#Niemöller

[theivorybilledwoodpecker]

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

— Martin Niemöller

[nemiyons]

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Post-war Confessional, Martin Niemöller (1946)

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten, habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Kommunist. Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten, habe ich geschwiegen; ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat. Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten, habe ich geschwiegen, ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter. Als sie mich holten, gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.

When the Nazis got the communists, I kept quiet; I wasn't a communist, after all.

When they locked up the Social Democrats, I kept quiet; I wasn't a social democrat, after all.

When they called the trade unionists, I kept quiet; I wasn't a trade unionist, after all.

When they took me there was no one left to protest.

Martin Niemöller (1892 – 1984), German theologist

[hussyknee]

[girlactionfigure]

Young Friedrich was born in the German Empire on January 14, 1892. His father was a Lutheran pastor, and he grew up in a very conservative home. He would grow up to become an officer of the Imperial Navy, then returned to his roots, becoming a Lutheran pastor.

As a national conservative, he would support the accession to power of a man he believed would make his country great. He would say nothing as the man he supported began persecuting various targets within their country, group after group. He didn't agree with all his policies, but he continued to support the leader for what he believed was for the greater good of the country.

The list of groups began to increase and expand, from Communists to the incurably ill, to Jews and Jehovah's Witnesses, then foreigners, followed by schools and the press.

When the list of groups expanded to German Protestant churches, he finally started speaking out. But, it was too late. He would be arrested along with other pastors and people who opposed the policies of the leader of the country - Adolf Hitler.

The pastor's full name was Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller.

Martin Niemöller, as he would be more commonly known, spent time imprisoned in concentration camps, where he would express his regret for not speaking out before and helping out the first victims of the Nazis.

When the Western Allies advanced, Niemöller was scheduled to be killed, along with other high-ranking prisoners who opposed Hitler. Fortunately, regular German troops would halt the execution just as the U.S. Seventh Army reached them.

Niemöller would abandon his former nationalistic beliefs and help initiate the Stuttgart Declaration of Guilt, becoming a vocal pacifist and anti-war activist.

He would write:

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

The poem would become a rallying cry against fascism, repeated many times in different versions by Niemöller and others. Some versions exchanged "Socialists" with "Communists." Niemöller has also been denounced because of his earlier antisemitic views and his initial support of Hitler.

He would say, "I am paying for that mistake now; and not me alone, but thousands of other persons like me."

The Jon S. Randal Peace Page  

[cardassianexpats]

Quote on the Holocaust Memorial in Boston:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller (1892-1984), Lutheran minister and early Nazi supporter who was later imprisoned for opposing Hitler's regime.

[squishymain]

First They Came by Martin Niemoller

[benreyfaggot]

I apologize for posting this as it’s not usual for me to post something about political topics, usually I just reblog other’s posts, but I would like to give my two cents for all of my not straight/not cis/not white followers. I remember a quote from Martin Niemöller speaking of the Holocaust,

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

I beg of thee, anyone who is a part of any minority group that is reading this, remember this. Palestinians are being murdered today and allowing their deaths is paving a road to yours. Speak out against this genocide, stand with Palestinians and stop Israel in anyway that you can. I know it may seem like your voice will be drowned out amongst others but one voice can have such an affect. No matter you amount of followers, no matter how many posts you have, no matter what you post, speak out against Israel’s war crimes and the Genocide being committed upon Palestinians.

[murderonthedullexpress]

Do Not Be Silent

The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel

Silence = Death - Avram Finkelstein

A Litany for Survival - Audre Lorde

First They Came - Pastor Martin Niemöller

S!CK - The Warning

Tahar Djaout

The Heptameron - Marguerite de Navarre

Barbara Kruger

Song of Myself - Walt Whitman

Trust No Cop - Ludlow

{Image descriptions in alt text}

[nando161mando]

They are coming for the Palestinians and WE MUST SPEAK UP...for if we do not, history will never forgive us...

[roseunspindle]

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade-unionist, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade-unionist Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the me and there was no one left to speak for me. ~Reverand Martin Niemoller, Pastor

[chainsaw-raven]

source highly recommend reading the full article

Maya Angelou: “No one of us can be free until everybody is free”

[caffeinated-in-spirit]

"First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me"

-Pastor Martin Niemöller, First They Came... (1946)

A confessional prose written by a German Lutheran clergyman on his guilt and the guilt of others, including fellow clergymen and German intellectuals, who remained silent in the face of the Nazis' rise to power.

[palatinewolfsblog]

"First they came for the Communists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Socialists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

When they came for me

there was no one left

to speak out for me."

Martin Niemöller,

German pastor, theologian, central figure in the resistance against Hitler and peace activist.

If we heard Niemöller today, I bet he would speak for the Palestinians.

[serenity-bitty]

First they came for the Communists And you did not speak out Because you were not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And you did not speak out Because you were not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And you did not speak out Because you were not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And you did not speak out Because you were not a Jew

Now they come for the Palestinians And you do not speak out Because you are not Palestinian Then they will come for those of color And you will not speak out Because you are not a person of color Then they will come for the queer And you will not speak out Because you are not queer Then they will come for the disabled And you will not speak out Because you are not disabled And then only you will remain And they will come for you And nobody will speak out Because they are not you.

[immensoamore]

Prima di tutto vennero a prendere gli zingari, e fui contento, perché rubacchiavano. Poi vennero a prendere gli ebrei, e stetti zitto, perché mi stavano antipatici. Poi vennero a prendere gli omosessuali, e fui sollevato, perché mi erano fastidiosi. Poi vennero a prendere i comunisti, e io non dissi niente, perché non ero comunista. Un giorno vennero a prendere me, e non c'era rimasto nessuno a protestare".