The memory of war weighs undiminished upon the people's minds. That is because deeper than material wounds, moral wounds are smarting, inflicted by the so-called peace treaties. ... Material loss can be made up through renewed labor, but the moral wrong which has been inflicted upon the conquered peoples, in the peace dictates, leaves a burning scar on the people's conscience. ... The Versailles Dictate cannot be an eternal document, because not only its economic, but also its spiritual and moral premises are wrong.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- War memories and moral wounds from peace treaties hurt people more than material losses.
- In plain terms
- Moral wrongs from treaties hurt more than material loss.
- What can you take from it?
- Peace terms must respect moral and spiritual dignity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can peace be truly just?
- How do we heal moral wounds?
Another view
Material loss often has immediate consequences that moral wounds mask.
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