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Karl Kraus

Karl Kraus Quotes

Writer

Karl Kraus (April 28, 1874 - June 12, 1936) was an Austrian writer and critic, known for his satirical and critical writing style. He was one of the most important Austrian writers of the early 20th century, particularly renowned for his sharp commentary on society, politics, and culture.

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All Literature Ifs Men People Writing World Language Art Doe Wells Education Journalist Morality Humans Ideas Knows Lying Reading Way Firsts

Famous Karl Kraus Quotes

“The heroes of obtrusiveness, people with whom no soldier would lie down in the trenches, though he has to submit to being interviewed by them, break into recently abandoned royal castles so that they can report, "We got there first!" It would be far less shameful to be paid for committing atrocities than for fabricating them.”

People Firsts Would Be Lying Break Hero Paid Soldier Reports Abandoned Submit Royal Castles Shameful Atrocities Trenches

Author:Karl Kraus

“A white lie is always pardonable. But he who tells the truth without compulsion merits no leniency.”

Truth Lying White Merit Telling The Truth Compulsion White Lie Leniency

Book:Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

Source: Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

“Morality is a burglar's tool whose merit lies in never being left behind at the scene of the crime.”

Lying Left Behinds Crime Morality Scene Tools Merit Left Behind Burglars

Book:Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

Source: Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

“How powerful social mores are! Only a spider's web lies across the volcano, yet it refrains from erupting.”

Lying Social Powerful Spiders Refrain Volcanoes

Book:Dicta and Contradicta

Source: Dicta and Contradicta

“How do wars start? Diplomats tell lies to journalists, then believe what they read.”

Believe War Lying Journalist Diplomats

Author:Karl Kraus

“How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print.”

World Believe War Humor Funny Lying Journalist Print Anti War No War Diplomats

Author:Karl Kraus

“If the reporter has killed our imagination with his truth, he threatens our life with his lies.”

Ifs Lying Imagination Our Lives Journalism Journalist Reporters

Author:Karl Kraus

“The truth is that the newspaper is not a place for information to be given, rather it is just hollow content, or more than that, a provoker of content. If it prints lies about atrocities, real atrocities are the result.”

Ifs Real Lying Given Results Information Truth Is Newspapers Propaganda Print Hollow Atrocities

Author:Karl Kraus

About the Author

Born: April 28, 1874
Died: June 12, 1936
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 269

Related Topics

Literature Ifs Men People Writing World Language Art Doe Wells Education Journalist Morality Humans Ideas Knows Lying Reading Way Firsts

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Books & Sources

Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected AphorismsRelated source material

Dicta and ContradictaRelated source material

Anti-Freud: Karl Kraus's Criticism of Psychoanalysis and PsychiatryRelated source material

No Compromise: Selected Writings of Karl KrausRelated source material

The Kraus Project: Essays by Karl KrausRelated source material

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