[He] understood the people in a new way...The people is not everyone who speaks our language, nor yet the elect marked by the fiery stamp of genius. Not by birth, not by the work of one's hands, not by the wings of education is one elected into the people. But by one's inner self. Everyone forges his inner self year after year. One must try to temper, to cut, to polish one's soul so as to become a human being. And thereby become a tiny particle of one's own people.

After all, man is a complicated being, why should he be explainable by logic?

A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today.

If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?

Every human act can be disguised with a coating of gilt.

The simple act of an ordinary courageous man is not to take part, not to support lies! Let that come into the world and even reign over it, but not through me. Writers and artists can do more: they can vanquish lies! ... Lies can stand up against much in the world, but not against art.

The salvation of mankind lies only in making everything the concern of all.