First They Came...

The persecution of various groups is alluded to in the vaguest of terms. What exactly happened is unclear; only that “[coming] for” meant the group’s expulsion from society. The choice of simple diction creates a haunting mood supported with opaque subtext.

Niemöller variously named several persecuted groups throughout the years, including communists, socialists, trade unionists, people with disabilities, Jewish people, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some versions add Catholics, but it is unlikely that Niemöller ever did. These are all groups of people whom the Nazis persecuted for their beliefs, demographic category, and for refusing to bow to state authority. Niemöller didn’t intend for this to serve as a template for any group experiencing conflict or pushback. This quote is explicitly anti-Nazi, which means it is anti-fascist, anti-right-wing, and anti-authoritarian.

The speaker communicates their noninvolvement in the persecution of the groups mentioned in the first three sentences by using pronouns that sort the involved parties into distinct groups. The word “they” (Lines 1, 2, 3, 4) as opposed to “we” or “us,” reinforces that the speaker is not actively involved in the violence. The speaker, or “I” (Lines 1, 2, 3), only gives one reason for not speaking up, and it is simple: The speaker is not involved.