If you are ‘bending principles’ to ‘avoid persecution’ - then you are giving in to ‘satan earthly stuff’ - which is exaactly what they tell the followers not to do - contrast that with the ‘no transfusions’ - any little transgression of the ‘principles’ is seen as a disfellowshipping offense - yet when the ‘governing body’ deems it necessary (removal of pages from a book to get out of prison, pleading with Hitler that they agree with his principles, join with the UN to get a ‘library card’) - thats ‘ok’.
You’re right - ‘what could they do’ ? they could be less hypocritical about it for starters. They could act a little less “holier then thou” when they deride “all of christendom” for doing these same things that they have done. They are not the first to refuse service in the military and been shot for it - but they are one of the few that figured that ‘publishing books and watchtowers’ was more important than living - if they were ‘bible students’ - they shouldn’t have needed those materials anyway.
As far as what they could have done in Germany, at the time? Maybe they could have worried a little less about publishing books and ‘door to door’ and a little more about family and other things - maybe Rutherford could have done a little less to make the JW a target for the regime? It’s all armchair quarterbacking for sure - but the one thing you don’t do - ‘If you’re gods organization hoping for the downfall of earthly governments so that the theocratic world can begin’ - is pick sides with one of those earthly governments.
As for the “anti-semitic” to ‘fit in’ - that would make them publishing lies, right? the JW are taught that EVERYTHING the Watchtower publishes is by virtue of them being chosen - as if the words come from Jehovah himself - and god hates lies - therefore those words are meant as ‘truth’ - they should have no need to ‘please earthly people’ to fit in - in fact, they see persecution as a sign of them being ‘right’ - so - no - that doesnt work as an excuse either.