When referring to Pastor Martin Niemöller, comes to mind the famous poem that appears below: First they came for the Communists,
but I was not a communist
not raised my voice.
Then they came for the socialists and trade unionists,
but as I was not one of the two,
did not raise my voice.
Then they came for the Jews,
and since I'm not Jewish,
not raised my voice.
Then they came for me,
no one was left to raise his voice to defend
.
This is just one of countless versions of the poem. It is actually part of a response that Niemöller gave when he inquired about how this could be the rise of Nazism in Germany from 1933 to 1945.
unique character of the twentieth century Germany. Encarna perhaps like no other German citizen who feels cheated by Hitler, but in no way prepared to be part of that evil system.
son of a Lutheran pastor, was born in Lippstadt January 14 1892.Se joined the Imperial Navy during World War 1 (submarine commander arrived) and was awarded the Order of Merit. Moved from initial approval to Hitler and being a valued figure by the Nazi press, the deepest disappointment and fierce opposition to the Hitler regime.
His book, autobiography, "From the submarine to the pulpit." Was well received, in the early thirties, by critics sympathetic to National Socialism. In his work not only described the process that led to a sea German U-Boot, a pastor in one of the most respected churches in the Berlin of the upper classes. It also reflected the expectation of the time.
however, was not only the chronicle of his days of war, or the testimony of a spiritual awakening, was also the feeling of a German citizen who saw with deep concern the threat of communism and the degradation of the national spirit that had been occurring in recent years. But while Hitler was receiving, the hope of national unity and a restoration of German dignity after the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles meant. Weighed on him, too, the deep dissatisfaction that produced the Weimar Republic.
pastor had been ordained in 1924 and seven years later he was appointed head of the Berlin-Dahlem congregation and is in that position where he begins to discover the reality that Hitler's government seeks to impose.
In principle, as many Germans, was auspiciously the advent of Hitler. But the rapid initial maneuvers to subdue the Protestant Church to the Nazi supervision, the development of a framework of totalitarian power, the enactment of anti-Jewish laws and immoral, abuse and terror Niemöller made an indomitable opponent.
A count of the Barmen Declaration in 1934, the confrontation with the Nazi government will be irreversible. The friction will be constant as far as Hitler discovered how difficult it was to silence the Confessing Church (Kirche Bekennende), at the heart and as one of the main leaders was Martin Niemöller.
resistance
The work carried out by Niemöller, both the Pfarrebund (League of support for pastors repressed by Hitler), which was one of the founders, as in the Confessing Church, were fundamental.
In 1934, Martin Niemöller had the opportunity to meet with Hitler, when he invited the leaders of the evangelical churches, to smooth things over and throwing the criticism he received from the sector that was opposed to his plans. Hitler was friendly and tried to calm her, assuring that the church reaches excimisión continue enjoying the tax, as well as legal cover, so you should not feel threatened. But Niemöller and asked to speak to the Führer retorted, rejecting the submission attempt he hoped Hitler, said: "Our concern is not only the Church, is for the soul of our country."
Nobody seemed to support you in that statement and then the silence was icy, it is clear that Niemöller was not speaking for everyone here, but a personal basis. In fact, the surprise was total for all present, including Hitler was not used to such challenges and was limited only to reply: "The soul of Germany Leave it to me."
Approaching the 1936 Olympics is held in Berlin, Pastor Niemöller wrote to his colleagues:
"Our people (the Germans) is trying to break the bonds placed by God. That is human conceit against God. In this connection we must warn the Führer, who often worship offered to him, is only due to God. Years ago the Führer complain about the existence of pictures on the altars of the Protestant Churches. Today his thoughts are not only used as a basis for policy decisions, but also for morality and law. Now he is surrounded by the dignity of a priest and even considered an intermediary between man and God ... We ask that you give our people their freedom to follow his path to the future under the cross of Christ, that our grandchildren will curse their ancestors for having left things in such a state in the soil so they will be denied entry into the kingdom of God. "
And shortly before his imprisonment, he preached in a sermon at his church in Berlin -Dahlem:
"We must use our powers to free from the oppressive hand of authority as did the Apostles of old. We are not willing to remain silent by command of man when God commands us to speak. For it is, and Must Remain, the case That We Must Obey God Rather Than Man. ".
On July 1, 1937 was arrested on charges of abusing his position to promote subversion. His arrest sparked
a wave of indignation beyond borders, to the point that international pressure made the case to be handled with some semblance of legality in a time when all opposition was silenced violently.
receive Shortly after the visit of a Lutheran pastor. This is strange that a man's predicament Niemöller, who had so valiantly served their country in war and whom he considered a patriot and a faithful Christian, he was imprisoned. He asked, then, incredulously, how he was there, what Niemöller said: "Dear brother, seeing how things are in our country, I also wonder how you 're not here with me? "
In March 1938 on trial. It is also known that when the judge rebuked him how he dared to disobey the Fuhrer. Martin Niemöller said, "I can not keep quiet because my God is my Führer."
finally found guilty, was sentenced in 2000 Reichsmarks and seven months in prison. Shortly after serving his sentence and be free was arrested again, this time by direct order of Hitler as their "personal prisoner" and sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In 1941 it sent to Dachau, in solitary confinement. From there would come when he was released by American troops at the end of the war in 1945.
had been eight years since his first arrest. At that time a younger daughter, had died of diphtheria and two of his sons in the front.
At the time of release, one of his first initiatives was to convene what is now known as the "Stuttgart Confession of guilt" held in 1946.En she acknowledged the guilt and responsibility that corresponded to Evangelical Church, by omission, by silence, by the complicity that led to such attitudes. Finally not being faithful to the Gospel.
said: "We can not deny our guilt with the excuse that if he would have killed me done something. We prefer to keep silent. We are certainly not innocent and I wonder: What would have happened if in 1933 or 1934, 14,000 Protestant pastors and all Protestant communities in Germany had defended the truth until death? If we said: It is wrong to confine Goering in concentration camps 100,000 people to die. I can imagine that perhaps 30,000 to 40,000 Protestant Christians had died, but it is also possible to assume that would have rescued 30 or 40 million people. That was the cost of our silence. "
Al Pastor Martin Niemöller is remembered today as one of the few who survived Hitler resistant scheme Nazi.
For some contradictory figure, others defending champion of freedom of conscience. In any case, it is undeniable that it was someone who committed their time, he never sought to hide and that time for reflection, not hide, nor apologized, his fault, not his mistakes or his guilt.
would die in Wiesbaden in 1984, after the postwar years were devoted mainly to combat nuclear arms race, becoming a figurehead of pacifism. Just him, he had suffered in his flesh, the madness of power in the most abject fanaticism which represented the Third Reich and the danger of silence accomplice.
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