Bertolt Brecht Poems

Bertolt Brecht's Poems and Quotes! Bertolt Brecht Biography

Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theater director who lived from 1898 to 1956. He is known for his works that explore the social and political issues of his time. Here are some of Bertolt Brecht’s famous poems and quotes. Well, who is Bertolt Brecht? Lets read together.

Bertolt Brecht's Poems

"To Posterity"

Indeed, I live in dark times!

An innocent word is foolish. A smooth forehead

Points to insensitivity. The man who laughs

Has simply not yet heard

The terrible news.

"Questions from a Worker Who Reads"

Who built Thebes of the seven gates?

In the books you will find the name of kings.

Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock?

And Babylon, many times demolished,

Who raised it up so many times? In what houses

Of gold-glittering Lima did the builders live?

Where, the evening that the Wall of China was finished,

Did the masons go? Great Rome

Is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them?

Over whom did the Caesars triumph? Had Byzantium, much praised in song,

Only palaces for its inhabitants? Even in fabled Atlantis

The night the ocean engulfed it

The drowning still bawled for their slaves.

"The Solution"

After the uprising of the 17th of June

The Secretary of the Writers' Union

Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee

Stating that the people

Had forfeited the confidence of the government

And could win it back only

By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier

In that case for the government

To dissolve the people

And elect another?

"In Praise of Communism"

They call you a thief who stole

And didn't break into houses.

Whoever owns everything,

He doesn't need to steal.

"A German War Primer"

When the war came, many of us followed the tracks of the refugees. They had crossed the frontier many times and knew the land well. They carried their children on their shoulders, and the elderly walked with canes. They brought blankets and sacks of food with them, and they shared what they had. They had no papers and no passports, but they knew the land.

These are just a few of Brecht's famous poems. His works often reflect the political and social upheaval of his time and are marked by a strong sense of social criticism and political activism.

Quotes of Bertolt Brecht

Here are some famous quotes by Bertolt Brecht:

"Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it."

"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life."

"Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels."

"The finest plans have always been spoiled by the littleness of them that should carry them out. Even emperors can't do it all by themselves."

"The aim of science is not to open the door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error."

"Unhappy is the land that breeds no hero."

"Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good."

"War is like love; it always finds a way."

"Do not be afraid of death. Be afraid of the inadequate life."

"Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced."

Bertolt Brecht Biography 

Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, poet, and theatre director who lived from 1898 to 1956. He is considered one of the most important and influential dramatists of the 20th century. Brecht's work is known for its social and political commentary, and he is associated with the theatrical movement known as epic theatre. He was born in Augsburg, Germany and began his career as a playwright in the 1920s. Brecht's most famous works include "The Threepenny Opera," "Mother Courage and Her Children," and "The Good Person of Szechwan." Brecht's work often reflected his Marxist political beliefs and his criticism of capitalism and bourgeois society. He was also known for his development of techniques such as the use of "alienation" or "estrangement" to create a sense of distance between the audience and the events on stage. Brecht's work continues to be studied and performed around the world today.

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was a German playwright, poet, and theater director who had a profound influence on 20th-century theater. His works reflect his Marxist political beliefs and his criticism of capitalism and bourgeois society. He is known for developing the concept of "epic theater," which emphasizes the use of alienation techniques to distance the audience emotionally from the characters and events on stage.

Brecht's plays often deal with social and political issues, such as the exploitation of the working class, the rise of fascism, and the brutality of war. His most famous works include "The Threepenny Opera," "Mother Courage and Her Children," and "The Good Person of Szechwan." He also wrote numerous poems and essays that reflect his Marxist views and his belief in the power of art to effect social change.

Brecht was a controversial figure during his lifetime and his work was often censored and banned by the authorities. He spent much of his life in exile, living in countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and the United States. Despite this, his plays and ideas have had a lasting impact on theater and continue to be studied and performed around the world today.