Burning the Bestseller

Indianapolis, IN

In 1929, Erich Maria Remarque's first novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, was published. It is seen as a clear and accurate portrayal of combat in the First World War, and was based on Remarque's life as a soldier. The novel was an immediate bestseller the world over, and critics gave the novel stellar reviews. Nevertheless, all was not roses in Remarque's home country; many Germans were offender. Many of these critics were of the young Nazi Party, and they argued that the novel undermined the military. Even as Remarque achieved international acclaim the Nazis began burning his books. The dichotomy of the contemporary discussions that the book generated are inherently interesting and engaging: All Quiet would go on to be widely taught as a tantamount example of the realities of the First World War, and the light Remarque shed on the harsh truths of war was not appreciated by a regime gearing up to plunge the world back into global conflict.