“If we could have had in ’44, ah, let’s say three hundred operational”

Superior technical achievements – used correctly both strategically and tactically

Never abandon the possibility of attack.

“He who wants to protect everything, protects nothing,” is one of the fundamental rules of defense.

During the Battle of Britain the question “fighter or fighter-bomber?” had been decided once and for all

I had to inspect all fighter units in Russia, Africa, Sicily, France, and Norway. I had to be everywhere.

When I was fired from my post as General of the Fighter Arm

An excellent weapon and luck had been on my side.

Later when asked what it felt like, I said, “It felt as though angels were pushing”.

And that’s when we did it. I think we did it.

Only in the spirit of attack, born in a brave heart,

Attack even from a position of inferiority, to disrupt the enemy’s plans.

If we would have had the 262 at our disposal – even with all the delays

As interceptors. And out of this fifty, there were never more than 25 operational. So we had only a very, very few.

As a fighter pilot I know from my own experiences how decisive surprise and luck can be for success

The fighter in the opening of a dogfight must detect the opponent as early as possible in order to attain a superior position for the attack.

Perhaps even more important than being a good pilot; to make the best use of this system.

Equality would be a heaven, if we could attain it.

It is never too late to become the person you always thought you could be.

If I could always read, I should never feel the want of company.

At the age of eight, I discovered that I could write songs.

I know that if I could really understand mental illness, then it would be appropriate to make a big career shift.

Maybe there’s more we all could have done, but we just have to let the guilt remind us to do better next time.

It was a revelation for me, in a practical sense, that you could write in an African language and still reach an audience beyond that language through the art of translation.

That’s what love does. When it’s right, it makes you more than you were, more than you thought you could be.