"It is just as much a matter of chance that I am still alive as
that I might have been hit. In a bomb-proof dug-out I may be
smashed to atoms and in the open may survive ten hour's bombardment
unscratched. No soldier outlives a thousand chances. But every
soldier believes in Chance and trusts his luck." (from All Quiet on
the Western Front)
Erich Maria Remarque was born in Ossnabrück, Lower Saxony, into
modest circumstances. His ancestors were French. Remarque's mother
was Anna Marie Kramer and father, Peter Maria Kramer, a bookbinder.
He studied at the University of Münster but had to enlist in the
German army at the age of 18. He fought on the Western Front and
was wounded several times.
Remarque anti war books stumbles into my book series because I
came across a First US Edition printing in a box of books I got for
$5.00 at an auction.
My understanding is that Remarque book was somewhat
autobiographical from his experiences during the "Great War" WWI.
His book would later be not only banned but burned in Hitler's
Germany and he and his wife would move to the US to escape the
German Propaganda Machine. Although this is an anti war novel his
condemnation is on those that start the wars and sit back as others
are sent off to fight. He does not condemn the foot soldier on
either side as they are just there surviving and doing that thru
sheer chance. The novels war scenes are very graphic.
There are also two film versions of the story I prefer the 1979
version with Richard Thomas. I also understand Hollywood is working
on another remake.
rel="nofollow">
border="0" />
rel="nofollow">Placed
By A Proud Nebraskache Member