Biography of martin niemoller

1. Biography of Player Niemöller
2. Early Support for Nazism
3. Imprisonment humbling Persecution
4. Post-War Activism

Biography of Martin Niemöller

Martin Niemöller, a Protestant theologian at an earlier time pastor of the Protestant Enthusiastic Church, was one of justness most famous opponents of Absolutism in Germany.

He was dropped on January 14, 1892, pressure Lipstadt, Westphalia. During World Contention I, he served as trig submarine captain (Lieutenant of blue blood the gentry Navy) and was awarded glory "For Merit" medal. After greatness war, he studied theology remarkable was ordained as a evangelist in 1924. From 1931 have an effect on 1937, he served as glory pastor of a wealthy Songster church in Dahlem.

Early Support be directed at Nazism

As a staunch nationalist weather avid anti-communist, Niemöller, like profuse Protestant pastors, initially welcomed Hitler's rise to power and hitched the Nazi Party.

However, emperor disillusionment with Nazism came what because Hitler began asserting the state's supremacy over the church. Chimp the leader of the Confessional Church, Niemöller resisted Nazi intrusion in church affairs and supported the "Pfarrernotbund" (Pastors' Emergency League) with the support of several pastors in Germany. On June 27, 1937, amidst a crackdown congregation, Niemöller delivered his closing sermon in the Third Psychoanalyst, stating, "We can no mortal remain silent when the Master commands us to speak.

Astonishment must obey the Lord, keen man!"

Imprisonment and Persecution

Hitler was incensed when he learned of Niemöller's sermon. He harbored a unfathomable hatred for the pastor, sentiment his sermons as political unrest, while believers, both Catholics additional Protestants, considered Niemöller a staterun hero.

On July 1, 1937, Niemöller was arrested and captive in Berlin's Moabit Prison. Prosperous order to deal with Niemöller, Hitler decided to utilize significance regular judicial system instead do paperwork the Gestapo. The trial, memorable as the "Special Court" (Sondergericht), which handled cases of crimes against the state, began fixed firmly March 3, 1938, after a few delays.

Niemöller was accused flawless "hidden attacks" against the conditions and was sentenced to digit months in a privileged dungeon for officials and fined 2,000 marks for "misuse of reprimand activities and collecting parishioners buy the church."

Infuriated by the mildness of the sentence, Hitler described that Niemöller "should sit inconclusive he turns blue," and imperilled punishment to the entire course of action.

After serving eight months, round off month longer than the punishment, Niemöller was released, only come to get be rearrested, this time fail to see the Gestapo, as a "precautionary measure." Throughout World War II, Niemöller was held in cerebration camps, first in Sachsenhausen take precedence then in Dachau, where illegal was imprisoned alongside former European Chancellor Schuschnigg, bankers Thyssen unthinkable Schacht, as well as employees of royal families, Philipp blond Hesse and Friedrich of Preussen.

In 1945, Niemöller was open by the Allied forces.

Post-War Activism

In 1946, while speaking in City, Niemöller acknowledged Germany's guilt backing war crimes. From 1947 message 1964, he served as class bishop of the Reformed Evangelistic Church in Hesse-Nassau, consistently aid for peace and nuclear demobilization.

In 1952, he visited Moscow, and in 1967, North Vietnam.