• Netherlands
    1986 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    • ENLARGED BRANCH FACILITIES TO FILL GROWING NEEDS

      From 1946 on, the branch facilities in Amsterdam had been located at Koningslaan No. 1. But by 1960 those were no longer adequate, despite modifications that had been made. So, a fine new structure was erected in Amsterdam to allow for further growth. By 1964, the Bethel home was in use, and a small printery went into operation in the building in 1967. Further additions were made in 1972 and 1977.

      When that last addition was dedicated by Lloyd Barry, a member of the Governing Body, he mentioned that plans were already far advanced for enlarging the printing operations in the Netherlands. A large rotary press was to be installed so that the Watchtower and Awake! magazines could be printed locally, thus relieving the overloaded printery in England. But that would require larger branch facilities.

      In 1978 an extensive search for suitable property was begun. Nothing had been found by 1980, so application was made directly to the office of Town and Country Planning. At an interview, an official listened intently to what the Witnesses had in mind and then said: “Jehovah’s Witnesses did a unique work in our country during the second world war, and that is unfortunately all too often forgotten. I shall see to it that your center comes in one of the three northern provinces of the Netherlands.” Within two days a fine piece of property had been pinpointed in Emmen.

      The completed facilities were dedicated in October 1983. In the factory is a converted M.A.N. rotary offset press that turns out 17,000 magazines per hour. Above the pressroom is a modern electronic phototypesetting operation that was developed by dedicated Witnesses at the world headquarters. With this equipment we are better able to provide literature for all the Witnesses in the Netherlands, as well as those in the Flemish part of Belgium and in Suriname. How thankful we are to Jehovah and to his organization that all of this has become a reality!