Poems by Martin Niemöller

On January 14, 1892, German theologian and Lutheran priest Martin Niemöller was born.

During World War I, Niemöller was a submarine commander in the German Navy. After the war, he began to study theology.

He became a priest in 1924.

Adolf Hitler was a supporter of Hitler before he came to power, and his exploits were also reported in the Nazi media, but he opposed Nazi influence on the Protestant Church in Germany.

In 1933, he organized an Emergency Alliance of Pastors to protect Lutheran priests from police influence.

In 1934, he participated in organizing the Bamen Conference.

From 1933 to 1937, under the protection of the upper echelons, he repeatedly expressed the hope that the Church would be decoupled from politics and opposed the so-called "active Christianity" that promoted German virtues.

He was arrested and imprisoned in 1937, transferred to the concentration camps of Sachsenhausen and Dachau, and was almost executed before the end of the war.

After the war, he was committed to promoting peaceful development and dialogue and communication.

Visited Moscow in 1952.

In 1961, he was elected one of six presidents of the World Christian Council.

Visited North Vietnam in 1967.

In 1967, he won the Lenin Peace Prize.

Won the West German Grand Cross Medal in 1971.

He died on March 6, 1984 in Wiesbaden, West Germany, at the age of 92.

He is best known for his anti-Nazi Stuttgart confession and the poem "First they came for the Communists".

THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,

and I didn¡¯t speak up because I wasn¡¯ t a Communist.

THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,

and I didn¡¯t speak up because I wasn¡¯ t a Jew.

THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,

and I didn¡¯t speak up because I wasn¡¯ t a trade unionist.

THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,

and I didn¡¯t speak up because I was a Protestant.

THEN THEY CAME for me,

and by that time no one was left to speak up.

¨D¨DPastor Martin Niemoeller

Translation:

When they first went after the communists,

I didn't speak up -- because I'm not a communist.

Then they came after the Jews.

I didn't speak--because I was not Jewish;

Later, when they hunted down union members,

I didn't speak - because I wasn't a union member;

After that, when they hunted down Catholics,

I didn't speak--because I was a Protestant;

Finally, they came to me.

At that time, no one could speak for me anymore.

This classic passage is often quoted by people today to express condemnation of the "silent person". The practical meaning expressed is understood by people.