Year by year there was increase in the number of praisers of Jehovah. When the publishers reached the 15,000 mark for the first time, Brother Winkler started to cry and said: “How thankful I am to Jehovah that I am still alive to witness 15,000 publishers in this country! It was more than 30 years ago that we as German pioneers sat alongside the road and wept out of discouragement, because nobody wanted to listen to our preaching. But Jehovah gave us the strength to push forward. And now I can weep for joy.”

Arthur Winkler will always be remembered as a brother who did not spare himself in the work of the Lord. (1 Cor. 15:58) Despite the severity of his experiences in the concentration camps, he continued to serve for many more years. But then came serious illness accompanied by great pain. Brother Knorr visited him during that time and comforted him with the reminder that his heavenly reward was likely close and that this would mean the realization of something that Arthur had worked toward for many years. He finally closed his eyes on June 22, 1972. And his faithful wife Käthe, who had been outstanding in her spirituality and her zeal for the field ministry, received her heavenly reward in April 1982.