Quotes from Friedrich Durrenmatt

One does not set fire to a world which is already lost.

The difference between humans and wild animals is that humans pray before they commit murder.

There are thoughts we must not think.

The planet on which we live is poorly organized, many areas are overpopulated, others are reserved for a few, technology's potential is only in part realized, and most people are starving.

When death has you by the throat, you don't mince words.

There is a moment when nothing can be wiped out and left behind any more, when there is only reality and reality is horrifying.

World history is tragic.

Justice is horrible.

Everything in the world can be changed, my dear Florestan, but the human being.

A story is not finished, until it took the worst turn.

Only the freedom of mind can prevent the state from becoming totalitarian and from issuing totalitarian demands.

It is only in love and murder that we still remain sincere.

The only remedy against hunger is reasonable birth control.

News reports don't change the world. Only facts change it, and those have already happened when we get the news.

The rightful claim to dissent is an existential right of the individual.

This inhuman world has to become more humane. But how?

In a society which is structured the wrong way, piety has no effect.

Truth is always a delusion.

Die Partei weiß genau, daß sie nur jene zu fürchten hat, welche die Ideale ernst nehmen, die sie zu verkörpern vorgibt.

Gott ist] gerecht, Hofdichter. Sonst wäre die Welt keine Hölle.

Byen var et uhyre, som uavbrutt fødte, oppløste og slukte nye mennesker.

Men vet hvordan det er om lørdagen, tenkte han mens han gikk over Altenbergbroen, da viser alle embedsmenn tenner og er sure bare fordi de har dårlig samvittighet over at de ikke har gjort noe fornuftig i hele uken.

Jeg får vel ta meg en kikk på ham. Forfattere er alltid litt tvilsomme personer, men jeg vet nok hvordan jeg skal ta den slags typer.

Im Paradoxen erscheint die Wirklichkeit.