January 27, 2025
Eighty years ago today Auschwitz was liberated. You can live-stream the ceremonies taking place today here .
Polish television will broadcast the commemoration, starting at 4:00 pm.
Why mention this on a blog devoted to wine pr? It may seem a stretch, but those of us who work to publicize and promote wine also swim in the currents of our culture, and that includes paying attention to works of literature and art which vividly express the topics of the day.
In musing about this grim anniversary, I realize I’ve seen a lot of attention lately on a poem written by Martin Niemöller, who was a German Lutheran pastor (1892-1984). Here it is in a powerful reading.
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then 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 out for me.
As Wikipedia explains: Martin Niemöller was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian born in Lippstadt, Germany, in 1892. Niemöller was an anti-Communist and supported Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. But when Hitler insisted on the supremacy of the state over religion, Niemöller became disillusioned. He became the leader of a group of German clergymen opposed to Hitler. In 1937 he was arrested and eventually confined at both the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentrated camps. He was released in 1945 by the Allies. He continued his career in Germany as a cleric and as a leading voice of penance and reconciliation for the German people after World War II.
The poem was part of a speech he gave on January 6, 1946 in Frankfurt. It has resonated across the world and today the verses are displayed prominently at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., as well as at many other Holocaust memorials including Yad Vashem in West Jerusalem. The power of these words is undeniable: as Wikipedia explains, “Many variations and adaptations in the spirit of the original have been published in the English language. It deals with themes of persecution, guilt, repentance, solidarity, and personal responsibility.”
The reach of Niemöller’s words is long and wide; one example is in James Baldwin’s Letter To Angela Davis, in 1970: “For, if they take you in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.”
Here is a discussion between historians with more background.
These historians summed up the power of these words: “After the Holocaust, Niemöller called for acknowledgment of German guilt. As our current moment draws us to Niemöller’s words once again, we will discuss their origins and reflect on their enduring power to inspire individuals to act and recognize our common humanity.”
On this grim anniversary, as people remember Auschwitz, the enduring power of a certain set of words is worth reflecting upon. Of course a far cry from marketing a new Merlot….but a reminder that language matters.