Jehovah's Witnesses give their allegiance only to God, never to civil authorities.
Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted by the Nazis because they refused to serve in the military or to work in the weapons industry. They also refused to say 'Heil Hitler' because 'heil' also means salvation, which only comes from God. Shortly after the
German invasion in the Netherlands, their organisation was outlawed and their headquarters in Heemstede was closed. As a result of their activities, many Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested, imprisoned for long periods of time, and even murdered. During the
occupation, 20 Dutch Jehovah's Witnesses were sent to Auschwitz.