Question

note: the following quotation was made by niemöller during one of his many lectures after the war. as you read, take notes on the author’s use of repetition. (1) first 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 for me. “first they came,” by martin niemöller, copyright © 1950 by martin niemöller. for nonprofit educational use only. unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the cc by - nc - sa 4.0 license. 2. which detail best shows that the speaker feels regretful about his choices? a. “then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.” b. “i did not speak out — because i was not a jew.” c. “because i was not a trade unionist” d. “first they came for the socialists”

Explanation:

The speaker's regret stems from the final consequence of their repeated inaction: when they were targeted, no one was left to advocate for them. This line directly shows the painful outcome of their earlier choices, which reflects regret. The other options only show the pattern of their inaction, not the regretful result.

Answer:

A. "Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me."