Children Quote by Vasily Grossman
““Don't you remember how you once answered a question of mine? Me - I shall never forget your words. Those words of yours opened my eyes; they brought me the light of day. I asked you how the Germans could send Jewish children to die in the gas chambers. How, I asked, could they live with themselves after that? Was there really no judgement passed on them by man or God? And you said: Only one judgement is passed on the executioner - he ceases to be a human being. Through looking on his victim as less than human, he becomes his own executioner, he executes the human being inside himself. But the victim - no matter what the executioner does to kill him - remains a human being forever. Remember now?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Life and Fate, 1959
The quote argues that dehumanizing victims turns perpetrators into their own executioners, eroding their humanity forever.
In simple terms: Dehumanizing others destroys the perpetrator's humanity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and preserve humanity in all.
Themes
morality
dehumanization
justice
psychology
war
remembrance
Mood
somber
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- historical reflection
- education
- human rights advocacy
- personal conscience
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
Ethics
human dignity
psychological self‑destruction
collective memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we prevent dehumanization in everyday life?
- What responsibilities do witnesses have?
A Different Perspective
Such moral judgments can be abstract and hard to apply in complex modern conflicts.
