Erich Maria Remarque (1898–1970) was a German novelist whose service as a soldier in World War I. He was conscripted at age 18, wounded by shrapnel, and served on the Western Front. This experience ultimately informed the anti-war sentiment that defines the bulk of his writing. His 1929 debut All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) drew directly from his own harrowing experiences to depict the physical and psychological toll of trench warfare with brutal clarity. The book quickly became an international bestseller, selling nearly 2.5 million copies in 22 languages within 18 months. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest anti-war novels ever written. The novel inspired multiple acclaimed film adaptations (including a 1930 Oscar winning version) and sparked fierce controversy. Nazi Germany banned and burned it in 1933, condemning it as unpatriotic. Despite pressure from the state, Remarque continued to write unflinchingly about the horrors of war and the specter of state-sanctioned violence looming over the post-war world.