Sir Winston Churchill
... “Nebst
dem fanatischen Wahnsinn, der in einem Menschen so gefährlich ist, wie
Wasserscheuheit in einem Hund, ist diese beängstigend-fatalistische
Gleichgültigkeit. Die Auswirkungen sind in vielen Ländern offensichtlich,
leichtsinnige Gewohnheiten, schlampige Ackerbaumethoden, schwerfällige
Wirtschaftsgebräuche und Unsicherheit des Eigentums herrschen überall da, wo
die Nachfolger des Propheten regieren oder leben. Eine erniedrigende
Sinnlichkeit beraubt dieses Leben von seiner Würde und seiner Verbesserung, das
nächste von seiner Ehre und Heiligkeit. Die Tatsache, dass nach
mohammedanischem Gesetz jede Frau einem Mann als sein absoluter Besitz gehören
muss, sei es als Kind, als Ehefrau, oder als Geliebte, schiebt die endgültige
Ausrottung der Sklaverei zwingend hinaus bis der islamische Glaube aufgehört
hat, eine wichtige Macht innerhalb der Menschheit zu sein.
Einzelne
Muslime mögen großartige Qualitäten aufweisen, aber der Einfluss der Religion
lähmt die gesellschaftliche Entwicklung derer, die ihr nachfolgen. Es gibt
keine stärker rückschrittliche Kraft auf der Welt. Weit entfernt davon, dem Tod
geweiht zu sein, ist der Mohammedanismus ein militanter und bekehrerischer
Glaube. Er hat bereits in Zentralafrika gestreut, zieht bei jedem Schritt
furchtlose Krieger heran, und wäre nicht das Christentum in den starken Armen
der Wissenschaft geborgen, der Wissenschaft, gegen die er (der Islam)
vergeblich gekämpft hat, würde die Zivilisation des modernen Europas vielleicht
fallen, so wie die Zivilisation des alten Roms gefallen ist.“ ...
Sir Winston Churchill ; britischer Staatsmann und zweimaliger Premierminister Großbritanniens
(“The River War”, Erste Ausgabe, Band II, Seiten 248-250, Herausgegeben von Longman’s, Green & Company, 1899)
"An
irgendeinem Zeitpunkt ihres Lebens stolpern die meisten Menschen einmal über
die Wahrheit. Der größte Teil von ihnen springt auf, klopft den Staub von den
Kleidern und eilt seinen Geschäften nach, als sei nichts geschehen."
"Wenn
man mit der Mehrheit einer Meinung ist, wird es Zeit, Inne zuhalten und
nachzudenken."
"Demokratie
ist die Notwendigkeit, sich gelegentlich den Ansichten anderer Leute zu
beugen."
"Lache
nie über die Dummheit der anderen. Sie ist deine Chance."
"Krieg
ist ein Spiel, bei dem man lächelt. Wenn man nicht lächeln kann, sollte man
grinsen. Wenn man nicht grinsen kann, sollte man sich für eine Zeit nicht
blicken lassen."
"Derjenige
muss in der Tat blind sein, der nicht sehen kann, dass hier auf Erden ein
großes Vorhaben, ein großer Plan ausgeführt wird, an dessen Verwirklichung wir
als treue Knechte mitwirken dürfen."
"Never
give in, never give in, never; never; never; never -- in nothing, great or
small, large or petty -- never give in except to convictions of honor and good
sense."
Sir Winston S. Churchill (1874 – 1965), British
political leader and statesman
You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.
Winston churchill
Winston churchill
Churchill's "United States of Europe" Speech, in Zurich at September 19, 1946
Winston Churchill delivered this speech at the
University of Zurich on September 19, 1946. He called on European countries,
including Germany, to form a regional organization for security and cooperation
on the continent.
I wish to
speak about the tragedy of Europe, this noble continent, the home of all the
great parent races of the Western world, the foundation of Christian faith and
ethics, the origin of most of the culture, arts, philosophy and science both of
ancient and modern times. If Europe were once united in the sharing of its
common inheritance there would be no limit to the happiness, prosperity and
glory which its 300 million or 400 million people would enjoy. Yet it is from
Europe that has sprung that series of frightful nationalistic quarrels,
originated by the Teutonic nations in their rise to power, which we have seen
in this 20th century and in our own lifetime wreck the peace and mar the
prospects of all mankind.
What is
this plight to which Europe has been reduced? Some of the smaller states have
indeed made a good recovery, but over wide areas are a vast, quivering mass of
tormented, hungry, careworn and bewildered human beings, who wait in the ruins
of their cities and homes and scan the dark horizons for the approach of some
new form of tyranny or terror. Among the victors there is a Babel of voices,
among the vanquished the sullen silence of despair. That is all that Europeans,
grouped in so many ancient states and nations, and that is all that the
Germanic races have got by tearing each other to pieces and spreading havoc far
and wide. Indeed, but for the fact that the great republic across the Atlantic
realised that the ruin or enslavement of Europe would involve her own fate as
well, and stretched out hands of succour and guidance, the Dark Ages would have
returned in all their cruelty and squalor. They may still return.
Yet all the
while there is a remedy which, if it were generally and spontaneously adopted
by the great majority of people in many lands, would as by a miracle transform
the whole scene and would in a few years make all Europe, or the greater part
of it, as free and happy as Switzerland is today. What is this sovereign
remedy? It is to recreate the European fabric, or as much of it as we can, and
to provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, safety and
freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe. In this way only will
hundreds of millions of toilers be able to regain the simple joys and hopes
which make life worth living. The process is simple. All that is needed is the
resolve of hundreds of millions of men and women to do right instead of wrong
and to gain as their reward blessing instead of cursing.
Much work
has been done upon this task by the exertions of the Pan-European Union, which
owes so much to the famous French patriot and statesman Aristide Briand. There
is also that immense body which was brought into being amidst high hopes after
the First World War - the League of Nations. The League did not fail because of
its principles or conceptions. It failed because those principles were deserted
by those states which brought it into being, because the governments of those
states feared to face the facts and act while time remained. This disaster must
not be repeated. There is, therefore, much knowledge and material with which to
build and also bitter, dearly bought experience to spur.
There is no
reason why a regional organisation of Europe should in any way conflict with the
world organisation of the United Nations. On the contrary, I believe that the
larger synthesis can only survive if it is founded upon broad natural
groupings. There is already a natural grouping in the Western Hemisphere. We
British have our own Commonwealth of Nations. These do not weaken, on the
contrary they strengthen, the world organisation. They are in fact its main
support. And why should there not be a European group which could give a sense
of enlarged patriotism and common citizenship to the distracted peoples of this
mighty continent? And why should it not take its rightful place with other
great groupings and help to shape the honourable destiny of man? In order that
this may be accomplished there must be an act of faith in which the millions of
families speaking many languages must consciously take part.
We all know
that the two World Wars through which we have passed arose out of the vain
passion of Germany to play a dominating part in the world. In this last
struggle crimes and massacres have been committed for which there is no
parallel since the Mongol invasion of the 13th century, no equal at any time in
human history. The guilty must be punished. Germany must be deprived of the
power to rearm and make another aggressive war. But when all this has been
done, as it will be done, as it is being done, there must be an end to
retribution. There must be what Mr Gladstone many years ago called a
"blessed act of oblivion". We must all turn our backs upon the
horrors of the past and look to the future. We cannot afford to drag forward
across the years to come hatreds and revenges which have sprung from the
injuries of the past. If Europe is to be saved from infinite misery, and indeed
from final doom, there must be this act of faith in the European family, this
act of oblivion against all crimes and follies of the past. Can the peoples of
Europe rise to the heights of the soul and of the instinct and spirit of man?
If they could, the wrongs and injuries which have been inflicted would have
been washed away on all sides by the miseries which have been endured. Is there
any need for further floods of agony? Is the only lesson of history to be that
mankind is unteachable? Let there be justice, mercy and freedom. The peoples
have only to will it and all will achieve their heart's desire.
I am now
going to say something that will astonish you. The first step in the
re-creation of the European family must be a partnership between France and
Germany. In this way only can France recover the moral and cultural leadership
of Europe. There can be no revival of Europe without a spiritually great France
and a spiritually great Germany. The structure of the United States of Europe
will be such as to make the material strength of a single State less important.
Small nations will count as much as large ones and gain their honour by a
contribution to the common cause. The ancient States and principalities of
Germany, freely joined for mutual convenience in a federal system, might take
their individual places among the United States of Europe.
But I must
give you warning, time may be short. At present there is a breathing space. The
cannons have ceased firing. The fighting has stopped. But the dangers have not
stopped. If we are to form a United States of Europe, or whatever name it may
take, we must begin now. In these present days we dwell strangely and
precariously under the shield, and I even say protection, of the atomic bomb.
The atomic bomb is still only in the hands of a nation which, we know, will
never use it except in the cause of right and freedom, but it may well be that
in a few years this awful agency of destruction will be widespread and that the
catastrophe following from its use by several warring nations will not only
bring to an end all that we call civilisation but may possibly disintegrate the
globe itself.
I now sum
up the propositions which are before you. Our constant aim must be to build and
fortify the United Nations Organisation. Under and within that world concept we
must re-create the European family in a regional structure called, it may be,
the United States of Europe, and the first practical step will be to form a
Council of Europe. If at first all the States of Europe are not willing or able
to join a union we must nevertheless proceed to assemble and combine those who
will and who can. The salvation of the common people of every race and every
land from war and servitude must be established on solid foundations, and must
be created by the readiness of all men and women to die rather than to submit
to tyranny. In this urgent work France and Germany must take the lead together.
Great Britain, the British Commonwealth of Nations, mighty America - and, I
trust, Soviet Russia, for then indeed all would be well - must be the friends
and sponsors of the new Europe and must champion its right to live. Therefore I say to you "Let Europe
arise!"
No comments:
Post a Comment