Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche quotes
1844 – 1900 · Germany, 19th century · Philosopher, classical philologist, essayist and cultural critic
About Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Born in 1844 in Prussia, Nietzsche became a professor of classical philology at Basel in 1869 but retired early due to poor health and then wrote his major works. He attacked Christianity and herd morality, developed themes like the will to power, self‑overcoming, perspectivism and life‑affirmation. His productive career ended with a mental collapse in 1889; his sister later managed his legacy.
Works: The Birth of Tragedy; Thus Spoke Zarathustra; Beyond Good and Evil; The Gay Science; Twilight of the Idols
Quotes
“What does not kill me makes me stronger.”
Source: Twilight of the Idols ("Maxims and Arrows", aphorism 8), 1889 · Check the source
Verified attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- The sentence appears as aphorism 8 in the “Maxims and Arrows” section of Twilight of the Idols, published 1889.
Nietzsche frames hardship as a possible crucible: suffering can be raw material for greater independence, creativity, or self-mastery, but only when actively transformed. The line appears in Twilight of the Idols (1889) among short maxims that challenge easy comforts.