Not only is the self entwined in society; it owes society its existence in the most literal sense.

Suffering has as much right to be expressed as a martyr has to cry out. So it may have been false to say that writing poetry after Auschwitz is impossible.

He who has laughter on his side has no need of proof.

The idea that after this war life will continue 'normally' or even that culture might be 'rebuilt' - as if the rebuilding of culture were not already its negation - is idiotic.

Very evil people cannot really be imagined dying.

Auschwitz begins wherever someone looks at a slaughterhouse and thinks: they’re only animals.

People have so manipulated the concept of freedom that it finally boils down to the right of the stronger and richer to take from the weaker and poorer whatever they still have.