Footnote
j Following is the full text or the sworn account signed November 12, 1947, by Karl R. A. Wittig. He in 1934 was a then-in-favor German government worker present on the occasion when Hitler was informed by Dr. Frick of the protest telegrams of Jehovah’s witnesses. English translation of the sworn account follows:
“DECLARATION—On October 7, 1934, having been previously summoned, I visited Dr. Wilhelm Frick, at that time Minister of the Interior of the Reich and Prussia, in his home office of the Reich, located in Berlin, 6 am Königsplatz, since I was a plenipotentiary of General Ludendorff. I was to accept communications, contents of which were an attempt to persuade General Ludendorff to discontinuance of his objection to the Nazi Regime. During my discussion with Dr. Frick, Hitler suddenly appeared and began taking part in the conversation. When our discussion obligatorily dealt with the action against the International Bible Students Association [Jehovah’s witnesses] in Germany up until now, Dr. Frick showed Hitler a number of telegrams protesting against the Third Reich’s persecution of the Bible Students, saying: ‘If the Bible Students do not immediately get in line we will act against them using the strongest means.’ After which Hitler jumped to his feet and with clenched fists hysterically screamed: ‘This brood will be exterminated in Germany!’ Four years after this discussion I was able, by my own observations, to convince myself, during my seven years in protective custody in the hell of the Nazi’s concentration-camps at Sachsenhausen, Flossenburg and Mauthausen—I was in prison until released by the Allies—that Hitler’s outburst of anger was not just an idle threat. No other group of prisoners of the named concentration-camps was exposed to the sadism of the SS-soldiery in such a fashion as the Bible Students were. It was a sadism marked by an unending chain of physical and mental tortures, the likes of which no language in the world can express.
“Frankfort-on-the-Main, November 12, 1947; 9 Wehrheimer St.
[signed] Karl R. A Wittig
“Roll of Record No. 778 in the year of 1947:
“The signature of the author Karl Wittig appearing on the reverse side of this page, residing in 9 Wehrheimer St., Frankfort-on-the-Main, is herewith certified.
“Frankfort-on-the-Main, November 13, 1947.
[signed] Ludwig, Notary Public
[SEAL] Otto Ludwig, Notary Public in Frankfort-on-the-Main.”