--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the Nazis discovered they could push…" description: "\"“If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would push you to your death. You had to be too much trouble to make it easy, but not so much they g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg" --- # If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would… ![“If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would push you to your death. You had to be too much trouble to make it easy, but not so much they grew tired of you.” quote by Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg) > ““If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would push you to your death. You had to be too much trouble to make it easy, but not so much they grew tired of you.”” [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Oppressive regimes will exploit any perceived inconvenience, pushing victims to extreme harm rather than tolerating them. **In simple terms:** Oppressors push the troublesome to death. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist being treated as a burden. Themes oppression power survival Mood fearful defiant Type political historical When to use this quote - refugee crises - authoritarian policies - personal boundaries - activism Key Concepts totalitarianism human rights psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you identify when you are being treated as a problem? - What actions can protect you from being pushed away? A Different Perspective Even harsh regimes may sometimes tolerate burdens if they see utility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazis/) ## Related quotes > [I'm afraid that if I raced you on the street I'd push you to your death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiichi-tsuchiya/i-m-afraid-that-if-i-raced-you-on-the-street-i-d-push-you-to-your/) [Keiichi Tsuchiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiichi-tsuchiya/) > [That was the moment he got the idea he possessed me in a certain way, and that was the moment I grew tired of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/that-was-the-moment-he-got-the-idea-he-possessed-me-in-a-certain-way/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [“in the end they grew tired of making all these efforts to stay young and active, and gave in to the temptation of simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/in-the-end-they-grew-tired-of-making-all-these-efforts-to-stay-young/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“...he set down his cup of coffee that—like a spurned lover—grew tired of waiting for his lips, and turned cold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-alexander/he-set-down-his-cup-of-coffee-that-like-a-spurned-lover-grew-tired-of/) [Felix Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-alexander/) > [I seated ugliness on my knee, and almost immediately grew tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/i-seated-ugliness-on-my-knee-and-almost-immediately-grew-tired-of-it/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [Basically, we've learned to delegate. We just grew tired of becoming too psychotic and straining to make the records ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-jackson/basically-we-ve-learned-to-delegate-we-just-grew-tired-of-becoming/) [Stevie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-jackson/) > [“Once upon a time, a girl named September grew very tired indeed of her parents’ house, where she washed the same pink-and-yellow teacups and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/once-upon-a-time-a-girl-named-september-grew-very-tired-indeed-of-her/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Kirstein’s realization came sometime later, although he could never say exactly where or when. There is not one type of German, went the thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/kirstein-s-realization-came-sometime-later-although-he-could-never/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“If this is Upper Silesia, what on earth must Lower Silesia be like?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/if-this-is-upper-silesia-what-on-earth-must-lower-silesia-be-like/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [We don't need the Nazis to destroy us. We're destroying ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-frank/we-don-t-need-the-nazis-to-destroy-us-we-re-destroying-ourselves/) [Otto Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-frank/) > [I thought of such Christian inventions as the ghetto and the Jewish badge of shame. The Nazis didn't have to go very far to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-blue/i-thought-of-such-christian-inventions-as-the-ghetto-and-the-jewish/) [Lionel Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-blue/) > [When you label them, when one of the most powerful social media companies in the world labels people as Nazis, you could make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/when-you-label-them-when-one-of-the-most-powerful-social-media/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [“Odd, don't you think? I have seen war, and invasions and riots. I have heard of massacres and brutalities beyond imagining, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/odd-don-t-you-think-i-have-seen-war-and-invasions-and-riots-i-have/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [“The Nazis had been one thing. The communists were another. But now there were academics crawling all over the palace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-flyte/the-nazis-had-been-one-thing-the-communists-were-another-but-now/) [Magnus Flyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-flyte/) > [When history looks back, I want people to know the Nazis weren't able to kill millions of people and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/when-history-looks-back-i-want-people-to-know-the-nazis-weren-t-able/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) ## More by Robert M. Edsel > [“i don't believe i've ever been more certain than I am now that the development and understanding of man's workmanship is the fundamental need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/i-don-t-believe-i-ve-ever-been-more-certain-than-i-am-now-that-the/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“When I am billeted a German home even for one night I go out and search for the chickens and rabbits or pets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/when-i-am-billeted-a-german-home-even-for-one-night-i-go-out-and/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“The skilled observer, not the machine, was the essence of conservation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/the-skilled-observer-not-the-machine-was-the-essence-of-conservation/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“Since the 1300s, this job had been performed by members of a small group of families, all living in the hills near the mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/since-the-1300s-this-job-had-been-performed-by-members-of-a-small/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“It is amazing how the world can change, he thought, during the life span of a fruitcake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/it-is-amazing-how-the-world-can-change-he-thought-during-the-life/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“There are fights that you may lose without losing your honor; what makes you lose your honor is not to fight. -Jaques Jaujard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/there-are-fights-that-you-may-lose-without-losing-your-honor-what/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“War did not come like a hurricane, Rorimer realized, destroying everything in its path. It came like a tornado, touching down in patches, taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/war-did-not-come-like-a-hurricane-rorimer-realized-destroying/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [We can use laws to prosecute and make people think twice before going to do something like blowing up Buddhas and other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/we-can-use-laws-to-prosecute-and-make-people-think-twice-before-going/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“It matters little that you are afraid if you manage to hide it. You are then at the edge of courage. (one of Jaujard's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/it-matters-little-that-you-are-afraid-if-you-manage-to-hide-it-you/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“He had no idea that the world was entering an economic depression, or that hard times bring recriminations and blame. Privately, Harry's parents worried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/he-had-no-idea-that-the-world-was-entering-an-economic-depression-or/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“Christmas was just another workday, just as it had been growing up in Alabama. In a good year back then, little Robert got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/christmas-was-just-another-workday-just-as-it-had-been-growing-up-in/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“Writing now makes me feel as if I had lost at least one of my senses. I can't hear you or see you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/writing-now-makes-me-feel-as-if-i-had-lost-at-least-one-of-my-senses/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [Nobody wants to disappoint the boss and get fired. But if the boss hasn't said this is important, it's going to die a slow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/nobody-wants-to-disappoint-the-boss-and-get-fired-but-if-the-boss/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [“he had sold his soul, and that is something you can never repurchase at any price.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/he-had-sold-his-soul-and-that-is-something-you-can-never-repurchase/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) > [To save the culture of your allies is a small thing. To cherish the culture of your enemy, to risk your life and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/to-save-the-culture-of-your-allies-is-a-small-thing-to-cherish-the/) [Robert M. Edsel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) [Explore all 31 Robert M. Edsel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [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/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would push you to your death. You had to be too much trouble to make it easy, but not so much they grew tired of you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert M. Edsel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push-you-they-would-push-you-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push-you-they-would-push-you-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/217/robert-m-edsel-18875_death_if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push_797548.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the Nazis discovered they could push you, they would push you to your death. You had to be too much…” — Robert M. Edsel", "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": "Robert M. Edsel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-edsel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If the Nazis discovered they could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push-you-they-would-push-you-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-edsel/if-the-nazis-discovered-they-could-push-you-they-would-push-you-to/#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 } } ] } ```