Elie Wiesel Quotes — Page 25

Writer, Holocaust Survivor

Courageous

“Fanaticism in many lands has surfaced as the greatest threat to the world. Indifference to its consequences would be a serious mistake.”

Mistake Land Serious

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Elie Wiesel

Writer, Holocaust Survivor

Inspired

“We cannot indefinitely avoid depressing subject matter, particularly it it is true, and in the subsequent quarter century the world has had to hear a story it would have preferred not to hear - the story of how a cultured people turned to genocide, and how the rest of the world, also composed of cultured people, remained silent in the face of genocide. (v)”

People Stories Depressing

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Angry

“I think that human beings are capable of the worst things possible.”

Thinking Humans

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Philosophical

“Which is better, truth that is a lie or the lie that is truth?”

Lying

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Compassionate

“For the survivor who chooses to testify, it is clear: his duty is to bear witness for the dead and for the living. He has no right to deprive future generations of a past that belongs to our collective memory. To forget would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.”

Past Memories Collective Memory

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Thoughtful

“Of course, afterward, I studied [commentary on the Bible by a Rabbi Moshe Dessauer] more closely. But, in truth, it doesn't touch me. It doesn't change my attitude toward the text.”

Attitude Touch Me Rabbi

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Courageous

“'Indifference to evil is equal to evil' because it strengthens people.”

People Evil

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Grateful

“I think [teacher] is the noblest profession.”

Thinking Teacher

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Sad

“It was pitch dark. I could hear only the violin, and it was as though Juliek's soul were the bow. He was playing his life. The whole of his life was gliding on the strings--his last hopes, his charred past, his extinguished future. He played as he would never play again...When I awoke, in the daylight, I could see Juliek, opposite me, slumped over, dead. Near him lay his violin, smashed, trampled, a strange overwhelming little corpse.”

Past Dark Opposites

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Philosophical

“I'd rather speak as a student of philosophy. Philosophically it makes no sense, absolutely makes no sense. Why should people inherit evil things when their memories could contain and should invoke good things?”

Memories Philosophy Evil

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Sad

“Today again the teacher is the important thing, but on the other hand anti-Semitism is growing today. No doubt about it. All over the world, especially in Europe, and it's true they begin with anti-Israeli attitudes and then it's so strong that it runs over and becomes anti-Semitic.”

Running Strong Teacher

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Nostalgic

“I remember one day I came home and shouted to my grandmother, "Grandma, Sarah is pregnant!" Poor Sarah! For weeks before I had read how difficult it was for her to get pregnant. "Grandma! I have news for you!" "What did you learn?" "I have news, Grandma: Sarah is pregnant!" [Genesis 16 - 21].”

Home Grandmother Grandma

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