In 1931, Johannes Steyer joined the religious community
of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were also known as Bible Students at the time. When the group was banned, he continued to proselytize, refused to give the Hitler salute, and refused military service. His arrest in 1935 was followed by stays in several concentration camps, where Bible Students — who were required to wear a purple triangle on their clothing were to be broken. The SS made them work hard and isolated them — mostly to no avail. Johannes Steyer, too, continued to resist. He remained in the concentration camp until 1945. Later, he painted watercolors depicting scenes from his imprisonment, which for him were also symbols of hope. He died the year after his first public exhibition.
