.. At the last moment, therefore, we were invited to a special assembly in Prussia, thus Berlin, [to be held] in the Tennis Hall, where a "Declaration" was to be presented. Many were now unable to come [to the convention], but I had the privilege of traveling with Brother Albert Wandres from Wiesbaden to Berlin on a motorcycle through torrential rain. That did not bother us too much, but we were shocked when we arrived at the Tennis Hall the next morning and did not find that atmosphere which we ordinarily found at [Jehovah's Witness] conventions. When we entered, we found the hall bedecked with Swastika flags! But not only that: when the meeting started, it was preluded by a song which we had not sung for years, especially not in Germany, because of the melody. Though the lyrics were fine, the melody--well, the musicians who are here will recognize that the notes were [taken from the] the melody of "Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles"!

Can you imagine how we felt? Many could not join in the singing; it was just as though their throats were throttled. What kind of leaders did we have who brought us [into] such dangers--and the danger of faltering under these circumstances--instead of helping and supporting us, so that we could take a fearless stand [against Nazism]. May all elders who are here among us [listening to this lecture] learn something from these examples, and may they recognize their responsibilities in such matters in the near future.

Now the Declaration, which Brother Rutherford had prepared, was approved, and every person was instructed to take 250 copies home if he possibly could. If he then had the courage to do so, he was to send copies of it by registered mail to judges, lawyers, mayors, etc.

At the time, I sent fifty-two registered letters [with the Declaration], and the result was that a few days later I found myself in a concentration camp for the first time, when most people had no idea what a concentration camp was.