Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.
Simon WiesenthalRead
For me the Holocaust was not only a Jewish tragedy, but also a human tragedy. After the war, when I saw that the Jews were talking only about the tragedy of six million Jews, I sent letters to Jewish organizations asking them to talk also about the millions of others who were persecuted with us together - many of them only because they helped Jews.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Holocaust is a shared tragedy that affected all of humanity, not just Jews.
Simon Wiesenthal emphasizes that the Holocaust represents a universal tragedy that extends beyond just the six million Jewish victims to include countless others who suffered or died, often for their compassion in aiding Jews. He advocates for recognizing the broader human suffering caused by such atrocities, urging Jewish organizations to acknowledge the diversity of victims who experienced persecution alongside the Jewish community.
Themes
HolocaustTragedyHumanityPersecutionEmpathy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about human rights, one might say, 'As Simon Wiesenthal reflects, we must remember that tragedies affect us all.'
More from Simon Wiesenthal
All quotes →Justice for crimes against humanity must have no limitations.
Simon WiesenthalRead
My cause was justice, not vengeance. My work is for a better tomorrow and a more secure future for our children and grandchildren.
Simon WiesenthalRead
The schools would fail through their silence, the Church through its forgiveness, and the home through the denial and silence of the parents. The new generation has to hear what the older generation refuses to tell it.
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We know that we are not collectively guilty, so how can we accuse any other nation, no matter what some of its people have done, of being collectively guilty?
Simon WiesenthalRead
Human rights is the only ideology that deserves to survive
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Similar quotes
Human beings are complicated and flawed and unique, but we all have a story to tell. Gone are the days where our lead characters can only look like somebody else. Heroes look like all of us. We see ourselves in each others' stories. We see who we are. We see who we want to be. Sometimes we see who we don't want to be. And through that we have a greater understanding of ourselves and acceptance of each other.
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I pray for a more friendly, more caring, and more understanding human family on this planet. To all who dislike suffering, who cherish lasting happiness, this is my heartfelt appeal.
Dalai LamaRead
I will never tire of repeating this: what the poor need the most is not pity but love. They need to feel respect for their human dignity, which is neither less nor different from the dignity of any other human being.
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Unfortunately, what is thrown away is not only food and dispensable objects, but often human beings themselves, who are discarded as 'unnecessary.' For example, it is frightful even to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day; children being used as soldiers, abused and killed in armed conflicts; and children being bought and sold in that terrible form of modern slavery which is human trafficking, which is a crime against humanity.
Pope FrancisRead
No matter how inured you get to atrocities, you're still always stunned and shocked by how cruel and wasteful Homo sapiens can be.
Steven PinkerRead
The world has only one border. It is called humanity. The differences between us are small compared to our shared humanity. Put humans first.
Nadia MuradRead