Erich Maria Remarque (1898–1970) was a German novelist best known for his powerful anti-war writing. He is most famous for All Quiet on the Western Front (1929), a stark and emotional portrayal of World War I from the perspective of ordinary soldiers, drawn partly from his own experience as a young German infantryman. The novel was an international success but was later banned and burned by the Nazis, who stripped Remarque of his citizenship and forced him into exile.
Much of Remarque’s work explores themes of war, loss, disillusionment, exile, and the search for humanity in brutal times. Other notable novels include The Road Back, Three Comrades, Arch of Triumph, and The Night in Lisbon. His writing is known for its clarity, emotional restraint, and deep compassion for individuals caught in the machinery of history.