They came first 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 the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Niemoller, 1945
他们先是来抓共产党,我没有说话,因为我不是共产党。
他们接着来抓犹太人,我没有说话,因为我不是犹太人。
他们又来抓工会会员,我没有说话,因为我不是工会会员。
他们再来抓天主教徒,我没有说话,因为我是新教教徒。
他们最后来抓我,这时已经没有人替我说话了。
——马丁•尼莫拉
附注:忏悔诗作者简介
马丁•尼莫拉(Martin Niemoller,1892-1984),德国人,新教牧师。
作牧师前,尼莫拉曾在一战中指挥过潜艇,也曾支持过希特勒(掌权之前)。纳粹媒体还因为他在一战时的表现而树其为先进典型。
不久,尼莫拉与纳粹决裂,1937年被捕入狱,囚禁在集中营里,战争即将结束时险被处死。
战后,备受折磨的尼莫拉走出牢房,讲出了这段话(诗)… …