In the courtroom, the defendants were at their best. They had to be, because the whole world was watching this trial. When they came back to the cells, then they acted normal; they were normal people. Some of them cried in there. As a matter of fact, Ernst Kaltenbrunner... a notorious man, he was probably... big, tall fellow, about six foot seven, with scars on his face. We gave him a nickname, Scarface. But he was probably the biggest crybaby in there. We caught him many times, quite a few times, crying.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Witnesses describe Kaltenbrunner as having a tough exterior but crying frequently in prison.
- In plain terms
- Despite his reputation, he cried often behind bars.
- What can you take from it?
- Public images often hide private vulnerabilities.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does crying undermine a reputation for strength?
- How do environments change behavior?
Another view
Witness accounts can be biased or exaggerated.
More from Ernst Kaltenbrunner
The execution of all so-called resettlement actions, that is, the sending away of Polish, Jewish, and people of non-German blood, inhabitants of a territory in…
Permalink to quote #66 Himmler regarded the accused Ernst Kaltenbrunner as the most suitable successor of the deceased Heydrich, who was executed by Czech Patriots. On January 30, 19…
Permalink to quote #68 I'm sure that Kaltenbrunner would not misuse the SD or Gestapo as Himmler and Heydrich did. Kaltenbrunner loves women and wine. He does not like police activit…
Permalink to quote #65
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