--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had learned and written too much…" description: "\"I had learned and written too much history not to know that the great masses always and at once respond to the force of gravity in the direction of the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/stefan-zweig-811_force_i-had-learned-and-written-too-much-histo_1246991.jpg" --- # I had learned and written too much history not to know… ![“I had learned and written too much history not to know that the great masses always and at once respond to the force of gravity in the direction of the powers that be. I knew that the same voices which yelled "Heil Schuschnigg" today would thunder "Heil Hitler" tomorrow.” quote by Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/stefan-zweig-811_force_i-had-learned-and-written-too-much-histo_1246991.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/stefan-zweig-811_force_i-had-learned-and-written-too-much-histo_1246991.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ba/stefan-zweig-811_force_i-had-learned-and-written-too-much-histo_1246991.jpg) > “I had learned and written too much history not to know that the great masses always and at once respond to the force of gravity in the direction of the powers that be. I knew that the same voices which yelled "Heil Schuschnigg" today would thunder "Heil Hitler" tomorrow.” [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Masses tend to follow prevailing powers; history repeats patterns of blind allegiance. **In simple terms:** People often follow the dominant ideology without questioning. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek independent thought. Themes history conformity political power mass psychology warning Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political rallies - education curricula - media consumption - community discussions Key Concepts totalitarianism social influence historical cycles Questions to Reflect On - What drives people to obey oppressive regimes? - How can societies foster critical thinking? A Different Perspective Not all individuals conform; dissent can arise even under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“the great masses always and at once respond to the force of gravity in the direction of the powers that be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-great-masses-always-and-at-once-respond-to-the-force-of-gravity/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [There are those who believe that power is up above, and they don't notice that it's actually in the hearts of the great masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/there-are-those-who-believe-that-power-is-up-above-and-they-don-t/) [Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/) > [The great masses of the people will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-great-masses-of-the-people-will-more-easily-fall-victims-to-a-big/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Never have so many recordings of the great Masses and motets been in wider circulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-morris/never-have-so-many-recordings-of-the-great-masses-and-motets-been-in/) [Richard Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-morris/) > [“A sense of great masses moving at visionary speeds, of giants dancing, of eternal sorrows consoled, of he knew not what and yet he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/a-sense-of-great-masses-moving-at-visionary-speeds-of-giants-dancing/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Politically popular speech has always been protected: even the Jews were free to say ‘Heil Hitler.’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/politically-popular-speech-has-always-been-protected-even-the-jews/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I would gladly say 'Heil Hitler!' and at once part company with him, realizing what a pitiable insult it is to such a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-would-gladly-say-heil-hitler-and-at-once-part-company-with-him/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [I say, Ich liebe Deutschland! Heil Hitler! and farewell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-joyce/i-say-ich-liebe-deutschland-heil-hitler-and-farewell/) [William Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-joyce/) > [“ Heil Hitler ," he said, which, he presumed, was another way of saying, "Well, goodbye for now, have a pleasant afternoon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/heil-hitler-he-said-which-he-presumed-was-another-way-of-saying-well/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Goose pimples rose all over me, my hair stood on end, my eyes filled with tears of love and gratitude for this greatest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lincoln-rockwell/goose-pimples-rose-all-over-me-my-hair-stood-on-end-my-eyes-filled/) [George Lincoln Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lincoln-rockwell/) > [“Close to forty thousand Germans gathered in front of Berlin’s opera house on May 10, 1933, as a parade of swastika-wearing students and beer-hall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/close-to-forty-thousand-germans-gathered-in-front-of-berlin-s-opera/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Heil Hitler, Y'all”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-fraction/heil-hitler-y-all/) [Matt Fraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-fraction/) > [“Hessen? Dr. Mengele. Everything’s fine, there’s nothing to worry about. Exactly the amateur I expected. I don’t think he even understood German. Send the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-levin/hessen-dr-mengele-everything-s-fine-there-s-nothing-to-worry-about/) [Ira Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-levin/) > [“Did the Führer take her (mother) away?” The question surprised them both, and it forced Papa to stand up. He looked at the brown-shirted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zusak/did-the-f-hrer-take-her-mother-away-the-question-surprised-them-both/) [Mark Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zusak/) > [“Heil Hitler to you too, Karl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horst-christian/heil-hitler-to-you-too-karl/) Horst Christian ## More by Stefan Zweig > [“Madness,” he exclaimed to himself, in astonishment, faltering. “Madness! What do they want? Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-never-until-one-realizes-that-one-means-something-to-others/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“And if I am asked today to advise a young writer who has not yet made up his mind what way to go, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/and-if-i-am-asked-today-to-advise-a-young-writer-who-has-not-yet-made/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Live and let live” was the famous Viennese motto, which today still seems to me to be more humane than all the categorical imperatives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/live-and-let-live-was-the-famous-viennese-motto-which-today-still/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Değerli olan her zaman için gerçeğin yarısı değil, tamamıdır.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/de-erli-olan-her-zaman-i-in-ger-e-in-yar-s-de-il-tamam-d-r/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [One never gets to know a person's character better than by watching his behavior during decisive moments… It is always only danger which forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/one-never-gets-to-know-a-person-s-character-better-than-by-watching/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Names have a mysterious transforming power. 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He must be forever searching.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-truths-that-he-finds-may-in-the-coming-months-or-even-the-coming/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The union of opposites, in so far as they are really complementary, always results in the most perfect harmony; and the seemingly incongruous is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-union-of-opposites-in-so-far-as-they-are-really-complementary/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [The sight of a wedding always has a disturbing effect on young girls; at such moments a mysterious sense of solidarity with their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-sight-of-a-wedding-always-has-a-disturbing-effect-on-young-girls/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“Lightly, caressingly, Marie Antoinette picked up the crown as a gift. 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It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. 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