Fighting for Legal Rights

As the preaching work became more extensive, it was not unusual for the brothers to be summoned to appear before local authorities on account of their preaching activities. As far as they were capable of doing so, they defended themselves. In some cases they were given legal aid. But the legal steps did not always turn out in their favor.

However, it proved far more difficult to get the local branch of the Watch Tower Society registered than to avert sentences. Legal recognition as an organized religion was simply not possible yet. The brothers tried at least to get registered as an association, but the public authorities objected, arguing: ‘Your intention is to form a religious organization, and an organization of that type cannot be constituted under Austrian law.’

The brothers filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court, complaining that they were being denied their legal right to form an association. The immediate reaction of the members of the Austrian Constitutional Court was the dismissal of the appeal on December 7, 1929. Next, the brothers tried to register an association for distributing Bibles and Bible literature, without any involvement in religious functions. This application was not refused. So, on May 24, 1930, a local association was formed to serve as a legal instrument for the brothers.

Marked curtailments of civil liberties occurred during the term of office of Dr. Dollfuss. Cleverly taking advantage of an emergency situation in 1933, he dissolved the Parliament. Then, holding all the political strings in his hand, he established what he called “The First Catholic Model Government of Europe.” Clerical circles described Dollfuss as the ideal Catholic statesman.

Under these circumstances, would it be a surprise if attempts were made to prohibit our Christian meetings? Such a prohibition was soon put into effect in Graz, where hundreds of persons were attending our meetings. The brothers were not intimidated. They immediately filed an appeal, which had to be allowed because there was no infraction of law on the part of our brothers. However, the public authorities withdrew the permits of residence from some pioneers and thus forced them to leave town. Nearly every week there were false accusations against the brothers.