looking for a ww2 poem ,gist is :when they came for the jews,when they came for the blacks when they came for?

Question

me there was no one left !Trying to remember this poem to my children ,just cant find it or the the correct words

Answer 1

It seems there are a few versions of it, and I am not sure which version was the original. Here is one of them ...


"When they came for the socialists I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
When they came for the homosexuals I did not speak out because I was not a homosexual.
When they came for the Jews I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
When they came for me there was no one left to speak out."

I think this is the original ...

"First They Came for the Jews"
By Pastor Niemoller

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

It is by Martin Niemöller, a Protestant (Lutheran) pastor arrested in 1937 because of his outspoken sermons. He was sent to a concentration camp and wasn't released until the end of the war.

It is usually referred to as a quote and not a poem. It was easier to find searching for a quote. But it is very poetic and moving. There are lots of versions of it as the original is in German. Then it has slightly changed versions seemingly to have different slants and make it more poetic. As a Pastor he speaks in public a lot, and said it a lot and not always the same.

"Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist."

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

The first link has 5 versions including german. Check out my 3rd link. A study of "What did Niemoeller really say?" lol

Answer 3

It's called "The Hangman" by maurice Ogden.
Our history teacher showed it to us last year. There is a video with it in it. It's a cartoon instead of with people but it's not like a TV show, just the narrator saying the poem with illustrations.

Answer 4

Try these sites. I've never heard of it before. You really should try a google search first.

The last url is a T shirt site with the poem printed on a T Shirt..

Answer 5

i am unsure whether what you typed are the exact words to your poem, but try a poem called "Dulce et Decorum Est"...it's about WW2 soldiers who struggle with their gasmasks and one of their fellows doesn't get his mask on fast enough... brilliantly written, but a bit graphic...

Answer 6

i know the poem you mean........now youve got me thinking.... another one for kids is Dulce et Decorum Est.
Also Flanders Fields (both ww1, but moving).
i will be checking to see if anyone can tell me too... its really bugging me!!