God, Money, Obedience – The Closed World of Jehovah's Witnesses

Overview

Jehovah's Witnesses demand a lot from their members: unconditional obedience, their workforce – and their money. The dramatic rampage in a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in March 2023 is said to have been about this, among other things. "The Trail" dives into the closed system of the faith community and its finances. Although the Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany are a corporation under public law and could thus levy their own church tax, they rely entirely on voluntary donations. The members give their money, but also their time: They spread the message of Jehovah's Witnesses about the approaching end of the world, volunteer on the construction sites or for pocket money in the monastery-like headquarters of the religious community.