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Paying witnesses delight athlete
Selters. Germany of cities and communities
The sports hall through the purchase of a plot of land financed the neighbors of the "stone rock" have: on 30 acres bases have lived there since 1979 in the Germany-headquarters of the Wachtturm-company of 1200 witnesses Jehovas out of 37 countries. In a modern pressure center, they produce annually 200 million writings in 61 languages, under that also its headquarters agency of "the Wachtturm".
In Selters, one hears hardly critical sounds over the inhabitants of the little village between Niederselters and iron stream whose immobile value is estimated to be more than 100 million Euros.
Also the mayor going into the 18th office year Norbert Zabel (Christian Democratic Union), that for the repeated time a business with the witnesses Jehovas engineered has, appears satisfied over the previous relations. But it does not place also clearly that its community gets given nothing: "that come simply once past and contribute a couple hundred thousand. Businesses make have that only, if it also an advantage therefrom."
At the beginning, a speculation object stood
The story began middle of the '70er's: on the stone rock, a contractor erected out of Selters of three blocks with Appartement-dwellings. In this, ladies of the oldest business of the world should take in. Yet the speculation dreams zer burst, was end of the '70er's the entrepreneur broke. The large community established first a few year earlier in the course the Hessian zone reform Selters had the houses at the neck.
To the same time, the domicile of the Wachtturm-company burst in out of all seams. And so dispatched in the city hall in Niederselters and declared stood one day its intention, the new "Bethel" how they name its arrangement to erect on the "stone rock".
Zabels predecessor Josef Wältermann (Christian Democratic Union) struck "thoroughly two heart in the breast" when he clarified before the community parliament: on the one hand the community would be happy to have the investment ruins of the neck, on the other hand ready it the thought at the neighborhood of several hundred witnesses Jehovas Bauchgrimmen.
Yet one became united and above all the promise, "no longer as that until measure usual there missionieren" calmed himself the minds. And because it had become in the city hall in Niederselters very narrow, there were to the purchase contract two pavilions for the administration in addition.
End of the '70er's thousands of witnesses Jehovas streamed then out of entirely Europe after Selters, sacrificed its year vacation, constructed the existing buildings over, lifted new building and planted 40,000 trees and shrubs.
In this manner a modern cloister that furnishes itself almost even emerged. In addition belong and physician practices just as as a characteristic farm to car workshops, Tischlerei and pole stereos, canteen and barber drawing-room, Schuhmacherei. "Wachtturmhof" large the 65 acres lies removes and delivers two kilometers breakfast eggs as well as pork and beef for the canteen.
The farmer family receives (in free food and Logis) only a pockets money for its work. How also the 1200 firm colleagues live "", that in that in 40-quadratmeter-appartements 40-quadratmeter-appartements square meter 40-quadratmeter-appartements 40-quadratmeter-appartements alone or with spouse. Children do not live there, "becomes a woman pregnant, must it the center leave".
Million for the development plan
One planned beginning of the nineties an enlargement of the unit around 17,000 square meters area. For after the revolutionary political variations should follow from Germany out of the central literature delivery for most neighboring countries as well as the largest part of the former Eastern bloc.
The community Selters let pay itself its approval to the expansion of the development plan with four million marks. Mayor Zabel in the Einbringung of the household: ?it a fair business is, to involve the Wachtturm-company in the climbed costs for water supply and road construction".
And also the fire department was happy, for a large trick leader recovered it, finally had emerged on that ?stone rock" the first "high-rises" in the community.
At new year's eve is on that ?stone rock" all dark
In the life of the community, the witnesses Jehovas play no role. One sees chosen are it once in the supermarket, where it at the cashiers, for also in the longest queues, they remain friendly. In the remaining drawers and taverns, they appear rarely and it be involved in the Catholic stamped Selters neither in the marksman festival, yet at the Erntedank, commit celebrate neither Christmas nor easter and also the new year's eve day it not. Norbert Zabel: ?there one sees rockets out of all place steep high path and one hears the people shout himself. And if one looks then to the Wachtturm-company, one finds there a large quiet and quiet."
In Germany, the witnesses Jehovas count about 170,000 followers, had confirmed Werner Rudtke, speaker of the presidency of the religion partnership, in an interview with this newspaper. On the question, what it would hold of the reproaches, let the witnesses Jehovas be a disputed sect, said Rudtke: ?we can live were therewith, for as you know also Jesus Christ and the apostles not undisputedly especially since much was what they taught and did, rather unpopular and them also disadvantages registered."
Rudtke further: ?it is true probably that Jehovas witnesses, like also some other culture groups, which one makes no reproach, other festivals celebrate than birthdays or Christmas. It is true also that they strive to lead honorable marriages and on that considered are, to respect the sexual moral, that recommends the Bible, without that these controlled become must."
Mirror speaks about psychic pressure
While Rudkte challenged, that in any form pressure would be exercised on the members, quoted of the "mirrors" out of an internal handbook for managements and maintained, would hold together psychic pressure, a Spitzelsystem and a from file punishment catalogues that ?herd". The members of the witnesses Jehovas would have to subject themselves to severe rules and would be supervised rigorous. The handbook belays the tight supervision over the total life of the Jehova-boy.
(C) newspaper group Lahn-Dill source: because castle daily paper, January 2004 www.mittelhessen.de