Then They Came for Me
Disclaimer: a poem about the Holocaust.
The following poem was written about the Holocaust in 1946, by the German pastor, Martin Niemöller:
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
Depois vieram buscar-meThen they came for me
E já não havia ninguém
Para se manifestar por mim
Click to reveal translation
Click the sentence again to see the Portuguese
The Plus version of this story
Primeiro vieram* buscar os comunistasE eu não me manifesteiPorque eu não era comunista*Depois vieram buscar os socialistasE eu não me manifesteiPorque eu não era socialista*Depois vieram buscar os sindicalistasE eu não me manifesteiPorque eu não era sindicalista*Depois vieram buscar os judeusE eu não me manifesteiPorque eu não era judeu*Depois vieram buscar-meE já não havia ninguémPara se manifestar por mim*First they came for the CommunistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a communistThen they came for the SocialistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a socialistThen they came for the trade UnionistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a trade unionistThen they came for the JewsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a JewThen they came for meAnd there was no one leftTo speak out for me
🔎 Words in this story
✴️ Comunista (communist) / ✴️ Socialistas (socialist) / ✴️ Sindicalistas (unionist)
“-ista” is a suffix (syllable or letters added at the end of a word to modify its meaning) used to form adjectives and nouns that express the notion of follower/supporter (socialista), occupation or trade (jornalista) and specialist (dentista).
This suffix is invariable in gender, meaning it applies to both masculine and feminine subjects. For example: “Ele é capitalista e ela é socialista” (He is a capitalist and she is a socialist).
The word “sindicalista” (unionist) derives from the word “sindicato” (union).
✴️ Judeu (jew)
There is a Plus version of this story
The same story, taken further, for DailyNata Plus members. This one works on word formation and suffixes.
- The whole story in Portuguese, and its English
- The words in it, explained, with examples
Written for level B1–B2. Every story has its own, anywhere from A1 to B2.