--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They weren’t such bad fellows, Hartmann…" description: "\"“They weren’t such bad fellows, Hartmann thought. He had mixed with their type all his life: patriotic, conservative, clannish. For them, Hitler was li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/robert-harris-2039_bad-man_they-weren-t-such-bad-fellows-hartmann-t_1852857.png" --- # They weren’t such bad fellows, Hartmann thought. He had… ![“They weren’t such bad fellows, Hartmann thought. He had mixed with their type all his life: patriotic, conservative, clannish. For them, Hitler was like some crude gamekeeper who had mysteriously contrived to take over the running of their family estates: once installed, he had proved an…” quote by Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/robert-harris-2039_bad-man_they-weren-t-such-bad-fellows-hartmann-t_1852857.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/robert-harris-2039_bad-man_they-weren-t-such-bad-fellows-hartmann-t_1852857.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/robert-harris-2039_bad-man_they-weren-t-such-bad-fellows-hartmann-t_1852857.png) > ““They weren’t such bad fellows, Hartmann thought. He had mixed with their type all his life: patriotic, conservative, clannish. For them, Hitler was like some crude gamekeeper who had mysteriously contrived to take over the running of their family estates: once installed, he had proved an unexpected success, and they had consented to tolerate his occasional bad manners and lapses into violence in return for a quiet life. Now they had discovered they couldn’t get rid of him and they looked as if they were starting to regret it.”” [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People may accept a tyrant when he promises stability, but later regret the loss of freedom. **In simple terms:** Accepting tyranny for peace leads to regret. Key Takeaway Question authority early. Themes politics history morality Mood thoughtful concerned Type narrative reflective When to use this quote - government policy - career choices - personal relationships - community decisions Key Concepts totalitarianism psychology social contract Questions to Reflect On - What freedoms are you willing to sacrifice? - How do you balance safety and liberty? 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