"But every historical statement and legitimization itself moves within a certain relation to history"
- Martin Heidegger
About this Quote
In this quote, Martin Heidegger is recommending that any statement or reason we make about history is inherently connected to history itself. Simply put, our understanding of history is shaped by the context and situations in which we live, and any attempt to understand the past is constantly influenced by the present in some way. This highlights the significance of thinking about the historical and cultural contexts that underpin our concepts about the past.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
