Jehovah’s Witnesses Hold International Congress in Hamburg, Commemorating 80-Year Anniversary
Hamburg, August 17 – Tens of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses gathered this weekend for an international congress at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion. Among the attendees were approximately 5,000 delegates from 25 countries, as stated by Michael Tsifidaris, spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses North Germany.
The three-day gathering culminated on Saturday with a significant baptism ceremony, during which around 40 adults were baptized.
Commemoration of an 80-Year-Old Assembly
The international congress served to commemorate an assembly held by Jehovah’s Witnesses on Hamburg’s Moorweide 80 years ago. According to the spokesperson, 4,000 believers from across North Germany converged in the war-torn city in 1946. Tsifidaris emphasized that, following persecution under the Nazi regime, this assembly sent a resolute message of peace and unity. The theme of this weekend’s congress was “Eternal Happiness.” “We are convinced: Peace begins with inner cultivation. And only the path of peace can be the path to ‘Eternal Happiness,'” explained the spokesperson.
Visit to Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial
As part of the congress, participants visited the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial to engage with the history of persecution faced by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
2023 Amok Attack Shakes Hamburg Community
Just over three years ago, an amok attack deeply affected the Jehovah’s Witnesses community in Hamburg. On March 9, 2023, a former member of the community entered a community center in the Alsterdorf district shortly after an evening service, fatally shooting seven people and himself. Eleven others were injured, according to the public prosecutor’s office. The attack caused widespread shock both in Germany and internationally. Worship services resumed in the completely renovated building at the beginning of May.
Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
The religious community of Jehovah’s Witnesses originated in the 19th century and is now recognized as a public corporation in Germany. They are among the most well-known non-denominational religious communities in Germany. According to their own data, an average of approximately nine million people worldwide were active in the community in 2025. In Germany, the community had over 175,000 members in 2025. Their headquarters are in the USA, and the German leadership is based in Berlin.
The foundation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ faith is their own Bible translation. Central to their belief is the expectation of the end of the world, where God will eradicate all “evil” and spare only Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves the only true Christians and reject cooperation with other Christian churches.
Criticism of the Religious Community
Critics accuse the group of having a cult-like structure. They argue that Jehovah’s Witnesses hinder free personal development through psychological dependencies. According to the Evangelical Central Office for Worldview Issues, Jehovah’s Witnesses demand unconditional obedience, leaving no room for critical questions or concerns: “Due to strict training, mutual control, and the expectation of the imminent end of the world, they are considered the quintessential cult,” stated the Central Office. Jehovah’s Witnesses refute this accusation.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/zeugen-jehovas-grosse-taufe-bei-kongress-in-hamburg,zeugen-jehovas-134.html
