"ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT"
This story is neither an...
accusation nor a confession...
and least of all an adventure...
for death is not an adventure...
to those who stand face to face...
with it. It will try simply to...
tell of a generation of men who.
even though they may have...
escaped its shells, were destroyed...
by the war...
- Thirty thousand. - From the Russians?
No, from the French.
From the Russians we capture more than that every day.
Mr. Postman.
War is war and schnapps is schnapps, and business must go on.
You didn't leave the mail yet this morning. Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Meyer.
Hello, Himmelstoss. Anything for us today?
- No, no, Master Peter. - Oh, there must be something. Here, here you go, young lad.
There. This is the last mail deliver anyhow.
- What? - Tomorrow I change uniforms.
- You're going in the army? - Yes, I was called.
I'm a sergeant in the reserves, you know.
I'll be called my self, if it doesn't end in a few months.
- It will, though. - I'm sure you're right, Mr. Meyer.
...defending our country, our father land.
Now, my beloved class, this is what we must do. Strike with all our power.
Give every ounce of strength...
to win victory before the end of the year.
It is with reluctance that I bring this subject up again.
You are the life of the fatherland, you boys.
You are the iron men of Germany.
You are the gay heroes who will repulse the enemy...
when you are called upon to do so.
It is not for me to suggest that any of you...
should stand up and offer to defend his country.
But I wonder if such a thing is going through your heads.
I know that in one of the schools...
the boys have risen up in the classroom...
and enlisted in a mass.
But, of course, if such a thing should happen here...
you would not blame me for a feeling of pride. Perhaps some will say...
that you should not be allowed to go yet...
that you are too young, that you have homes, mothers. Fathers...
that you should not be torn away.
Are your fathers so forgetful of their fatherland...
that they would let it perish father than you?
Are your mothers so weak that they cannot send a son...
to defend the land which gave them birth?
And after all, is a little experience...
such a had thing for a boy?
Is the honour of wearing a uniform...
something from which we should run?
And if our young ladies glory in those who wear it...
is that anything to be ashamed of?
I know you have never desired the adulation of heroes.
That has not been part of my teaching.
We have sought to make ourselves worthy...
and let a claim come when it would.
But to he foremost in battle...
is a virtue not to be despised.
I believe it will he a quick war...
that there will he few losses. But if losses there must be...
then let us remember the Latin phrase...
which must have come to the lips of many a Roman...
when he stood embattled in a foreign land:
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."
"Sweet and fitting it is to die for the fatherland."
Some of you may have ambitions.
I know of one young man who has great promise as a writer...
and he has written the first act of a tragedy...
which would be a credit to one of the masters.
And he is dreaming, I suppose...
of following in the footsteps of Goethe and Schiller...
and I hope he will.
But now our country calls.
The fatherland needs leaders.
Personal ambition must be thrown aside...
in the one great sacrifice for our country.
Here is a glorious beginning to your fives.
The field of honour calls you. Why are we here?
You, Kropp, what has kept you back?
You, Mueller, you know how much you are needed?
Ah, I see you look at your leader.
And I, too, look to you, Paul Baumer...
and I wonder what you are going to do.
- I'll go. - I want to go.
Count on me.
- Me too. - I'm ready.
I'm not gonna stay home!
Follow me! Enlist now!
- No more classes! - No more classes!
- Don't be a quitter! - Come on, Behn!
Stick together. That's what we've got to do.
- Let's all stick together. - Come on, Behn.
All right. All right.
- I'll go. - That's the way!
Let's go!
Hey! Let's sing! Come on!
Keep in line there, soldiers.
Anything you say, General.
Detail, halt!
Left face!
Get into uniform, ready to report. Fall out!
I betcha a place like this gets you in good condition.
You have to be for the long marches.
I'm gonna get in the cavalry and ride. No cavalry for me.
Infantry's where you see the fighting.
Where are all the guns? That's what I want to know.
Oh, you don't get a gun for a long while yet.
If I'm gonna bump off the enemy, I gotta have some practice.
Bayonet drill. That's what I want.
You won a medal that times, Mueller.
You wait. In about a month I'll be covered with them.
Say, keep your boots out of my face!
Why, it's an Honor to have those boots in your face.
They're the best pair in the army! My uncle gave them to me.
Just look at that special imported leather.
Put them anyplace you like, except in my face.
Not even a kitchen maid'll look at me in this! Attention!
Well, for the love of... It's Himmelstoss!
- So it is. - And all dressed up.
Hello, Himmie. You didn't think you'd see me again so soon, did you?
- You see my rank? - Sure. Fall back, then!
Himmelstoss, we certainly are glad to see you. What did you say?
- I was going to say... - Never mind! What's the matter with you?
When you address your superior officer, say "sir"!
- Where'd he get such a nice uniform? - Any mail for us, Himmie?
- Quiet! - My dear fellow, you're shouting. Ah, come on, Himmelstoss.
We know ya. Take off the false whiskers.
- I believe you mean it! - You'll find out that I mean it.
But only three days ago you were our postman. Silence!
Come back here!
Line up!
Line up! Get in some kind of a line!
All of you! Line up, I say!
What a pretty sight that is! Have you never heard of standing in line?
You make a fine mess of it. Well, I'll have to teach you.
We'll append the whole day on it, huh?
You may be stupid but I'm used to that.
And then there'll be plenty of other things too. Oh, I'll not neglect you.
You're not much to begin with... but I'll do my best.
I see that we have come here with a slight misunderstanding...
and we'll correct that, too, won't we, huh?
And the first thing to do is to forget everything you ever knew.
Everything you ever learned, forget! See?
Forget what you've been and what you think you're going to be.
You're going to be soldiers, and that's all!
I'll take the mother's milk out of you! I'll make you hard-boiled!
I'll make soldiers out of you or kill you!
Now... salute!
Detachment... lie down!
Head down!
Keep your head down, Baumer!
Detachment... get up!
Now sing!
Do you call that singing?
Detachment, halt!
So... we have no spirit, huh?
We are in no mood for recreation.
Work is what we want. Good!
Then we'll go back to work!
Detachment... lie down!
Keep your head down!
Now sing!
Men... halt!
Order, arms!
Inspection at 3:00. Dismissed!
Oh, that swine! That means we get no time off.
It will take four hours to get ready for inspection.
- I'd like to know what's in his mind. - He hasn't got any!
I'm gonna cut him open sometime and find out!
He's too thick-skinned. He won't cut.
This is the fourth time he's made me disappoint that poor girl.
Arms!
Order, arms!
Left shoulder, arms!
Squad right. To the right, march! Left, left, left, left.
Follow right, march!
Squad, left march!
Forward... march!
Detachment...
halt!
Present arms!
Himmelstoss.
Excellent work. They're going up front tomorrow.
- I recommend leave till midnight. - Very good, sir.
Left, left, left.
Detachment... lie down!
Crawl forward!
He spoiled our leave. I'll never forgive him for that.
- The rat! - Leave till midnight.
It'll take till midnight to dry our clothes.
There goes the filthy ape now.
While we slave over this mud, he goes off to have a few drinks!
Someday I'm going to take one smack at him... just one.
Me too. That's gonna be my life's work from now on.
Why only one? I'm gonna take several.
I might even kick him while he's down I feel mean.
What are you doing?
You're not going to desert, are you? What?
Listen. I've got an idea.
Crawl forward! Lie down!
Lie down! Crawl forward!
Oh! What?
Cover!
Paul, you all right?
Behn! Behn!
Behn! Come on!
Behn, come on! You fool! Behn!
Get up! Come on.
Sounds like more replacements coming in.
Yeah. Tjaden must have gone home, for that wood.
There's some more, fresh from the turnip patch.
I suppose this is where we bunk.
That's me, "I. Westhus..."
and this is where I live.
- I didn't know! - Well, you know now!
Yes. Yes, of course.
- It's all right. - Here's a bunk, Paul.
- When did we eat last? - Don't remind me.
- I was fine until you spoke. - Where are we anyway?
I don't know. The name on the railroad station's been shot off.
There must be something to eat somewhere. I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll ask those fellas.
Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Westhus.
Oh. Meet Detering. A better farmer never lived.
- And Mr. Tjaden. - Sit down.
You see, we haven't eaten since breakfast.
We thought maybe you could tell us what we ought to do about it. Eat without further delay.
Well, what's funny about that?
This is a bad town to bring an appetite to, soldier.
We've been here since yesterday morning living on baled hay and razor blades.
We're willing to buy our food. Where's the canteen?
The only canteen in these regions is out looking for supplies.
- Ever hear of Katczinsky? - Who? Katczinsky. He's uncanny.
If there's any food within 25 miles, he'll be the one to get it.
Attention!
What's this?
Volunteers for the future general's staff.
Sometime I'm gonna take one of you volunteers apart...
and find out what makes you leave school and join the army.
At ease. This is no parade ground.
- Hungry? - Yes.
Wait! Wait a minute! That's no invitation.
- Can you pay? - Yeah, sure. I have some money.
No, not money. That's just pieces of paper.
Have you got any cigarettes, cigars...
- Or soap, cognac... - Yeah.
- Chewing tobacco? - Yeah, yeah. Kat!
Are you crazy? There ain't enough here for us.
I wish you three would get bumped off.
I'm tired of feeding ya for nothing. Bring everything you got.
- I'm so hungry... - I'd be glad to give you...
- Come on! - Is this enough, sir?
Kat!
- You've got the wiring detail tonight. - Where?
- Past the graveyard. - With this bunch?
It's quiet tonight. You can teach them a couple of things.
Thanks. I'd rather do it alone.
- These babes get killed off too fast. - Well, the lorry's waiting.
Last night I was too hungry to sleep...
and tonight, when I get the wrinkles out of my gut, they think up wiring duty.
Well, here's your chances, heroes.
For the fatherland!
Come on, get your stuff and let's get out of here.
- Is that any way to drive? - Let him drive any way he wants.
Suppose he breaks your arm. You get sent home, don't you?
A lot better than having a hole in your guts.
If there's any of you left, I'll pick you up in the morning.
Well, if that ride you gave us didn't kill us, nothing will.
And be on time. I don't want to miss my breakfast.
You better wait for your army, Papa.
Here, here. Don't be so backward.
Listen, children. All we got to do is to string a little wire.
We pick it up at the dump and carry it to where we need it.
Now, you're gonna see some shell fire, and you're gonna be scared, see?
It's all right, boy. Get up.
Here. Never mind.
It's happened to better men than you, and it's happened to me.
When we come back, I'll get you all some nice clean underwear.
That kind of shell you don't have to pay much attention to.
Those big fellas just make a lot of noise and land about... five miles behind the line.
The things we've got to watch out for are the light ones.
They don't give you much warning. They go "waa-aa-aah zing."
And when you hear that, down!
Mother Earth.
Press yourselves down upon her.
Bury yourselves deep into her.
Just keep your eyes on me. When you see me flop, you flop...
only try to beat me to it.
Now listen.
I'll show you how it's done.
Give me a couple of those. That's to kill the noise.
Tjaden.
See that? - What's that mean? - Bombardment.
My eyes!
I'm blind!
I can't see! God!
My eyes! I can't see!
- I can't see! - It's Behn! It's Behn!
- I'll go get him... - You'll get killed!
- Let me... - Lay down and stay there!
He's dead.
- He's dead! - Why did you risk your life...
bringing him in? But it's Behn!
- My friend. - He's a corpse, no matter who it is.
Now, don't any of you ever do that again.
Put him over there.
- Mind the wire. - Mind the wire.
All right, come on.
All right, come on. Get your packs and fall in. Hurry up!
Come on. Hurry up. Make it snappy.
Get your packs and fall in.
Kat, what are we doing? What's happening?
You heard him. Orders to march.
- But where to, for the love of... - Another party.
And this one is gonna last a long time.
Come on.
Here we go.
Company, attention!
Shoulder arms!
March right, march!
Take your hands off that!
- Queen takes it! - Well, if you think... that's a queen, look again.
Ah, it's a jack.
- Yeah. - Honest, these cards all look alike.
It's too noisy! I can't play.
I suppose your delicate nerves... - Can't stand it. - Get up!
That's Oscar.
The son of a...
Look at that!
Don't be so snooty. You may wish you had this back. About two more days of this...
and this rat-bitten and of a piece of bread's gonna taste... like a hunk of fruitcake.
It wouldn't... It wouldn't last two more days, would it?
Didn't I tell you this was gonna be a bad one? I don't mind the days so much.
It's keeping up all night... Ah, two more days makes a week, kid.
Then you can say you've been under fire! You're not scared, are you?
No. I was just asking. That's all.
- Wanna play some more? - Do you?
- Sure. - All right. My deal.
You better get your boot back before Oscar eats that!
The kid's all right.
Yeah, yeah. Let him sleep. He's dreaming.
Oh, God. Can't you see it's Behn?
He didn't want to come to war!
No, no.
It isn't Behn.
It isn't Behn!
It's Kemmerick! It's me!
Shut up, will you? It's bad enough in here as it is. Every...
Everything's all right, Franz. You're dreaming.
You're just dreaming, I guess.
- Attention! - At ease.
The barrage is getting worse.
The men in two more dugouts gone.
However, we'll do our best to get some food up here by evening.
Stop! Stop!
Let me out!
- What did you do that for? - Shut up! Grab him.
- No. - Now hold him.
You all right now?
I think so.
I couldn't hold out much longer.
- Oh, god, it's Franz! - Get him over there!
No, he's been hit in the stomach. He can't have anything to drink. Get a stretcher.
Where'd they get you, Kemmerick?
- Here it is, sir. - Take his head.
All right. Take him out.
- Is it serious, sir? - I'm not sure.
- Tell the others he's all right. - Yes, sir.
If we're going to fight, why don't we fight?
Why don't we go over?
You could go crazy staying here.
Let's do something!
- Let's go after them! - Sit down!
If that cook of ours had any guts, he'd try to bring something through.
He's so far behind the lines he can't hear the shooting!
- Here's Kat. Get anything? - Any luck?
- We'll have to split this up among us. - Something to eat!
We need butter too.
Yes. And dessert. And a feather bed to sleep on.
- Rats! Rats! - Rats!
Get out of the way!
What's that?
Come on! Grab your rifles!
Come on!
- Here they come. - Get your grenades here.
Hurry up. Come on, hurry up.
Let's go! Let's go!
Back to your own lines!
- Fill it up. - And hurry up. I've got other things to do.
I've been waiting for this for three weeks.
When they all get here.
What do you want?
Beans, you homely - looking son of a frog's leg.
- What do you think I want? - We're hungry.
Shut up! I'll feed you when you're all here.
- We're all here now. - Only half the company's here. Get the rest.
Wake them up.
I wish I could wake them up. There's 80 of us left.
The rest is in dressing stations or pushing up daisies. Eighty? And I cooked for 150!
All right. We'll have enough for once. Come on. Dish out!
You mean you've cooked beans for 150...
and you've got bread for 150...
and sausage for 150, and tobacco for 150?
Everything! It's all wrong. I should have been notified. What a feast!
Everyone gets two issues.
- Get back in line! Get back in line! - Oh, no!
That won't do.
I can't give 80 men what's meant for 150.
Listen. You drew rations for the 2nd Company, didn't ya?
Yeah.
All right. We're the 2nd Company.
I've got my orders.
- Kat's right. - We're the 2nd Company?
And if only half of us get back, that's our good luck.
- Come on. Dish it out. - Come on!
- No! - Hey!
You're the yellowest baboon that ever drew a cook wagon...
and you're scared... it shows.
All we want to hear out of you is one more little yip...
and we'll cut ya up and eat ya raw.
Why, you keep your kitchen so far back of the lines...
we never get anything to eat until it's cold and we're asleep!
Now, you low-down rat, get out...
or we wreck the joint!
- Come on! Give us... - Attention!
At ease.
What's going on here?
He's cooked for 150, sir, and he only wants to give us half.
- Looks pretty good. - Yes, sir. Serve the whole issue.
- The men can use it. - Yes, sir.
- And bring me a plate too. - Yes, sir.
All right. Take it all. Take everything.
Give them honey. Give them what they want.
- Fill it up! - Fill it up!
- Don't mind me. - Oh, that's all right. Don't mention it.
You know...
I could do with some more beans.
Go help yourself. There's more ever there.
It's too far.
I wonder, when are we going back to the front?
Tomorrow.
It's enough to take away a man's appetite.
You know, if they're gonna march us in again tomorrow...
we ought to go see how Kemmerick is.
- That's a good idea. - Let's do that.
- How far is the dressing station? - About two miles.
- We could take his things to him. - Good!
It seemed rotten to think of a thing like that happening to him...
a nice fellow like Kemmerick.
Ah, the French certainly deserve to be punished for starting this war.
Everybody says it's somebody else.
Well, how do they start a war?
Well, one country offends another.
How could one country offend another?
You mean there's a mountain over in Germany gets mad... at a field over in France?
Well, stupid, one people offends another.
Oh, if that's it, I shouldn't be here at all.
I don't feel offended.
It don't apply to tramps like you.
Good. Then I can be going home right away.
- Ah, you just try it. - Yeah. You wanna get shot?
The Kaiser and me...
Me and the Kaiser felt just alike about this war.
We didn't either of us want any war, so I'm going home.
- He's there already. - Somebody must have wanted it. Maybe it was the English.
No, I don't want to shoot any Englishmen.
I never saw one till I came up here.
And I suppose most of them never saw a German till they came up here.
No, I'm sure they weren't asked about it.
No.
Well... it must be doing somebody some good.
- Not me and the Kaiser. - I think maybe the Kaiser... wanted a war.
You leave us out of this.
I don't see that.
The Kaiser's got everything he needs.
Well, he never had a war before.
Every full-grown emperor needs one war to make him famous.
- Why, that's history. - Yeah, generals too. They need war.
And manufacturers. They get rich.
I think it's more a kind of fever.
Nobody wants it in particular...
and then all at once, there it is.
We didn't want it. The English didn't want it. And here we are fighting.
I'll tell you how it should all be done.
Whenever there's a big war coming on...
- You should rope off a big field... - And sell tickets.
Yeah. And...
And on the big day...
you should take all the kings and their cabinets and their generals...
put them in the center dressed in their underpants...
and let them fight it out with clubs. The best country wins.
Well, now that Kat's settled everything, let's go see Kemmerick.
Something interesting might happen on the way. Might cheer him up.
Boys, me and the Kaiser want you back in time to march tomorrow. Don't forget.
- We'll be back. - Give the boy my regards.
There he is.
- Hello, Kemmerick. - How are you? How's it going?
How are things going? Are they looking after you all right?
How are they treating you? Franz?
They're robbers here.
Robbers.
They stole my watch!
I always told you, nobody should carry as good a watch as that.
- They took it while I was under ether! - Franz, you'll get it back. Do you feel all right?
- Just look at my hand. - That's because you lost... so much blood.
Just eat decently and you'll get well again.
You must eat. What's the main thing. It looks good too.
I have such a terrible pain in my foot.
Every toe on my right foot hurts.
Well, how can your foot hurt when your leg's been...
I know what you mean!
I know! I know now!
They cut my leg off.
Why didn't they tell me? Why... Why didn't they tell me?
- Franz! Franz! - Now I can't walk anymore!
You must be thankful that you've come off with only that.
I wanted to be a forester once.
You can yet. They make artificial legs that are wonderful.
And you're through too. You can go home. Think of that.
We brought your things for you. See?
Put them under the bed.
That's a marvellous pair of boots.
Look at that leather!
What comfort.
I was just thinking.
If you're not going to be using these, Franz...
why din't you leave them with us?
What good are they to you? I can use them.
My boots give me blister after blister...
Well, we'll be going, Franz.
Oh, don't go. Stay just a little while longer.
- I'll come right back. We'll be coming soon again, Franz.
- I know you'll be feeling better. - Bye.
- Good-bye, Franz.
You think he'll last till after mess? - I don't think... - Done for.
Boys, you go along. I'll see you later.
Good-bye. All right, Paul.
I'm sorry, Paul.
I wouldn't touch a thing of his if he could use it.
I'd go barefoot over barbed wire for him if it'd do him any good.
Only... Only why should some orderly get those boots?
I understand, Mueller. We're all alike out here.
And good boots are scarce.
Tell the doctor to come, please.
Doctor, the man in the next bed would like to see you, sir.
I've done everything I can for him. There's no helping him.
Poor little fella.
He says next time, Franz.
Do you think I'll ever get well? Why, of course.
- Do you really think so? - Sure, once you get...
over the operation.
I don't think so.
Franz! Don't talk nonsense. Why, you'll be as good as new.
They fix up worse things than that.
Perhaps you'll go to the convalescent home...
in Klosterberg among the villagers.
Then you can look out of the windows, across the fields...
to the two trees on the horizon.
The loveliest time of the year now when the corn ripens.