All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque | Chapter 10

Summary

In Chapter 10 of *All Quiet on the Western Front*, Paul and his comrades experience a brief reprieve from the horrors of war while guarding an abandoned village. Despite the constant threat of shelling, they enjoy a rare moment of normalcy with a luxurious meal and music. Their injuries send them to a hospital, where they face grim realities, including amputations and rumors of inhumane treatment. As Paul reflects on the thousands of wounded soldiers across Europe, he laments how war has shaped his understanding of life—limited to death, fear, and despair.

Takeaways

• 😀 The soldiers receive a rare opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves in an abandoned village.
• 😀 The soldiers gather bedding, food, and play music to create a sense of normalcy despite the war.
• 😀 The village is eventually shelled after the smoke from their cooking is spotted by observation balloons.
• 😀 For two weeks, the soldiers are able to eat, drink, and relax in the village without further disturbance.
• 😀 The soldiers are sent to evacuate another village, where they face more shelling and danger.
• 😀 Paul and his comrade, Albert, are both injured and hope their injuries will send them home, but they are rushed to a hospital.
• 😀 Paul experiences unbearable pain during surgery without anesthesia, but his leg is preserved.
• 😀 Albert’s fever worsens, and Paul fakes a fever to stay with him at the hospital, where rumors of experiments on soldiers circulate.
• 😀 Albert’s leg is amputated, and he contemplates suicide, expressing the depth of despair in the hospital.
• 😀 Paul reflects on the vast number of hospitals full of wounded soldiers and the overwhelming nature of war.
• 😀 Paul believes that anyone who supports war should witness the horrors of the hospitals to understand the true cost of war.

Q & A

What rare opportunity do Paul and his comrades receive in Chapter 10 of *All Quiet on the Western Front*?

Paul and his comrades are assigned to guard an abandoned village, which provides them with a rare opportunity to temporarily relax, enjoy themselves, and take a break from the horrors of war.

How do the soldiers try to make the most of their time in the abandoned village?

The soldiers gather bedding and food from the abandoned houses, prepare a large meal, and play songs on a piano in an effort to enjoy their brief respite from the frontlines.

What disrupts the soldiers' temporary peace in the village?

The soldiers' peaceful time is interrupted when observation balloons spot the smoke from their chimney, and the village is shelled by enemy forces.

What does Paul and his comrades’ reaction to the shelling reveal about their state of mind?

Despite the imminent danger, the soldiers are so desperate for normalcy that they continue trying to cook and enjoy their meal even as shells whiz by, demonstrating their fragile need for a sense of comfort in the midst of chaos.

How long are Paul and his comrades able to stay in the village before they are ordered to evacuate?

Paul and his comrades are able to stay in the village for two weeks without further disturbance, though they eventually have to evacuate as enemy forces intensify their shelling.

What happens to Paul and his comrade Albert during their evacuation from the village?

During the evacuation, Albert is shot above the knee, and both he and Paul are forced to hide and flee, eventually being picked up by an ambulance.

Why does Paul fake a fever during their time in the hospital?

Paul fakes a fever in order to remain with Albert at the hospital, ensuring they are not separated while receiving treatment for their injuries.

What dark atmosphere surrounds the hospital where Paul and Albert are treated?

The hospital is filled with despair and rumors about surgeons experimenting on soldiers. Many soldiers in the ward disappear, presumably to the so-called 'death room,' adding to the grim environment.

What happens to Albert during his treatment in the hospital?

Albert's leg is amputated, and he becomes deeply depressed, stating that he will shoot himself if he can get hold of a gun.

What does Paul reflect on regarding the large number of wounded soldiers in hospitals?

Paul reflects on the overwhelming number of wounded and dying soldiers in hospitals across Germany, France, and Russia, acknowledging that war has left a trail of immense suffering and despair.

What is Paul's ultimate view on the knowledge of life in relation to war?

Paul concludes that, for soldiers like him, all they know of life is death, despair, and fear, highlighting the profound psychological damage caused by war.