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My coming to England in this way is, as I realize, so unusual that nobody will easily understand it. I was confronted by a very hard decision. I do not think I could have arrived at my final choice unless I had continually kept before my eyes the vision of an endless line of children's coffins with weeping mothers behind them, both English and German, and another line of coffins of mothers with mourning children.

Rudolf Hess#3

Rudolf hessPeaceMotivationSacrificeSufferingWar

About this quote

What does it mean?
The author explains his unusual flight to England was driven by a vision of endless suffering for children and mothers on both sides.
In plain terms
He flew to England to stop war because he saw mothers and children dying.
What can you take from it?
Fear of future suffering can drive radical individual actions.

Where it applies

  • conflict resolution
  • personal motivation
  • historical event

Putting it to work

  • understanding individual motivations
  • analyzing peace efforts

Questions to consider

  • How does personal vision drive political action?
  • Can individual acts stop systemic violence?

Another view

The vision described is subjective and does not account for the actual political outcomes.

More from Rudolf Hess

  1. I was permitted to work for many years of my life under the greatest son whom my people has brought forth in its thousand year history. Even if I could, I woul…

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  2. Thanks to the directors for addressing this message to my home. Written several minutes before my death.

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  3. You take an oath to a man whom you know follows the laws of providence, which he obeys independently of the influence of earthly powers, who leads the German p…

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