"A book is worth a few francs; we Germans can afford to destroy those. We all may not appreciate artistic merit, but cash value is another matter"

This quote by Paul Scofield is a discourse on the destruction of art throughout World War II. He is suggesting that the Germans, who were recognized for their damage of art during the battle, were not always encouraged by an absence of appreciation for imaginative merit, yet rather by the reality that books had a low cash worth. He implies that the Germans were willing to ruin publications due to the fact that they were unworthy much money, and that they were not encouraged by an absence of admiration for art. This quote acts as a reminder of the devastation of art throughout the battle, and the importance of preserving art and also culture. It additionally works as a tip of the power of cash and exactly how it can be used to devalue art as well as culture.