Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse

15 quotes

Hermann Hesse is a German writer whose words have traveled far beyond their original audience. The range of their thinking — from Knowledge to History — speaks to an intellectual restlessness that shows in every quote. Discover 20 of Hermann Hesse's most memorable quotes, ranging across Knowledge, History, Happiness, Wisdom, and Truth. A line that stays with you: "Happiness is a how not a what. A talent, not an object."

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.”

— Hermann Hesse

Strength

All Quotes by Hermann Hesse

“Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, be fortified by it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.”

— Hermann Hesse

Knowledge

“Happiness is a how not a what. A talent, not an object.”

— Hermann Hesse

Happiness

“As a body everyone is single, as a soul never.”

— Hermann Hesse

Alone

“One never reaches home, but wherever friendly paths intersect the whole world looks like home for a time.”

— Hermann Hesse

Home

“To study history means submitting to chaos and nevertheless retaining faith in order and meaning.”

— Hermann Hesse

Faith

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.”

— Hermann Hesse

Strength

“It is not our purpose to become each other it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is.”

— Hermann Hesse

Relationship

“The call of death is a call of love. Death can be sweet if we answer it in the affirmative, if we accept it as one of the great eternal forms of life and transformation.”

— Hermann Hesse

Death

“There is, so I believe, in the essence of everything, something that we cannot call learning. There is, my friend, only a knowledge - that is everywhere.”

— Hermann Hesse

Knowledge

“What constitutes a real, live human being is more of a mystery than ever these days, and men each one of whom is a valuable, unique experiment on the part of nature are shot down wholesale.”

— Hermann Hesse

Nature

“I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.”

— Hermann Hesse

Good

“People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.”

— Hermann Hesse

Courage

“To be able to throw one's self away for the sake of a moment, to be able to sacrifice years for a woman's smile - that is happiness.”

— Hermann Hesse

Happiness

“The truth is lived, not taught.”

— Hermann Hesse

Truth

“Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.”

— Hermann Hesse

History