Bertolt Brecht, born Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht on February 10, 1898, in Augsburg, Germany, was a revolutionary playwright, poet, and theatre director whose innovative works reshaped modern drama. His career highlights include creating epic theatre, which broke from traditional storytelling to provoke social change, and writing iconic plays like “The Threepenny Opera” and “Mother Courage and Her Children.” Brecht’s notable achievements encompass influencing Marxist theory in the arts, winning the National Prize of East Germany, and leaving a lasting legacy in global theatre. The quotes sourced here are primarily from his books, plays, and interviews, focusing on themes of life, struggle, and society. This curated list presents 15 insightful quotes by Brecht about life, drawn from various historical sources.
15 Bertolt Brecht Quotes
1. “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.” (Book, “A Short Organum for the Theatre,” 1949)
2. “First the food, then the morals.” (Book, “The Threepenny Opera,” 1928)
3. “What is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a bank?” (Interview, Der Spiegel, 1955)
4. “In the dark times will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing about the dark times.” (Book, “Svendborg Poems,” 1939)
5. “Man equals man, that’s the slogan.” (Book, “The Measures Taken,” 1930)
6. “Do not rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the bastard is dead, the bitch that bore him is again in heat.” (Book, “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” 1958)
7. “Life is a struggle, and I want to depict it as such.” (Interview, New York Times, 1947)
8. “The world of knowledge takes a crazy turn when teachers themselves are taught to learn.” (Book, “Life of Galileo,” 1943)
9. “Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.” (Book, “The Measures Taken,” 1930)
10. “The truth must be spoken with a view to the results it will produce in the sphere of action.” (Book, “A Short Organum for the Theatre,” 1949)
11. “What keeps mankind alive? The fact that millions are breaking their backs every day.” (Book, “The Threepenny Opera,” 1928)
12. “In the contradiction lies the hope.” (Book, “Brecht on Theatre,” 1964)
13. “Every line that is good is written in blood.” (Interview, n.d.)
14. “To live means to fight, and he that fights not is not alive.” (Book, “Collected Works,” 1973)
15. “The theater must awaken the spectator’s desire for understanding, for a grasp of the tangled web of life.” (Interview, Berliner Zeitung, 1956)
These quotes from Bertolt Brecht offer a window into his incisive views on life’s hardships, social injustices, and the human spirit’s resilience. They highlight his belief in art as a catalyst for change and a mirror to societal flaws, blending cynicism with hope. Brecht’s words remind us that life is not passive but a call to action. What resonates with you most about his perspective? Share your thoughts, favorite quotes, or how they apply to today’s world in the comments below.