Letter

In response to Leunig cartoon: Antisemitism or valid political comment?

Leunig's intention with his cartoon

In his critique of Leunig’s 2012 cartoon, Zwier refers to it as a parody — satirising or mocking — of Niemöller’s 1946 poem. For me, the 2025 immediacy and personal nature of Leunig‘s words was palpable – not a parody, but rather an adaptation true to the original intent of Niemöller’s poem. It spoke to me about the progressive… how can I say it, moral shrinkage that occurs, the lack of courage, sense of being overwhelmed and the impotence in us, preventing us from speaking up for truth.

Leunig’s very personal observation is evident in his choice of pronouns – “I did not speak out”. Given that the observation in this cartoon is still relevant in 2025, nearly 80 years on from the original poem, we can safely say that it is indeed an incisive expression of the human condition (a foundational topic for Leunig) rather than a political comment.

To me, the cartoon is not about whether we are antisemitic or not, but rather about whether we are properly human or not. I wonder what Michael Leunig would have had to say about this?

— Susan Germein from Sydney