--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not that I think the Nazis were…" description: "\"It's not that I think the Nazis were right, or anything. It's just that, we weren't there, we don't know.\" — Zach Braff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/zach-braff-854_inspirational_it-s-not-that-i-think-the-nazis-were-rig_2960164.png" --- # It's not that I think the Nazis were right, or anything… ![“It's not that I think the Nazis were right, or anything. It's just that, we weren't there, we don't know.” quote by Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/zach-braff-854_inspirational_it-s-not-that-i-think-the-nazis-were-rig_2960164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/zach-braff-854_inspirational_it-s-not-that-i-think-the-nazis-were-rig_2960164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7f/zach-braff-854_inspirational_it-s-not-that-i-think-the-nazis-were-rig_2960164.png) > “It's not that I think the Nazis were right, or anything. It's just that, we weren't there, we don't know.” [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical judgment is limited by lack of firsthand experience; humility is needed when assessing past events. **In simple terms:** We lack direct knowledge of history. Key Takeaway Approach historical analysis with humility. Themes history humility perspective Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - academic research - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we mitigate present‑day bias? - What sources best illuminate past realities? A Different Perspective Personal bias can still color interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Just Weren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-weren-2673925/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi/) [Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazis/) [Nazis Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazis-right-3644703/) [Think Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-nazis-1328604/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [And I think all Nazis didn't see themselves as bad people. I've never met a racist yet who thought he was a racist. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/and-i-think-all-nazis-didn-t-see-themselves-as-bad-people-i-ve-never/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [The Nazis were not right to hate the Jews. But their hating of Jews was not without a cause. No one ever hates without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/the-nazis-were-not-right-to-hate-the-jews-but-their-hating-of-jews/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [“But most people are essentially good. You have to believe that.” “Even the Nazis?” Father Re hesitated, and then said, “I can’t explain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sullivan/but-most-people-are-essentially-good-you-have-to-believe-that-even/) [Mark T. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sullivan/) > [“It’s so savage. So primitive.” “Modern man isn’t far behind. Think of the Nazis in WWII. The Serbs in Bosnia. Khmer Rouge. Taliban. Chechnya.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-so-savage-so-primitive-modern-man-isn-t-far-behind-think-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Books can be immensely powerful. The ideas in them can change the way people think. Yet it was the Nazis and Stalin's officers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-farndon/books-can-be-immensely-powerful-the-ideas-in-them-can-change-the-way/) [John Farndon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-farndon/) > [it is interesting to find that people of faith now seek defensively to say that they are no worse than fascists or Nazis or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-is-interesting-to-find-that-people-of-faith-now-seek-defensively/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I suspect most likely that more Nazis came to America. I was a student at Harvard during the early 1950s. There was practically no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-suspect-most-likely-that-more-nazis-came-to-america-i-was-a-student/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The whole function of education is to create Nazis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-rust/the-whole-function-of-education-is-to-create-nazis/) [Bernhard Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-rust/) > [The missionaries of Christianity had said in effect: You have no right to live among us as Jews. The secular rulers who followed had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-hilberg/the-missionaries-of-christianity-had-said-in-effect-you-have-no-right/) [Raul Hilberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-hilberg/) > [A friend of ours said if the same laws were applied to U.S. Presidents as were applied to the Nazis after WWII, that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-de-la-rocha/a-friend-of-ours-said-if-the-same-laws-were-applied-to-u-s-presidents/) [Zack de la Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-de-la-rocha/) > [A great number of people in the East German parts had been Nazis, so the change of mind was not altogether there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-heym/a-great-number-of-people-in-the-east-german-parts-had-been-nazis-so/) [Stefan Heym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-heym/) > [The Nazis victimized some people for what they did, some for what they refused to do, some for what they were, and some for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-horton-conway/the-nazis-victimized-some-people-for-what-they-did-some-for-what-they/) [John Horton Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-horton-conway/) > [People have a bad habit of blaming the victims. Damn Jews! If hadn't been for them the Nazis wouldn't have exterminated 'em all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-churchill/people-have-a-bad-habit-of-blaming-the-victims-damn-jews-if-hadn-t/) [Ward Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-churchill/) > [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/) > [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 Zach Braff > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [When you're the director and the writer, you never have to remember your lines, and there's no one to call you on it. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-you-re-the-director-and-the-writer-you-never-have-to-remember/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Yea, he's alright...but he's no Zach Braff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/yea-he-s-alright-but-he-s-no-zach-braff/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [It was really starting to get pathetic, everyday they would come in looking for one thing or another. 'Zach, can you give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/it-was-really-starting-to-get-pathetic-everyday-they-would-come-in/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [People ask me, 'Did the fame come too fast? Do you ever wish for your old life?' I always tell them that there's nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-ask-me-did-the-fame-come-too-fast-do-you-ever-wish-for-your/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I wouldn't exactly call it 'Intelligent', but somebody has to be behind designing the human form other than just biological necessity. Why else would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-wouldn-t-exactly-call-it-intelligent-but-somebody-has-to-be-behind/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [People have called me fake, but personally, I don't think I'm fake because I'm so insincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-have-called-me-fake-but-personally-i-don-t-think-i-m-fake/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [When things seem to be slowing down, there's this little trick I like to play. I'd plow this virgin who's on her period, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-things-seem-to-be-slowing-down-there-s-this-little-trick-i-like/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I want to take piano lessons, I want to study at university, I want to travel, I want to do other parts, make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-want-to-take-piano-lessons-i-want-to-study-at-university-i-want-to/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If I could change anything about Garden State, it would be to cast somebody else for the female lead. Natalie just isn't really that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-i-could-change-anything-about-garden-state-it-would-be-to-cast/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Well it's not that I HATE them, but honestly if I saw two homeless people begging for money, one white and one black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/well-it-s-not-that-i-hate-them-but-honestly-if-i-saw-two-homeless/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I never looked at bread the same way again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-never-looked-at-bread-the-same-way-again/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I don't belive Oprah's sexual abuse stories, I mean who would take a black girl when there are plenty of white?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-belive-oprah-s-sexual-abuse-stories-i-mean-who-would-take-a/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) [Explore all 349 Zach Braff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not that I think the Nazis were right, or anything. 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