Martin Niemöller was a German theologian and Lutheran pastor, born on January 14, 1892, in Lippstadt, Germany. He is best known for his opposition to the Nazi regime during the late 1930s. Initially a national conservative and supporter of Adolf Hitler, Niemöller later became one of the founders of the Confessing Church, which opposed the Nazification of German Protestant churches. For his resistance, Martin Niemöller was imprisoned in two concentration camps during his time of opposition to the Nazi regime:
- Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp: Niemöller was first imprisoned here from 1938 until 1941. Sachsenhausen was located near Oranienburg, north of Berlin.
- Dachau Concentration Camp: He was later transferred to Dachau, where he remained until his liberation by U.S. troops in April 1945. Dachau was located near Munich.
Harsh conditions marked his time in these camps, but he survived and later became a vocal advocate for peace and human rights. After the war, he expressed deep regret for not having done more to stop the advance of the Nazification of Germany.
“First they came 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.
And then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”