Erich Maria REMARQUE was conscripted into the German Army,
Nov 21, 1916. Was replacement recruit for a replacement battalion in Infantry Regiment 78,
I. Recruit Depot. Trained in Caprivi Barracks, Osnabrück, and in Celle. On May 5, 1917,
was transfered to I. Company, I. Replacement Battalion, Infantry Regiment 78. On June 12,
transfered to the Western Front, 2. Company Field Recruit Depot of the 2. Guard Reserve
Division in Ham-Lenglet. On June 26, joined trench troop Bethe, 2. Company Reserve
Infantry Regiment 15, between Thorhut and Houthulst. On July 31, 1917, Remarque was
wounded by grenade fragments in the left leg, right arm, and neck. Sometime prior to
August 25 he was transfered from field hospital 309 in Geite-St. Josef and in Thorhut
to the St. Vinzenz Hospital in Duisburg, where he was given a position in the orderly
room. On September 13, Remarque returned to Osnabrück to attend the burial of his mother
in the Hasefriedhof. In November of 1917, he began work on a novel about the war On
October 31, 1918, Remarque was finally discharged from the Duisburg hospital and reassigned
to the 1. Replacement Battalion, Infantry Regiment 78 in Osnabrück. On November 15,
Remarque was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class, in Duisburg: confirmation by the
Workers and Soldiers Council of Osnabrück. On January 5, 1919, Remarque was discharged
from the Army, and renounced his medals and decorations During the Fall and Winter of
1927, Remarque began work on his masterpiece, Im Westen nichts Neues , completing it
sometime in the late winter. By March of 1928 it had been rejected by the S. Fischer
publishing company. In August of that year it was accepted by Ullstein and a contract
agreed upon. On January 29, 1929, Im Westen nichts Neues appeared. The following
September, Björnstjerne Björnson recommended Remarque for the Nobel prize in literature
In mid-November, 1930, Remarque saw the film version of Im Westen nichts Neues' in a
specially-arranged viewing just for him in Osnabrück German premier of All Quiet on the
Western Front took place in Berlin on December 4, with massive disruptions through the
National Socialists under the leadership of Joseph Goebbels. On December 11, the film
Im Westen nichts Neues was banned through the Film Review Office in Berlin On May 10,
1933, there occured the public burning of Remarque's books in Berlin: "For literary
betrayal of soldiers of the world war, in order to educate the people on how to fight
back!" On November 20, occured the confiscation of Im Westen nichts Neues and
Der Weg
Zurück (December 12) by the secret police. During 1935, Remarque was visited in Porto
Ronco by National Secretary Hermann Göring's Secretary of State who pleaded with him,
without success, to return to Germany. On July 4, 1938, Remarque was expatriated from
Germany.
Source: Erich Maria Remarque-Peace Center Osnabrück.
Bibliography:
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Remarque, Erich Maria , ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. NY: 1949, Lion Books. G(light creases) Vintage pb; collectible; interesting cover art $12.50
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Remarque, Erich Maria , THE BLACK OBELISK. NY: 1957, 1st edition, Harcourt, Brace. VG. No dj. Red cloth; translated by Lindley $25.00
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Remarque, Erich Maria , THE NIGHT IN LISBON. Ny: 1964, 2nd edition, Harcourt, brace and World. VG(flyleaf clipped, corner of one page with erased area) in VG-(minor shelf wear and tears)dj Blue boards; translated by Manheim $35.00
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Remarque, Erich Maria , THE NIGHT IN LISBON. NY: 1964, Harcourt Brace and World. G+(ex-lib marks--yet clean and tight) in G dj Blue boards; translated by Mannheim $20.00
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Remarque, Erich Maria, et al , ARCH OF TRIUMPH. NY: July 1936, 1st edition, Omnibook Magazine. VG-(light crease to one corner) Stapled digest; excerpt; collectible $15.00
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