The film Westfront 1918 is based on the novel "Vier von der Infanterie" (Four of the infantry) by the German Ernst Johannsen. Although I have some knowledge of the German literature, and read "Im Westen nichts Neues" (Remarque/Kramer) and "Jahrgang 1902" (Glaeser), this one was new for me. The First World War has actually been a popular theme for film makers. For some reason mainly the English-spoken films have managed to become part of film history, which is a pity, because we are naturally interested in the perspective of the most directly involved countrymen. Westfront 1918 fills in this gap. However, it would be unfair to praise Westfront 1918 only because of its origin, for it is in fact in all respects an excellent outline of the horrors of modern warfare. WWI has a special place in military history. In the second half of the nineteenth century the wars were often short encounters between professional armies, which hardly affected the population. However, by the end of the century the rise of imperialism had caused an arms race (something like the Cold War), which stupefied the common people. The technological progress began to allow for mass slaughter. Of course the artillery had become highly effective, but there were also the airplanes, the poisonous gas, the first armored cars and tanks, flame-throwers, machine guns etc. Surgery advanced dramatically. The mass destruction reached proportions, that surpassed the contemporary human imagination. Man lost what had remained of his innocence. It was this war, that ended the remaining absolute monarchies and even caused the birth of an entirely new society system in Russia. It created the first insane forms of art (Dada), and strongly furthered the foundation of pacifism and the League of Nations. The film Westfront 1918 fits into this aftermath. Except for the war there is not really a story line. We follow four soldiers doing their duty on the western front in France: Karl (the main character), the student, the Bavarian and the lieutenant. It starts idyllic, when they are quartered with a French family. They pass the time making music, and the student becomes involved in a love affair with the daughter. They visit a military theater, where two clowns (playing the violin and the guitar) annoy each other. But halfway the platoon is ordered to the trenches, and now the film gets grim. We see the life between barbed wire, the underground sleeping places, which sometimes collapse due to the continuous shelling. In battle the student is engaged in a wrestle with a French soldier, who drowns him in the pool in a bomb crater. Karl is granted leave, and on coming home catches his wife in bed with another man. Classic, but all too real. In tears she cries: "Why don't you stop this war!" Back to the front, Karl and the Bavarian get the special assignment (actually Karl volunteers) to man a forward machine gun hole during a mayor French offensive against their trenches. Here the film shows for several minutes the waves of French infantry and tanks attacking and storming the trenches and being gunned down like rats. The air is filled with smoke and exploding grenades. The Bavarian is fatally wounded. The lieutenant is driven into a state of shock and insanity, continuously crying "Zur Befehl, Majestaet!" and "Hurrah!" (the then popular yell during a military storm). Karl is also wounded, and brought to a military field hospital. The misery is beyond belief. A soldier crying: "Ich habe keine Beine!" (no legs). The hospital orderly: "Du hast doch noch Arme! Denk an dein Maedel!" (Think of your girlfriend!). The film ends while zooming in on the horrified gaze of Karl. I have seen "All quiet on the Western front" (remake called "Hallmark Hall of fame"), "A farewell to arms" (both reviewed), and "Doctor Zhivago" (to follow), and "Westfront 1918" classifies high in this top category.
Review of Westfront 1918
