„First they came ...” by Martin Niemöller

”First they came…” „este forma poetică a unei mărturisiri post-război realizată prima dată în limba germană în 1946 de pastorul luteran german Martin Niemöller (1892–1984). Este vorba despre LAȘITATEA intelectualilor germani și a anumitor clerici (inclusiv , după propria admitere, însuși Niemöller), în urma creșterii puterii naziștilor și a epurării incrementale ulterioare a țintelor alese, grup după grup.”

versiunea poetică, 1950, citată de United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

 =========


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 


(versiunea  Holocaust Memorial Day Trust UK)