Geburtstag: 29. Mai 1917
Todesdatum: 22. November 1963
John Fitzgerald „Jack“ Kennedy , häufig auch bei seinen Initialen JFK genannt, war von 1961 bis 1963 der 35. Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika. In seine Amtszeit während der Hochphase des Kalten Krieges fielen historische Ereignisse wie die Kubakrise, der Bau der Berliner Mauer, der Beginn der bemannten Raumfahrt, die Eskalation des Vietnamkriegs sowie die Zeit des zivilen Ungehorsams der afroamerikanischen Bürgerrechtsbewegung.
Kennedy war Mitglied der Demokratischen Partei und der erste US-Präsident römisch-katholischer Konfession. Wegen seiner Jugend und seines Charismas verkörperte er für viele die Hoffnung auf eine Erneuerung der USA. Die Hintergründe seiner Ermordung 1963 sind bis heute umstritten.
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Antrittsrede, 20. Januar 1961, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum: Antrittsrede des Präsidenten John Fitzgerald Kennedy
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Rede vor dem Schöneberger Rathaus in Berlin, 26. Juni 1963. Quelle: dradio. de
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Rede vor dem Schöneberger Rathaus in Berlin, 26. Juni 1963. Quelle: John F. Kennedy: Ich bin ein Berliner (1963) von Englisch Lernen Online
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Rede vor der Vollversammlung der Vereinten Nationen am 25. September 1961 - Quelle: Dominik Geppert: Die Freiheitsglocke, in: Etienne Francois, Hagen Schulze (Hrsg.): Deutsche Erinnerungsorte 2, Beck'sche Schwarze Reihe 2009, S. 249 books. google
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Rede vor dem Schöneberger Rathaus in Berlin, 26. Juni 1963. Quelle: John F. Kennedy: Ich bin ein Berliner (1963) von Englisch Lernen Online
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Rede vor dem Schöneberger Rathaus in Berlin, 26. Juni 1963. Quelle: John F. Kennedy: Ich bin ein Berliner (1963) von Englisch Lernen Online
— John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Antrittsrede, 20. Januar 1961, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum: Antrittsrede des Präsidenten John Fitzgerald Kennedy
— John F. Kennedy
As quoted in Mayor (1984) by Ed Koch
— John F. Kennedy
Context: In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it." is one of seven quotes inscribed on the walls at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery.
"The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world." is one of seven quotes inscribed on the walls at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery.
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." is one of seven quotes inscribed on the walls at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery.
It has been reported at various places on the internet that in JFK's Inaugural address, the famous line "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country", was inspired by, or even a direct quotation of the famous and much esteemed writer and poet Khalil Gibran. Gibran in 1925 wrote in Arabic a line that has been translated as:
::Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?
::If you are the first, then you are a parasite; if the second, then you are an oasis in a desert.
However, this translation of Gibran is one that occurred over a decade after Kennedy's 1961 speech, appearing in A Third Treasury of Kahlil Gibran (1975) edited by Andrew Dib Sherfan, and the translator most likely drew upon Kennedy's famous words in expressing Gibran's prior ideas. For a further discussion regarding the quote see here.
— John F. Kennedy
Address to Latin American diplomats at the White House (13 March 1962) http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=9100&st=&st1=
— John F. Kennedy
Context: Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction. We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
