Wer die Wahrheit nicht weiß, der ist bloß ein Dummkopf. Aber wer… — Bertolt Brecht | Printable Wall Art

“Wer die Wahrheit nicht weiß, der ist bloß ein Dummkopf. Aber wer sie weiß und sie eine Lüge nennt, der ist ein Verbrecher.”
“Whoever does not know the truth is merely a fool. But whoever knows it and calls it a lie is a criminal.”

Words by Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) — German playwright and poet.

About this quote

This statement draws a sharp line between simple ignorance and active dishonesty. Lacking knowledge or failing to grasp facts makes a person foolish, which is pitiable rather than evil. However, deliberately denying known facts or spreading falsehoods is an offence against society. Brecht argues that suppressing known truth is not a harmless opinion, but a conscious, harmful act of deception.

This line is spoken by Galileo Galilei in Bertolt Brecht's 1938 play, Life of Galileo. Written during Brecht's exile from Nazi Germany, the work explores the tension between scientific truth, moral duty, and political authority.

People often hang this print in a study, library, or office as a reminder of intellectual integrity.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.