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Erich Maria Remarque

Erich Paul Remark, known as Erich Maria Remarque, was a German novelist. His landmark novel All Quiet on the Western Front (1928) about the German military experience of World War I, was an international best-seller which created a new literary genre, and was subsequently made into a film.

Quick Facts

  • His works have been translated into over 50 languages.
  • Globally renowned for his pacifist and anti-war literature.
  • His works have sold millions of copies worldwide.
  • His most famous novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, inspired an Academy Award-winning movie.
  • He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957.

Background

Remarque was born in 1898 in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Germany, to a working-class family. He was drafted into the German army at the age of 18, during World War I, and was wounded several times. After the war, he worked various jobs including librarian, journalist, editor, and teacher. His first novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, was published in 1929 and became an international bestseller. This novel, based on his experiences during the war, was later adapted into an Oscar-winning film. Remarque left Germany in 1932 due to the rise of the Nazi party, stripped of his German citizenship in 1938, and eventually settled in the United States. He continued to write novels and screenplays until his death in 1970.

Writing Style and Impact

Remarque's novels are known for their realistic depiction of war and its aftermath. His prose is clear and unemotional, often using short, simple sentences to convey the brutality and senselessness of war. His work had a profound impact on literary understanding and perceptions of war, showing readers the human side of conflict and its tragic effects. His novel, "All Quiet on the Western Front," is considered one of the greatest war novels ever written.

Notable Works

  • All Quiet on the Western Front (1928)
  • The Road Back (1930)
  • Three Comrades (1936)
  • Arch of Triumph (1945)
  • A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1954)