The protagonist from Remarque's novel, representing the common German soldier's experience and loss of innocence, but not a specific historical individual.

A key fictional character from the novel, embodying the experienced veteran who guides the younger recruits.

A real historical figure accurately depicted as the civilian leader of the German delegation sent to negotiate the armistice with the Allies in November 1918.

A fictional character likely representing the attitudes of some high-ranking military officials resistant to surrender and embodying the "stab-in-the-back" myth precursors.

Fictional character from the novel, one of Paul's comrades sharing the wartime experience.

Fictional character from the novel, another young recruit facing the horrors of war.

The film accurately portrays the initial nationalist enthusiasm that led many young men, including students like Paul and his friends, to enlist eagerly at the start or during the war.

The film is widely praised for its visceral and realistic portrayal of the mud, gore, constant shelling, and horrific close-quarters combat typical of the Western Front.

Tanks like the Saint-Chamond were used, but their tactical depiction (e.g., charging unsupported over trenches) is considered inaccurate for late 1918 tactics by some historians.

Flamethrowers were used by various armies, including the French, during WWI, though their massed deployment as shown might be exaggerated for dramatic effect.

The opening sequence showing uniforms being recovered, cleaned, and reissued reflects the likely reality of resource scarcity and the industrial scale of death.

The subplot accurately depicts the location (railway carriage in Compiègne forest), key figures (Erzberger, Foch), and the general dynamic of the Nov 1918 armistice talks.

Erzberger did lead the delegation and sought peace, but the film emphasizes humanitarian motives, potentially simplifying the complex political and military pressures driving the negotiations.

This is a major departure from historical reality. While fighting continued until 11 AM (often initiated by Allies), there's no evidence of German generals ordering large, futile offensives minutes before the ceasefire.

By November 1918, the German army was retreating, suffering breakdowns in discipline, and incapable of launching major offensives as depicted in the film's climax.

This timing is a dramatic invention of the film, diverging significantly from the novel where Paul dies on an uneventful day in October 1918.

The film powerfully conveys the immense human cost and the growing sense of pointless sacrifice characteristic of the late stages of WWI.

The squalor, disease risk, infestation, and lack of adequate food in the trenches are accurately represented.

The film creates a convincing and hellish depiction of the complex, muddy, and often dilapidated trench networks of the Western Front.

Uniforms (like the M1915 Feldrock), Stahlhelm helmets, and personal gear appear largely accurate for the 1917-1918 period depicted.

The appearance of French soldiers, including their "horizon blue" uniforms and Adrian helmets, is generally accurate.

The standard infantry weapons used by German soldiers (Gewehr 98 rifles, MG 08 machine guns, stick grenades, sharpened entrenching tools) are accurately represented.

The desolate, cratered, barbed-wire-strewn landscape between the trenches is effectively and accurately portrayed as a deadly, barren zone.

The film successfully conveys the grim atmosphere of exhaustion, desperation, and the industrial scale of death prevalent in the final years of the war.

The setting for the armistice negotiations inside the railway carriage is recreated based on historical photographs and accounts.

While graphic, the depiction of wounds, death, and the psychological effects (shell shock) aligns with historical descriptions of the war's brutality and its impact on soldiers.