A book by Christoph Wilker about the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ help for Jewish fellow human beings under National Socialism
The history of the Nazi era is often told through the stories of well-known resistance fighters. But there were also quiet heroes whose stories remained hidden for decades. In his book Persecuted Jews During Nazi Terror — How Jehovah’s Witnesses Came to Their Aid, Christoph Wilker sheds light on a largely overlooked chapter of civilian resistance: the aid that Jehovah’s Witnesses provided to their Jewish neighbors during the Third Reich. Originally published in German under the title Die unbekannten Judenhelfer, this important work will be available in English from April 15, 2026.
Persecuted Themselves — Yet Willing to Help
Jehovah’s Witnesses (known as Bible Students until 1931) were among the groups systematically persecuted by the Nazi regime. They distributed protest leaflets, refused the Hitler salute, and objected to military service. For this consistent resistance against the Nazi system, they accepted becoming targets of persecution themselves. In the concentration camps, they were identified by the purple triangle — a lesser-known symbol among the more widely recognized markers of Nazi persecution. In the pre-war years, they made up a considerable portion of inmates in many camps.
Despite their own precarious situation, many Jehovah’s Witnesses defied the prevailing antisemitism and helped their endangered Jewish fellow citizens. This fact is all the more remarkable as it demonstrates that courage and humanity were practiced even from within a persecuted minority.
Years of Research Bring Moving Stories to Light
Through years of research, Christoph Wilker has gathered extensive evidence and presents a number of moving individual stories. Among them is the account of Dagobert Lewin, a young man from Berlin who found refuge with a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1942. Another documented case is that of Inge Deutschkron, who was hidden by Jehovah’s Witness Franz Gumz and his wife Emma — she was one of many who owed their survival to this couple.
The book was first published in German in 2022 and has since been released in an expanded second edition, filling an important gap in the historical record. Motivated by the first edition, readers contacted the author to share further cases of assistance provided by Jehovah’s Witnesses to Jewish citizens. These additional stories were incorporated into the second edition.
An Expert in Nazi-Era Research
Christoph Wilker has been active in research on the Nazi era for many years, with a particular focus on the persecution and resistance of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In 2017/18, he prepared a special exhibition on the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses on behalf of Prof. Dr. Winfried Nerdinger in cooperation with the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism, which was on display from September 26, 2018, to January 6, 2019.
Scholarly Recognition
The book has received support from renowned scholars. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Benz, a leading German historian and antisemitism researcher, writes in his foreword that the book sheds “a bright light on a largely unknown aspect of the aid given to Jews and their rescue.”
The Jewish Holocaust survivor and psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim is quoted in the book as saying that Jehovah’s Witnesses showed “extraordinary dignity and greatness.” This assessment underscores the special role that this religious community played during the Nazi era.
Political Impact and Recognition
Christoph Wilker’s research has already shown concrete impact on the political landscape. Prof. Dr. Detlef Garbe, an expert on Nazi-era history and longtime director of the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial, described the topic covered in the book as one that had “previously gone unnoticed.” At a book presentation in Hamburg, he acknowledged the significance of the work for broader societal change.
This shift in public awareness culminated in June 2023 when the German Bundestag (parliament) voted unanimously in favor of erecting a memorial to the Jehovah’s Witnesses persecuted and murdered under National Socialism — a historic step in recognizing their suffering and resistance.
More Than History: A Testament to Humanity
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Benz emphasizes in his assessment that the book not only reveals “unknown facets of resistance against the Nazi regime” but also documents “the solidarity and humanity of neighborly love as a lived tenet of faith of a discriminated and persecuted community — one that was also disregarded as victims of National Socialism after 1945.”
The book is accompanied by numerous historical images and documents that authentically substantiate the stories and bring the era to life.
Book details
German edition (2nd expanded edition)
Title: Die unbekannten Judenhelfer – Wie Zeugen Jehovas im Nationalsozialismus jüdischen Mitmenschen beistanden
Author: Christoph Wilker
Publisher: Volk Verlag München
Publication date: May 15, 2024 (2nd expanded edition)
Length: 320 pages
ISBN: 978-3-86222-435-7
Price: 21,90 Euro
English edition (pre-order)
Title: Persecuted Jews During Nazi Terror – How Jehovah’s Witnesses Came to Their Aid
Author: Christoph Wilker
Publisher: Editions Schortgen
ISBN: 978-2-919792-83-2
Price: 21,90 Euro
Where to Order
German edition (2nd expanded edition)
- Directly from the publisher: Volk Verlag
- At Amazon: Amazon.de
- In local bookstores with the ISBN: 978-3-86222-435-7
English edition
- Pre-order directly from the publisher: Editions Schortgen
Conclusion
Persecuted Jews During Nazi Terror is more than a historical study. It is an important contribution to the culture of remembrance and demonstrates that humanity and moral courage existed even in the darkest chapters of German history. With his meticulous research, Christoph Wilker has not only brought forgotten stories to light but has also set an important marker against forgetting. The upcoming English edition will make these vital stories accessible to an international audience.
For anyone interested in the history of the Nazi era and the multifaceted aspects of resistance and aid, this book is a valuable and moving read.
