The document discusses Martin Niemoller's poem "First They Came for the Jews," analyzing why the Holocaust should not be forgotten. It argues the poem shows that people should intervene in injustice early rather than waiting until it personally affects them. It also mentions the author visited Dachau concentration camp, though under different circumstances than Niemoller during his internment for speaking out against Hitler's regime.

1. Ritter 1
Kristian Ritter
English 211
Term Issue Paper
July 12, 2007
The poem “First They Came for the Jews,” by Martin Niemoller is a very
powerful piece which is exemplary in showing why the Holocaust should not be
forgotten. This poem represents why people shouldn’t wait for a particular event, such as
the holocaust to affect them personally before they intervene. The holocaust and the
medical experiments the Germans did to the Jews during Hitler’s reign of terror should
never be forgotten. Even though I did not experience the holocaust personally, I feel as if
I have a connection with the author because we have both been to Dachau concentration
camp. However, my visit to Dachau was under completely different circumstances than
the author’s.
Martin Niemoller, who won the Iron Cross as a sub commander in WWI, was
interned at Sachsenhause and Dachau Pris