Interesting bit of JW World War II Trivia.

by Athanasius 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  Athanasius

  During World War II when the Nazis occupied a large section of the western part of the USSR, Heinrich Himmler considered various methods to help control the indigenous population. Alexander Dallin reports in his book GERMAN RULE IN RUSSIA 1941-1945—A Study of Occupation Policies, page 616:

  “Himmler conceded that the Easterners needed some general system of values, but it was madness to spread Nazism among them, and to revive the orthodox or to promote the Catholic Church in the East was dangerous. He believed the solution consisted in cultivating those religious sects which preached non-violence. Thus he would spread Buddhism 'among all Turkic peoples'--i.e. Moslems! Among the Christian Slavs, he would promote the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses [Bibelforscher], whose members within Germany had been confined in Nazi concentration camps. They would be suitable because, he believed, they were pacifist, 'anti-Catholic' farm hands who neither drank nor smoked. Hence—in July 1944—he urged Kaltenbrunner to start screening the inmates of German concentration camps to find suitable 'bible students!'”

  Unfortunately for Himmler, by late 1944 the German Army had been evicted from Russia and the Red Army had invaded Germany. So his JW missionary plan probably came to nothing.

  Surprisingly the Watchtower has never mentioned Himmler's possible use of the JWs to help subjugate the Russian people. Though in view of the poor relationship between the present Russian government and the Watchtower, I'm sure the JW Governing Body would prefer that the book be closed.
  

  
  
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  Bobcat

  The WT is very brief in what they say about WWII probably because they maintain a narrative that puts them as foreknowing all that was going to happen, For example, see this relatively brief thread for some less than savory WT history about WWII. They actually counseled the US and Britain not to resist the Axis because the Axis powers were destined to win the war.

  The Society (at more recent convention talks) maintains that they knew all along that the Axis would lose. The "faithful slave" was on the ball, so-to-speak. I can see them not wanting the R&F exploring all the details.
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  Phizzy

  " I can see them not wanting the R&F exploring all the details."

  Especially if they were to find a copy of Rutherford's letters to Hitler where he assures him they are not a threat, but the Jews are ! Carrying on a blatant Antisemitic trope. And if the JW's then find out the truth about how the poor Bible Students who had bravely stood up against the Nazis and gone to Concentration Camps felt about Rutherford's actions.

  They felt Rutherford had betrayed them, and betrayed what they stood for, being "no part of the World". And so a large number left the Watchtower Org in disgust and loathing, but J.W's were told in the JW Org publications the huge LIE that these Brothers and Sisters left because of " Materialism" !!!!

  Oh yes, there is a lot the JW Org do not want their adherents to find out !
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  Bobcat

  Hi Phizzy,

  That was interesting. That was one aspect I had never heard before.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I’ve always wondered why they were still using the ‘Bible Student’ name in the 40’s. The name JW was adopted in 1931, at least in the US. Is it because of the legal name IBSA, or is there another reason?
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  slimboyfat

  I have read the same anecdote about Himmler floating the idea of “pacifist” JW settlers in the east in other sources. I think it might even be mentioned in pro JW sources, but I don’t have references to show that.

  I don’t recall reading about many German JWs leaving because they felt betrayed by Rutherford. It’s plausible that some would have felt this way. I would be interested to read about that. I’ve certainly heard the Watchtower idea that some brothers who endured the concentration camps later left because of “materialism”.

  There has been a suggestion that JWs in Germany avoided using the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” because the name Jehovah, as the Old Testament name for God, might make the Nazis think they were a Jewish group. I don’t know about that. There were probably other factors involved. We should remember that Bible Students/Jehovah’s Witnesses were particularly strong in Germany, which had the most members of any country outside the United States. Bible Students in Europe had a greater degree of autonomy than in the United States (they edited their own magazines and organised their own meetings) and were perhaps slower to switch names for that reason. In the United States the main reason for the new name Jehovah’s Witnesses was to differentiate the Watchtower group from other Bible Student groups. These rival Bible Student groups were not as numerous or strong in Germany so perhaps there was less need to promote the new name. In time the organisation became progressively uniform in Germany and the rest of the world so there are no longer such differences between Jehovah’s Witnesses in different parts of the world.
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  waton

  I think that himmler idea was a brainstorming theory only.

  German, Nordic settlers would have been under constant threat from the vengeful.and strong slavs. Pacifist Bibelforscher , unarmed bible nerds not strong burgs build.
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  carla

  I have showed my jw the letters and such, didn't make a hill of beans, just a bunch of apostate crap...... sigh. Actually wrote to museums etc... and did not come from apostate sites. Didn't matter one bit.
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  carla

  Just had to add that he was not brought up jw and came to it later in life so his experience and what they tell him may be different than a long time jw or born in with previous generations (real generations) may know. Somehow he often does not seem to get the memo.....