--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were united not only by political…" description: "\"We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.\" — Helmut Kohl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg" --- # We were united not only by political respect for each… ![“We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.” quote by Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg) > “We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.” [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders should value both political respect and personal empathy to foster unity. **In simple terms:** Respect and empathy build unity. Key Takeaway Cultivate mutual sympathy alongside political respect. Themes politics empathy unity Mood reflective optimistic Type leadership inspirational When to use this quote - international negotiations - team building - conflict resolution Key Concepts diplomacy human relations Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance respect and empathy? - What actions deepen mutual sympathy? A Different Perspective Political respect alone may not sustain long‑term cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Sympathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathy/) ## Related quotes > [If men and women are to understand each other, to enter into each other's nature with mutual sympathy, and to become capable of genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/if-men-and-women-are-to-understand-each-other-to-enter-into-each/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [The great renunciation of old age as it prepared for death, wraps itself up in its chrysalis, which may be observed at the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-great-renunciation-of-old-age-as-it-prepared-for-death-wraps/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“I don't have sympathy for people who wrap themselves in injury caused by their inability to deal with personal inadequacies and refusal to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-mills/i-don-t-have-sympathy-for-people-who-wrap-themselves-in-injury-caused/) Nikki Mills > [It is difficult to feel sympathy for these people. It is difficult to regard some bawdy drunk and see them as sick and powerless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-is-difficult-to-feel-sympathy-for-these-people-it-is-difficult-to-2/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [I can't understand why someone wouldn't have a degree of sympathy for people that had to flee their country, travel to try and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/i-can-t-understand-why-someone-wouldn-t-have-a-degree-of-sympathy-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [My faith tells me where to go and get started and what kind of sympathy to have for people once you get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/my-faith-tells-me-where-to-go-and-get-started-and-what-kind-of/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [It's very easy for me to feel sympathy for people who are messed up. It's not that I'm a pseudo-saint or a great person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-feel-sympathy-for-people-who-are-messed-up/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [It is difficult to feel sympathy for these people. It is difficult to regard some bawdy drunk and see them as sick and powerless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-is-difficult-to-feel-sympathy-for-these-people-it-is-difficult-to/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [“Even though I hated the sympathy people felt toward me, I couldn't help but feel it toward him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/even-though-i-hated-the-sympathy-people-felt-toward-me-i-couldn-t/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I have nothing but sympathy for the people who are forced to work with me. I'm better now at picking out those that want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/i-have-nothing-but-sympathy-for-the-people-who-are-forced-to-work/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [The sudden death of a partner while expecting a child is so universally understood as awful that I don't think anyone with any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/the-sudden-death-of-a-partner-while-expecting-a-child-is-so/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [Why is that when people become ill and have something wrong with any of their organs, they get sympathy from other people - except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-wax/why-is-that-when-people-become-ill-and-have-something-wrong-with-any/) [Ruby Wax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-wax/) > [I have a lot of sympathy for people who detransition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/i-have-a-lot-of-sympathy-for-people-who-detransition/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [Nature has concatenated our fortunes and affections together with indissoluble bands of mutual sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/nature-has-concatenated-our-fortunes-and-affections-together-with/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [The rule of friendship means there should be mutual sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying to benefit the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-rule-of-friendship-means-there-should-be-mutual-sympathy-between/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More by Helmut Kohl > [Russia is Germany's most important neighbor in the East, and it will remain so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/russia-is-germany-s-most-important-neighbor-in-the-east-and-it-will/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I experienced Nazism as a child. Like many of my generation, I was motivated by the desire to prevent another war at any price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-experienced-nazism-as-a-child-like-many-of-my-generation-i-was/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Everybody should know that Germany will not go it alone: there will be no restless Reich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/everybody-should-know-that-germany-will-not-go-it-alone-there-will-be/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I ask myself where Germany stands today and where it wants to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-ask-myself-where-germany-stands-today-and-where-it-wants-to-go/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Peace must be more than the absence of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/peace-must-be-more-than-the-absence-of-war/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [The future will belong to the Germans... ...when we build the House of Europe. In the next two years, we will make the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/the-future-will-belong-to-the-germans-when-we-build-the-house-of/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [George Bush was for me the most important ally on the road to German unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/george-bush-was-for-me-the-most-important-ally-on-the-road-to-german/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I have every reason, despite the resentment and exasperation, to be proud. I have nothing better to be proud of than being proud of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-have-every-reason-despite-the-resentment-and-exasperation-to-be/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Two decisions have damaged the stability both of the euro and of Europe: the premature admission of Greece to the euro area and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/two-decisions-have-damaged-the-stability-both-of-the-euro-and-of/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Gorbachev's legacy is that he called time on communism, partially against his will, but in fact, he finished it off. Without violence. Without bloodshed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/gorbachev-s-legacy-is-that-he-called-time-on-communism-partially/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Political life is like this - elections go back and forth. Representative democracy can only be successful if one sits down and says, 'That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/political-life-is-like-this-elections-go-back-and-forth/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I have been underestimated for decades. I've done very well that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-have-been-underestimated-for-decades-i-ve-done-very-well-that-way/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [I knew that I could never win a referendum in Germany. We would have lost a referendum on the introduction of the euro. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/i-knew-that-i-could-never-win-a-referendum-in-germany-we-would-have/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [Europe has, to put it mildly, been in a poor state since the transition to the 21st century. This is down to national issues,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/europe-has-to-put-it-mildly-been-in-a-poor-state-since-the-transition/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) > [If one has no compass, when one doesn't know where one stands and where one wants to go, one can deduce that one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/if-one-has-no-compass-when-one-doesn-t-know-where-one-stands-and/) [Helmut Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) [Explore all 50 Helmut Kohl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/) ## More Mutual quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [What really holds their marriage together are mutual respect of an awesome depth, a shared sense of humor, faith that they were brought together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/what-really-holds-their-marriage-together-are-mutual-respect-of-an/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. 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We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of tolerance, with forbearance one for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-must-work-harder-to-build-mutual-respect-an-attitude-of-tolerance/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I describe family values as responsibility towards others, increase of tolerance, compromise, support, flexibility. And essentially the things I call the silent song of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-minuchin/i-describe-family-values-as-responsibility-towards-others-increase-of/) [Salvador Minuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-minuchin/) > [Im fed up with men...no I'm not turning gay, I'm good with being mutual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-fed-up-with-men-no-i-m-not-turning-gay-i-m-good-with-being-mutual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't like the idea that most of the money spent on lottery tickets supports government programs, you should know that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-don-t-like-the-idea-that-most-of-the-money-spent-on-lottery/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Senator Kerry says he sees two Americas. It makes the whole thing mutual - America sees two John Kerrys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/senator-kerry-says-he-sees-two-americas-it-makes-the-whole-thing/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. 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Whatever be it: it's mutual”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruhaan-chand/like-me-hate-me-whatever-be-it-it-s-mutual/) Ruhaan Chand Browse all 1,102 Mutual quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helmut Kohl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/we-were-united-not-only-by-political-respect-for-each-other-but-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mutual" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/we-were-united-not-only-by-political-respect-for-each-other-but-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffe/helmut-kohl-13374_mutual_we-were-united-not-only-by-political-res_1386787.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We were united not only by political respect for each other, but also by deep mutual sympathy as people.” — Helmut Kohl", "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": "Helmut Kohl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-kohl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We were united not only by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/we-were-united-not-only-by-political-respect-for-each-other-but-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-kohl/we-were-united-not-only-by-political-respect-for-each-other-but-also/#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 } } ] } ```