“”It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial support for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to this hour there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and beheve upon Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God for man’s good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we receive no support from Jews and that therefore the charges against us are maliciously false and could proceed only from Satan, our great enemy. “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 apphes 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.’”
Årsboken 1934, sida 134

Notera i texten vad som sägs om judarna. Man menar att det är judarna som har byggt upp och fullföljt “Big Business” som ett sätt att utnyttja och förtrycka människor i många länder. Kopplingen mellan judarna och “Big Business” är viktig att hålla i åtanke i de efterföljande sidorna.

“Empire and America the common people have suffered and are now suffering greatly because of the misrule of Big Business and conscienceless politicians, which misrule has been and is supported by political religionists, and hence the writers of our books or literature have endeavored to employ plain language to convey to the people the proper thought or understanding. The language used, however, is not as strong or emphatic as that used by Jesus Christ in denouncing the oppressors and false teachers of his time. “The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence m the political affairs of the nation. Such is exactly our potation; and we further state in our literature the reason for the existence of oppressive Big Business and the wrongful political religious influence, because the Holy Scriptures plainly declare that these oppressive”
Årsboken 1934, sida 135

Vakttornet talar om lidande under “Big Business”. Man konstaterar att Tysklands regering (under Hitler) har gjort deklarationer mot “Big Business” och påstår att detta är också Vakttornets inställning.

“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.”
Årsboken 1934, sida 136

Vakttornet påstår att man står fullt och fast för Hitler-regeringens principer.

“A careful examinatmn 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 at..” (fortsätter på nästa sida!)
Årsboken 1934, sida 137

Organisationen fortsätter sina positiva uttalanden om Hitler-regeringen.

“tained by all persons who love righteousness and who obey the Most High. Instead, therefore, of our literature and our work’s being a menace to the principles of the present government we are the strongest supporters of such high ideals. For this reason Satan, the enemy of all men who desire righteousness, has sought to misrepresent our work and prevent us from carrying it on in this land. “For many years our organization has put forth an unselfish and persistent effort to do good to the people. Our American brethren have greatly assisted in the work in Germany, and with money freely contributed, and that at a time when all Germany was in dire distress. Now because it appears that Germany may soon be free from oppression and that the people may be lifted up, Satan, the great enemy, puts forth his endeavors to destroy that benevolent work in this land.”
Årsboken 1934, sida 138

Vakttornet utropar att snart kan Tyskland komma att bli fria från förtryck. Förtryckarna har utpekats som England, USA och “Big Business”, judarna. Sammanfattningsvis, associationen mellan Vakttornet och Hitler-tyskland är belagd med dessa sidor. Organisationen stod inte upp MOT Tyskland inför det andra världskriget. Tvärtom.

President Rutherford’s brev till Hitler-regimen
President Rutherford reste till Tyskland i början av 1930-talet för att försöka ordna så att sällskapets fastigheter som regimen konfiskerat kunde återföras till organisationen. Presidenten skickade ett brev till regeringen i Tyskland i vilket han hyllade regimen och Tyskland och i vilket han gick till ny attack mot judarna:

“The Brooklyn headquarters of the Watchtower Society is pro German in an exemplary way and has been so for many years. For that reason, in 1918, the President of the Society and seven members of the board of directors were sentenced to 80 years in prison, because the president refused to use two of the magazines published in America under his direction for war propaganda against Germany. These two magazines…were the only magazines in America which refused to engage in anti-German propaganda… that the Bible Researchers of Germany are fighting for the very same high ethical goals and ideals which also the national Government of the German Reich proclaimed respecting the relationship of humans to God… the contents of the books which were criticized only refers to the situation and actions within the Anglo-American world power–especially England–which is responsible for the League of Nations and it contracts and burdens imposed upon Germany. What is written in our literature–no matter whether from a financial or political point of view–is only directed towards the suppressors of the German people and their country, but by no means refers to Germany itself, which is trying hard to fight against the imposed burdens… 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. The party as such represents the viewpoint of positive Christianity without being attached to any particular denomination. It fights against the Jewish-materialistic spirit inside and outside of us and is convinced that any recovery of the German people can only take place from the inside out.”
President Rutherford’s brev

Svängningen
Under 1934 inser sällskapet att regimen inte avser att falla till föga för smickret. Först då ändrar sällskapet hållning och ton och börjar öppet håna och kritisera regimen. Detta leder till enormt lidande för tusentals Jehovas vittnen. Jag tror att Rutherford’s handlande är en starkt bidragande orsak till hur regimen behandlade Jehovas vittnen. Denna slutsats stöds av sällskapets publikation “Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose”, sid 130:
“…Hitler said “These so-called “Earnest Bible Students” are trouble-makers; they disturb the harmonious life among the Germans; I consider them quacks; I do not tolerate that the German Catholics be besmirched in such a manner by this American “Judge” Rutherford…”.
1959, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, sid 130

När det gäller Jehovas vittnen, så finns många överlevare fortfarande
i livet, och de har kunnat berätta hur det var då.

Mina källor har varit:
1.Uppgifter från United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, USA.
2.Skrifter och vittnesmål från Sällskapet Vakttornet (Jehovas vittnen),
3.Filmen “Jehovas vittnen står fasta mot nazisternas förföljelse (1997),
4.Svenska regeringens skrift “Om detta må ni berätta” (1997).
5.Samtal med flera av Jehovas vittnen.

Som sagt, det är alltid svårt att veta vad som är helt sant eller inte,
men jag tror att du kan lita på det jag skrivit och det jag har kommit
fram till. Fortsätt och sök du också.

Tom

Med vänlig hälsning
Tom