"I carried out my orders until arrested. I had no sense that I was spying, and I ask that this be taken into account in deciding my verdict"

Witold Pilecki was a Polish resistance fighter who was jailed by the Nazis throughout World War II. In this quote, he is revealing his innocence in concerns to the charges of espionage that were brought against him. He claims that he was merely following orders and had no objective of spying. He is asking that this be taken into consideration when choosing his decision. This quote shows Pilecki's sense of honor and integrity, as he is willing to accept obligation for his actions, but is also requesting for leniency due to his absence of malicious intent. Pilecki's courage and dedication to his cause is admirable, and his words function as a pointer of the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of hardship.