All Quiet on the Western Front
Study and Discussion Guide
Chapter 1
1. Where are the men at rest? Why is there an abundance of rations?
2. Who is the narrator? What is his age?
3. Why do the men feel hostile towards Ginger?
4. Who is Kantorek? Why does Muller wish Kantorek were at war with them?
5. What is the double horror of Joseph Behm’s Death?
6. What item of Kemmerich’s does Muller want? Is this cruel? Why or why not?
7. What does the theft of Kemmerich’s watch tell us about the moral decay fostered by war?
8. Although the novel is told from the German point of view, what universal view does it offer of
war?
9. Why does Kantorek refer to the men as the “Iron Youth?” Is this true?
10. Why does Paul feel let down by Kantorek?
Chapter 2
1. Why does Paul refer to his generation as a “wasteland?” Which of the novel’s themes does this
represent?
2. Who is Corporal Himmelstoss? Why do the men not like him?
3. What prejudice does Paul have against small men? Why?
4. How do Paul and Kropp get revenge on Himmelstoss?
5. According to Paul, what is the finest thing to arise from the war? (It’s a French word.)
6. Who dies in Chapter 2? Why is this so personal for Paul?
7. What is significant about Kemmerich’s telling Paul to take the boots for Muller?
8. Why does the doctor refuse to come to Kemmerich’s bed?
9. Which of the novel’s themes does Kemmerich’s death represent?
Chapter 3
1. What does Paul mean when he refers to himself and his comrades as “stone age veterans” when
looking at the new recruits? Why is this ironic?
2. What is Katczinsky’s special talent?
3. How did Himmelstoss try to cure Tjaden of bedwetting? On their last night in camp how do the
guys get revenge on Himmelstoss?
4. What is Kropp’s philosophy concerning power given to insignificant men? What theme of the
novel does this represent?
5. Who is coming to the front? Why are the men so excited to see him?
Chapter 4
1. What job are Paul and his comrades given when they are sent to the front? Explain.
2. How do the men change as they approach the front? Why is this change necessary?
3. What happens to the horses that are used in this battle? How does Dettering react to the sound
of the horses?
4. What special relationship do the men have with the earth/dirt? Explain.
5. What is so ironic about where Paul and his comrades take cover during the second shelling?
6. What happens to the young soldier that Paul helped at the beginning of the chapter? What do
Paul and Kat want to do to him? Why can’t they do it?
Chapter 5
1. Why has Himmelstoss been sent to the front?
2. Overall, how do the men treat Himmelstoss?
3. What does Tjaden do to get in trouble with Himmelstoss? Why does Tjaden have such a hatred
for Himmelstoss? Why does Tjaden not get into too much trouble for his insubordination?
4. What dreams do the various men of the group have about going home?
Chapter 6
1. Why do the men joke about death?
2. Why according to Paul, must every man believe in chance and trust his luck?
3. Describe the men’s battle with the rats? How do they kill them?
4. How do the men know they are really cut off from all help when they are being attacked?
5. What according to Paul is as important as ammunition? Why?
6. What often happens to the young recruits during an attack? Why are so many of them killed?
7. Why are the new recruits more trouble than they are worth?
8. To what level are the men reduced during an attack? What is the most important thing to them?
9. Describe the night the men spend listening to the wounded man cry for help?
10. How does Himmelstoss react in battle? Why is this ironic?
11. Describe the battlefield after the battle is over.
12. How many men did the company lose? What does this say about the war?
Chapter 7
1. What feelings does the picture of the girl in the white dress provoke in the men?
2. What does Tjaden get in order to lure the women nearer to them when they are swimming?
What does this say about what the civilians faced?
3. How does Paul feel about the brunette he meets? Are the feelings returned? Why does he like
her more than she likes him?
4. How does Paul feel about being at home? How does his mother treat him while he is at home?
How does his father treat him?
5. What is wrong with Paul’s mother?
6. What has happened to Kantorek? Why do the men enjoy this so much?
7. Why is Paul repulsed by the conversation that he has with the German Army Major?
8. Describe Paul’s visit with Kemmerich’s mother? Why does he continue to lie to her?
9. Why does Paul say that he never should have gone home?
Chapter 8
1. Describe the Russian prisoners. Why does Paul feel sorry for them?
2. What is wrong with Paul’s mother? Why is his father afraid to ask the surgeon how much the
operation will cost?
3. Why is it so hard for Paul to spend time with his family?
Chapter 9
1. Who is the Kaiser and how do the men prepare for his visit?
2. The men have a discussion about who starts war. What conclusion do they reach?
3. What type of damage do trench mortars cause?
4. What happens to Paul on scouting duty? How is he saved? How does he feel about his
comrades?
5. Who is Gerard Duval? How is Paul affected by his death?
Chapter 10
1. How do the troops manage to live well for a few days?
2. What happens to Paul when he returns to the front? What happens to Albert?
3. Whey doesn’t Paul want to get into a clean bed on the troop train?
4. How does Paul manage to get off of the train with Albert?
5. How do the men get the nuns to stop praying over them at the crack of dawn?
6. Why does Joseph Hammacher let the nuns know he has a shooting license?
7. What is the dying room? Why does no one want to go there?
8. Why do the men try to discourage the two young soldiers from having the doctor operate on
their flat feet?
9. What favor do the men do for Lewandowski?
Chapter 11
1. What is the central action in this chapter? What happens to the German Army?
2. What happens to Muller, Bertinck, Leer, and Kat?
3. What is the only thing that helps these men endure their conditions?
4. What new weapons used by the Allies contribute to the collapse of the Western Front?
5. When Kat is wounded, what does Paul try to do for him? What is the outcome of this? What is
Paul’s mental state afterwards?
Chapter 12
1. Why does Paul get a 14 day rest?
2. What does Paul predict for his generation? Does this prediction come true?
3. Why does the point-of-view change to the third person for the last two paragraphs of the story?
4. What is ironic about Paul’s death?