Vakttornet i nazismens Tyskland
Artikeln uppdaterad: 2005-01-10
Ansvar och argument
Att tillgripa "association med nazism" är ofta ett orättvist slag under
bältet i debatter. Den som anför sådana argument har långtgående ansvar i
att belägga dem. Denna artikel syftar till att visa vilka åsikter, om
nazismens Tyskland, som Vakttornet tryckte i årsboken 1934. I årsboken 1974
och i en artikel i Vakna! under 1998 försöker organisationen förklara det
som hade tryckts 1934. Läs de aktuella sidorna och gör din egen bedömning.
Årsboken 1934 - antisemitism och politiska ställningstaganden
I sidorna 134 till och med 138 gör organisationen anmärkningsvärt
kraftfulla uttalanden mot judar, mot England och mot USA. Läs citaten här
nedan och klicka på länkarna för att se sidorna.
""It is falsely charged by our enemies that we have received financial
support for our work from the Jews. Nothing is farther from the truth. Up to
this hour there never has been the slightest bit of money contributed to our
work by Jews. We are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus and beheve upon
Him as the Savior of the world, whereas the Jews entirely reject Jesus
Christ and emphatically deny that he is the Savior of the world sent of God
for man’s good. This of itself should be sufficient proof to show that we
receive no support from Jews and that therefore the charges against us are
maliciously false and could proceed only from Satan, our great enemy. "The
greatest and the most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American
empire. By that is meant the British Empire, of which the United States of
America forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the
British-American empire that have built up and carried on Big Business as a
means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations. This fact
particularly apphes to the cities of London and New York, the stronghold of
Big Business. This fact is so manifest in America that there is a proverb
concerning the city of New York which says: ’The Jews own it, the Irish
Catholics rule it, and the Americans pay the bills.’"
Årsboken 1934, sida 134
Notera i texten vad som sägs om judarna. Man menar att det är judarna som
har byggt upp och fullföljt "Big Business" som ett sätt att utnyttja och
förtrycka människor i många länder. Kopplingen mellan judarna och "Big
Business" är viktig att hålla i åtanke i de efterföljande sidorna.
"Empire and America the common people have suffered and are now suffering
greatly because of the misrule of Big Business and conscienceless
politicians, which misrule has been and is supported by political
religionists, and hence the writers of our books or literature have
endeavored to employ plain language to convey to the people the proper
thought or understanding. The language used, however, is not as strong or
emphatic as that used by Jesus Christ in denouncing the oppressors and false
teachers of his time. "The present government of Germany has declared
emphatically against Big Business oppressors and in opposition to the
wrongful religious influence m the political affairs of the nation. Such is
exactly our potation; and we further state in our literature the reason for
the existence of oppressive Big Business and the wrongful political
religious influence, because the Holy Scriptures plainly declare that these
oppressive"
Årsboken 1934, sida 135
Vakttornet talar om lidande under "Big Business". Man konstaterar att
Tysklands regering (under Hitler) har gjort deklarationer mot "Big Business"
och påstår att detta är också Vakttornets inställning.
"Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of
Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah
God through Christ Jesus will bring about the full realization of these
principles and will give to the people peace and prosperity and
the greatest desire of every honest heart."
Årsboken 1934, sida 136
Vakttornet påstår att man står fullt och fast för Hitler-regeringens
principer.
"A careful examinatmn of our books and literature will disclose the fact
that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national
government are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our
publications, and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high
ideals in due time will be at.." (fortsätter på nästa sida!)
Årsboken 1934, sida 137
Organisationen fortsätter sina positiva uttalanden om Hitler-regeringen.
"tained by all persons who love righteousness and who obey the Most High.
Instead, therefore, of our literature and our work’s being a menace to the
principles of the present government we are the strongest supporters of such
high ideals. For this reason Satan, the enemy of all men who desire
righteousness, has sought to misrepresent our work and prevent us from
carrying it on in this land. "For many years our organization has put forth
an unselfish and persistent effort to do good to the people. Our American
brethren have greatly assisted in the work in Germany, and with money freely
contributed, and that at a time when all Germany was in dire distress. Now
because it appears that Germany may soon be free from oppression and that
the people may be lifted up, Satan, the great enemy, puts forth his
endeavors to destroy that benevolent work in this land."
Årsboken 1934, sida 138
Vakttornet utropar att snart kan Tyskland komma att bli fria från förtryck.
Förtryckarna har utpekats som England, USA och "Big Business", judarna.
Sammanfattningsvis, associationen mellan Vakttornet och Hitler-tyskland är
belagd med dessa sidor. Organisationen stod inte upp MOT Tyskland inför det
andra världskriget. Tvärtom.
President Rutherford's brev till Hitler-regimen
President Rutherford reste till Tyskland i början av 1930-talet för att
försöka ordna så att sällskapets fastigheter som regimen konfiskerat kunde
återföras till organisationen. Presidenten skickade ett brev till regeringen
i Tyskland i vilket han hyllade regimen och Tyskland och i vilket han gick
till ny attack mot judarna:
"The Brooklyn headquarters of the Watchtower Society is pro German
in an exemplary way and has been so for many years. For that reason, in
1918, the President of the Society and seven members of the board of
directors were sentenced to 80 years in prison, because the president
refused to use two of the magazines published in America under his direction
for war propaganda against Germany. These two magazines...were the only
magazines in America which refused to engage in anti-German propaganda...
that the Bible Researchers of Germany are fighting for the very same high
ethical goals and ideals which also the national Government of the German
Reich proclaimed respecting the relationship of humans to God... the
contents of the books which were criticized only refers to the situation and
actions within the Anglo-American world power--especially England--which is
responsible for the League of Nations and it contracts and burdens
imposed upon Germany. What is written in our literature--no matter
whether from a financial or political point of view--is only directed
towards the suppressors of the German people and their country, but by no
means refers to Germany itself, which is trying hard to fight against the
imposed burdens... We demand the freedom of all religious denominations
within the state, as far as they do not endanger the state itself or violate
the moral values of the German race. The party as such represents the
viewpoint of positive Christianity without being attached to any particular
denomination. It fights against the Jewish-materialistic spirit inside
and outside of us and is convinced that any recovery of the German people
can only take place from the inside out."
President Rutherford's brev
Svängningen
Under 1934 inser sällskapet att regimen inte avser att falla till föga för
smickret. Först då ändrar sällskapet hållning och ton och börjar öppet håna
och kritisera regimen. Detta leder till enormt lidande för tusentals Jehovas
vittnen. Jag tror att Rutherford's handlande är en starkt bidragande orsak
till hur regimen behandlade Jehovas vittnen. Denna slutsats stöds av
sällskapets publikation "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose", sid
130:
"...Hitler said "These so-called "Earnest Bible Students" are
trouble-makers; they disturb the harmonious life among the Germans; I
consider them quacks; I do not tolerate that the German Catholics be
besmirched in such a manner by this American "Judge" Rutherford...".
1959, Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, sid 130
Jehovas vittnens lidande
Det måste tilläggas i denna artikel att många Jehovas vittnen förföljdes av
nazisterna, led och dog under andra världskriget fasor. Detta är outsägligt
tragiskt. Tragiken djupnar med kunskapen att de dog under förföljelse av dem
som sällskapets ledning några år tidigare prisade.
Bortförklaring nr. 1 (1974)
Den första förklaringen till årsboken uttalanden gjordes i årsboken 1974.
Man gav en enskild person skulden!
"Many in attendance were disappointed in the “declaration,” since in many
points it failed to be as strong as the brothers had hoped. Brother Mütze
from Dresden, who had worked closely with Brother Balzereit up until that
time, accused him later of having weakened the original text. It was not the
first time that Brother Balzereit had watered down the clear and
unmistakable language of the Society’s publications so as to avoid
difficulties with governmental agencies."
Årsboken 1974, sid 111
Broder Balzereit fick skulden för att ha "urvattnat" texten under sin
översättning. Detta är en förklaring som inte längre är aktuell...
Bortförklaring nr. 2 (1998)
Under 1998 gjorde organisationen ett mer "genomtänkt" försök att
bortförklara de antisemitiska uttalandena. Klicka på länkarna för att läsa
sidorna 12, 13 och 14 i tidningen Vakna! från 1998, den 8 juli!
Vakna! 1998, 8 juli, sid 12
Vakna! 1998, 8 juli, sid 13
Vakna! 1998, 8 juli, sid 14
I en svepande formulering påstår man att "Big Business" inte betyder det
judiska folket. Läs om formuleringen ovan och ta ställning själv...
Sammanfattning
Årsboken 1934 är sannolikt en som Vakttornet helst inte vill kännas vid alls
längre. Den visar med tragisk tydlighet ett omfamnande av Hitler-regeringen
och fördömanden av judar bara några få år innan judeförföljelserna börjar.
Är detta Guds språkrör som talar?
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