Zitate von Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Geburtstag: 22. November 1890
Todesdatum: 9. November 1970
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle war ein französischer General und Staatsmann. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg führte er den Widerstand des Freien Frankreichs gegen die deutsche Besatzung an. Danach war er von 1944 bis 1946 Präsident der Provisorischen Regierung. Im Zuge des Algerienkriegs wurde er 1958 mit der Bildung einer Regierung als Ministerpräsident beauftragt und setzte eine Verfassungsreform durch, mit der die Fünfte Republik begründet wurde, deren Präsident er von Januar 1959 bis April 1969 war. Die auf ihn zurückgehende politische Ideologie des Gaullismus beeinflusst die französische Politik bis heute.
Zitate Charles de Gaulle
„Wie wollen Sie ein Volk regieren, das 246 Käsesorten besitzt?“
zitiert bei Hans O. Staub: De Gaulle - Träumer oder Idealist. Bucher 1966, S. 60 books. google
„France was built with swords. The fleur-de-lis, symbol of national unity, is only the image of a spear with three pikes.“
La France fut faite à coups d'épée. La fleur de lys, symbole d'unité nationale, n'est que l'image d'un javelot à trois lances.
in La France et son armée.
Writings
„When we were children, we often played war. We had a fine collection of lead soldiers. My brothers would take different countries: Xavier had Italy; Pierre, Germany. Or they would swap around. Well, I, gentlemen, always had France.“
Reminiscing during an ocean voyage to Tahiti, quoted in The Atlantic, November 1960
Early life
„Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.“
Attributed to de Gaulle by Romain Gary, Life, May 9, 1969
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„I am Joan of Arc. I am Clemenceau.“
Reportedly misattributed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in January, 1943, in communicating his impression of de Gaulle's arrogance in assuming the mantle of leadership of free France. Reported in Paul F. Boller, John George, They Never Said It: A Book of Fake Quotes, Misquotes, and Misleading Attributions (1990), p. 33-34.
Misattributed
„"A foreign military leader whose daring was feared by those who profited by it." De Gaulle said that MacArthur's critics should "pay deserved tribute to the legendary service of a great soldier".“
from William Manchester's "American Caesar".
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„Difficulty attracts the characterful man, for it is by grasping it that he fulfils himself.“
La difficulté attire l'homme de caractère, car c'est en l'étreignant qu'il se réalise lui-même.
in Mémoires de guerre.
Writings
„Men can have friends, statesmen cannot.“
Les hommes peuvent avoir des amis, pas les hommes d'Etat.
Interview, December 9 1967.
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„France cannot be France without greatness.“
La France ne peut être la France sans la grandeur.
in Mémoires de guerre.
Writings
„Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals“
Oui, c'est l'Europe, depuis l'Atlantique jusqu'à l'Oural, c'est toute l'Europe, qui décidera du destin du monde.
23 November 1959, Strasbourg. The phrase shown in bold is the most often quoted excerpt. De Gaulle was expressing his vision of Europe's future.
Most famous
Kontext: Yes, it is Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals, it is Europe, it is the whole of Europe, that will decide the fate of the world.
„Of course one can jump up and down yelling Europe! Europe! Europe! But it amounts to nothing and it means nothing.“
Bien entendu, on peut sauter sur sa chaise comme un cabri en disant l’Europe ! l’Europe ! l’Europe ! mais cela n’aboutit à rien et cela ne signifie rien.
Interview on a presidential campaign, December 1965 INA archive of the video http://www.ina.fr/archivespourtous/index.php?vue=notice&id_notice=I00012536 (De Gaulle meant that he wanted to build a European Union on realities, i.e. the existing nation-states with their respective interests – not on slogans and abstractions)
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„Why do you think that at 67 I would start a career as a dictator?“
Pourquoi voulez-vous qu'à 67 ans je commence une carrière de dictateur ?
Press conference, May 19 1958 (De Gaulle was changing the constitution to make government more efficient, after decades of impotent parliamentary regime, and he mocked journalists who claimed he was establishing a dictatorship).
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„It is unnecessary, for the Republic has never ceased to exist. I was the Republic.“
Reply in August 1944 to a statement of regret that the windows of the Hotel de Ville in Paris were not opened for the crowd outside cheering the reestablishment of the Republic. Quoted in The Atlantic, November 1960.
World War II
„The cabinet has no propositions to make, but orders to give.“
Le gouvernement n'a pas de propositions à faire, mais des ordres à donner.
in Mémoires de guerre. (Secretary of State De Gaulle so replied, in early June 1940, to Admiral Darlan, whom he was asking to transfer what was left of the French army to North Africa)
Writings
„Long live Montreal, Long live Quebec! Long live Free Quebec!“
Vive Montreal; Vive le Québec! Vive le Québec libre!
From a balcony at Montreal City Hall, with particular emphasis on the word 'libre'. The phrase, a slogan used by Quebecers who favoured Quebec sovereignty, and de Gaulle's use of it, was seen by them as lending his tacit support to the movement. The speech sparked a diplomatic incident with Canada's government, and was condemned by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, saying that "Canadians do not need to be liberated."
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„I am a man who belongs to no-one and who belongs to everyone.“
Je suis un homme qui n'appartient à personne et qui appartient à tout le monde.
Press conference, May 19 1958
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
„The leader is always alone before bad fates.“
Toujours le chef est seul en face du mauvais destin.
in Mémoires de guerre.
Writings
„So, it is true that one’s homeland is entirely human, emotional and that it is the root of action, of authority, of responsibility from which one can build Europe. What elements? Well, [nation] States, because only States are valid, are legitimate, in this respect, in addition they are capable of… As I have already said and I repeat, that at the present time, there cannot be any other Europe than that of the States, apart of course from myths, fictions, parades. From this solidarity depends all hope of uniting Europe in the political field and in the field of defense, as in the economic field. From this solidarity depends, therefore, the destiny of Europe as a whole, from the Atlantic to the Urals.“
Alors, il est vrai que la Patrie est un élément humain, sentimental et que c’est sur des éléments d’action, d’autorité, de responsabilité qu’on peut construire l’Europe. Quels éléments? Eh bien, les États, car il n’y a que les États qui, à cet égard, soient valables, soient légitimes et en outre soient capables de réaliser… J’ai déjà dit et je répète, qu’à l’heure qu’il est, il ne peut pas y avoir d’autre Europe possible que celle des États, en dehors naturellement des mythes, des fictions, des parades. De cette solidarité dépend tout espoir d’unir l’Europe dans le domaine politique et dans le domaine de la défense, comme dans le domaine économique. De cette solidarité dépend, par conséquent, le destin de l’Europe tout entière, depuis l’Atlantique jusqu’à l’Oural.
Press conference, Elysée Palace, Paris, 15 May 1962
Fifth Republic and other post-WW2
