Lemkin Quotes & Sayings

By genocide we mean the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group. — Raphael Lemkin

Genocide is not war! It is more dangerous than war! — Raphael Lemkin

Genocide has two phases: one, destruction of the national pattern of the oppressed group; the other, the imposition of the national pattern of the oppressor. This imposition, in turn, may be made upon the oppressed population which is allowed to remain or upon the territory alone, after removal of the population and the colonization by the oppressor's own nationals. — Raphael Lemkin

I became interested in genocide, because it happened so many times. It happened to the Armenians and after the Armenians, Hitler took action. — Raphael Lemkin

It is intended to signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and even the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups. — Raphael Lemkin

If the history of the western moral imagination is the story of an enduring and unending revolt against human cruelty, there are few more consequential figures than Raphael Lemkin - and few whose achievements have been more ignored by the general public. It was he who coined the word 'genocide.' He was also its victim. — Michael Ignatieff

Why is the killing of a million a lesser crime than the killing of an individual? — Raphael Lemkin

The present destruction of Europe would not be complete and thorough had the German people not accepted freely [the Nazi] plan, participated voluntarily in its execution and up to this point profited greatly therefrom — Raphael Lemkin

If you act in the name of conscience you are stronger than any government in the world. — Raphael Lemkin

Only man has law. Law must be built, do you understand me? You must build the law. — Raphael Lemkin