--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In retrospect I must confess that I do…" description: "\"“In retrospect I must confess that I do not know, or no longer know, what I wanted to achieve with my words. I only know that without this testimony, m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/elie-wiesel-341_life_in-retrospect-i-must-confess-that-i-do-n_2803839.jpg" --- # In retrospect I must confess that I do not know, or no… ![“In retrospect I must confess that I do not know, or no longer know, what I wanted to achieve with my words. I only know that without this testimony, my life as a writer—or my life, period—would not have become what it is: that of a witness who believes he has a moral obligation to try to prevent…” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/elie-wiesel-341_life_in-retrospect-i-must-confess-that-i-do-n_2803839.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/elie-wiesel-341_life_in-retrospect-i-must-confess-that-i-do-n_2803839.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/elie-wiesel-341_life_in-retrospect-i-must-confess-that-i-do-n_2803839.jpg) > ““In retrospect I must confess that I do not know, or no longer know, what I wanted to achieve with my words. I only know that without this testimony, my life as a writer—or my life, period—would not have become what it is: that of a witness who believes he has a moral obligation to try to prevent the enemy from enjoying one last victory by allowing his crimes to be erased from human memory.”” [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing preserves memory, preventing erasure of atrocities and honoring moral duty. **In simple terms:** Writing preserves memory of atrocities. Key Takeaway Document truth to combat denial. Themes memory morality history Mood solemn determined Type historical ethical When to use this quote - education - public speaking - literature - activism Key Concepts ethical responsibility historical record human rights Questions to Reflect On - How does bearing witness affect you? - What responsibilities do writers have? A Different Perspective May be emotionally heavy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moral obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-obligation/) [Testimony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testimony/) ## Related quotes > [Those who don't know my testimony could never understand my faith!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette-byers/those-who-don-t-know-my-testimony-could-never-understand-my-faith/) Antoinette Byers > [“You know your testimony is strong when your roots are so deep that other people’s storms will never knock you over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-know-your-testimony-is-strong-when-your-roots-are-so-deep-that/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [My personal testimony in my life since I became a Christian believer & from reading the bible & studying it, has convince me, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/my-personal-testimony-in-my-life-since-i-became-a-christian-believer/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for helping me give a testimony to what You have done in my life. Thank You for showing me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-langohr/dear-heavenly-father-thank-you-for-helping-me-give-a-testimony-to/) [Glenn Langohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-langohr/) > [Each of our temples is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as certain as is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/each-of-our-temples-is-an-expression-of-our-testimony-that-life/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [At this late stage in the history of American capitalism I'm not sure I know how much testimony still needs to be presented to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/at-this-late-stage-in-the-history-of-american-capitalism-i-m-not-sure/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [We . . . can become more diligent and concerned at home by bearing testimony to those whom we love about the things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/we-can-become-more-diligent-and-concerned-at-home-by-bearing/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Our knowledge of Jesus is in need above all of a living experience: Another person's testimony is certainly important, as in general the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/our-knowledge-of-jesus-is-in-need-above-all-of-a-living-experience/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Testimony should be a philosophical problem and not limited to legal or historical contexts where it refers to the account of a witness who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ricoeur/testimony-should-be-a-philosophical-problem-and-not-limited-to-legal/) [Paul Ricoeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ricoeur/) > [We call 'Slavery is wrong' a moral truth because there is a specific history of theoretical investigation of a particular kind of slavery. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/we-call-slavery-is-wrong-a-moral-truth-because-there-is-a-specific/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [You can leave the Church, but you can’t leave it alone. The basic reason for this is simple. Once someone has received a witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-l-pace/you-can-leave-the-church-but-you-can-t-leave-it-alone-the-basic/) [Glenn L. Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-l-pace/) > [We laugh, we cry, we work, we play, we love, we live. And then we die. ... And dead we would remain but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-laugh-we-cry-we-work-we-play-we-love-we-live-and-then-we-die-and/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Learning the lessons of the past allows you to walk boldly in the light without running the risk of stumbling in the darkness. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/learning-the-lessons-of-the-past-allows-you-to-walk-boldly-in-the/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] was a magnificent witness. The reporter, when asking me about his testimony, said, "Sessions gushed about his testimony." But it was remarkable. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/donald-trump-was-a-magnificent-witness-the-reporter-when-asking-me/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [“Success shall crown my endeavors. Wherefore not? Thus far I have gone, tracing a secure way over the pathless seas, the very stars themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-shall-crown-my-endeavors-wherefore-not-thus-far-i-have-gone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Elie Wiesel > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-more-stab-to-the-heart-one-more-reason-to-hate-one-less-reason-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-all-these-victims-need-above-all-is-to-know-that-they-are-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-feel-that-books-just-like-people-have-a-destiny-some-invite-sorrow/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Did I write it so as not to go mad or, on the contrary, to go mad in order to understand the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-i-write-it-so-as-not-to-go-mad-or-on-the-contrary-to-go-mad-in/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to his creatures; peace is our gift to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/mankind-must-remember-that-peace-is-not-god-s-gift-to-his-creatures/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The world? The world is not interested in us. Today, everything is possible, even the crematoria...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/the-world-the-world-is-not-interested-in-us-today-everything-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-question-possessed-a-power-that-was-lost-in-the-answer/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [His cold eyes stared at me. At last, he said wearily: "I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He alone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/his-cold-eyes-stared-at-me-at-last-he-said-wearily-i-have-more-faith/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [As you know, I describe Shirat ha-Yam as part of an epic story that has qualities of history and which also has qualities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/as-you-know-i-describe-shirat-ha-yam-as-part-of-an-epic-story-that/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate -healthy virile hate- for what the German personifies and for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-jew-somewhere-in-his-being-should-set-apart-a-zone-of-hate/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Did hope help us to survive, or not? Too many families clung to it all through the war, thus falling into the enemy's trap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-hope-help-us-to-survive-or-not-too-many-families-clung-to-it-all/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Explore all 662 Elie Wiesel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In retrospect I must confess that I do not know, or no longer know, what I wanted to achieve with my words. 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