Character Charts
Tjaden
Thin, but a heavy eater (biggest eater); locksmith, 19, smokes, bed-wetter (Himmelstross made him share a bunk with another bed-wetter). Beat up Himmelstross due to his extreme resentment and later served 3 days of open arrest for showing him disrespect. He is assumed to have died, but his death is not mentioned. |
Stanislaus Katczinsky
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Albert Kropp
“Clearest thinker,” lance-corporal, always hungry, 19, volunteer of war, smoker, No. 9 plantoon, bad mouthed to Himmelstoss (1 day open arrest), his leg was amputated and had thoughts of suicide and is more solemn and less talkative. His death is not directly stated. |
MüllerHeavy eater, intellectual (carries textbooks, dreams of tests, talks about physics), 19, volunteer of war, crude, tactless, wants Kemmerich’s boots, more sympathetic than he appears. He is shot in the abdomen and suffers a painful death lasting half an hour. |
LeerHas full beard, likes prostitutes, volunteer of war. he bleeds to death from a thigh wound. |
Paul Bäumer (narrator)19, volunteer of war, smokes, No. 9 plantoon, horrified by war and he doesn’t feel like the same person when he visits home on leave, when he stabbed the Frenchman, he realized that the enemy wasn’t “faceless.” He is killed on a quiet day close to the end of the war. It was then “All quiet on the Western Front.” |
Franz KemmerichHad bad flesh wound in thigh and died in St. Joseph’s, lost his foot, looked “ghastly” (yellow and wan), had given up on life, treasured a fine pair of English boots, No. 9 plantoon, good student, didn’t smoke, very white skin, says what’s on his mind. |
Joseph Behm Plump, homely fellow who didn’t want to go to war. He was the 1st to die. He was shot in the eye (blinded), knocked unconscious, and walked into No-Man’s Land where he was shot down. His death showed the men that war was not glamorous. |
Kantorek Schoolmaster, stern little man, “shrew mouse” face, wore gray tail-coat, gave long lectures, resented by narrator (Paul). He later becomes drafted in the war as a territorial and has to take orders from one of his former students, Mittelstaedt. He apologized for previously encouraging war. |
Himmelstoss “Terror of Klosterberg,” control of No. 9 plantoon, short, strictest disciplinarian in the camp (proud of it), has foxy, waxed moustache, 12 years of service, mailman, disliked Kropp, Tjaden, Westhus, Bäumer (sensed quiet defiance). He was a coward in front line and he tries to make amends with men (gives them food and rest). |
Haie Westhus 19, peat-digger, wanted to be a corporal after the war, died from a back wound. |
Detering Peasant, thinks of nothing except his farm-yard and wife, loves horses and cannot bear to hear their strained cries, sees a cherry tree and is reminded of his farm. He deserts the army and attempts to go home but is captured and tried as a deserter. He is never heard from again. |