1933, May 17 A cottage meeting in Minden was interrupted by several 'brown shirts" (Nazis). They walked into the house without going through the ceremony of knocking, and held a gun on those assembled, demanding to know what they were doing. After they explained that it was a private gathering, nothing further was done.

Elder P. Blair. Ellsworth and his companion, Preston C. Allen while tracting in Hindenburg were attacked and beaten by an uniformed Nazi.

1934, Jan. 9 The German government advised that any further distribution of the tract "Goettliche Vollmacht" (Divine Authority) was forbidden. All members and missionaries were instructed to cease the distribution of this tract at once and to send all copies to the mission address in Loerrach.

1934, May 1 The Boy Scout organizations in Germany were prohibited, by the "Reichsjugendfuehrung". The Latter-Day Saint scout troops in the mission, about thirty-three in number were disbanded. The scouts were instructed to keep all badges, uniforms, flags and equipment out of sight.

1934, July 31 The further distribution of religious or political pamphlets was forbidden in the entire province of Baden.

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1934, Oct. 7 President Francis Salzner had an interview with two members of the state police. "They inquired into our work and desired that we come to their office the following day," writes President Salzner, and continued, "we appeared as requested and were treated courteously and questioned thoroughly. The officer was in possession of a large file of newspapers and magazine articles about the Church, to which they made frequent reference during the interview. After spending more than an hour with them, they requested us to write up a short history of the Church and report its organization, its aims and extent of activity. This was done and submitted the following day. The officers informed us that they were well satisfied and assured us that we had no reason to be fearful."

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1935, April 18 In Mannheim and Pforzheim the Elders were arrested for passing out tracts. In Pforzheim they were fined RM 20.00 each or five days in jail. Their rooms were searched and all Church literature confiscated. The fines were paid by the mission. Thereafter, the Elders went from house to house passing out invitations to meetings. Through this method, they were successful in having many Gospel conversations.

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1935, July 11 "The Articles of Faith" by Dr. James E. Talmage, was banned and a threat of imprisonment was made to anyone who might try to distribute the book in the city. All copies already in Elbing were ordered burned.

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1936, June 11 The mission presidents of the missions in Europe met in a conference with President Joseph F. Merrill in Berlin. A telegram was sent at this time by these men assembled to Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler. According to President Roy A. Welker the standard works of the Church were given to high government officials, including Dr. Joseph Goebbels.

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1937, Jan. 31 Permission had been withdrawn to distribute the following tracts in Austria: "Marks the GreatApostacy","Divine Authority", "The Truth Restored","Rays of Living Light".

1937, Feb. 28 Brother Hermann Noack, Hamburg District M.I.A. superintendent, wishing to send the church publications to the members in the military service, requested their addresses from the military authorities. He was questioned, arrested and charged with "high treason", based upon the fact that he apparently was betraying Germany by sending military secrets to foreign countries. He and the district President Alvin Brey were handled as some of the worst criminals. They were incarcerated from two to three days and instructed not to communicate with the mission or anyone outside of Germany.

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1937, July 2 President Heber J. Grant visited the Swiss and German and the German Austrian Mission during this month. In a meeting in Frankfurt he narrated the story of his reading the Book of Mormon for the first time in his life, and then said, "And I have believed, ever since that first reading, that it contains the word of God." He spurred the missionaries on to obtain a testimony so strong that they can stand up before disbelievers and tell them that they know without a shadow of a doubt that the Gospel as we preach it and as contained in the Book of Mormon is true!"

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1939, April 14 A very favorable article, written by President Alfred C. Rees, was printed in the "Voelkische Beobachter" the official Nazi-newspaper. Later this article was printed as a tract. This had to be withdrawn lateron, because the police objected to have a swastika on a tract of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints.

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1940, Sep. 9 The printing of <L.D.S.> magazines and books in Germany had been prohibited by the German government. "Der Stern" was consequently not printed. The East German Mission started at this time a small publication called "Der Sonntags-Gruss" which was sent to all the members.weekly.

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1941, Dec. 31 During this year three young members of the Church in Hamburg were arrested for "High Treason." They had listened to a British radio program and copied and mimmeographed the news received and distributed this information in public places. They were arrested and brought before a "Reichsgerichtshof" in Berlin. Brother Hellmuth Guddat was sentenced to die, and was subsequently beheaded with an ax, Brother Rudolf Wobbe was sentenced to ten, and Brother Karl Heinz Schnibbe to five years in a concentration camp.

Brother Guddat showed remarkable courage during these fateful days and wrote in a deeply moving letter to his family: "I have only two hours left. Then I have to appear before my God."

Upon some pressure by the party Brother Guddat was excommunicated from the Church after he had been executed on February 15, 1942. This decision was reversed by the First Presidency on January 24, 1948.

The president of the Hamburg District, Elder Otto Berndt, and other branch and district leaders, had to undergo very thorough examinations by the Gestapo, and were only able with the help of the Lord, and through His divine inspiration, to save the Church from further difficulties.

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1942, July 19 The work with the youth of the Church is greatly hindered by "higher powers". The only work the MIA can do is to provide entertainment for the branches.