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Jehovah’s Witnesses Convene in Poland

● Four conventions in four cities

● Visiting delegates from 16 countries

● A total attendance of 94,134

● Total number baptized​—3,140

THEY came in their tens of thousands. By automobiles, chartered buses, special trains, and major airlines, they poured into Warsaw, Poznań, Katowice, and Wrocław during August 1985. They were there to attend the “Integrity Keepers” Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The Polish Witnesses in these host cities were on hand to greet them upon their arrival. Especially was this in evidence at Warsaw’s International Airport, where delegates arrived from western Europe, Asia, North America, and other places. They welcomed their visitors with broad smiles and handshakes, some with bear hugs and many kisses. Translators were there to aid communication, but the enthusiastic warmth of the greetings swept past all language barriers. In some cases, bouquets of flowers were pressed into the hands of the womenfolk, and children ran up with a curtsy and a happy “Hello!” in Polish.

Such joyous greetings, however, were only the climax of weeks of hard work. After kind permission was granted by the Polish authorities to hold the conventions, a tremendous effort was launched to prepare for them.

Preconvention Labors

Accommodations had to be secured for the thousands of visitors. In Warsaw alone, 11,000 room requests had to be filled. Searches had to be made for stadiums in which to hold the conventions. They were found, in Warsaw and Wrocław for the dates of August 16-18, and in Poznań and Katowice (Chorzów) for August 23-25. Finding the stadiums, however, was only part of the work. Several newspapers reported on the Witnesses’ labors in making the stadiums suitable for use. One report said:

“For five weeks Jehovah’s Witnesses have carried on intensive preparation and repair work on the Slaski Stadium [Chorzów, Katowice area]. A few tons of garbage have been removed by truck from the stadium and its surroundings and twice as much has been committed to the flames on the spot. The high grass has been cut, and the lawns around the stadium have been mowed. The camping area that became a scrap heap has again been set in order. Seats in the grandstand that would stretch for a line of 35 kilometers [22 mi] have been repaired and washed up. 78,000 seats have been painted. . . . All seven toilets were completely devastated. The window panes were broken. The doors were torn away. The faucets wrenched off, the drains stopped up. . . . It might be said that Jehovah’s Witnesses are just a gift from heaven to the Slaski Stadium management, especially because of the football match between Poland and Belgium planned in September.”

Actually, 10,500 Witness volunteers took care of the above work. They also painted all the railings and fences, cleaned and painted the devastated washrooms, and set up 132 flush toilets. No waiting in lines, not even for the women! Of this work at the Katowice convention, another news report said: “The total value of the service done has been estimated at 12 million zlotys [$80,000, U.S.].” Similar repairs were made at the other three stadiums.

Observers Impressed

Many comments were made by observers of the Witnesses. A government official said: “You have organized everything with staff precision. Where do you get the training to be able to do that?” One stadium administrator said: “I have been working here for 25 years, and I have never seen such order before.” Another stadium manager said: “Why do your people work so conscientiously? We would like to have such workers!” At another stadium the manager said: “I honestly did not think it was possible to put this stadium in order, but you did it.” One impressed observer exclaimed: “Something unusual emanates from you!”

After the convention at the Warsaw stadium was over, a tour guide said to a sight-seeing group of young people: “For a long time this stadium has been neglected and dirty. Recently it was hired by Jehovah’s Witnesses for their religious convention. Now, look what they are doing here! How everything is being changed! They work voluntarily. I say, they work free!”

Same Program Worldwide

The convention program itself was basically the same as that presented in other lands, except that it was somewhat abbreviated since the Polish conventions were for two and a half days instead of three and a half. Four members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses​—A. D. Schroeder, M. G. Henschel, T. Jaracz, and D. Sydlik​—spoke at each of the four assemblies. Their talks were translated into Polish. Delegates representing different lands conveyed greetings and brief messages, which were translated from English, French, German, and Swedish into Polish, to the delight of the audience.

A delegate from Denmark commented on how capable the Polish speakers were and singled out the Job drama for special mention: “Although we did not understand the language, the drama on Job made a great impression on us. It was very well done. As we were familiar with the action, we were able to follow along and not be burdened with the many details of the discussion with the three ‘friends’; we could concentrate fully on the atmosphere and the feelings. We could both see and hear that Job was really ill, that he was suffering and in great pain, and we could hear how nasty the three so-called friends were. Many in the stadium openly wept.”

At each of the conventions, greetings from groups of Jehovah’s Witnesses in various places were read and were received with thunderous applause.

Places of Interest

Many delegates from other countries took advantage of the opportunity to visit places of interest in Poland. Some visited the birthplaces of Frédéric Chopin and Marie Curie in Warsaw. Others visited the tourist city of Zakopane, with its chalet-style homes and colorful shopping centers, and rode its chair lifts high up into the scenic mountains. In traveling by car to these and other showplaces, the delegates saw the beautiful Polish countryside during harvesttime, fields in which families worked​—young and old, men and women—​all together.

Of special interest was the former Nazi concentration camp at Oświȩcim (Auschwitz). One group of Witnesses were escorted through the camp by Josef, a former inmate of Auschwitz. Ordinarily it is both a shocking and a depressing tour. There are the gallows, the wall against which many prisoners were shot, the cremating ovens, many photos​—all the time you ask yourself if all of this could really be true. Not that you doubt it, but the horror of it makes it almost incredible! There were the differently colored triangles to identify the various categories to which prisoners belonged​—only one category for religious reasons, the Bible Students (Jehovah’s Witnesses) wearing a lilac triangle.

But with Josef conducting the tour, it almost became an uplifting experience. He told his story. He had been in politics, but his father and mother became Witnesses. When his father died and a Witness funeral was held, Josef was impressed with the enormous turnout and the love he saw among the Witnesses. He ceased his political activity but did not become a Witness. Shortly thereafter Josef, his mother, and his sister were sent to Auschwitz.

His mother was sent to the ovens. His sister eventually came out with broken health. He was sent to a camp in Germany. There he met a Witness who talked with him, and he became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was, in fact, one of those in the infamous death march. (This is graphically detailed in the article “Integrity Outlives Concentration Camp,” in the September 1, 1945, Watchtower.)

During the tour of Auschwitz, Josef showed them the room he had been in, the one where his mother had been kept, and the ovens where his mother had been cremated. But his attitude was a model for all. No bitterness. It was a place where integrity to God had triumphed, where many Witnesses died faithful to Jehovah. Touring with him was like being with a zealous Witness in a tough territory. One Witness in the group bought some postcards from a saleslady. Josef asked: “Did you witness to her?” “No.” Instantly he was off to witness to her. Certainly, touring the Auschwitz concentration camp where such horrible atrocities were committed could be most depressing, but touring it with Josef made it an inspiring experience.

Appreciation Expressed

Jehovah’s Witnesses appreciated holding these conventions in Poland. The Polish officials and stadium managers were both cooperative with and cordial to the conventioners. This added to the success and pleasure of the occasion. Also, in each convention city, major newspapers made reports, and there was coverage by both radio and television.

The outstanding impression that the departing delegates took with them, however, was of the hospitality of the Polish Witnesses. Their spirit of joy and zeal permeated the conventions. They shared their lunches with the visiting delegates. They invited them to their homes. They cooked meals for them, including some special Polish dishes. Their warm smiles and hugs and kisses will long be remembered by the delegates from other countries.

Perhaps the loving feelings of the Polish Witnesses are best reflected and summed up in the following heartfelt expression presented right after the concluding talk of the conventions in Katowice and Warsaw. It was translated into English and German and acknowledged with enthusiastic applause.

Dear brothers and sisters from at least 16 countries of the world!

You went through a lot of difficulties and sacrifices to participate in our joy. Only true friends would do this.

The majority of you did not understand most of the words spoken here, but in spite of this, we are confident that you were permeated with the spirit of this convention.

We are united in our worship of our great God, Jehovah, and in our love for him and for one another.

All of us preach the same message​—the good news of the Kingdom. Please tell our friends that we truly love the whole association of brothers and that we are determined to keep our integrity to Jehovah God to the end.

As already mentioned by the speaker in his concluding talk, we are happy that you will be taking our love back to the brothers in your home countries.

We are happy and thankful to be united with you as integrity keepers in the worldwide brotherhood.

We thank all of you.

On Sunday, September 29, a Polish national radio broadcast presented a 30-minute program covering the conventions, including the enthusiastic singing of the Kingdom song entitled “See Jehovah’s Army.” Truly, this series of conventions in Poland provided another resounding answer to the question posed at Genesis 18:14: “Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?”

[Box on page 13]

Warsaw convention, August 16-18

Peak attendance, 27,271

Number baptized, 879

Wrocław convention, August 16-18

Peak attendance, 16,003

Number baptized, 545

Poznań convention, August 23-25

Peak attendance, 19,305

Number baptized, 715

Katowice convention, August 23-25

Peak attendance, 31,555

Number baptized, 1,001

Totals for the four conventions

Peak attendance, 94,134

Number baptized, 3,140

[Box on page 14]

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

We shall never forget your visit to Poland,

Brothers and sisters from so many lands.

Jehovah’s table overflowing and abundant,

And as one happy people together we stand.

This we shall never forget.

Language was a problem, true,

But love found a way to say,

“We love you.”

This we shall never forget.

One day when the new system is here,

No doubt, we’ll look back with tears,

Remembering, how heart to heart we met.

This, dear brothers, we shall never forget.

​—Composed by a Polish Witness.

[Picture on page 9]

Tidying stadium grounds at Poznań

[Pictures on page 10, 11]

Panoramic view of the 1985 Warsaw convention site

Baptism at the Warsaw convention

[Pictures on page 12]

Some of the Japanese and other delegates to the conventions

Albert Schroeder addressing 18,200 in the KS Warta Stadium, Poznań, Poland