--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't you remember how you once answered…" description: "\"“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 m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/vasily-grossman-4608_children_don-t-you-remember-how-you-once-answered_435755.jpg" --- # Don't you remember how you once answered a question of… ![“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…” quote by Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/vasily-grossman-4608_children_don-t-you-remember-how-you-once-answered_435755.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/vasily-grossman-4608_children_don-t-you-remember-how-you-once-answered_435755.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/vasily-grossman-4608_children_don-t-you-remember-how-you-once-answered_435755.jpg) > ““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?”” [Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Executes Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executes-human-3831714/) [Execution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution/) [Executioner Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executioner-does-3831715/) [God Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-said/) [Human being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-being/) [Human Executioner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-executioner-3831716/) [Remember Answered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-answered-3831717/) ## Related quotes > [“Well, God be with you,’ she said as she finally left him. ’I’m sure He is,’ he replied. 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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. 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