• Switzerland and Liechtenstein
    1987 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • NEW BETHEL NEEDS ADDITION

      After only a few years of activity in our new Bethel building, it became evident that we needed more space because of the increase in production. We now printed magazines in six languages, with a peak output of 31 million in 1975. Because the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses had been legally recognized in Spain in 1970, the publishers required great quantities of Spanish magazines as they engaged more and more in the regular features of field service. It was our privilege to keep them supplied. The same was true for Portugal when the work received official recognition in December 1974. Already we had been printing magazines in French, German, English, and Italian. From 1981 onward, Greek and Turkish were added to the list, bringing the total to 15 editions per month in eight languages. Later on, the quarterly edition of the Turkish Awake! was added.

      “All of this required space,” explains Lars Johansson, presently factory overseer. “So we saw fit to use a section of the garden in order to add a building to our Bethel complex. It was to comprise a large storage room for paper and ample space for a better equipped Shipping Department. We also envisaged the need for more living quarters, so the new structure was to provide rooms for 12 more persons.” In February 1978 this addition was dedicated.

      NEW PRINTING METHODS INTRODUCED

      The apostle Paul’s statement that “the scene of this world is changing” is certainly true of the old system of things on this earth, but it might also be applied with respect to printing methods! (1 Cor. 7:31) We had heard of the modern methods introduced in the Society’s printeries in the United States and elsewhere in order to keep pace with worldwide developments, and we wondered when it would be our turn.

      Well, preparations began in the winter of 1980-81. Step-by-step a new Graphics Department was set up in the additional Bethel structure. First, Our Kingdom Ministry was produced in four languages by phototypesetting, and in July we started printing the Greek editions of The Watchtower and Awake! on our newly acquired flatbed offset press.

      This was followed by the arrival of the first converted rotary offset press from Brooklyn in June 1982. To make room for it, our “old battleship” rotary press bought in 1924 was dismantled and scrapped. It had printed untold millions of magazines during its 58 years in operation!

      Then we got news from Brooklyn that a second converted rotary offset press was allotted to the branch in Switzerland. How glad we were that at the construction of our branch in Thun the floor of the factory had been so solidly made! This press arrived in December 1983. Our factory was now well equipped to produce magazines in eight languages for distribution or personal use by our brothers in nearly 100 different countries.