---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Escape was not our goal since it was so…"
description: "\"“Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What we wanted was to survive, to live long enough to tell the world what had happened in Buchenw..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg"
---

#  Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What…

![“Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What we wanted was to survive, to live long enough to tell the world what had happened in Buchenwald.” quote by Jack Werber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg)

> ““Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What we wanted was to survive, to live long enough to tell the world what had happened in Buchenwald.””

[Jack Werber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-werber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Survival, not escape, was the goal in Buchenwald; bearing witness mattered.

**In simple terms:** Survive to tell the truth.

Key Takeaway

Survive, witness, remember.

Themes

history survival memory holocaust truth

Mood

somber reflective serious

Type

Buchenwald:1 Goals:0 Holocaust:1 Survival:1 Happened Buchenwald:0 Escape Goal:0 Wanted Survive:0 Goal Unrealistic:0

When to use this quote

- education
- memorials
- personal testimony
- human rights advocacy

Key Concepts

ethical responsibility historical witness human resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How does bearing witness shape history?
- What responsibilities come with survival?

A Different Perspective

Escaping may have been impossible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Buchenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buchenwald/) [Escape Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape-goal-2078518/) [Goal Unrealistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-unrealistic-2078520/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Happened Buchenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-buchenwald-2078517/) [Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holocaust/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Wanted Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-survive-2078519/)

## Related quotes

> [“I wanted to survive—not for my kind, but for trust, for friendship, for another being. (Eric)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-a-thompson/i-wanted-to-survive-not-for-my-kind-but-for-trust-for-friendship-for/)

[Shannon A. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-a-thompson/)

> [He didn't care about the others anymore. The chaos around him seemed to siphon away his humanity, turn him into an animal. All he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-didn-t-care-about-the-others-anymore-the-chaos-around-him-seemed/)

[James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/)

> [“You had to laugh, if you wanted to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-spungen/you-had-to-laugh-if-you-wanted-to-survive/)

[Deborah Spungen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-spungen/)

> [“She stole my dreams. I wanted to show her I can survive and now that won't happen”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sondra-torres/she-stole-my-dreams-i-wanted-to-show-her-i-can-survive-and-now-that/)

[Sondra Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sondra-torres/)

> [“...There were precious few people you could trust, so if you wanted to survive, you'd better always look out for Number One.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/there-were-precious-few-people-you-could-trust-so-if-you-wanted-to/)

[Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes -all of them. They must remain standing because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing-the-dachaus-the-belsens-the-2/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [The dismembering of a human being routinely in 30 minutes on an outpatient bases - or any other way - is barbaric. Four blocks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-dismembering-of-a-human-being-routinely-in-30-minutes-on-an/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [It appeared that most of the men and boys had died of starvation; they had not been executed. But the manner of death seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/it-appeared-that-most-of-the-men-and-boys-had-died-of-starvation-they/)

[Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes - all of them. They must remain standing because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing-the-dachaus-the-belsens-the/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [ The sights I have just seen \[at Buchenwald\] are so unbelievable that I don't think I'll believe them myself until I've seen the photographs. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/the-sights-i-have-just-seen-at-buchenwald-are-so-unbelievable-that-i/)

[Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/)

> [“The iron fettering on the gate read "Arbeit Macht Frei". "What do you think that means?" asked a man from behind them in line.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/the-iron-fettering-on-the-gate-read-arbeit-macht-frei-what-do-you/)

[Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/)

> [The thing is, Guantánamo is also a naval base, and they're under the delusion - especially the people on the naval side who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-crabapple/the-thing-is-guant-namo-is-also-a-naval-base-and-they-re-under-the/)

[Molly Crabapple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-crabapple/)

> [Hell is out of fashion --institutional hells at any rate. The populated infernos of the 20th century are more private affairs, the gaps between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/hell-is-out-of-fashion-institutional-hells-at-any-rate-the-populated/)

[J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/)

> [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/)

[Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/)

## More by Jack Werber

> [“What is six million?" When you look at the number you see merely a six followed by six zeros. You don't see parents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-werber/what-is-six-million-when-you-look-at-the-number-you-see-merely-a-six/)

[Jack Werber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-werber/)

[Explore all 2 Jack Werber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-werber/)

## More Buchenwald quotes

> [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/)

[Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/)

> [Hell is out of fashion --institutional hells at any rate. The populated infernos of the 20th century are more private affairs, the gaps between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/hell-is-out-of-fashion-institutional-hells-at-any-rate-the-populated/)

[J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/)

> [The thing is, Guantánamo is also a naval base, and they're under the delusion - especially the people on the naval side who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-crabapple/the-thing-is-guant-namo-is-also-a-naval-base-and-they-re-under-the/)

[Molly Crabapple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-crabapple/)

> [“The iron fettering on the gate read "Arbeit Macht Frei". "What do you think that means?" asked a man from behind them in line.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/the-iron-fettering-on-the-gate-read-arbeit-macht-frei-what-do-you/)

[Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/)

> [ The sights I have just seen \[at Buchenwald\] are so unbelievable that I don't think I'll believe them myself until I've seen the photographs. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/the-sights-i-have-just-seen-at-buchenwald-are-so-unbelievable-that-i/)

[Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes - all of them. They must remain standing because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing-the-dachaus-the-belsens-the/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [It appeared that most of the men and boys had died of starvation; they had not been executed. But the manner of death seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/it-appeared-that-most-of-the-men-and-boys-had-died-of-starvation-they/)

[Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [The dismembering of a human being routinely in 30 minutes on an outpatient bases - or any other way - is barbaric. Four blocks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-dismembering-of-a-human-being-routinely-in-30-minutes-on-an/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes -all of them. They must remain standing because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/all-the-dachaus-must-remain-standing-the-dachaus-the-belsens-the-2/)

[Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/)

> [“The Luxembourgers who survived Buchenwald have not forgotten. Every year since 1945, they meet at 11:30 A.M. on April 11 at the American Military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolibois/the-luxembourgers-who-survived-buchenwald-have-not-forgotten-every/)

[John Dolibois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolibois/)

> [Hell is out of fashion - institutional hells at any rate. The populated infernos of the 20th century are more private affairs, the gaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/hell-is-out-of-fashion-institutional-hells-at-any-rate-the-populated-2/)

[J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/)

> [It is difficult for the American mind to adjust to the realization that the Rhetts and the Scarletts were as much monsters as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/it-is-difficult-for-the-american-mind-to-adjust-to-the-realization/)

[Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/)

> [Visiting the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., for example, I was struck by its marginalization of any other victims apart from the Jews,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-evans/visiting-the-holocaust-memorial-museum-in-washington-d-c-for-example/)

[Richard J. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-evans/)

> [During the Nuremberg trials, Oswald Pohl, an SS Lieutenant General,...is shown here explaining how Farben operated such concentration camps as Auschwitz and Buchenwald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-edward-griffin/during-the-nuremberg-trials-oswald-pohl-an-ss-lieutenant-general-is/)

[G. Edward Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-edward-griffin/)

[Browse all 16 Buchenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buchenwald/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What we wanted was to survive, to live long enough to tell the world what had happened in Buchenwald.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jack Werber"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-werber/escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so-unrealistic-what-we-wanted/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Buchenwald"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-werber/escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so-unrealistic-what-we-wanted/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/jack-werber-96188_buchenwald_escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so_1806693.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Escape was not our goal since it was so unrealistic. What we wanted was to survive, to live long enough to…” — Jack Werber",
                "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": "Jack Werber",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-werber/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Escape was not our goal since...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-werber/escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so-unrealistic-what-we-wanted/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-werber/escape-was-not-our-goal-since-it-was-so-unrealistic-what-we-wanted/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```