--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is not the quintessential emergency…" description: "\"War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has to prove himself, as my generation learned at its school desks in the days of the Kaiser; rath..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg" --- # War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has… ![“War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has to prove himself, as my generation learned at its school desks in the days of the Kaiser; rather, peace is the emergency in which we all have to prove ourselves.” quote by Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg) > “War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has to prove himself, as my generation learned at its school desks in the days of the Kaiser; rather, peace is the emergency in which we all have to prove ourselves.” [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is often seen as the ultimate test of character, but true moral proof lies in maintaining peace. **In simple terms:** Peace tests us more than war. Key Takeaway Focus on building peace. Themes peace morality responsibility Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political leadership - community building - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical duty social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can we measure moral success in peaceful times? - What actions prove character without conflict? A Different Perspective Peace can be overlooked as less dramatic than war. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The duty of a good Cuisinier is to transmit to the next generation everything he has learned and experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernand-point/the-duty-of-a-good-cuisinier-is-to-transmit-to-the-next-generation/) [Fernand Point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernand-point/) > [She's television generation. She learned life from Bugs Bunny. The only reality she knows comes to her through the television set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-holden/she-s-television-generation-she-learned-life-from-bugs-bunny-the-only/) [William Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-holden/) > [“Whatever the one generation may learn from the other, that which is genuinely human no generation learns from the foregoing...Thus no generation has learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/whatever-the-one-generation-may-learn-from-the-other-that-which-is/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“When Baby Boomers grow up and write books to explain why one or another individual is successful, they point to the power of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/when-baby-boomers-grow-up-and-write-books-to-explain-why-one-or/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [In my generation, we learned how to be leaders by being exposed to and involved with adults who empowered us and gave us a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/in-my-generation-we-learned-how-to-be-leaders-by-being-exposed-to-and/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [It is well indeed for out land that we of this generation have learned to think nationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-well-indeed-for-out-land-that-we-of-this-generation-have/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I have a responsibility to pass on to the next generation what I learned from my teachers, ... It keeps me young and reminds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-stern/i-have-a-responsibility-to-pass-on-to-the-next-generation-what-i/) [Isaac Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-stern/) > [However much one generation learns from another, it can never learn from its predecessor the genuinely human factor. In this respect every generation begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/however-much-one-generation-learns-from-another-it-can-never-learn/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Any page by Paul Goodman will give you not only originality and brilliance but wisdom, that is, something to think about. He is our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayden-carruth/any-page-by-paul-goodman-will-give-you-not-only-originality-and/) [Hayden Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayden-carruth/) > [I don't like quintessential certitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/i-don-t-like-quintessential-certitude/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [I think Robert Plant is the quintessential frontman - just the way he moves. His voice is superhuman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-momsen/i-think-robert-plant-is-the-quintessential-frontman-just-the-way-he/) [Taylor Momsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-momsen/) > [Remember that for every technique you think you can fall back on, there is a counter for it, or there are times when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaaki-hatsumi/remember-that-for-every-technique-you-think-you-can-fall-back-on/) [Masaaki Hatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaaki-hatsumi/) > [Playing normal is hard; especially playing normal that's not you. The biggest challenge in playing Alicia is trying to make a teenage girl seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alycia-debnam-carey-2/playing-normal-is-hard-especially-playing-normal-that-s-not-you-the/) [Alycia Debnam Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alycia-debnam-carey-2/) > [When I look at pictures when I was younger, I do the quintessential cringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/when-i-look-at-pictures-when-i-was-younger-i-do-the-quintessential/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Gustav Heinemann > [Everywhere, authority and tradition have to justify themselves in the face of questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/everywhere-authority-and-tradition-have-to-justify-themselves-in-the/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Insecurity and resignation mingle with the hope for a better order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/insecurity-and-resignation-mingle-with-the-hope-for-a-better-order/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [I have left the federal government and the German Bundestag; I have resigned from all my positions in the Social Democratic Party of Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/i-have-left-the-federal-government-and-the-german-bundestag-i-have/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Liberal democracy must finally become the vital element of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/liberal-democracy-must-finally-become-the-vital-element-of-our-society/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [I appeal to the responsibility of the blocs and the major powers, not to seek security in the arms race, but rather in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/i-appeal-to-the-responsibility-of-the-blocs-and-the-major-powers-not/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Beyond peace, there is no longer any existence possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/beyond-peace-there-is-no-longer-any-existence-possible/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [The secret of big and revolutionary actions also consists in discovering the tiny step that is simultaneously a strategic step, insofar as it entails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/the-secret-of-big-and-revolutionary-actions-also-consists-in/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Some fatherlands are difficult. Germany is one of them. But it is our fatherland. Here is where we live and work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/some-fatherlands-are-difficult-germany-is-one-of-them-but-it-is-our/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [We have to recognize that the freedom of the individual has to be protected not only from the power of the state, but even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/we-have-to-recognize-that-the-freedom-of-the-individual-has-to-be/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [The time has come - and must come - for multilateral conversations about a secure peace in all of Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/the-time-has-come-and-must-come-for-multilateral-conversations-about/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Therefore it does not help to sneer at the imperfection of today's reality or to preach absolutes as a daily agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/therefore-it-does-not-help-to-sneer-at-the-imperfection-of-today-s/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [In this life of ours we remain directed toward the relative utopia of a better world, and sensibly this can be the only model…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/in-this-life-of-ours-we-remain-directed-toward-the-relative-utopia-of/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Ladies and gentlemen, on the occasion of my election I received many letters from people representing all segments of the population and all professions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/ladies-and-gentlemen-on-the-occasion-of-my-election-i-received-many/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Not less, but more democracy - that is the demand, that is the great goal that we have to prescribe for ourselves, and especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/not-less-but-more-democracy-that-is-the-demand-that-is-the-great-goal/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) > [Trust cannot be commanded; and yet it is also correct that the only one who earns trust is the one who is prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/trust-cannot-be-commanded-and-yet-it-is-also-correct-that-the-only/) [Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) [Explore all 20 Gustav Heinemann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/) ## More Desks quotes > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Yes, when I get big and have my own home, no plush chairs and lace curtains for me. And no rubber plants. I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/yes-when-i-get-big-and-have-my-own-home-no-plush-chairs-and-lace/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [Grandfather / advised me: / Learn a trade / I learned / to sit at desk / and condense / No layoff / from this / condensery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorine-niedecker/grandfather-advised-me-learn-a-trade-i-learned-to-sit-at-desk-and/) [Lorine Niedecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorine-niedecker/) > [The writer's Queen Victoria is his public, and he would do well to keep a bust of the old Queen on his desk with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-watson-fowler/the-writer-s-queen-victoria-is-his-public-and-he-would-do-well-to/) [Henry Watson Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-watson-fowler/) > [But what struck me was the book-madness of the place--books lay scattered across the unmade bed and the top of a battered-looking desk, books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-millhauser/but-what-struck-me-was-the-book-madness-of-the-place-books-lay/) [Steven Millhauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-millhauser/) > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [I have never found, in anything outside of the four walls of my study, an enjoyment equal to sitting at my writing desk with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/i-have-never-found-in-anything-outside-of-the-four-walls-of-my-study/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Sometimes there's nothing but Sundays for weeks on end. Why can't they move Sunday to the middle of the week so you could put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hoban/sometimes-there-s-nothing-but-sundays-for-weeks-on-end-why-can-t-they/) [Russell Hoban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hoban/) Browse all 652 Desks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has to prove himself, as my generation learned at its school desks in the days of the Kaiser; rather, peace is the emergency in which we all have to prove ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gustav Heinemann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency-in-which-man-has-to-prove/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Desks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency-in-which-man-has-to-prove/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/361/gustav-heinemann-25830_desks_war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency_203852.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“War is not the quintessential emergency in which man has to prove himself, as my generation learned at its…” — Gustav Heinemann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gustav Heinemann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "War is not the quintessential emergency...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency-in-which-man-has-to-prove/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/war-is-not-the-quintessential-emergency-in-which-man-has-to-prove/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```