Welcome to the Branch Office of Jehovah´s Witnesses in Germany

We sincerely hope that your visit to Bethel has been a
rewarding one. No doubt it has helped you to become
better acquainted with the work that Jehovah’s
Witnesses are doing to aid people in their quest for a
better future through God’s Kingdom. May your visit
to us be an encouragement to you in your efforts to
learn about our loving Creator and to live by his
righteous standards.
Visiting Hours: Visitors are welcome to take a guided
tour of our facilities. The regular visiting hours are:
Monday through Friday:
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Prepress
Prepress
Before text can be printed, it has to be composed,
or put into columns and pages. This includes putting
pictures and text into place. For this we use the
Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System (MEPS)
that was developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses for use
in over 400 languages. The printery at the branch
in Germany produces literature in about 120
languages. Branches that do translating send us
their composed material. The pages are checked and
arranged into the configuration in which they
should appear on the printing plate. Finally, the
pages are sent electronically to the printery where
plates are made using the computer-to-plate
method.
We request that larger groups inform us in advance of
their planned visit.
Location: Niederselters, Am Steinfels, 65618 Selters (Taunus).
Telephone: 49(0)6483 410
˘ 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Druck und Verlag: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus
Printed in Germany
fo-E Ge
Maintenance
Building
Truck and
Coach Parking
Printery
Reception
Center
Services
Building
Workshops
1
2
9
Administration 3
Building
8
4
7
6
1–8: Residence Buildings
9: Office and Residence Building
5
Welcome
Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the branch office
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. We hope your
visit will be a pleasant one. Our complex of buildings
is called Bethel, meaning “House of God.” This Biblical
name is fitting, because the men and women who live
and serve here are ordained ministers. They are
dedicated to Jehovah God and devote themselves
full-time to supporting the work of Kingdom
preaching.
In over 230 lands, more than seven million Witnesses
of Jehovah are carrying out the commission that Jesus
gave his followers—to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) To
organize this work, there are over a hundred branch
offices worldwide—all serving under the direction of
Welcome
Welcome
We sincerely hope that your visit to Bethel has been a
rewarding one. No doubt it has helped you to become
better acquainted with the work that Jehovah’s
Witnesses are doing to aid people in their quest for a
better future through God’s Kingdom. May your visit
to us be an encouragement to you in your efforts to
learn about our loving Creator and to live by his
righteous standards.
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the branch office
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. We hope your
visit will be a pleasant one. Our complex of buildings
is called Bethel, meaning “House of God.” This Biblical
name is fitting, because the men and women who live
and serve here are ordained ministers. They are
dedicated to Jehovah God and devote themselves
full-time to supporting the work of Kingdom
preaching.
Visiting Hours: Visitors are welcome to take a guided
tour of our facilities. The regular visiting hours are:
Monday through Friday:
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Prepress
Prepress
Before text can be printed, it has to be composed,
or put into columns and pages. This includes putting
pictures and text into place. For this we use the
Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System (MEPS)
that was developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses for use
in over 400 languages. The printery at the branch
in Germany produces literature in about 120
languages. Branches that do translating send us
their composed material. The pages are checked and
arranged into the configuration in which they
should appear on the printing plate. Finally, the
pages are sent electronically to the printery where
plates are made using the computer-to-plate
method.
In over 230 lands, more than seven million Witnesses
of Jehovah are carrying out the commission that Jesus
gave his followers—to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) To
organize this work, there are over a hundred branch
offices worldwide—all serving under the direction of
We request that larger groups inform us in advance of
their planned visit.
Location: Niederselters, Am Steinfels, 65618 Selters (Taunus).
Telephone: 49(0)6483 410
˘ 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Druck und Verlag: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus
fo-E Ge
Printed in Germany
Offices
Offices
Branch Committee
Closely following the direction of the Governing Body
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Branch Committee takes the
lead in organizing the preaching and teaching work in
Germany.
the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
branch here in Selters (Taunus) supports the ministry of
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany and also helps to
supply the Witnesses in many other countries of
Europe, Asia, and Africa with Bibles and Bible
literature.
In 1902 the first branch office in Germany was opened
in Elberfeld, Wuppertal. In 1923 a move was made to
Magdeburg, where literature could be printed in greater
quantities. After the second world war, a branch office
was opened in Wiesbaden, but by the late 1970’s it
could no longer expand to meet our growing needs.
Suitable property was found at Selters (Taunus). The
complex, which includes administration, production,
and residence buildings, was built mainly by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. It was dedicated in 1984. However, within
10 years the complex had to be expanded to more
than double its previous size to keep up with the
growth of the preaching and teaching work.
Service Department
Hospital Information Services
Brothers in this department handle correspondence
from traveling overseers, elders,
pioneers, and others. In
addition, the Service Department
keeps records of congregation
territories and compiles reports
of field service activity. This
department schedules various
theocratic schools, conventions,
and assemblies. It also helps
arrange for the construction and
remodeling of Kingdom Halls.
This department maintains a database of medical
articles on alternatives to blood transfusions and makes
pertinent information available to medical and legal
professionals. Additionally, Hospital Information Services
provides training for Hospital Liaison Committees. In
turn, these committees provide doctors with the latest
research on nonblood medical management and help
Jehovah’s Witnesses to find doctors who are willing to
treat patients without the use of blood. (Acts 15:29)
There are now over 5,000 such doctors in Germany.
Public Information Desk
This desk provides news
agencies and others with
accurate information about
Jehovah’s Witnesses, clearing up any
misunderstandings regarding their beliefs and ministry.
Computer Department
This department maintains the computer systems that
are used at Bethel, including those that update
congregation records in the Service Department,
process literature requests in the printery, handle
purchasing orders, and keep schedules for the Bethel
Home. The Computer Department also maintains the
systems for e-mail, word processing, and file storage.
Other systems cared for include those involving the
Multilanguage Electronic
Publishing System (MEPS), the
Watchtower Library, and the
Web site
www.watchtower.org, from
which audio recordings of the
Bible, of our magazines, and
of Bible dramas can be
downloaded.
Maintenance
Building
Truck and
Coach Parking
Printery
Reception
Center
Services
Building
Workshops
1
2
9
Administration 3
Building
8
4
7
6
5
Writing Desk
The branch office in Germany is one of the many
branches around the world that submits written
material for our publications. In addition, this desk does
research for the Writing Department at the world
headquarters and handles correspondence about Bible
questions.
Studios
Studios
Sign Language
Bible publications are translated and videotaped for
those who use German Sign Language.
Recording Studio
This department prepares audio recordings of
the Bible, The Watchtower, Awake!, convention
dramas, and sound tracks for videos.
Translation Department
The English text of our publications is received from
headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The text is
translated into German and checked for conformity to
the English source text. Then the text is proofread to
ensure that it adheres to the standards of spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
1–8: Residence Buildings
9: Office and Residence Building
Offices
Offices
We sincerely hope that your visit to Bethel has been a
rewarding one. No doubt it has helped you to become
better acquainted with the work that Jehovah’s
Witnesses are doing to aid people in their quest for a
better future through God’s Kingdom. May your visit
to us be an encouragement to you in your efforts to
learn about our loving Creator and to live by his
righteous standards.
Branch Committee
Closely following the direction of the Governing Body
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Branch Committee takes the
lead in organizing the preaching and teaching work in
Germany.
the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
branch here in Selters (Taunus) supports the ministry of
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany and also helps to
supply the Witnesses in many other countries of
Europe, Asia, and Africa with Bibles and Bible
literature.
In 1902 the first branch office in Germany was opened
in Elberfeld, Wuppertal. In 1923 a move was made to
Magdeburg, where literature could be printed in greater
quantities. After the second world war, a branch office
was opened in Wiesbaden, but by the late 1970’s it
could no longer expand to meet our growing needs.
Suitable property was found at Selters (Taunus). The
complex, which includes administration, production,
and residence buildings, was built mainly by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. It was dedicated in 1984. However, within
10 years the complex had to be expanded to more
than double its previous size to keep up with the
growth of the preaching and teaching work.
Service Department
Hospital Information Services
Brothers in this department handle correspondence
from traveling overseers, elders,
pioneers, and others. In
addition, the Service Department
keeps records of congregation
territories and compiles reports
of field service activity. This
department schedules various
theocratic schools, conventions,
and assemblies. It also helps
arrange for the construction and
remodeling of Kingdom Halls.
This department maintains a database of medical
articles on alternatives to blood transfusions and makes
pertinent information available to medical and legal
professionals. Additionally, Hospital Information Services
provides training for Hospital Liaison Committees. In
turn, these committees provide doctors with the latest
research on nonblood medical management and help
Jehovah’s Witnesses to find doctors who are willing to
treat patients without the use of blood. (Acts 15:29)
There are now over 5,000 such doctors in Germany.
Public Information Desk
This desk provides news
agencies and others with
accurate information about
Jehovah’s Witnesses, clearing up any
misunderstandings regarding their beliefs and ministry.
Computer Department
This department maintains the computer systems that
are used at Bethel, including those that update
congregation records in the Service Department,
process literature requests in the printery, handle
purchasing orders, and keep schedules for the Bethel
Home. The Computer Department also maintains the
systems for e-mail, word processing, and file storage.
Other systems cared for include those involving the
Multilanguage Electronic
Publishing System (MEPS), the
Watchtower Library, and the
Web site
www.watchtower.org, from
which audio recordings of the
Bible, of our magazines, and
of Bible dramas can be
downloaded.
Writing Desk
The branch office in Germany is one of the many
branches around the world that submits written
material for our publications. In addition, this desk does
research for the Writing Department at the world
headquarters and handles correspondence about Bible
questions.
Translation Department
The English text of our publications is received from
headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The text is
translated into German and checked for conformity to
the English source text. Then the text is proofread to
ensure that it adheres to the standards of spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
Visiting Hours: Visitors are welcome to take a guided
tour of our facilities. The regular visiting hours are:
Monday through Friday:
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Studios
Studios
Sign Language
Bible publications are translated and videotaped for
those who use German Sign Language.
Recording Studio
This department prepares audio recordings of
the Bible, The Watchtower, Awake!, convention
dramas, and sound tracks for videos.
Prepress
Prepress
Before text can be printed, it has to be composed,
or put into columns and pages. This includes putting
pictures and text into place. For this we use the
Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System (MEPS)
that was developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses for use
in over 400 languages. The printery at the branch
in Germany produces literature in about 120
languages. Branches that do translating send us
their composed material. The pages are checked and
arranged into the configuration in which they
should appear on the printing plate. Finally, the
pages are sent electronically to the printery where
plates are made using the computer-to-plate
method.
We request that larger groups inform us in advance of
their planned visit.
Location: Niederselters, Am Steinfels, 65618 Selters (Taunus).
Telephone: 49(0)6483 410
˘ 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Druck und Verlag: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus
fo-E Ge
Printed in Germany
Maintenance
Building
Truck and
Coach Parking
Printery
Reception
Center
Services
Building
Workshops
1
2
9
Administration 3
Building
8
4
7
6
1–8: Residence Buildings
9: Office and Residence Building
5
Welcome
Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the branch office
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. We hope your
visit will be a pleasant one. Our complex of buildings
is called Bethel, meaning “House of God.” This Biblical
name is fitting, because the men and women who live
and serve here are ordained ministers. They are
dedicated to Jehovah God and devote themselves
full-time to supporting the work of Kingdom
preaching.
In over 230 lands, more than seven million Witnesses
of Jehovah are carrying out the commission that Jesus
gave his followers—to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) To
organize this work, there are over a hundred branch
offices worldwide—all serving under the direction of
The
Bethel
Fami
The Bethel
Family
Bible Instruction
Although those serving at this Bethel come from about
30 nations, they can truly be called a family because of
their unity in serving their heavenly Father, Jehovah.
As a family, they serve together, enjoy meals together,
and study the Bible together. In addition, Bethel family
members personally share in preaching God’s Kingdom
and making disciples. They attend various nearby
congregations where many of them serve as elders and
ministerial servants.
On Monday evenings the entire Bethel family
gathers in its two Kingdom Halls to study the Bible
with the help of The Watchtower. At times, there
are special programs after the Watchtower Study.
These Bible discussions each workday morning and
on Monday evenings are an important part of
Bethel life.
Each workday morning, the Bethel family comes
together to consider a Bible text using the booklet
Examining the Scriptures Daily. A chairman presides
over this 15-minute discussion, and members of the
family are assigned to comment on the text. Following
the discussion, the family is led in prayer, and
breakfast is served.
New members of the Bethel family attend the
Bethel Entrants’ School and are expected to read
the entire Bible during their first year. Members of
the family also make time for
personal Bible study. They
have access to the extensive
Bethel library, which contains
the publications of Jehovah’s
Witnesses as well as many
other reference works.
Shipping
Shipping
Literature and Magazines
This department maintains a stock of over 8,000
different items in more than 220 languages. We
receive literature orders from more than 10,000
congregations in Germany and other countries. The
requested items are gathered and packed on two
picking lines. The magazine line uses a
conveyor-belt system. Electronic displays at each
shelf location indicate the number of items to be
selected. On the second line, all other publications
are collected onto a picking trolley by an operator
with a wireless computer terminal on his arm,
indicating the items and quantity to be selected.
Domestic and Export
Literature ordered by the congregations
in Germany is shipped by our own trucks to some
305 delivery points in this country. Altogether,
the trucks cover about 300,000 kilometers a year.
A total of over 10,000 tons of literature is
exported to other countries each year by truck,
rail, ship, air, or mail.
Printery
Printery
Pressroom
Magazines, booklets, book signatures (book parts),
and tracts are printed in four colors on our rotary
offset presses. In one continuous process, 80,000
magazines can be printed, folded, glued, trimmed,
counted, and shrink-wrapped in one hour. Forms,
assembly programs, book covers, and suchlike are
printed on smaller presses.
The Bethel Home
All Bethel family members are furnished with room
and board and a small monthly reimbursement to
assist with their personal expenses. Nine residence
buildings provide comfortable rooms. A number of
necessary tasks are performed at Bethel. For
example, some serve in the kitchen where they
prepare nutritious meals for the entire family to
enjoy in the spacious dining room. Thus the family
benefits from a well-balanced diet in a wholesome
environment. Other members do cleaning and
housekeeping.
Some brothers and sisters are assigned to attend to
the grounds, and various maintenance crews care
for buildings, machines, and vehicles. The laundry
Bookbindery
Our softcover bindery produces up to 265 books
per minute—or about 100,000 per day. Softcover
books made here include large format books, as
well as Bibles. For durability, the glue used to
attach the cover is able to withstand wide
fluctuations in temperature, thus making the books
suitable for climates from Africa to Siberia.
washes and irons over five tons of clothing
for the family every week. The laundered
items are delivered to each residential
building.
Offices
Offices
Branch Committee
Closely following the direction of the Governing Body
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Branch Committee takes the
lead in organizing the preaching and teaching work in
Germany.
the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
branch here in Selters (Taunus) supports the ministry of
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany and also helps to
supply the Witnesses in many other countries of
Europe, Asia, and Africa with Bibles and Bible
literature.
In 1902 the first branch office in Germany was opened
in Elberfeld, Wuppertal. In 1923 a move was made to
Magdeburg, where literature could be printed in greater
quantities. After the second world war, a branch office
was opened in Wiesbaden, but by the late 1970’s it
could no longer expand to meet our growing needs.
Suitable property was found at Selters (Taunus). The
complex, which includes administration, production,
and residence buildings, was built mainly by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. It was dedicated in 1984. However, within
10 years the complex had to be expanded to more
than double its previous size to keep up with the
growth of the preaching and teaching work.
Service Department
Hospital Information Services
Brothers in this department handle correspondence
from traveling overseers, elders,
pioneers, and others. In
addition, the Service Department
keeps records of congregation
territories and compiles reports
of field service activity. This
department schedules various
theocratic schools, conventions,
and assemblies. It also helps
arrange for the construction and
remodeling of Kingdom Halls.
This department maintains a database of medical
articles on alternatives to blood transfusions and makes
pertinent information available to medical and legal
professionals. Additionally, Hospital Information Services
provides training for Hospital Liaison Committees. In
turn, these committees provide doctors with the latest
research on nonblood medical management and help
Jehovah’s Witnesses to find doctors who are willing to
treat patients without the use of blood. (Acts 15:29)
There are now over 5,000 such doctors in Germany.
Public Information Desk
This desk provides news
agencies and others with
accurate information about
Jehovah’s Witnesses, clearing up any
misunderstandings regarding their beliefs and ministry.
Computer Department
This department maintains the computer systems that
are used at Bethel, including those that update
congregation records in the Service Department,
process literature requests in the printery, handle
purchasing orders, and keep schedules for the Bethel
Home. The Computer Department also maintains the
systems for e-mail, word processing, and file storage.
Other systems cared for include those involving the
Multilanguage Electronic
Publishing System (MEPS), the
Watchtower Library, and the
Web site
www.watchtower.org, from
which audio recordings of the
Bible, of our magazines, and
of Bible dramas can be
downloaded.
Writing Desk
The branch office in Germany is one of the many
branches around the world that submits written
material for our publications. In addition, this desk does
research for the Writing Department at the world
headquarters and handles correspondence about Bible
questions.
Translation Department
The English text of our publications is received from
headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The text is
translated into German and checked for conformity to
the English source text. Then the text is proofread to
ensure that it adheres to the standards of spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
Studios
Studios
Sign Language
Bible publications are translated and videotaped for
those who use German Sign Language.
Recording Studio
This department prepares audio recordings of
the Bible, The Watchtower, Awake!, convention
dramas, and sound tracks for videos.
Welcome
Welcome
We sincerely hope that your visit to Bethel has been a
rewarding one. No doubt it has helped you to become
better acquainted with the work that Jehovah’s
Witnesses are doing to aid people in their quest for a
better future through God’s Kingdom. May your visit
to us be an encouragement to you in your efforts to
learn about our loving Creator and to live by his
righteous standards.
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the branch office
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. We hope your
visit will be a pleasant one. Our complex of buildings
is called Bethel, meaning “House of God.” This Biblical
name is fitting, because the men and women who live
and serve here are ordained ministers. They are
dedicated to Jehovah God and devote themselves
full-time to supporting the work of Kingdom
preaching.
Visiting Hours: Visitors are welcome to take a guided
tour of our facilities. The regular visiting hours are:
Monday through Friday:
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Prepress
Prepress
Before text can be printed, it has to be composed,
or put into columns and pages. This includes putting
pictures and text into place. For this we use the
Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System (MEPS)
that was developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses for use
in over 400 languages. The printery at the branch
in Germany produces literature in about 120
languages. Branches that do translating send us
their composed material. The pages are checked and
arranged into the configuration in which they
should appear on the printing plate. Finally, the
pages are sent electronically to the printery where
plates are made using the computer-to-plate
method.
In over 230 lands, more than seven million Witnesses
of Jehovah are carrying out the commission that Jesus
gave his followers—to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) To
organize this work, there are over a hundred branch
offices worldwide—all serving under the direction of
We request that larger groups inform us in advance of
their planned visit.
Location: Niederselters, Am Steinfels, 65618 Selters (Taunus).
Telephone: 49(0)6483 410
˘ 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Druck und Verlag: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus
fo-E Ge
Printed in Germany
Offices
Offices
Branch Committee
Closely following the direction of the Governing Body
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Branch Committee takes the
lead in organizing the preaching and teaching work in
Germany.
the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
branch here in Selters (Taunus) supports the ministry of
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany and also helps to
supply the Witnesses in many other countries of
Europe, Asia, and Africa with Bibles and Bible
literature.
In 1902 the first branch office in Germany was opened
in Elberfeld, Wuppertal. In 1923 a move was made to
Magdeburg, where literature could be printed in greater
quantities. After the second world war, a branch office
was opened in Wiesbaden, but by the late 1970’s it
could no longer expand to meet our growing needs.
Suitable property was found at Selters (Taunus). The
complex, which includes administration, production,
and residence buildings, was built mainly by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. It was dedicated in 1984. However, within
10 years the complex had to be expanded to more
than double its previous size to keep up with the
growth of the preaching and teaching work.
Service Department
Hospital Information Services
Brothers in this department handle correspondence
from traveling overseers, elders,
pioneers, and others. In
addition, the Service Department
keeps records of congregation
territories and compiles reports
of field service activity. This
department schedules various
theocratic schools, conventions,
and assemblies. It also helps
arrange for the construction and
remodeling of Kingdom Halls.
This department maintains a database of medical
articles on alternatives to blood transfusions and makes
pertinent information available to medical and legal
professionals. Additionally, Hospital Information Services
provides training for Hospital Liaison Committees. In
turn, these committees provide doctors with the latest
research on nonblood medical management and help
Jehovah’s Witnesses to find doctors who are willing to
treat patients without the use of blood. (Acts 15:29)
There are now over 5,000 such doctors in Germany.
Public Information Desk
This desk provides news
agencies and others with
accurate information about
Jehovah’s Witnesses, clearing up any
misunderstandings regarding their beliefs and ministry.
Computer Department
This department maintains the computer systems that
are used at Bethel, including those that update
congregation records in the Service Department,
process literature requests in the printery, handle
purchasing orders, and keep schedules for the Bethel
Home. The Computer Department also maintains the
systems for e-mail, word processing, and file storage.
Other systems cared for include those involving the
Multilanguage Electronic
Publishing System (MEPS), the
Watchtower Library, and the
Web site
www.watchtower.org, from
which audio recordings of the
Bible, of our magazines, and
of Bible dramas can be
downloaded.
Maintenance
Building
Truck and
Coach Parking
Printery
Reception
Center
Services
Building
Workshops
1
2
9
Administration 3
Building
8
4
7
6
5
Writing Desk
The branch office in Germany is one of the many
branches around the world that submits written
material for our publications. In addition, this desk does
research for the Writing Department at the world
headquarters and handles correspondence about Bible
questions.
Studios
Studios
Sign Language
Bible publications are translated and videotaped for
those who use German Sign Language.
Recording Studio
This department prepares audio recordings of
the Bible, The Watchtower, Awake!, convention
dramas, and sound tracks for videos.
Translation Department
The English text of our publications is received from
headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The text is
translated into German and checked for conformity to
the English source text. Then the text is proofread to
ensure that it adheres to the standards of spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
1–8: Residence Buildings
9: Office and Residence Building
Offices
Offices
We sincerely hope that your visit to Bethel has been a
rewarding one. No doubt it has helped you to become
better acquainted with the work that Jehovah’s
Witnesses are doing to aid people in their quest for a
better future through God’s Kingdom. May your visit
to us be an encouragement to you in your efforts to
learn about our loving Creator and to live by his
righteous standards.
Branch Committee
Closely following the direction of the Governing Body
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Branch Committee takes the
lead in organizing the preaching and teaching work in
Germany.
the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
branch here in Selters (Taunus) supports the ministry of
Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany and also helps to
supply the Witnesses in many other countries of
Europe, Asia, and Africa with Bibles and Bible
literature.
In 1902 the first branch office in Germany was opened
in Elberfeld, Wuppertal. In 1923 a move was made to
Magdeburg, where literature could be printed in greater
quantities. After the second world war, a branch office
was opened in Wiesbaden, but by the late 1970’s it
could no longer expand to meet our growing needs.
Suitable property was found at Selters (Taunus). The
complex, which includes administration, production,
and residence buildings, was built mainly by Jehovah’s
Witnesses. It was dedicated in 1984. However, within
10 years the complex had to be expanded to more
than double its previous size to keep up with the
growth of the preaching and teaching work.
Service Department
Hospital Information Services
Brothers in this department handle correspondence
from traveling overseers, elders,
pioneers, and others. In
addition, the Service Department
keeps records of congregation
territories and compiles reports
of field service activity. This
department schedules various
theocratic schools, conventions,
and assemblies. It also helps
arrange for the construction and
remodeling of Kingdom Halls.
This department maintains a database of medical
articles on alternatives to blood transfusions and makes
pertinent information available to medical and legal
professionals. Additionally, Hospital Information Services
provides training for Hospital Liaison Committees. In
turn, these committees provide doctors with the latest
research on nonblood medical management and help
Jehovah’s Witnesses to find doctors who are willing to
treat patients without the use of blood. (Acts 15:29)
There are now over 5,000 such doctors in Germany.
Public Information Desk
This desk provides news
agencies and others with
accurate information about
Jehovah’s Witnesses, clearing up any
misunderstandings regarding their beliefs and ministry.
Computer Department
This department maintains the computer systems that
are used at Bethel, including those that update
congregation records in the Service Department,
process literature requests in the printery, handle
purchasing orders, and keep schedules for the Bethel
Home. The Computer Department also maintains the
systems for e-mail, word processing, and file storage.
Other systems cared for include those involving the
Multilanguage Electronic
Publishing System (MEPS), the
Watchtower Library, and the
Web site
www.watchtower.org, from
which audio recordings of the
Bible, of our magazines, and
of Bible dramas can be
downloaded.
Writing Desk
The branch office in Germany is one of the many
branches around the world that submits written
material for our publications. In addition, this desk does
research for the Writing Department at the world
headquarters and handles correspondence about Bible
questions.
Translation Department
The English text of our publications is received from
headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. The text is
translated into German and checked for conformity to
the English source text. Then the text is proofread to
ensure that it adheres to the standards of spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
Visiting Hours: Visitors are welcome to take a guided
tour of our facilities. The regular visiting hours are:
Monday through Friday:
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Studios
Studios
Sign Language
Bible publications are translated and videotaped for
those who use German Sign Language.
Recording Studio
This department prepares audio recordings of
the Bible, The Watchtower, Awake!, convention
dramas, and sound tracks for videos.
Prepress
Prepress
Before text can be printed, it has to be composed,
or put into columns and pages. This includes putting
pictures and text into place. For this we use the
Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System (MEPS)
that was developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses for use
in over 400 languages. The printery at the branch
in Germany produces literature in about 120
languages. Branches that do translating send us
their composed material. The pages are checked and
arranged into the configuration in which they
should appear on the printing plate. Finally, the
pages are sent electronically to the printery where
plates are made using the computer-to-plate
method.
We request that larger groups inform us in advance of
their planned visit.
Location: Niederselters, Am Steinfels, 65618 Selters (Taunus).
Telephone: 49(0)6483 410
˘ 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Druck und Verlag: Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus
fo-E Ge
Printed in Germany
Maintenance
Building
Truck and
Coach Parking
Printery
Reception
Center
Services
Building
Workshops
1
2
9
Administration 3
Building
8
4
7
6
1–8: Residence Buildings
9: Office and Residence Building
5
Welcome
Welcome
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the branch office
of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. We hope your
visit will be a pleasant one. Our complex of buildings
is called Bethel, meaning “House of God.” This Biblical
name is fitting, because the men and women who live
and serve here are ordained ministers. They are
dedicated to Jehovah God and devote themselves
full-time to supporting the work of Kingdom
preaching.
In over 230 lands, more than seven million Witnesses
of Jehovah are carrying out the commission that Jesus
gave his followers—to preach the good news of
God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) To
organize this work, there are over a hundred branch
offices worldwide—all serving under the direction of
Printery
Printery
Pressroom
Magazines, booklets, book signatures (book parts),
and tracts are printed in four colors on our rotary
offset presses. In one continuous process, 80,000
magazines can be printed, folded, glued, trimmed,
counted, and shrink-wrapped in one hour. Forms,
assembly programs, book covers, and suchlike are
printed on smaller presses.
The Bethel Home
All Bethel family members are furnished with room
and board and a small monthly reimbursement to
assist with their personal expenses. Nine residence
buildings provide comfortable rooms. A number of
necessary tasks are performed at Bethel. For
example, some serve in the kitchen where they
prepare nutritious meals for the entire family to
enjoy in the spacious dining room. Thus the family
benefits from a well-balanced diet in a wholesome
environment. Other members do cleaning and
housekeeping.
Some brothers and sisters are assigned to attend to
the grounds, and various maintenance crews care
for buildings, machines, and vehicles. The laundry
Bookbindery
Our softcover bindery produces up to 265 books
per minute—or about 100,000 per day. Softcover
books made here include large format books, as
well as Bibles. For durability, the glue used to
attach the cover is able to withstand wide
fluctuations in temperature, thus making the books
suitable for climates from Africa to Siberia.
washes and irons over five tons of clothing
for the family every week. The laundered
items are delivered to each residential
building.
The
Bethel
Fami
The Bethel
Family
Bible Instruction
Although those serving at this Bethel come from about
30 nations, they can truly be called a family because of
their unity in serving their heavenly Father, Jehovah.
As a family, they serve together, enjoy meals together,
and study the Bible together. In addition, Bethel family
members personally share in preaching God’s Kingdom
and making disciples. They attend various nearby
congregations where many of them serve as elders and
ministerial servants.
On Monday evenings the entire Bethel family
gathers in its two Kingdom Halls to study the Bible
with the help of The Watchtower. At times, there
are special programs after the Watchtower Study.
These Bible discussions each workday morning and
on Monday evenings are an important part of
Bethel life.
Each workday morning, the Bethel family comes
together to consider a Bible text using the booklet
Examining the Scriptures Daily. A chairman presides
over this 15-minute discussion, and members of the
family are assigned to comment on the text. Following
the discussion, the family is led in prayer, and
breakfast is served.
New members of the Bethel family attend the
Bethel Entrants’ School and are expected to read
the entire Bible during their first year. Members of
the family also make time for
personal Bible study. They
have access to the extensive
Bethel library, which contains
the publications of Jehovah’s
Witnesses as well as many
other reference works.
Shipping
Shipping
Literature and Magazines
This department maintains a stock of over 8,000
different items in more than 220 languages. We
receive literature orders from more than 10,000
congregations in Germany and other countries. The
requested items are gathered and packed on two
picking lines. The magazine line uses a
conveyor-belt system. Electronic displays at each
shelf location indicate the number of items to be
selected. On the second line, all other publications
are collected onto a picking trolley by an operator
with a wireless computer terminal on his arm,
indicating the items and quantity to be selected.
Domestic and Export
Literature ordered by the congregations
in Germany is shipped by our own trucks to some
305 delivery points in this country. Altogether,
the trucks cover about 300,000 kilometers a year.
A total of over 10,000 tons of literature is
exported to other countries each year by truck,
rail, ship, air, or mail.