I thought I’d share this poem that I found on the internet. It was written during WW2, on the wall of a cellar, by a Jew in the Cologne concentration camp.
“I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love,
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God,
even when he is silent.
I believe through any trial,
there is always a way
But sometimes in this suffering
and hopeless despair
My heart cries for shelter,
to know someone’s there
But a voice rises within me, saying hold on
my child, I’ll give you strength,
I’ll give you hope. Just stay a little while.
I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there
But I believe in God
even when he is silent
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.
May there someday be sunshine
May there someday be happiness
May there someday be love
May there someday be peace….”
– Uknown
sairyd 
This always makes me cry and gives me an eternal perspective on life.
SAME! ,~_~,
Bridget Thank You so much for posting this moving poem written by a beautiful soul. May They Rest In God’s Endless Love and Peace Amen
Reblogged this on Tales of Unwise Paths.
Thanks for sharing this…
I love the poem you posted, but I think a couple of corrections are in order. The original poem as it was found on a cellar wall in Nazi Germany is only 6 lines long. What you have posted here are the words to a song called ‘Inscription of Hope’, written by Z Randall Stroupe and based on the original poem. Hope this helps. Also, it is my understanding that the poem was written by a Jewish person in hiding, but there was no concentration camp at Cologne. Thanks for listening! 😊
i’ve always been moved by this poem, only the first 6 lines as you described however are what I’d ever heard. how do you know where the poem came from, the cellar, etc.? I’d really like to know the actual history
Do you know what language it was in originally?
Hi there, I am currently searching for a reliable source of provinience for the small poem. There are two versions I as I see it: the Cologne Cellar, where jews where hiding, as you mentioned. Also very often, you find as source a german concentration camp. It does not matter for the intention and content, however, I would like to be correct in quoting. So any hints would be welcome, many thanks, Jens Lazarus, Germany
This is an article dealing with the history of this poem, in four parts. Hope that helps
Hello Jens, I think Giada may have been trying to link to the posts I have written about this. Start here: https://humanistseminarian.com/2017/03/19/i-believe-in-the-sun-part-i-look-away/
Hello Jens — After years of searching, I found a primary source for the quotation. You can read about it here:
There you will find a link to an article in a Zürich newspaper, from June 26, 1945, which tells the full story and which includes the quotation:
“Ich glaube an die Sonne, sei es auch dunkel, ich glaube an Gott, mag er auch schweigen, ich glaube an Nächstenliebe, obwohl sie sich nirgends zeigen darf.”
I was interested to read your comment because I found the first six lines powerful, but the next section forced. I wasn’t surprised then to learn from you that they were not original. Sasha Cooke
Thank you for this comment, I believe the information you shared to be more accurate.
does anyone know where i could find a picture of the original writing on the wall?
Great post!
There was a song with these lyrics sung by Walter Anderson Players/Singers in Mississippi. It was very beautiful and moving 😐
Kim Andre Arnesen wrote one version. My favorite. Search on You Tube for Several performances. Stripe did another version.
Intresting stuff
This is so beautiful and inspiring. I have dealt with a chronic health condition for years and this has helped me to have hope.
Beautiful..brings tears to my eyes.
Wonderful inspiring
Beautiful. Very moving. XXX
I hope he or she made it out of that awful horrific place ! Even if they didn’t, their life was definatrly not in vein, even if this the only writing the person ever did, this literary masterpiece hss and still is inspiring millions !
a truly moving poem.I would love to know what happened to this prisoner he or she must have been very brave.
Do you know where one can find the text of the first six orginal lines in the original language? Was it written in German, Yiddish or Hebrew?
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Reblogged this on Musings on Life from A Work In Progress : Living Life On The Straight and Narrow and commented:
WOW. For anyone going through a difficult time, lack of writing inspiration, apathy, what have you….here you are. I am praying for you as well and welcome any and all messages related to prayer requests, etc.
The thought of this man in the Nazi prison camp and and the song by Carey Landry from my youth in Catholic school helped me during my long stretches in chemotherapy.
I have seen different things. One person said it was just the first few lines. Is this full poem what was written? I want to share it at a performance but want the correct information…
It is just the first few lines. The rest must have been added much later.
Deeply true
I had to sing this song for UIL last year and all of our choirs including mine that did UIL got straight 1’s which is the very best you can get
cool
The fresh idea is here). I’ve read the post with excellent satisfaction and even could know something
new that I will use for my additional requirements.
The guide is clear and bright, with no additional worthless facts or else, it reminded
me https://loveyoumorefilm.com/guest-post-5-tips-to-bag-the-financial-aid-you-need/. The speech is both brilliant
and vivid, so the more I read, the more I do enjoy it! Anyway, the information is quite cutting edge, so just like it.
Absolutely beautiful. A true testement to the integrity, grace and love of the man’s spirit. Truly he found God.
I have just finished reading 2 books, 1. The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz.
2. Hitler’s Stolen Children.
Please read them and you’ll see that we have No problems to think of.
oki
I’ve also read the first book, will certainly have a look at the second one.
I have always loved this poem , I read it when I was in high school.
There is music written to part of this.
I have to state that when I visited Auschwitz and I was allowed to walk inside one of the gas chambers, I did not see any poetry or graffiti written upon the walls. The only thing I still remember are the thousands of marks upon the walls made by people who were attempting to save themselves from the xylon gas. I don’t imagine anyone inside that chamber had the time to write a poem; but that is just my observation which accounts for absolutely nothing. When I do remember, however, is studying about the Holocaust in graduate school and reading thousands of sermons written by both German protestant ministers and Catholics justifying the death of millions of Jews. They too were part of the final solution, the convincing of the population that Jews were less than human.
jspsjohn@comcast.net
I love you so much. Thank you. I’m sending you big love and happy wishes.
Angela