Martin Niemoller

Date of Birth: January 14, 1892

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: March 6, 1984

Biography

Martin Niemöller was a German theologian and Lutheran pastor, best known for his opposition to the Nazi regime during World War II. Born in Lippstadt, Germany, Niemöller initially pursued a career in the navy, serving as a submarine commander during World War I. Following the war, he studied theology and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1924. Niemöller became a prominent figure in the Confessing Church, a movement within German Protestantism that resisted the Nazi’s attempts to control the churches. His outspoken criticism of Adolf Hitler’s regime led to his imprisonment from 1937 to 1945. After the war, Niemöller continued his pastoral work and became an advocate for peace and reconciliation. He was a vocal critic of nuclear weapons and an active participant in the ecumenical movement. Niemöller is perhaps most famous for his poignant post-war confessional poem “First they came…”, which laments the consequences of his and others’ inaction during the rise of the Nazis.

5 Interesting Facts about Martin Niemoller

1. Martin Niemöller was a U-boat commander during World War I.

2. He initially supported Adolf Hitler but later became one of his most outspoken critics.

3. Niemöller spent eight years in Nazi concentration camps, including Sachsenhausen and Dachau.

4. After World War II, he served as a president of the World Council of Churches from 1961 to 1968.

5. Niemöller’s famous quote “First they came…” has been widely quoted and adapted across various contexts to emphasize the dangers of political apathy.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Martin Niemoller

1. “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. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

2. “A God who let us prove His existence would be an idol.”

3. “We preferred to keep silent. We are certainly not without guilt, and I ask myself over and over again what would have happened if in the year 1933 or 1934 there must have been a confessional synod which was determined to stand up for the truth.”

4. “The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.”

5. “The church has to confess that she has witnessed the arbitrary use of brutal force, physical and spiritual, and has not raised her voice on behalf of the victims and has been guilty of a defensive and evasive silence.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As a clergyman and theologian, Martin Niemöller did not accumulate significant personal wealth. His highest net worth is not publicly documented, reflecting his life dedicated to religious service and activism rather than material gain.

Children

Martin Niemöller had six children with his first wife Else Niemöller (née Bremer). Their names are: 1. Jutta Niemöller 2. Dietlind Niemöller 3. Hans Niemöller 4. Martin Niemöller Jr. 5. Renate Niemöller 6. Wilhelm Niemöller