March 6, 2024

On March 6, 1984, a man named Martin Niemoeller died. He had been a German U-boat commander in WWI. After that war, he became a Lutheran pastor and initially supported Hitler.  But as the years moved toward WWII, Niemoeller became more and more critical of Hitler. Arrested several times, he finally spent seven years in various concentration camps beginning in 1938.  He was liberated from Dachau in 1945.

Martin Niemoeller wrote the following words:

“They came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist
so I did not speak out.  
They came for the Socialists and trade unionists,
but I was neither, so I did not speak out.  
They came for the Jews but I was not a Jew,
so I did not speak out.  
Then they came for me,
and there was no one to speak for me.”

As the world deals with interminable war, terrorism, racism, and cloaked fascism, we should remember that true justice and peace always include BOTH understanding and standing up.

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Music: Show Me How to Stand for Justice – Martin Leckebusch