JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
STAND FIRM AGAINST NAZI ASSAULT

Documentary Video
Produced by the Watch Tower Bible
and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

The STAND FIRM documentary video tells the little-known story of a group of ordinary people who opposed the cruelty and hatred of the Nazi regime. Because of their religious convictions, Jehovah's Witnesses suffered brutal persecution and were among the first to be thrown into Nazi concentration camps. Despite torture and threat of death, the Witnesses stood firm and spoke out. Their courageous actions in the face of tyranny raise important moral questions about peer pressure, intolerance, and the law of conscience.

It is a story that must be told.

Program content is suitable for courses in Holocaust studies, history, social studies, religion, government, civics, ethics, sociology, psychology, language, literature, and creative writing.

Stand Firm is available in these editions: 

Scholar's Edition (78 minutes): The original documentary, with interviews of 10 Holocaust historians and more than 20 survivors, gives a comprehensive overview of the story of the Witnesses during the Nazi era. Stand Firm premiered on November 6, 1996, at the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp Memorial Museum in Germany. ($24.95) 

Broadcast Edition (56 minutes): This edited-for-television version has been shown on PBS and other educational stations. It is designed for general viewing audiences. ($24.95) 

Classroom Edition (28 minutes): Specifically prepared for school use, this video can be shown in a single class period, allowing time for group discussion and class activities. The program refers to well-known historical events to give students background information about the era. ($24.95)

Stand Firm Educator's Kit: The Stand Firm edition of your choice and the study guide are combined in a durable binder album. ($34.95) 

Stand Firm Study Guide: This 56-page guide included with the Educator's Kit, has a lesson plan, suggested activities, survivor profiles with discussion questions, and selected readings of poetry and prose, as well as a glossary, a chronology, and a video transcript. The guide comes in an attractive three-ring binder. Work sheets, readings, and other student materials can be removed and photocopied for class distribution.  

Photo credits:
Kusserow family: © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
Vught Concentration Camp: U.S. National
Archives photo
Elsa Abt prisoner photo: © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania