Quotes

William Empson photo
Anastacia photo
Scott Jurek photo
Jean Sibelius photo
Mengistu Haile Mariam photo

“When [Nelson Mandela] was in prison I admired him for his moral strength…
Of his period in power I can see few results. Apartheid no longer exists, at least to all appearances, but no one understands what the new government in South Africa is doing.”

Mengistu Haile Mariam (1937) Former dictator of Ethiopia

As quoted in Riccardo Orizio, Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators, (Walker and Company, 2003), p. 148

Jean-François Lyotard photo
Jane Jacobs photo
John F. Kennedy photo
Maurice Wilkes photo
Mariah Carey photo
Benjamin Franklin photo

“Our great security lies, I think, in our growing strength, both in numbers and wealth; ... unless, by a neglect of military discipline, we should lose all martial spirit ...; for there is much truth in the Italian saying, Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you.”

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) American author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, …

Letter to Thomas Cushing (1773) http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/franklin-the-works-of-benjamin-franklin-vol-vi-letters-and-misc-writings-1772-1775#lf1438-06_head_007.

Rudolf Hess photo

“I was suspicious for several reasons… after all, Hess who had been held in Spandau for almost 30 years was by then 93-years-old and fragile. I doubted he had the strength to kill himself with a cord which was not attached at both ends to anything.”

Rudolf Hess (1894–1987) German Nazi leader

Lt. Col. Eugene K. Bird on the death of Hess, to a Deutsche Presse-Agentur reporter, as quoted in "Former governor of Spandau Prison dies in Berlin" in Expatica (7 November 2005)

Pierce Brown photo
Prevale photo

“Every woman, from becoming and feeling like a real mother, fights every day like a warrior in the name of love for her child with strength, courage and making great sacrifices; so that she always manages to give him serenity, happiness, security and will to live.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Ogni donna, dal diventare e sentirsi una vera madre, lotta ogni giorno come una guerriera nel nome dell'amore per il proprio figlio con forza, coraggio e facendo grandi sacrifici; affinché riesca sempre a donargli serenità, felicità, sicurezza e voglia di vivere.
Source: prevale.net

“I am just a very ordinary priest without much achievement. I'm not even aware what strengths I have. But my fellow priests, nuns and lay Catholics give me their support and trust, so I will try my very best.”

Anthony Dang Mingyan (1967) Chinese bishop

New Auxiliary Bishop Of Xi´an Strains To Help ´High-Caliber´ Bishop (26 July 2005) UCA News https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/2005/07/27/new-auxiliary-bishop-of-xian-strains-to-help-highcaliber-bishop&post_id=26095

Ramakrishna photo
Anaïs Nin photo
Joseph Goebbels photo

“Old Christmas Songs. I feel something like a longing for a lost homeland.
We are giving gifts to each other. A beautiful, old New Testament from Hertha Holk is my greatest joy. I thank her for being my solace and my strength.”

Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945) Nazi politician and Propaganda Minister

Alte Weihnachtslieder. Ich habe etwas wie Sehnsucht nach einem verlorenen Vaterland.
Wir beschenken uns. Ein schönes, altes Jesustestament von Hertha Holk ist meine größte Freude. Ich danke ihr, dass sie mein Trost und meine Stärke ist.
Michael: a German fate in diary notes (1926)

Rosa Luxemburg photo