The governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has commemorated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of its first branch office in Estonia, noting that its ministry has expanded significantly since then.

In a statement on Tuesday, the church stated that its first branch was founded in Tallinn, Estonia in 1926 by Albert West, sent to the European country from the United Kingdom to oversee the establishment process.

“One hundred years ago, in 1926, Jehovah’s Witnesses established the first branch office in Tallinn, Estonia. This development helped organize the preaching work and prepared our brothers and sisters for the dramatic events that would unfold over the following decades,” the church said. 

The Jehovah’s Witnesses noted that its members grew to 16 by 1931 and continued in that trajectory due to radio lectures until the beginning of World War 2, which the church said forced worshippers to go underground but that 73 members eventually ended up in prison camps during the period, 

“World War II brought severe challenges to our brothers and sisters in Estonia. Soviet and German armies fought violently over the territory, with harsh consequences for everyone. After 1940, all public activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses was forced underground,” the church wrote.

The ministry also highlighted the deportation of 9,700 of Jehovah’s Witnesses from across the western regions of the Soviet Union in 1951 as one of the challenges of the ministry in Estonia since the opening of the first branch 100 years ago. From Estonia alone, 276 were reported to have been deported.

Despite the setbacks, the church stated that its number had grown from 1,000 active members in 1991 when Estonia gained independence from the Soviet Union to more than 4,100 publishers serving in 54 congregations throughout Estonia today. 

Meanwhile, the church vowed to continue its mission in Estonia.