Leopold von Ranke Quotes
Leopold von Ranke's writings feel scholarly and reflective, touching philosophy, history and future policy.
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Die glucklichsten Zeiten der Menschheit sind die leeren Blatter im Buch der Geschichte.
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[...] nicht das Amt die Vergangenheit zu richten, die Mitwelt zum Nutzen zukunftiger Jahre zu belehren, sondern blo? zu zeigen, wie es eigentlich gewesen ist.
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Most humans recognize their ruin, but they carry on regardless.
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To history has been assigned the office of judging the past, of instructing the present for the benefit of future ages. To such high offices this work does not aspire. It wants only to show what actually [essentially?] happened (wie es eigentlich gewesen).
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It is striking how history, when resting on the memory of men, always touches the bounds of mythology.
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In schoolbooks and in literature we can separate ecclesiastical and political history; in the life of mankind they are intertwined.
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You have reckoned that history ought to judge the past and to instruct the contemporary world as to the future. The present attempt does not yield to that high office. It will merely tell how it really was.
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He who overcomes himself is divine. Most see their ruin before their eyes; but they go on into it.
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All ages are equidistant from eternity, and just as immediately accessible to God's presence.
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Calvin was virtually the founder of America.
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Every generation is equidistant from God.
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History is no criminal court