Quotes from Bertolt Brecht

Sitting and sedition don't mix.

Knowledge is just a commodity. It is acquired in order to be resold. All those who have grown out of going to school have to do their learning virtually in secret, for anyone who admits the he has still something to learn devalues himself as a man whose knowledge is inadequate.

He thought in other heads, and in his own, others besides himself thought

For once you must try not to shirk the facts: Mankind is kept alive by bestial acts.

Das Volk hat das Vertrauen der Regierung verscherzt.Wäre es da nicht doch einfacher,die Regierung löste das Volk auf und wählte ein anderes?

The Solution After the uprising of the 17th of June The Secretary of the Writers Union Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee Stating that the people Had forfeited the confidence of the government And could win it back only By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier In that case for the government To dissolve the people And elect another?

One day somebody asked Herr K. if there was a God. Herr K. replied: "I suggest that you ask yourself whether the answer would effect your behavior. If your behavior would remain unchanged, then we can drop the question. If it would change, then I can at least be of assistance to you by telling you that you have already decided: you need a God.

The compassion of the oppressed for the oppressed is indispensable. It is the world's one hope.

Wer die Wahrheit nicht weiß, der ist bloß ein Dummkopf. Aber wer sie weiß und sie eine Lüge nennt, der ist ein Verbrecher.

Corpses sour you. They are bad for objectivity.

THE POLICEMAN: I'm a policeman. I'm paid by those in charge to combat dissatisfaction.

Charakter, das ist eine Zeitfrage. Er hält soundso lange, genau wie ein Handschuh. Es gibt gute, die halten lange. Aber sie halten nicht ewig.

Old Man, right (sighing): Death to the fascists!

The law was made for one thing alone,for the exploitation of those who don't understand it, or are prevented by naked misery from obeying it. And anyone who wants a crumb of this exploitation for himself must obey the law strictly.

und eure neuen Maschinen mögen nur neue Drangsale bedeuten. Ihr mögt mit der Zeit alles entdecken, was es zu entdecken gibt, und euer Fortschritt wird doch nur ein Fortschritt von der Menschheit weg sein. Die Kluft zwischen euch und ihr kann eines Tages so groß werden, dass euer Jubelschrei über irgendeine neue Errungenschaft von einem universalen Entsetzensschrei beantwortet werden könnte.

Mixing one's wines may be a mistake, but old and new wisdom mix admirably. The Singer, in The Caucasian Chalk Circle, prologue (1944).

people are taken much too seriously. one equals no one. anything less than two hundred at a time is not worth mentioning. of course, anybody can be of a different opinion. an opinion is of no consequence whatever. any level-headed man can level headedly adopt two or three different opinions.

The thinking man often rebuked his girlfriend because of her extravagance. Once he discovered four pairs of shoes in her room. "I also have four different kinds of feet," she excused herself. The thinking man laughed and asked: "So what do you do, when one pair is worn out?" At that, she realized he was not yet quite in the picture and said, "I made a mistake, I have five different kinds of feet." With that the thinking man was finally in the picture.

Proof seduces them. One of the greatest pleasures of the human race is thinking.

When the sharks the sharks devour Little fishes have their hour.

He who fights, can lose. He who doesn't fight, has already lost.

When the houses of the great collapse Many little people are slain. Those who have no share in the fortunes of the mighty Often have a share in their misfortunes. The plunging wain Drags the sweating beasts with it into the abyss.

Mankind lives by its head Its head won't see him through Inspect your own. What lives off that? At most a louse or two.

Im Zustand der gefüllten Samenblase sieht der Mann in jedem Weib Aphrodite.