Martin Niemoller Quotes & Sayings

One thing is clear, the president of North Vietnam is not a fanatic. He is a very strong and determined man, but capable of listening, something that is very rare in a person of his position. — Martin Niemoller

If you can laugh at yourself, you are going to be fine. If you allow others to laugh with you, you will be great. — Martin Niemoller

That which does not kill you will ultimately make you stronger. — Martin Niemoller

First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I'm not a socialist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I'm not a Catholic. Finally, they came for me, but by then there was no one left to help me. — Martin Niemoller

There was no one left to speak for me — Martin Niemoller

More than fifty-five years ago my father told me, "The Bible does not belong on the shelf but in your hand, under your eye, and in your heart." — Martin Niemoller

Ask the first man you meet what he means by defending freedom, and he'll tell you privately he means defending the standard of living. — Martin Niemoller

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

For politicians truth and falsehood are unimportant. So I never could become a politician not even a church politician. — Martin Niemoller

If you're not living I mean really living, you're dead already. — Martin Niemoller

Don't let your life wait for other people. — Martin Niemoller

When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. — Martin Niemoller

What should we do? We have no wish to interrupt the destroyer's work of saving lives ... But war is war and the people being picked up out of the water are soldiers bound for the front; soldiers who are to shoot at our German brothers ... The question whether we are to perish in despair or defiance, or survive all trails with a live conscience, depends wholly and solely on whether we believe in the forgiveness of sins. This 25th January was the turning point in my life, because it opened my eyes to the utter impossibility of a moral universe. — Martin Niemoller

When Hitler came for the Jews ... I was not a Jew, therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists, I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned. Then, Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church - and there was nobody left to be concerned. — Martin Niemoller

We had been frightened of atomic weapons since 1945. In those days I became convinced and remain convinced now that, after Hitler , Truman was the greatest murderer in the world. — Martin Niemoller

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist. — Martin Niemoller

First they arrested the Communists - but I was not a Communist, so I did nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats - but was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then they arrested the trade unionists - and I did nothing because I was not one. And then they came for the Jews and then the Catholics, but I was neither a Jew nor a Catholic and I did nothing. At last they came and arrested me - and there was no one left to do anything about it. — Martin Niemoller

A man doesn't realize how much he can stand until he is put to the test. You can stand far more than you think you can. You are much stronger than you think you are. — Martin Niemoller

If it hurts, DON'T DO IT AGAIN. — Martin Niemoller

Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me. — Martin Niemoller

For it is, and must remain, the case that we must obey God rather than man. — Martin Niemoller

I have never concealed the fact and said it before the court in 1938 that I came from an anti-Semitic past and tradition ... I ask only that you look at my life historically and take it as history. I believe that from 1933 I truly represented the Lutheran-Christian outlook on the Jewish question as I revealed before the court but that I returned home after eight years' imprisonment as a completely different person. — Martin Niemoller

If your intuition is telling you not to do something, then don't. Your intuition is not stupid. — Martin Niemoller

In Germany 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 for me. — Martin Niemoller