"'but most of all for food when there's none to be had." "'My name is Paul Baumer." "I am 18 years old." "'Josef Behm, who will study theology." "'Albert Kropp, who will study law." "'Friedrich Müller, who will study everything." "'Franz Kemmerich, who will be a forester." "'Peter Lehr, who will travel and make love." "'We are with our friends:" "Tjaden, a locksmith before the war." "'The biggest eater of the company." "'Westus, who dug peat for a living." "A good man to have on your side." "'his farmyard and his wife." "'They attack our trench." "We attack their trench." "Then, to keep the score even, they will attack our trench once again." "What are you doing?" "Wait." "Over here." "Here, over here." "Quick." "You'll be OK." "OK, here we come." "Come." "Quick." "Easy...easy." "It's his leg." "He's lucky." "He'll be all right." "He'll be all right." "'You are our Iron Youth.'" "'Iron Youth becomes Iron Heroes.'" "It is my duty." "Uh, it is my honour, to prepare you for the part you must play in this great war." "Our homeland has need of men of character and strong will." "It is my duty to prepare your minds so you will be better able to train your bodies for your Kaiser, for your Fatherland," "for your God." "Germany is the nation of progress, the nation of culture... the nation of science, the nation of ideas... the nation of Beethoven," "of Schiller, of Goethe..." "Baumer." "Sir." "What is that?" "A bird, sir." " A bird?" " Yes, sir." "A lark?" " Yes, sir." " Very good." "On the window." " This line..." " The window." " Very exact." " Thank you, sir." "But you don't come here to draw, to write poems...of to dream." "Do you Baumer?" "No." "Sit down." "Gentlemen, you have all passed your examinations." "As you know, you are graduated." "The time for class is over." "The time for duty has begun." "You are dismissed." "Herr Baumer..." "You may stay." "Cigarette?" "No, thank you, sir." "Oh, you don't smoke." "Well, it is not a good habit." "But all good habits, makes a dull person." "What do the English say?" " All work and no play makes..." " A dull man." "A dull..." "Yes, yes, very good." "There's a time for work and for play." "You are a dreamer, Baumer." "You draw little sketches and write little poems." "But now you're a man, you have your duties as a man, your duty to the Fatherland." "Will you wait to be called up of will you enlist?" " Well..." " Of course, you'll respond to duty." "You will all respond." "The entire class will go as one man to serve the Fatherland." "I know I will be proud of you, Baumer." "'Today is wonderfully good." "'Everyone has eaten for two men and the mail has come." "'The grasses sway like tall spears." "'The white butterflies float on the soft warm wind." "'Let's not even think about it." "'Let's just enjoy the world." "'Everything is new and brave." "'Red poppies, the good food, 'cigarettes and the summer breeze.'" "Paul?" "Paul?" "We're going to see Kemmerich." "Nurse, can you tell me where Franz Kemmerich is?" "Yes, he's through there." "Franz." "How are you?" "Someone stole my watch." " Bastards!" " I warned you, Franz." " I know." " We'll tell the doctor." "You'll be going home soon." "Do you think?" "I feel..." "I'm all right." "My foot." "It's so painful." "It's so cold." "That pain is your ticket home." "You should be grateful to that pain." "telling fat lies to Katrine Hammerschmidt." "Here's some smokes and a piece of cheese from Kat, and your comb is in the tobacco tin." "Put them under the bed, please." "Hide them." "You know they stole my watch." "Franz, will you be taking these back home with you?" "Why not?" "Well, you don't really need boots back home." "We could trade." " I've got..." " No!" "My mother gave me those." " You could lend them to me?" " No." "You'll be home a lot sooner than us." "Orderly." "Orderly!" "They don't come." "They never come." "We'll get someone." " It'll be different at home." " When you return..." " .." "We'll be together." " We'll come tomorrow." " I'll come tomorrow." " Thank you." "Thank you." "I'll be back." "Make sure you get my watch." "We will." "You think I don't care about Franz." "Of course I care." "If I could save his leg or life, I'd walk over barbed wire." "You know that." "But where he's going, he won't need his boots." "He won't need anything." "And my boots hurt." "They really hurt." "Why should some damn orderly get his boots and not one of his friends." "He's right, Paul." "I know." "Very good, Kemmerich." "Very good, Kemmerich." "They've amputated my leg." "Could be worse." "Wegler lost his right arm, which is very much worse." "Besides, you're going home." "Do you think so?" "Of course." "Do you think so?" "Once you get over the operation." "I don't think so." "Don't talk nonsense." "I wanted to be a forester once." "You will." "You can do anything." "If you find my watch, send it home." "You'll go to a convalescent home." "Maybe the one in Klosterberg." "Remember how we hiked up there?" "Remember the poplars?" "The stream full of fish?" "Franz, Franz..." "When I come back, we go up to the mountains again." "You can name all the trees for me." "Tell me all about them." "Franz, nothing will change." "We'd be together again." "Franz." "Franz." "Give..." "Müller...my...boots." "Doctor?" "Doctor?" "Where's the doctor?" "Doctor!" "Doctor!" "Where's the doctor?" "Doctor?" "Doctor!" "Quickly, Franz Kemmerich is dying." "Which one's that?" "Bed 36, amputated leg." "How should I know that?" "I've amputated five legs today." "You see to it." "Today there have been sixteen deaths, yours will be the seventeenth." "There'll probably be twenty altogether." "We must take him away at once." "We need the bed." "They're lying on the floor outside." "Paul." "Yes, Mrs Kemmerich?" " I want you to promise." " What, Mrs Kemmerich?" " Look after Franz." " Of course..." "He looks up to you." "He'll do anything you ask, you know?" "Make him stay away from danger." "You know how reckless he is." "I'll make sure he behaves himself." "God bless you both." "Maria, Maria." "Look after your brother." "I'll see you soon." "Take care." "Bye-bye, Mother, bye-bye." "Right, come on, boys." "Wake up!" "Let's go." "Hey, wake up there." "Come on." "Come on, come on, Come on!" "It's beautiful here." "Come on." "Let's go." "Wake up." "Food." "Come on." "Oh, Kat." "I don't know how you do it." "Next time you come with me," "I'll show you how to find food." "When I'm not here, it'll come in handy." "What?" "You'll always be here." "Ah, up here 'always' isn't a long time." "Anyway, you'd better learn so you won't go hungry." "You pay attention to the teacher." "He's coming." "He's coming." "What did he want?" "Doesn't matter." "We're free." "Time for work, for duty." "You will enlist, the entire class." "Of course." "Behm, you too." " Maybe I can't." "My eyes." " They will." "But not tonight." "Tonight we get drunk." "Iron Youth." "Iron Youth." "To Max's!" "# We'll be the guardians of the Rhine" "# O Fatherland beloved" "# Fatherland beloved" "# Faithful and true" "# Along the Rhine we'll stand" "# Watch o'er the Rhine" "# Defend our Fatherland... #" "# We'll be the guardians of the Rhine" "# O Fatherland beloved" "# O Fatherland beloved" "# Faithful and true" "# Along the Rhine we'll stand" "# Watch o'er the Rhine" "# Defend our Fatherland #" "Lert...face." "Form in three ranks." "Three groups." "At ease." "My name is Himmestoss." "You'll find I'll be a good teacher." "Do you know why?" "Never." "Attention!" "At ease." "Attention!" "Right face." "Lert face." "Right face." "Forward march." "Left, left, left, left, left." "Left, left, left." "left, left, left, forward." "Right turn...march." "Turn!" "Left!" "Left!" "Left!" "Left!" "Left!" "Stop!" "Attention!" "Right face!" "Eyes front!" "Right face!" "Forward march!" "Left!" "Left!" "Forward." "On the double." "Quick march!" "Left, left, left, forward." "Right turn..." "March!" "Left, left, left, left, Left, left, left, left..." "Forward!" "Right turn..." "March!" "Left, left, left, left, left, left, left, left, left, left, left, left," "Left, left, left..." "Forward!" "Lie down!" "Ready." "Stand up!" "Advance." "Lie down." "Ready..." "Stand up!" "Advance." "Lie down!" "Ready..." "Stand up." "Advance." "Lie down!" "Ready..." "Stand up!" "Advance." "Lie down!" "Ready..." "Stand up!" "Advance." "Lie down!" "Ready..." "Stand up!" "You." "Again." "Again!" "Baumer." "Again." "Again." "You'll pay for this, Baumer." "Rirle." "Fill your pack." "No, no, Corporal." "You must keep your eyes open, Corporal." "Attack!" "Lay down." "Your training days are over." "You are soldiers now in the Imperial Army." "In the front lines you will understand the value and the purpose of all you've learned here, everything your officers have taught you." "Their ways have sometimes seemed harsh to you," "for the lessons they taught you in this camp." "They've taught you to be soldiers." "To be soldiers in the service of Almighty God, the Kaiser and the Fatherland." "Right...face." "Forward...march." "Forward...march." "Open up." "Shoulder weapons." "Right face." "Board the train." "No smoking." "No smoking." "Fifth company, get down." "Hold up." "Second Company." "This way." "Fall out, two ranks." "So..." "Here you are." "It's the custom to assign one old hand to every new platoon." "You're the new platoon." "I'm the old hand." "I'll teach you practic..." "Listen to me, boy." "I'll teach you practical things." "And how to kill Frenchies." "First we'll give you hot food, let you get some sleep," "Tonight." "Frenchie wants to say hello." "You just stick close to Kat, and move when I tell you to move." "Get down." "Off the road." "Take cover." "Off the road!" "Shoot the wounded horses!" "Shoot them!" "Shoot them, can't you?" "Shoot them." "Hey!" "You're crazy?" "You want to kill somebody?" "Get down." "Why?" "What have they done?" "They haven't done anything." "Using horses is wrong." "It's wrong killing horses." "Come on, let's go, boys." "Get up." "Up." "Come on, boys." "Everybody here?" "Huh?" "Link up, boys." "A taste of the real thing." "You'll get used to it." "You ready?" "All right." "Well, you're almost getting to be soldiers now." "You stick with Kat and you'll be all right." "'We have been at the front for a year." "We are soldiers now." "'We know this place well." "'We are at home." "'Only Kemmerich is dead but we keep hearing about others in our class;" "'dead, wounded." "'If a shot comes, all we can do is duck, 'because we can never know where it will fall." "'I can be smashed to bits in a bomb-proof dugout, 'of I can survive ten hours unscathed out in the open." "'Of course, every soldier believes in chance and trusts his luck." "'But no soldier outlives a thousand chances." "'We call them corpse rats." "'They have shocking evil faces and even on our empty stomachs, 'it is nauseating to see their long naked tais." "'The bait is bread, so rotten even we won't eat it." "'they'll come among us to snatch them away." "'It's a way to pass the time.'" "Gas masks." "Gas masks." "'Gas, the most feared, most obscene weapon of all." "'We remember the awful sights in the hospital." "'The gas patients who, surfocating, 'cough up their burned lungs in clots." "'Better take your chances in the open 'than stay in the hollows where the vapours settle.'" "'The new recruits are more trouble than they are worth." "'Between five and ten get killed to every old hand." "'And they get killed simply because they are so inexperienced." "No, don't!" "No!" "Get him." "Hand me a rifle." "Hand me a rifle." "Kat, wait!" "A baby." "Just a baby." "They're in position." " Nearby?" " Yes, sir." "'How long has it been?" "'Weeks, months, years?" "Only days." "'Yesterday we were under fire." "Today we can rest." "'Tomorrow we go up to the trenches again.'" "Boys, boys, come here." "Look, you boys go on that side." "Over here." "This way." "Easy, easy." "Get around, get around up there." "This way." "It's gone." "Quick, he'll get away." "Get him, get him, get him!" "Someone eat the liver." "I'm on a diet." "and the sturfing would have been something very special." "But all considered..." "A feast." "I feel like a king." "Ah, not bad, not bad." "Like I say, it's not a bad little war." "You never answered my question, Joseph." "What question?" "What we'll all do." "Get drunk." "Of course he'll get drunk." "Then it's back home and mama and all that." "But what ese?" "Well, tell him, Joseph." "Don't be ashamed." "I'm not ashamed." "He's going to theology school to be a minister." "A year here and you haven't changed your mind about that." "Is God still in his heaven?" "Nothing ever changes that." "What about you?" "Back to the cobbler's bench, eh?" "And the children." "How many you got?" "Don't ask." "Good thing I'm a shoemaker, of I'd go broke just buying shoes." "More coffins." "A bigger load than usual." "That means a bigger offensive." "How considerate they are at headquarters." "Come on, get this one down." "Haul them up." "Careful, careful." "How old are you?" "Sixteen." "Next year, fight out of the cradle." "Did you notch this bayonet?" "Yes, sir." "Who told you to?" " At the training camp..." " Training camp, eh?" "Sonny, if the enemy ever caught you with this, they wouldn't kill you," "Nobody uses these things any more." "It's by mutual agreement, on both sides." "I didn't know." " First time?" " Yes, sir." "Don't 'sir' me." "I'm a private." "Sorry, I thought..." "Don't think." "Just listen." "Yes, sir." "Your spade is better." "You hit a man under the chin." "Take his head off." "It's a good club, too." "Cos it's heavy." "Hit a man between neck and shoulder." "Right here." "Split him right in two." " Mother of God!" " It's cleaner." "Bayonet gets stuck in ribs, you have to kick him to pull it out." "Time it takes, you're a dead man." "Understand?" "Now, where is your platoon leader?" "Corporal Himmestoss said he'd meet us here." "Ah." "Corporal who?" "Himmestoss." "From Oldenberg training station?" "Yes, sir." "I don't believe it!" "Vengeance is mine." "No, sir." "He got into trouble." "Overdid it with two trainees on the muddy field." "You know the field?" "Do we know the muddy field?" "He went too far." "Almost killed them." "He didn't see the son of the local magistrate watching." "So, he's here." "Of course he'd spoil it for himself." "Oh, Lord." "I can hardly wait." "Oh, well." "Look who's here." "Well, we meet again." "Kropp, isn't it?" "You remember me, Corporal Himmestoss." "Müller, you here too?" "Oh, yes, I remember you very well." "Lehr, Behm, Baumer..." "Baumer." "Nothing wrong with my memory!" "You've all managed to stay alive." "Not Kemmerich." "Kemmerich?" "I don't remember Kemmerich." "The rest of you seem to have learned your lessons pretty well." "don't you turn your back." "What did you say?" "So this is the great Corporal Himmestoss?" "And who are you?" "I asked you a question, soldier." "Himmestoss." "There's a latfine down the road." "Why don't you take a jump?" "Do you want to be court martialled?" "Stand up straight, hees together, when your superior officer speaks to you." "All of you!" "Squad, attention!" "Right...face." "Right turn, forward...march." "Left, left, left, left." "Left, left, left, left, left, left." "Easy, boy, easy." "It'll be all right." "Ah, you see the way he blows up?" "Boom, like that." "Want to kill Frenchmen?" "You'll be all right, boy." "You'll get used to it." "To soften us up so we can't sleep." "Huh, then when they attack, we won't be able to fight back because we're too tired." "Two days and nights." "How much longer?" "Not too long, not too long." "Why don't they stop?" "Where are you going?" "I'll be back...in a minute." "No, just relax." "Wait." "It'll be over soon." "Come on, sit down and relax." "Let me go." "I must get away." "Sit down and calm down." "Now, go and sit down." "Behave yourselves." "Be easy, quiet." "I said..." "'No longer do we lie helpless, awaiting destruction." "'We can destroy and kill to save ourselves and to be revenged." "'When we see their faces, we become wild beasts." "'We turn into thugs and murderers." "'Into God only knows what devis." "'If your own father was with them," "Forward!" "Fire." "What the hell is this?" "Come on, let's go." "Come on, you all." "Come on, move." "You too, soldier." "Come on, let's go." "let's go, let's go." "What's happening down there?" "Come on." "Come on!" "Come on!" "'How long is it?" "Days, of weeks, of months, of years?" "'Attack, counter-attack." "And the dead pile up." "'Winter, summer..." "The days are hot and the dead lie unburied." "'The shels will bury them." "'But when the wind blows, it brings the smell of blood, 'which is heavy and sweet.'" "No, shh...shh..." "Shh!" "Shh!" "No, no..." " No, shh." "Je vous..." "Je vous...help..." "I want to help you." "Ohh!" "I didn't want to kill you." "But you jumped in here like that." "What would you have done?" "It's... face to face." "I just saw your rifle... your bayonet... grenades." "If we threw all those away... we could be brothers." "But they never want us to know that, do they?" "They never want us to know." "We each have mothers... fathers... the same... fear of death." "The same... pain." "The same... everything." "Everything." "Forgive me, comfade." "I could write...to your family." "Yes..." "Yes, I'll write!" "'Gefard Duval, compositeur." "'I have killed Gefard Duval the printer.'" "Battalion, attention!" "Present arms!" "Eyes left!" "Battalion Commander, sir." "Your Majesty, I have the honour to bring you the salute of the 150th Infantry Battalion." "Your Majesty, Soldier Bernard." "Your Majesty, Soldier Langer." "Your Majesty, Corporal Himmestoss." "Battalion!" "At ease!" "Officers, non-commissioned officers, enlisted men." "The men who have received decorations this day" "From this day on, your Kaiser urges you all to aspire to such strength, to such bravery, to such obedience to your God and your country." "If you do, my soldiers," "I am certain you will all one day wear a medal pinned on you by your Kaiser." "You have all done your duty as noble German warriors." "You have shown the world our might." "You have stricken our enemies with fear." "It'll take weeks to get to the skin!" " Give me that soap?" " How's the water?" "Beautiful!" "Come on in!" "Hey!" "Look at that!" "Hello!" "Bonjour, bonjour!" "Jolies!" "Jolies!" "Somebody do something!" "Just don't let them get away!" "Allo, Mademoiselles!" "Allo, Mademoiselles!" "Attendez, s'il vous plait!" "Tell them to come over." "Er, yes, er..." "Mademoiselle, you come over this side, oui?" " We want to talk." " Talk?" "!" "Parlez vous, Mademoiselles!" "Hey!" "Hey, wait a minute!" "Frauleins, I'amour, yes?" "You coming over, we have I'amour, yes?" "Oui, oui, oui." " Don't go!" " Yoo-hoo!" "Gifs!" "Fraulein, bread, yes?" "You want bread?" "Look!" "Regardez!" "Yum-yum-yum-yum-yum, yes?" "Bread!" "You come over here, oui?" "Vous!" "Venez!" "Ici!" "Ce soir!" "Vous venez!" "Lá-bas!" "Nótre maison!" "They want us to come to their house tonight!" "Oui!" "Avec quelque chose a manger, oui?" " With something to eat!" " La maison lá!" "Maison!" " Bonjour!" "Bonjour!" "Bonjour!" " Bye!" "Bye!" "Drink up, Tjaden." "It's bad luck there's four of us and three of them." "Mm-hmm..." "Bad luck." "See, it's just not fair to the gifs." "Drink up, Tjaden." "How often do you get good French wine?" "Not fair to the gifs..." "No." "One of us will have to make the supreme sacrifice." "Mmm?" "Bottoms up, Tjaden, you're not keeping up with us." "Maybe we should draw lots?" "You lose." " Bonsoir." " Bonsoir." "This looks like the right line-up, huh?" "I'm all for this one." "You like yours, Albert?" "Yes." "Paul?" "Mais tu es blanc comme neige, je crois." "Er..." "Est-ce que je me trompe, petit bon homme." "Oui!" "Mon petit soldat." "Non, non." "Ici." " Quelle age a-tu?" " Eh?" " Ton age?" " No..." " Quelle age a-tu?" " Ah!" "I'm 19." "19... 19..." "Oh!" "Vingt-cinq ans?" "Vraiment?" "Look out!" "Look out!" "Take cover!" " My leg!" " Come on, Albert!" "Up!" "Up!" "Come on, boys, a little bit more." "Down!" "Stay down!" "I'll be right back!" "Hey!" "Paul!" "Take care!" "Kat." "Kat!" "Kat, come on!" " All right." " Easy, easy." " From Kat." " What is it?" " It's a long ride." " Oh, bread and cheese!" "He could find a lobster dinner in the middle of the desert!" "Goodbye." " Take care, Paul." " Bye." "'Albert and I are in a Catholic hospital." " Won't see him again." " Why not?" "The "Dead Room"?" "What's the Dead Room?" "The Dying Room, whatever you call it." "It's in the basement." "It's convenient really." "It's next to the mortuary." "No one ever comes back." "'The beds empty quickly, and new occupants take their places." "'It is going badly with Albert." "He is in much pain." "'Last night one of our wardmates awakened with a severe haemoffhage." "They won't take me!" "No!" "NO!" "We're taking you to the bandaging room." "I won't go to the Dying Room!" "We're not going there." "Then why take his tunic?" " I'll be back." "I won't die!" " Why are you taking his tunic?" "I'll come back!" "I won't die!" "I'll come back!" "Liars!" "They're lying." "LIARS!" "I'll come back!" "I'll come back!" "I won't die..." "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "Stop that!" "Orderly!" "Get the orderly!" "Doctor!" "Orderly!" "Orderly!" "Why didn't you leave him alone?" "You are doing so well, Paul." "Soon we'll throw away the cane." " Sister." " Yes?" "I'm worried about my friend." "I think...he is making a very good recovery." "He worries me." "Since the operation, he..." "He's in a terrible state of mind." "He hardly speaks to me any more." "There is always such a reaction after an amputation." "Always!" "Now, stop worrying." "Albert will get over it." "Go, tell him your good news." "That should cheer him up." "Albert?" "How do you feel?" "Albert, they're giving me 16 days convalescent leave." "I'm going home." "They'll be sending you home, too." "Is there anything I can get you?" "A gun." "A what?" "You want to get me something?" "Get me a gun." " Will you get me a gun or not?" " No!" "Don't talk nonsense!" "No, you talk sense." "Albert..." "I'm sorry." "Paul?" "Paul!" "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" "Mother." "Mother!" "Paul?" "Come up." "Give me your handkerchief." "How is she?" "She's in bed." "She's sick, Paul." "What is it?" "We don't know." "But..." "Dr Bradermeier thinks..." "it's probably the cancer again." "Thank God." "Oh, thank God." "Thank God." "Are you wounded, Paul?" "No..." "No, I'm just on leave." " Oh, Paul." " How are you?" "I'm going to try to get up a little today, I think." "Good." "My Paul." "My Paul." "Look." "Bread." "And cheese and...butter!" "They feed you enough where you are?" "Not always enough, but we manage." "Is it very bad there?" "No." "Not so bad." "Heinrich Bradermeier was here and said it's terrible out there, with the gas attacks and all the rest of it." "It's just talk." "Just talk." "Look at me, I'm well and fit, aren't I?" "Yes." "But then..." "It's more comfortable, Father, that's all." "But I..." "I want to show off our soldier boy to the fellows at Max's." "You look well, Paul." "Fit." "War agrees with you, eh?" " I suppose, in a way." " Have a cigar." "If you're old enough to kill Frenchmen, you can smoke." "Hans, another beer for our young warrior." "What's the spirit like out there?" "Excellent, eh?" "The enemy has many reserves, Mr Hollerstein." "You only see your little sector," "The important thing is the breakthrough, here in Flanders." "This is Frenchie, this is us." "We have to come found the Belgian side and fam through." "There's no other way." "Before we beat them on the Hindenburg line?" "It is borders that are important." "You're quite wrong." "Good soldiers never stay planted on borders like turnips..." "You're lying to me, Paul." "I know you are." "I swear to you, he died instantly." " You promised he wouldn't get hurt." " Mrs Kemmerich, I..." "Why are you living when he is dead?" "Why?" "What right have you?" "Tell me again." "Did you...see it?" "Yes, I was fight there next to him." "He died at once." "He never suffered." "I know that you're trying to comfort me," "I want to know the..." "I want the truth!" "I have to hear it!" "Mrs Kemmerich, I promise, that's exactly how it happened." "His face was quite calm." " Do you swear it?" " Yes." "By everything that is sacred to you?" "By everything that is sacred to me." "He died at once." "May I never come back... if he wasn't killed instantly." "Carry that lesson to the front lines" "You are dismissed." "Baumer." "Paul Baumer!" "Baumer!" " Here, have a cigarette." " No, thank you." "You still haven't picked up the habit." "Well, that's good." "It's not a good habit but a man has to have vices." "How does it go?" "All work and no play..." "You remember?" "How is it, Baumer?" "How...how is the spirit?" "Excellent, eh?" "Excellent?" "Behm is dead." "Behm?" "Josef Behm." "Oh." "You know, I didn't think he would enlist." "But he went." "Yes..." "Kemmerich is dead, too." "I was told." "And Kropp has lost a leg." "Er..." "Oh, Albert Kropp, yes." "I don't know about all the others." "We were separated, but Leer's alive and Müller is alive and I'm alive." "I'm glad to hear that." "Tell them..." "Tell them I'm proud to have taught them to be good Germans." "To know that you have all done your duty by the Fatherland." "Imagine how that makes me feel?" "You were a good class." "Good boys." "Good boys all." " And this class?" " This lot?" "They haven't got your spirit, Baumer." "Not the Iron Youth, eh?" "Mm?" "I'm sorry...?" "No Iron Heroes?" "Just boys." "Want to play." "Laugh." "To stay alive." "Only boys." "Mother, it's late." "You should be asleep." "Did I wake you, dear?" "I'm sorry." "You'll catch cold here." "Go sleep." "I can sleep enough later." "Are you very much afraid?" "No." "I'd like to tell you to be on your guard against the women in France." "They're no good." "Mother, where we are there aren't any women." " Yes, I will." " I pray for you every day." "I know, Mother." "Perhaps you can get a job that is not so dangerous?" "Perhaps in the cookhouse." "That could be easily done." "Do it, then, and if others say anything..." "I won't let that bother me." "Now, you must sleep, Mother." "Come on." "'Mother, I used to live in this room." "All my things are here." "'All my books, my beloved books, 'but they no longer speak to me as they used to, 'for I am not what I was when I lived here." "'I am a soldier." "My business is not reading, it is killing." "'My knowledge of life is limited to death, 'and I know now I should never have come back." "'because it has no meaning." "'My companions at the front are the only truth I know." "'I depend on them and I depend on nothing ese." "'Mother, it's a terrible thing to say, 'but I feel I am now going back to my real home.'" "Paul!" " Well, you're back, my boy." " Yes, I'm back." "You're a fool." "I'm glad to see you, anyway." "I'm glad to see you, too, Kat." "They're getting younger and younger, Paul." "Our hands'll be full just taking care of them." "Hey!" "The old deserter's back!" " How was your leave?" " Good." "Where's Müller?" " When was it?" " A week ago." "Was it quick?" "Shrapnel in the stomach." "He lasted two hours." "Damn!" "Lieutenant!" "Lieutenant!" "Leer!" "No, leave him!" "He's gone!" "He's gone!" "Leer!" "Come back!" "God!" "Oh, GOD!" "GOD!" "GOD!" "GOD!" " Ready!" "Charge!" " Let's go!" "'There isn't much." "We are all going hungry." "We are all tired." "'We are all hopeless." "But the war goes on.'" "Why don't they just let it end?" "Ah, who knows?" "We're finished." "Our bread is nothing but sawdust." "You see anybody that hasn't got dysentery and colic?" "Artillery's burned out." "Damned barres are so worn down" "Too many guns, tanks." "Now the Americans are pouring in." "New guns, aeroplanes, fresh troops." "Lie still." " Just as it's ending!" " Be quiet!" " After four years." " Stretcher!" " Stretcher bearer!" " Just as it's ending." "It's all right." "Just lie still." "Don't worry, it looks like a clean wound." "Just hold on." "Stretcher!" "Can you stand up?" "You can get up?" "Come on." "Come on!" "Come on!" "I've got to carry you." "Ready?" "Up." "Sorry." "That's all right." "That's all right." "We gotta keep going." "You ready?" "Yes, yes." "Come on." " You got it?" " I'll try." " No." " No, I'll try." "No, you can't." "It's all right." "No." "It's his shin, he's fainted." "C'mon, Kat, come on." "He was talking." "Ten minutes ago." "We were talking." "'It is Autumn." "We wait for the end." "'We wait for the Armistice." "'We wait for peace.'" "'a bullet in the head." "'Himmestoss was killed the same day 'and now Detering is gone." "'I think we started to lose Detering last spring, 'when the apple trees came into bloom." "'You know that expression of his in springtime?" "'A week later he was caught by the Military Police." "'We know where he was going." "Home, to the harvest." "'Albert, of the class of 1916." "'Out of the 20 who enlisted, 13 are dead." "'Four are missing." "'One is in a madhouse." "'You and I live." "How I miss you.'"