--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hitler gave us orders - and we believed…" description: "\"Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he commits suicide and leaves us to bear the guilt. He should have remained alive to bear his shar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/wilhelm-keitel-30744_alive_hitler-gave-us-orders-and-we-believed-in_1187115.jpg" --- # Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he… ![“Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he commits suicide and leaves us to bear the guilt. He should have remained alive to bear his share.” quote by Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/wilhelm-keitel-30744_alive_hitler-gave-us-orders-and-we-believed-in_1187115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/wilhelm-keitel-30744_alive_hitler-gave-us-orders-and-we-believed-in_1187115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/wilhelm-keitel-30744_alive_hitler-gave-us-orders-and-we-believed-in_1187115.jpg) > “Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he commits suicide and leaves us to bear the guilt. He should have remained alive to bear his share.” [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Blind obedience to authority can lead to horrific outcomes and lasting guilt. **In simple terms:** Blind obedience causes harm. Key Takeaway Question authority and uphold moral judgment. Themes obedience guilt authority Mood critical serious Type historical ethical When to use this quote - military orders - political regimes - corporate directives Key Concepts totalitarianism ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - When have you challenged an authority? - What safeguards prevent blind obedience? A Different Perspective Contextual factors can complicate moral choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) ## Related quotes > [Every seventeen minutes in America, someone commits suicide. Mostly, I have been impressed by how little value our society puts on saving the lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/every-seventeen-minutes-in-america-someone-commits-suicide-mostly-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Many people ask why a writer commits suicide. But I think that people who ask don't know the vanity and the nothingness of writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobo-abe/many-people-ask-why-a-writer-commits-suicide-but-i-think-that-people/) [Kobo Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobo-abe/) > [The wife who submits to sexual intercourse against her wishes or desires, virtually commits suicide; while the husband who compels it, commits murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/the-wife-who-submits-to-sexual-intercourse-against-her-wishes-or/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [Two armies that fight each other is like one large army that commits suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/two-armies-that-fight-each-other-is-like-one-large-army-that-commits/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Ah cher ami, how poor in invention men are! They are They always think one commits suicide for a reason. But it's quite possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/ah-cher-ami-how-poor-in-invention-men-are-they-are-they-always-think/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Does a man who commits suicide stab himself in ten—twelve—fifteen places?” he asked. Poirot’s eyes opened. “That is great ferocity,” he said. “It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/does-a-man-who-commits-suicide-stab-himself-in-ten-twelve-fifteen/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Tell me the manner in which a patient commits suicide and I'll tell you how he can be cured”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rhinehart/tell-me-the-manner-in-which-a-patient-commits-suicide-and-i-ll-tell/) [Luke Rhinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rhinehart/) > [I'm not disparaging suicides when I call them weak, I'm pointing out that anybody who would consider doing a thing like that needs help.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-m-not-disparaging-suicides-when-i-call-them-weak-i-m-pointing-out/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [Relation commits suicide after trust's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asad-ullah-habib/relation-commits-suicide-after-trust-s-death/) Asad Ullah Habib > [“Nothing evokes the end of the world more than a man running straight ahead on a beach, swathed in the sounds of his walkman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/nothing-evokes-the-end-of-the-world-more-than-a-man-running-straight/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [Trickery succeeds sometimes, but it always commits suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/trickery-succeeds-sometimes-but-it-always-commits-suicide/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [No one commits suicide because they want to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/no-one-commits-suicide-because-they-want-to-die/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [Everyone's a hypocrite, you're all cyber bullying each other, it's all fun and games till someone commits suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-s-a-hypocrite-you-re-all-cyber-bullying-each-other-it-s-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there were two youngsters, a boy and a girl. Their families hated each other. But the boy snuck into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/once-upon-a-time-there-were-two-youngsters-a-boy-and-a-girl-their/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [I'm the girl nobody knows until she commits suicide. Then suddenly everyone had a class with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-leveen/i-m-the-girl-nobody-knows-until-she-commits-suicide-then-suddenly/) [Tom Leveen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-leveen/) ## More by Wilhelm Keitel > [It is tragic to have to realize that the best I had to give as a soldier, obedience, and loyalty, was exploited for purposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/it-is-tragic-to-have-to-realize-that-the-best-i-had-to-give-as-a/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Death by hanging. That, at least, I thought I would be spared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/death-by-hanging-that-at-least-i-thought-i-would-be-spared/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I call on God Almighty to have mercy on the German people. More than two million German soldiers went to their death for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-call-on-god-almighty-to-have-mercy-on-the-german-people-more-than/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I am a soldier and I worked for the kaiser, under Ebert, Hindenburg, and Hitler, all the same way, for the past 44 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-am-a-soldier-and-i-worked-for-the-kaiser-under-ebert-hindenburg-and/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Consideration of any kind are a crime against the German people and the soldier at the front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/consideration-of-any-kind-are-a-crime-against-the-german-people-and/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Why did the generals who have been so ready to term me a complaisant and incompetent yes-man fail to secure my removal? Was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/why-did-the-generals-who-have-been-so-ready-to-term-me-a-complaisant/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I believe German soldiers are good and decent, and if they did anything wrong it was because of military necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-believe-german-soldiers-are-good-and-decent-and-if-they-did/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [If this war is not fought with the greatest brutality against the bands both in the East and in the Balkans then in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/if-this-war-is-not-fought-with-the-greatest-brutality-against-the/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Hitler had charm, loved children, charmed women. But in political respects he would stop at nothing. In other respects he had soft and touching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/hitler-had-charm-loved-children-charmed-women-but-in-political/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [No matter what Hitler said, he spoke with a fine feeling for the particular circle which he addressed. ... He was a great psychologist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/no-matter-what-hitler-said-he-spoke-with-a-fine-feeling-for-the/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [If I had known it I would have told my son, I'd rather shoot you than let you join the SS. But I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/if-i-had-known-it-i-would-have-told-my-son-i-d-rather-shoot-you-than/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [A field marshal who issued orders to the armed forces but had no idea of the results they would have in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/a-field-marshal-who-issued-orders-to-the-armed-forces-but-had-no-idea/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [This fight has nothing to do with soldierly gallantry or principles of the Geneva Convention. If the fight against the partisans is not waged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/this-fight-has-nothing-to-do-with-soldierly-gallantry-or-principles/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound in this war to use without mitigation even against women and children any means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/the-troops-are-therefore-empowered-and-are-in-duty-bound-in-this-war/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [It isn't right to be obedient only when things go well; it is much harder to be a good, obedient soldier when things go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/it-isn-t-right-to-be-obedient-only-when-things-go-well-it-is-much/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) [Explore all 17 Wilhelm Keitel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. 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