Originally part of a speech, many variations of the poem have circulated since the 1950s. Niemoller wrote these words after he spent seven years in Nazi concentration camps for opposing the Nazi control over churches, and realized the immense mistreatment that Jewish people endured.
Just by writing this poem, Martin Niemoller shows the importance of taking responsibility for one's own actions. He recognizes that he did nothing to stop injustice, and only when the injustice got to him did he understand his mistake.