In The Garden Of Beasts: Love, Terror, And An American Family In Hitler's Berlin Quotes
"Once, at the dawn of a very dark time, an American father and daughter found themselves suddenly transported from their snug home in Chicago to the heart of Hitler’s Berlin."
"Hindsight tells us that during that fragile time the course of history could so easily have been changed."
"Every morning they moved through a city hung with immense banners of red, white, and black."
"These were complicated people moving through a complicated time, before the monsters declared their true nature."
"The beating, Messersmith learned, had occurred nine days earlier, yet the wounds were still vivid."
"For Messersmith it was yet another indicator of the reality of life under Hitler."
"What he did know was that the new ambassador would be entering a cauldron of brutality, corruption, and zealotry."
"By all counts they were a happy family and a close one."
"Dodd entered the bottom stratum of white southern society, which still adhered to the class conventions of the antebellum era."
"He chose to focus his dissertation on Thomas Jefferson, despite the obvious difficulty of acquiring eighteenth-century American documents in Germany."
"Dodd also discovered in himself an abiding interest in the political life, triggered in earnest when in August 1916 he found himself in the Oval Office of the White House."
"Dodd's stature as a historian grew, and so too did his family."
"The story emerged: On the night of June 21, Schachno had been visited at his home by a squad of uniformed men."
"Roosevelt made his first attempt to fill the Berlin post on March 9, 1933, less than a week after taking office."
"Upon Hitler’s ascent, the country had undergone a brutal spasm of state-condoned violence."
"Roosevelt feared that the longer the battle dragged on, the more likely the bill was to fail or be severely weakened."
"He wanted an American liberal in Germany as a standing example."
"As ambassadorial posts went, Berlin should have been a plum—not London or Paris, surely, but still one of the great capitals of Europe."
"The upheaval prompted one Jewish leader, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise of New York, to tell a friend, 'the frontiers of civilization have been crossed.'"
"Wondering desperately how all this was to be paid for without mortgaging our souls."
"The night was soft and lovely; everything was peaceful, romantic, strange, nostalgic."
"I felt the press had badly maligned the country and I wanted to proclaim the warmth and friendliness of the people."
"I didn’t believe all her stories, I thought she was exaggerating and a bit hysterical."
"In the Tiergarten, the little lamps flicker among the little trees, and the grass is starred with the fireflies of a thousand cigarettes."
"What a youthful, carefree, won't-go-home-till-morning, romantic, wonderful place!"
"We are living at present in a sea of denunciations and human meanness."
"I am quite convinced that the leading element in the Government inclines to a milder policy as soon as possible."
"In times of great stress, men are too apt to abandon too much of their past social devices and venture too far upon uncharted courses."
"Governments from the top fail as often as those from the bottom; and every great failure brings a sad social reaction."
"One may safely say that no system which implies control of society by privilege seekers has ever ended in any other way than collapse."
"Defeat in war is always followed by injustice."
"There is evident injustice in the French attitude; but defeat in war is always followed by injustice."
"A horde of armed men in black uniforms had broken into their apartment, locked her in a bedroom, and then conducted an aggressive search."
"The United States had not yet recognized the Soviet Union (and would not do so until November 16, 1933)."
"He craved attention, and by dint of his immense height and energy always got it, no matter how crowded the room."
"His experiences, however, after the publication of his book"—his notoriety and a Pulitzer Prize—"were such that he became rather more sharp and irritable than was best for all parties concerned."
"If you would wait and call a conference, Germany would regain her popularity outside."
"Perhaps I was too frank, but I had to be honest."
"The total effect of the interview was more favorable from the point of view of the maintenance of world peace than I had expected."
"He is basically sincere; but he is at the same time a fanatic."
"I think for the moment he genuinely desires peace but it is a peace of his own kind."
"There are so many pathological cases involved that it would be impossible to tell from day to day what will happen."
"We must guard against any undue optimism which may be aroused by the apparently satisfying declarations of the Chancellor."
"German men want their women to be seen and not heard, and then seen only as appendages of the splendid male they accompany."
"Hitler’s eyes were startling and unforgettable—they seemed pale blue in color, were intense, unwavering, hypnotic."
"It was hard to believe that this man was one of the most powerful men in Europe."
"The extravagance in the telegraphic business in the Embassy at Berlin."
"It occurs to me that he feels that a promotion is due and I think that his services demand it."
"I am glad you have been frank with certain people. I think that is a good thing."
"I sometimes feel that the world problems are getting worse instead of better."
"One such invitation arrived for Dodd and his family from their neighbor Captain Röhm."
"The Nazi leadership favored an awkward arrangement in which tables formed a large rectangular horseshoe."
"Formal invitations arrived on printed cards in envelopes, followed as always by seating diagrams."
"Martha later would have cause to save a copy of the seating chart."
"The nation, Dodd had written, must discard its ‘righteous aloofness’."
"In Washington, Undersecretary Phillips called Jay Pierrepont Moffat into his office."
"He is romantic-minded and half-informed about great historical events and men in Germany."
"Fritz, the butler, greeted Boris at the front door."
"In another time there might have been famous writers, artists, and musicians."
"It must be difficult for you to live in a foreign country, especially when your interest is literature and language."
"But it can also be difficult to live in one’s own country when one’s concern is literature."
"Perhaps, Herr Ditzen, it is less important where one lives than how one lives."
"Yes, I believe one can still write here in these times if one observes the necessary regulations and gives in a little. Not in the important things, of course."
"I saw the stamp of naked fear on a writer’s face for the first time."
"The German people would follow Hitler with absolute loyalty provided they are allowed to have a share in the making and carrying out of decisions."
"The Government is well aware of the selfishness, the lack of principle, the insincerity, the unchivalrous behavior, the arrogance which is on the increase under the guise of the German revolution."
"If people knew the truth of history there would never be another great war."
"I have no comment to make. I am here to attend the wedding of my friend’s daughter."
"The nation must know that its existence cannot be menaced with impunity by anyone, and that whoever lifts his hand against the State shall die of it."
"I have those men shot, even if in the course of those secret conversations the only subjects discussed were the weather, old coins and similar objects."
"I am ready before history to take the responsibility for the twenty-four hours of the bitterest decision of my life."
"HITLER’S PURGE WOULD BECOME KNOWN as 'The Night of the Long Knives'."
"A few days ago, in Germany, events occurred which shocked the world."
"The controlled press praised Hitler for his decisive behavior, and among the public his popularity soared."
"I would swear that millions upon millions have no idea what a monstrous thing has occurred."
"Mankind is in grave danger, but democratic governments seem not to know what to do."
"The world seems in such a mess now, I don’t know what will happen."
"The idea that adult, responsible men can be taken from their homes, stood up against a wall, backs to the rifles and shot to death is beyond expression."
"He said he was much surprised that Wilson had indicated that he thought we ought to lay less stress on the democracies and democratic principles."
"There were some things concerning human psychology, and particularly German, that were a strange country to Wilson."
"The president was somewhat disturbed concerning Wilson's ideas."
"The truth is that the Lusitania is the safest boat on the sea. She is too fast for any submarine."
"No German war vessel can get her or near her."
"With all but a few lights extinguished and all shades pulled and curtains drawn, the great liner slid forward through the sea."
"Even in darkness, in moonlight and mist, the ship stood out."
"You could see the shape of the four funnels; she was the only ship with four funnels."
"Unmistakable and invulnerable, a floating village in steel, the Lusitania glided by in the night as a giant black shadow cast upon the sea."