Remarque-able Spin On War Classic
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In a week when the world is reeling from the aftermath of news regarding the current situation in Ukraine and Russia, spikes in Coronavirus cases and the need for government leaders to find a consensus about pertinent issues such as environmental sustainability, nuclear deterrence and refugee welfare, this 1920s novel continues to be relevant even 100 years (yes you read this correctly — a century has passed since) later.
The prolific German writer spent much of his retirement years in Switzerland. Probably also the place where the bestselling title All Quiet On The Western Front was born. Although much of his work focuses on descriptions of trauma, savagery and gore, the innate frugality of humanity is captured remarkably within. Do pardon the pun. Having a privileged existence and living in a first-class place automatically means that people tend to take national security for granted. None of us can possibly understand what it feels like to hide in a bomb shelter in -12 degrees Celsius (10.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and wonder if the cars and tanks lined up outside will somehow infiltrate the walls of our apartment buildings. Or, from the perspective of the combat soldier, if our corpses will eventually be found and shipped home to our loved ones.
The inevitability and inherent meaninglessness of war is both a stark reminder of and a reason for peace treaties to happen, if not in the current lifetime, then in those of the unborn generation. Nobody likes the idea of fighting between two individuals, much less on a larger scale where impact is large and casualties are rife. From Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to more recent mentions of Vietnam, Korean War and those on European soil, veterans and historians do their best to provide us with accurate and anecdotal information regarding the causes and consequences of military incursions. At the end of the day…
We always serve what we’d die for ❤
Wir servieren immer das, wofür wir sterben würden
