Deny the Faith or Die

When World War II began in 1939, we experienced the hardest test. It was demanded that we sign a declaration stating that we had renounced our faith and were willing to name persons who were actively advocating teachings of the Bible Students. If we signed, we were to be released. Any Witness refusing to sign was to be shot.

Time and again this threat was used. The command would be given: “Bible Students, to the gate!” We would stand there​—skinny, in tattered clothing. On the towers were armed guards. The camp commander would repeat his threat that all those who refused to sign would be put to death. Total silence. No one volunteered.

On one occasion, two Witnesses who had previously signed the document stepped forward, stating that they wished to cancel their signatures! They preferred to die with their brothers. There was astonishment, and even anxiety, on the part of the otherwise hardened SS. At first, there was no abuse, no threatening, only the command: “Dismissed! Do not report for work.” Two hours later, the words rang out again: “Bible Students, to the gate!” This cat-and-mouse process continued for three days.

Loud enough for us to hear, the SS would discuss how we were to be lined up and shot. We even heard one of the commanders say: “The best thing for us to do is to stand around them and shoot at them from all sides.” But that this was simply a ploy to break our morale became clear when we again had to appear on the parade grounds.

Camp commander Huttig began his speech with the unflattering words: “You scoundrels, you pigs . . .” But what were we hearing? Not the usual threats of death, but: “The Führer is much too good to you. The execution of your sentences has been postponed until the victory.” Deep gratitude to Jehovah welled up within us, despite the fact that Huttig screamed: “But remember . . . forbearance is not acquittal.” The enemy had lost.

Another Victory

Even though conditions became more bearable the following year, many hardships still lay ahead. During one bitterly cold winter, we were told to donate clothing to the German troops in the East. When we refused to support the war effort in this way, we were stripped of our gloves, our earmuffs, and our undershirts. Our leather shoes were also confiscated. Instead we were given wooden clogs, called Dutchmen. Despite the lack of clothing, we were forced to go out to work, even at temperatures of 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15° C.).

One day it was declared that the Bible Students would be denied all medical aid in the camp infirmary. We were, therefore, forced to support one another all the more, helping and caring for and lovingly ‘dragging along’ sick ones, so to speak. (Galatians 6:2) This measure, which was intended to break us, actually had the opposite effect. Yes, we even began to discern the hand of our God in this matter!

Since we cared for the sick and the weak with Christian love, we had no deaths. On the other hand, many of the inmates that were treated in the camp infirmary died. Naturally, the God-estranged SS men, having become inhuman, could not comprehend what love could accomplish. After some time, on seeing that all of us would still report for roll call, one SS doctor shook his head in disbelief and said: “A medical wonder.”

Tests of Integrity in Buchenwald

My imprisonment in Buchenwald lasted for nearly eight years. This was supposed to be where I would end my life​—at least devilish-minded men thought so. The German SS guards repeatedly told us: “You won’t get out of here alive.” I was forced to work from four o’clock in the morning until sundown, despite having little to eat. But thanks to Jehovah God, toward whom I wanted to maintain my integrity, I was able to keep going.

During such hard times, spiritual food was very important. How did we get it in the concentration camp? From time to time, more Jehovah’s Witnesses were brought to Buchenwald. They were brought not only from Germany but also from Holland, Belgium, and France. Whatever they remembered from what they had read in recent issues of The Watchtower was written down and, by our secret means of distribution, passed on to fellow Witnesses. Thus we received the spiritual nourishment that we so desperately needed in order to keep our integrity.

However, our supply of spiritual food did not remain a secret, although the guards did not succeed in finding out how we received it. One day we were given the following ultimatum: If all printed matter is not turned in by tomorrow at 12 o’clock, every second man will be shot. In a concentration camp, that was not always an idle threat!