is last bit of the letter which actually contains rutherford praising hitler. He has also written more than 40 books and is a regular platform speaker at. Search below to view digital records and find material that you can access at our library and at the shapell center. Jehovahs witnesses in the holocaust chronology of events 19331945. March, first concentration camp, dachau, established. Jehovahs witnesses before, and during nazi germany. Even in the camps, they continued to meet, pray, and seek converts. Museum statement on jehovahs witnesses in russia united.
Also visit the edition temmen for more information. Though i wasnt in attendance that night, i am sure that is the exact statement that was read to my friends on a thursday evening in november of 2008. Persecution of jehovahs witnesses in nazi germany wikipedia. The same is true when it comes to leaving the jehovahs witness religion. Jehovahs witnesses oral history collection collections. The name jehovah does appear in some bible translations today but it hadnt been invented when the original books of the bible were written. Persecution and resistance of jehovahs witnesses during the nazi. Jehovahs witnesses in the holocaust jewish virtual library. The watchtower letter goes one step further and quotes paragraph 24 of the program of the national socialistic german party of workers, which reads we demand the freedom of all religious denominations within the state, as far as they do not endanger the state itself or violate the moral values of the german race.
Jehovahs witnesses suffered religious persecution in nazi germany between 1933 and 1945 after refusing to perform military service, join nazi organizations or give allegiance to the hitler regime. Using video testimony in the classroom deepen your students engagement with the history of the holocaust by bringing video testimony into your classroom. Holocaust survivor simone liebster testimony clip jehovah. Understanding these problems held by their followers in areas such as the resurrection of christ, the holy spirit, and false prophecies, prepares us to be more effective witnesses for christ to members of their faith. In my essay, i aim to examine the history of the organization, their emergence in prenazi germany, and their treatment during hitlers reign.
As one of jehovah witness i was so moved and touched by this book. Jehovahs witnesses were subjected to intense persecution under the nazi regime. The fundamental doctrinal issue that distinguishes. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In 1936 a special unit of the gestapo secret state police began compiling a registry of all persons believed to be jehovahs witnesses, and agents infiltrated bible study meetings. Germanys population of jehovahs witnesses, or bible researchers as they were derogatorily termed, was second in size only to that of the united states. It seems that blacks aka african americans, tend to remain in the organization much longer than their white counterparts after learning that this is. Here you will find links to published books by jehovah s witnesses.
Documents have been uncovered, however, that prove otherwise. Difference between jehovah s witness and jews categorized under religion difference between jehovah s witness and jews. About 1,500 of jehovahs witnesses died during the time of the holocaust, out of some 35,000 witnesses living in germany and nazioccupied countries. A book published in 1938, crusade against christianity, used. Unlike the jews and others persecuted and killed by virtue of their birth, jehovahs witnesses had the opportunity to escape persecution and personal harm by renouncing their religious beliefs. Read the story of simone liebster, a jehovahs witness who at the age of twelve was sent to a penitentiary school for nazi reeducation. By 1939, an estimated 6,000 witnesses including those from incorporated. Live interviews of authors of most of our holocaust books.
Zukeran provides us with a concise summary of the key doctrinal issues in the beliefs taught by jehovahs witnesses. Some notable stories include witnesses who survived the holocaust and persecution from the nazis. Bruno bettelheim continue meeting illegally in camps. In jehovahs witness kingdom halls church buildings only members of the 144,000 are allowed to receive communion when the lords supper is celebrated which is done infrequently. Jehovahs witnesses in the holocaust by sarah arrieta on prezi. A common example given is a baptized witness who dates a nonwitness. The holocaust the nazis didnt like anyone who opposed their religion or any christian affiliates. Interviews with holocaust survivors and victims of nazi tyranny closed. On jehovahs witnesses as told by an exjehovahs witness. The museums collections document the fate of holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more. A new exhibition in tel aviv seeks to educate israelis about this often overlooked chapter of nazi germany. An estimated 1,000 german jehovahs witnesses died or were murdered in concentration camps and prisons during the nazi era, as did 400 witnesses from other countries, including about 90 austrians and 120 dutch persons. Simone was also notable as the author of a book called facing the lion. Most scholars believe the name jehovah to be a late hybrid form derived by combining the latin letters jhvh with the vowels of adonai.
Victims of the nazi era is a booklet published by the united states holocaust memorial museum. The author spent 15 years as a fulltime worker and five years as a circuit overseer with oversight of several congregations of jehovahs witnesses and was imprisoned for following the witness teaching against military service. Copy the persecution of jw in nazi germany section and paste it into jehovahs witnesses and the holocaust, replacing the redirect. These books include publications by charles taze russell and joseph franklin rutherford. In addition to jews, roma and sinti, the handicapped, and other inferior groups, one of the nazi partys earliest aims was to remove jehovahs witnesses from german public life. What is the significance of the number 144,000 to jehovah. Nazi leaders targeted jehovahs witnesses because they were unwilling to. Unlike jews and romani, who were persecuted on the basis of their ethnicity, jehovahs witnesses could escape persecution and personal harm by renouncing their religious beliefs by signing a document indicating renunciation of their faith, submission to state authority. King distinguished visiting scholar of the holocaust, richard stockton college.
Jehovahs witness originated in the us in 1870s as a student movement as an off shoot of christianity whereas. Watchtower books publications of jehovahs witnesses. Sometimes kingdom halls celebrate the lords supper and no one receives communion since none of the 144,000 are present. Even before the war, jehovahs witnesses had been considered heretics by other christian denominations and individual german states sought to limit their activities. It proves that anyone who has their faith firmly and solidly based on the. Felderers interest in the subject had been aroused during his years as a researcher for the jehovahs witness publication awake. Summarizes the history of nazi persecution of jehovahs witnesses. Persecution, deportation, and murder, 19331945 kindle edition by michel reynaud, sylvie graffard, michael berenbaum, james a. How to witness to a jehovahs witness, read more about spiritual life growth, christian living, and faith. Most of the stories mention that victims in the auschwitz death camp included gypsies, homosexuals, political prisoners, and jehovahs witnesses. All content tagged jehovahs witnesses content types all. I used to think it was simply because they refused to believe and follow along with nazi procedure, however, i found a website with an old letter written by rutherford to hitler.
Jehovahs witnesses endured intense persecution under the nazi regime. Monument to witness holocaust survivor unveiled in germany selters, germanya monument honoring the late max liebster, one of jehovahs witnesses who endured over five years of imprisonment in nazi concentration camps, was publicly dedicated on june 21, 20, in. Explains why the nazis targeted this small religious group and describes the arrest and imprisonment of thousands of witnesses unwilling to denounce their beliefs and capitulate to nazi rule. As are witnesses in all countries today, jehovahs witnesses living under nazi rule were neutral in political.
Jehovahs witnesses untold story of resistance to nazis. Nazi persecution of jehovahs witnesses the holocaust. Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the holocaust. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. In the concentration camps, all prisoners wore markings of various shapes and colors so that guards and camp officers could identify them by category. Here you will find links to songbooks published by jehovahs witnesses. These books are excellent additions to ones library and are particularly useful for research. The jehovahs witnesses endured intense persecution under the nazi regime, from 1933 to 1945.
Russell carl olof jonsson charles taze russell christ jesus christendom christian chronology church claim commentary press concludes daniel discreet slave divine doctrine earth earthquakes. This project investigated the fates of jehovah s witnesses from wisla and ustron in cieszyn county, poland during the holocaust. A little more than twenty years ago, i was busily engaged researching the jehovahs witnesses, preparing my d phil thesis at the university of sussex. Simply click on a link to viewdownload a publication. I have a keen interest in history and the holocaust. Memoirs of a young girl in nazi europe facing the lion is the autobiographical account of a young girls faith and courage. Postwar group of jehovahs witness prisoners held in niederhagenwewelsburg camp camp uniform with purple triangle on display at the united states holocaust memorial museum, washington, d. Jehovahs witnesses say they are the only true christians, but they are neither protestant nor catholic. I first came across this book in the bookstore at the washington dc holocaust.
Before deciding if you should be a jehovahs witness or not, heres what you need to know about joining about any socially isolated religious group that encourages members to. Since the end of world war ii, leaders of the jehovahs witness movement in both germany and elsewhere have steadfastly argued that witnesses were united in their opposition to nazism and did not collude with the third reich. For example, the news article here has this statement. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the jehovahs witnesses. Ive been reading the news about the football players on european teams going to visit the auschwitzbirkenau death camp. April 1, all religious literature printed by jehovahs witnesses is banned from circulation in germany.
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