THE ORGANIZATION IS BANNED

In mid-October 1939, about six weeks after the beginning of the war, the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses was banned in France. But Brother Knecht had foreseen this possibility and had warned the brothers. So most of the congregations had time to disperse their stocks of literature to various safer locations, even as had been done just prior to the seizure of the Society’s Paris office. The Bethel home in Enghien-les-Bains was also searched, but Brother Knecht already had removed the stencils with the addresses of all the Watchtower and Consolation subscribers, as well as all other important files.

By this time, Brother Knecht was seriously ill with pneumonia. The last letter he sent to all French congregations as overseer of the work in France was dated October 24, 1939. It read:

“Dear Brothers,

“This is to inform you that by order of the Ministry of the Interior, the Association ‘La Tour de Garde’ and the Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France are no longer authorized to exercise their activity, and that as a result the Watch Tower office situated 129 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière in Paris has been closed and the premises must be vacated.

“We will do all we can to defend our cause and our work and to justify the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses, particularly because of the present tendency to consider us as communists.

“Henceforth, these two associations no longer exist. From now on, each witness of Jehovah must carry his own responsibility before God and men. You will undoubtedly be encouraged and comforted by the fact that this persecution has come in accordance with the Lord’s words at Matthew 24:9, which must be fulfilled before all the events foretold in Bible prophecy come to pass.

“Brothers, be of good courage.

“With our warm greetings and with Isaiah 43:12; 2 Chronicles 20:15 and Matthew 10:28.

[Signed] Charles Knecht”

THE “PHONY WAR” PERIOD

During these early months of the war, from September 1939 to May 1940, little military activity was going on between the French and the Germans. It was the period called the “Phony War,” the beginning of a time of real tests for the brothers. Many, especially in northern France, and also in Alsace, were put in prison.

Louis Piéchota, who after the war served as a circuit and district servant, along with five other brothers, was arrested. They were held in prison for 24 days. As this was just before Brother Knecht fell ill, he visited these brothers in Dieppe prison. Brother Piéchota writes: “He exhorted us to endure like the apostle Paul. He had tears in his eyes when he left us, and we too.”

During those early years of the war there were numerous examples of Jehovah’s protection. Brother Georges Dellemme, congregation servant in Wattrelos, a town on the Franco-Belgian frontier, relates:

“One day I was stopped by a Customs Officer who searched me very thoroughly. He found a ‘Watchtower’ in my pocket and said: ‘And this, what is it?’

“I replied: ‘It’s a “Watchtower” magazine.’ I held the magazine in my hand with my arms raised while he continued to search me. When he stooped to search my shoes, I put ‘The Watchtower’ back in my pocket.

“When he stood up he said: ‘All right, you can go.’ What a surprise! Voluntarily or involuntarily he had forgotten the banned magazine.”

The assignment of Brothers Zutter and Gabler was to do what they could to protect the Society’s property in Paris. There were the record-manufacturing workshop, containing some expensive equipment, the Paris office at the rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, and the Bethel home in Enghien-les-Bains. The Paris office building had been rented, so there was no real problem there. And the Bethel home in Enghien had wisely been placed in the name of Hugo Riemer, an American citizen, so it was safeguarded and continued to be used by the brothers throughout the war.

In the end, the only property seized by the authorities was a small automobile and some household furniture.