Die weltweite Höchstzahl der Verkündiger ging von 2.248.390 (Dienstjahr 1976) auf 2.223.538 (1977) und 2.182.341 (1978) zurück; das Jahrbuch 1979 berichtete von einem 'overall 1.4-percent decrease' bei der Durchschnittszahl der Verkündiger (2.086.698 gegenüber 2.117.194) und davon, dass 'others became inactive'. Das Jahrbuch 1977 hatte bereits etwa 16.000 Pioniere und 23 Millionen Stunden weniger als 1975 vermerkt. Das Jahrbuch 1980 berichtet für 1979 von Zunahmen 'though not large' in Ländern wie den Vereinigten Staaten und Großbritannien sowie von einem Aufschwung in Nigeria und auf den Philippinen 'after a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands'.
Claim ID claim-predictions-1976-1978-publisher-declineConcerns 1978Ergebnis
Die Position der Organisation oder ihre spätere Erklärung: Die Jahrbücher führen den Rückgang auf 'various factors' zurück und darauf, dass manche nicht jeden Monat berichteten; Verkündiger des Königreiches Gottes, S. 633, sagt, 'the number who defected was relatively small'.
1977 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“This year there was a peak of 2,248,390 Kingdom publishers ... In 1975 the peak was 2,179,256. ... the hours were fewer, namely, 359,258,019 hours, to compare with 382,296,208 ... There are not as many pioneer publishers as the year before—114,026 ... to compare with 130,225”
Notes 'some 16,000 fewer pioneers' and that 'some publishers ... did not spend as much time in the field service as formerly'.
1979 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“There has been an overall 1.4-percent decrease in the number of Kingdom publishers. ... there were 2,086,698, on the average, who shared in making known the 'good news' compared with 2,117,194 the year before. The peak number of publishers came to 2,182,341, which is also below that of last year.”
Adds: 'a number did not share in giving a witness each month, and others became inactive.'
1980 · pp.11-12 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing. ... It was also happifying to see increases this year, though not large, in such lands as the United States and Great Britain.”
The sentence concerns Nigeria and the Philippines ('the reports from such lands as Nigeria and the Philippines. After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing'), and the following sentence concerns the United States and Great Britain; it is not a worldwide statement and the narrative gives no worldwide peak figure.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/de/evidence/claim-predictions-1976-1978-publisher-decline/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.