All Quiet on the Western Front- Individual Post

Years before WWI-  Before World War I, Germany was imperialistic and militaristic. Before 1871, Germany consisted of many states that did not have a lot of unity. There was 25 German-speaking states. It was a big and prosperous country that was around 50 percent bigger than modern Germany. The country was very heavy in iron and steel production along with international trade and ship production. The education in Germany was superior than many other nations. There were many universities that were of high quality where great scientist had come from Max Planck. A big weakness of Germany was their lack of democracy. Since they were a military state, the parliament's powers were limited.

Sources:
http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/germany/
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_war_is_before_World_War_1#slide=1

Neue Sachlichkeit- This is a term that describes the attitude of the public in Weimar Germany  that ended around 1933 when the Weimar Republic fell. This attitude was meant to describe practical engagement with the world, or an all business attitude. It is also known as "New Objectivity." The term was used to describe art that was post-expressionist. This involved -begin clip-"public collaboration, engagement, and rejection of romantic idealism."-end clip

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Objectivity

German Realism- This is a revolutionary literacy movement known as Young Germany. It was used to turn romanticism to realism. Some great leaders were Karl Borne and Heinrich Heine.

http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/german-literature-the-nineteenth-century:-realism-naturalism.html

Interpretation of the Book-Paul Baumer and all of his friends go to war right out of school where their teachers, including Kantorek, taught the boys of patriotism and nationalism. They believed that there was an abundance of duty and glory they owed to Germany. Once they were at war, they feel disconnected to who they are fighting. They do not engage in fighting with personal weapons, but instead use gases and tanks. World War I is commonly known for their trench warfare where one side does not come in contact with their enemy. These boys are enthusiastic to go to war and fight for their nation but are soon to realize that these realities are much more harsh than they could have imagined. There is a small amount of food, their bodies are exhausted, and some of their closest friends pass away, yet they need to stay emotionally strong and stable for battle. Authority plays a role into this book too. Himmelstoss, the corporal, orders the boys to do ridiculous things such as making Tjaden and another soldier who wet the bet sleep with each other in the same bunk. This does not help prepare the soldiers for war. Many of the young and enthusiastic nineteen-year-old boys think that people like Himmelstoss and other important generals should be fighting the war for the countries instead of the ordinary “tommy sticks” fighting (page 45). However, these corporals embrace their power too much where there is abuse on the soldiers because of their uniform and the authority they are given.