The Paris Architect Quotes

“think how the world would’ve turned out if Hitler had gotten into art school, thought Lucien.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“When all this madness is over, I hope we meet again,” said Lucien. “We will, I’m sure of it,” replied Herzog. “I never thought I’d ever say this to a German oppressor, but I’ll miss you. We made an odd team.” “That we did, my friend,” Herzog agreed.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The Occupation, Lucien realized, hadn’t just bred hatred of Jews, it had brought out the very worst in human beings. Hardship had bred pure self-interest, setting group against group, neighbor against neighbor, and even friend against friend. People would screw over each other for a lump of butter.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“It had all been an illusion, Lucien knew. The buildings, the arches, the sweeping, graceful lines. All this time he had been worshipping a facade of concrete and glass. Lucien”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He took a deep drag and looked up into the cold night sky and saw a sea of stars above him. He knew nothing about constellations or astronomy, but he enjoyed the beautiful sight. In Paris, he had never even noticed the night sky, but out in the country it was immense, almost drawing you up into the heavens. One couldn’t help but be awed by the sight. As he smoked, he continued to stare at the sky, marveling at the vast number and configurations of stars.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Because of their sacrifice, you must escape. If you don’t, everything up until now will have been in vain.” “But”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“But the very worst kind of collaboration was a French woman sleeping with a German. They were called the horizontal collaborationists.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“window”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“father jacques just smiled. “i can’t say it’s been a pleasure, colonel, but i did enjoy talking to you. i even hope that when you die and your ass is burning in the fires of hell, you won’t suffer too much. in fact, i’ll pray for your soul, my son.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The punishment for being a Jew in the Reich crossed the line into barbarism. They were being hunted down like wild animals. What made it so sickening was that it wasn’t perpetrated by a bunch of ignorant half-naked savages, but the citizens of a nation renowned for its culture and intelligence that had produced men like Goethe and Beethoven.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“was odd that the French were so dignified in death but in life acted like shits squealing on each other.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Secretly, Lucien was ashamed that he was so useless to his country. Sometimes, he felt guilty that he was alive.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Lucien thought. And as for Christianity, he agreed with his father: it was a well-intentioned set of beliefs that never worked in real life.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Let me explain something to you, Monsieur Bernard. Back in 1940, when this hell began, I realized that my first duty as a Christian was to overcome my self-centeredness, that I had to inconvenience myself when one of my human brethren was in danger—whoever he may be, or whether he was a born Frenchman or not. I’ve simply decided not to turn my back.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Just think how the world would’ve turned out if Hitler had gotten into art school, thought Lucien.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“18. Schlegal was disappointed that the people he tortured always talked. What do you think were the motivations behind someone who talked and someone who didn’t? If you were in a situation where someone was trying to get information from you, what would be the final straw to make you talk?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“11. What was your impression of Father Jacques? What kind of role do you think faith plays throughout the novel? 12. Adele had no qualms about sleeping with the enemy. Why would she take such a risk? 13. Bette could have her pick of men but chose Lucien. Discuss what made him special in her eyes. What are the most important qualities you look for in a friend/significant other? Would you be willing to compromise on any of these qualities? For what? 14. If you were a gentile living under the Nazis in World War II, do you think you would have had the courage to hide Jews? What consequences are you willing to face to help others? 15. It’s easy to say, knowing what we do about the horrors that occurred during WWII, that we would have helped Jews with nowhere to hide. How do you think you’d react if a similar situation occurred today? Do you think it’s even possible for a similar situation to occur in our age and day? Why? Why not? 16. Suppose you had been taken from your apartment by Captain Bruckner and lined up in the street. If you knew your life was about to end, what would you be thinking about? 17. If you were under the stairs in the Geibers’ place during the Gestapo’s search, how would you have reacted?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“War II. Do you believe that some German military men secretly hated or doubted what they were doing? Does following the crowd make these men just as bad as those who carried out their duties without conscience? 9. Discuss the unusual relationship between Lucien and Herzog. Can two men from warring countries be friends? 10. Lucien was already taking an enormous risk by hiding Jews for Manet; why do you think he agreed to take in Pierre?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“The Germans were disgusted that the French always informed on one another during the Occupation. Would you assume that this is a common war practice? Why? In what ways does war bring out the worst in people? In what ways does it bring out the best in people? 6. Many spouses abandoned each other because one was Jewish. What did you think when Juliette Trenet’s husband left her? Is there any defense for what he did? 7. One reason Lucien helped Jews was to get architectural commissions from Manet. Did you agree with the French Resistance? Did Lucien’s love of design and the need to prove his talent cross the line into collaboration with the enemy? 8. Most fiction and films portray Nazis as monsters during World”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Do you think anti-Semitism influenced a person’s decision on whether to help others? 3. What do you think of the people who hid Jews in exchange for money? Was it evil and exploitive or a fair business transaction? 4. In the beginning of the novel, Lucien didn’t care about what happened to the Jews. Discuss how his character evolved throughout the novel. How did your opinion of him change?”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“dining”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Hardship had bred pure self-interest, setting group against group, neighbor against neighbor, and even friend against friend. People”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Lucien knew he hadn’t failed in the least. He thought he didn’t have it in him to help another human being. But to his great surprise, he did. He was proud of it. And he had proved his father wrong. He was amazed that such good fortune had come to him in such terrible times. They say that nothing good comes of war, but that wasn’t true. Meeting Bette, his friendship with Herzog and Manet, and above all finding Pierre. Their paths would’ve never crossed if it hadn’t been for the war. “Do”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He studied at the Bauhaus, you know.” “So that makes him trustworthy? Because he’s an architect?” “A modernist architect.” “You’ve got an odd sense of trust, my love. He’s still a German, and you can never trust a German. Always remember that.” “Yes, my dear, I’ll keep that in mind.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Repeat after me…Our Father, who art in heaven…” “Barukh atah adonai, eloheinu…” “Stop.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Does your architect know what the word mensch means?” “Yes, I once explained that word to him.” “Please tell him again for me that he’s a mensch.” “I’ll”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Good triumphed this afternoon, didn’t it?” “That, my friend, was a miracle.” “And a clever bit of design to hide you up there,” said Manet as he gazed up at the painting. “Even”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“An architect should never rationalize a change in purely aesthetic terms, you know that. He should give the client a pragmatic reason for doing it.” Lucien”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“Lucien had complete creative freedom. It wasn’t just a canard that an architect needed a good client to produce great art.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect

“He loved seeing his buildings get built. That was the most wonderful thing about being an architect—to see your drawings become real, three-dimensional objects that you could walk around and touch. All architects were impatient to see their buildings completed.”
― Charles Belfoure, The Paris Architect