There were many ways of not burdening one's conscience, of shunning responsibility, looking away, keeping mum. When the unspeakable truth of the Holocaust then became known at the end of the war, all too many of us claimed that they had not known anything about it or even suspected anything.

Richard von Weizsaecker

Categorized in : War Responsibility Holocaust

Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redem... by Richard von Weizsaecker

Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance.

Richard von Weizsaecker

remembrance secret lying

Every generation is confronted anew with the task not to look the other way when injustice occurs. ... Everyone is responsible for what he does and co-responsible for what he lets happen.

Richard von Weizsaecker

generations tasks doe

Democracy feeds on argument, on the discussion as to the right way forward. This is the reason why respecting the opinion of others belongs to democracy.

Richard von Weizsaecker

way-forward democracy freedom

Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity is prone to new risks... by Richard von Weizsaecker

Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity is prone to new risks of infection.

Richard von Weizsaecker

uprising risk remember

All of us, whether guilty or not, whether old or young, must accept the past. It is not a case of coming to terms with the past. That is not possible. It cannot be subsequently modified or undone.

Richard von Weizsaecker

gmos guilty past

We could be happy if the air was as pure as beer. by Richard von Weizsaecker

We could be happy if the air was as pure as beer.

Richard von Weizsaecker

pure air beer