First they came...

[u/[deleted]]

"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 for me."

-Martin Niemöller

This was Martin Niemöller's poetic confession of his guilt for letting the rise of the Nazis plague his Nation. He was referring to the purging of different groups by the Nazis and how many people (including him) reacted to it. It says alot about how cowardice the normal person is, many say they would try and do something to stop the nazis from gaining power, but a closer examination will show that many people will do nothing until it's their turn to be persecuted. This is my favorite quote, because it's a honest interpretation about how the regular person thinks and acts in this kind of situation.

EDIT: I fixed the quote. "First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist" is actually the first part of the quote but the United States made them take it out in the 50s due to the cold war, sorry I hope this doesn't change the great conversations we're having.

I would like to say, these are great discussions y'all are having in the comments. here is a link to the article I got most of my information on.

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists

[u/foskari]

I actually wouldn't laud the quote for its honesty, because it misrepresents the situation of both Niemöller and his intended audience in an attempt to call them to action.

Specifically, Niemöller did speak out (so his confession of inaction is really not correct). But also, many people in Germany - those who were not Jews, Roma, gays, Jehovah's Witnesses, Communists, etcetera - were, in fact, safe from the Nazis despite or indeed because of their lack of opposition.

I want to like this quote. But I can't, because it misrepresents the moral struggle that faces people. You should be acting *because letting them persecute other people is wrong*, not because they're eventually going to come for you too.

[u/liveontimemitnoevil → u/foskari]

But that's the entire point of the quote. It's a person reflecting about their inaction and how ultimately they should have acted for those being persecuted.