REINER BAJO
Paul Bäumer experiences the shocking realities of trench warfare
DRAMA DEPICTS THE WESTERN FRONT Novel adaptation portrays horrors of First World War Film feature by Emily Bright
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N a misty French forest, a vixen and her cubs are resting in their den. But above ground, there is death and destruction on the front line of the First World War. The rat-a-tat of gunfire and screams of desperate men punctuate the peace, as mortars explode all round the soldiers. Bodies are strewn across no man’s land. Based on the book by Erich Maria Remarque, the Netflix film All Quiet on the Western Front then switches to the home town of a 17-year-old German student in 1917. Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) and his schoolfriends, giddy with the prospect of wartime glory, have signed up to fight. They triumphantly march towards battle, with no idea of the reality that awaits them. ‘Man is a beast,’ says war-hardened soldier Katczinsky (Albrecht Schuch) to Paul as he arrives at the front. The men face the constant threat of mortar fire, gas and bullets. From early on Paul faces the sobering task of collecting the military dog tags of his dead colleagues. As the war goes on he struggles to retain his humanity in the
face of unimaginable suffering. Eighteen months later, in November 1918, Germany knows that the war is lost. Politicians negotiate a ceasefire, much to the outrage of one German general, who is determined to fight until the bitter end in one last disastrous raid on the French trenches. His soldiers fight for survival in a final and seemingly futile offensive, minutes before the armistice is declared. While the film is based on a work of fiction, the horrors it depicts were all too real for soldiers on both sides in the First World War. Remembrance Sunday provides a sobering reminder not only of the sacrifices made by those who died while fighting for freedom but also of the brutality of wars, past and present. When we look back on previous wars and witness the horrors of current conflicts in the news, the world can seem like a godforsaken place. But the truth is that God was and is
present in the midst of conflict: he is no stranger to suffering. He sent his only Son, Jesus, into the world to sacrifice his life for us so that we could be reconciled with God. A prophet called Isaiah, who foresaw Jesus’ death centuries before it happened, said: ‘He was hurt for our wrongdoing. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so we would have peace. He was beaten so we would be healed’ (Isaiah 53:5 New Life Version). Jesus endured horrendous cruelty at the hands of his enemies and willingly died so that we could be in a relationship with God. By making the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus dealt with the consequences of the things we do that are wrong. He then rose from the dead, defeating sin and death. His death and resurrection enables us to encounter the life-changing power of God’s love now and into eternal life, if we will give our lives to him and follow his way. The significance of Jesus’ sacrifice should never be forgotten.
Jesus endured horrendous cruelty
12 November 2022 • WAR CRY • 3
