Comrades Quote by Erich Maria Remarque
““The talk here makes me quite ill. I would rather we had never come together again; then at least we might still have preserved a memory. In vain do I try to picture all these fellows in dirty uniforms again, and this Konersmann’s restaurant as a canteen in the rest area. It cannot be done. The things here are stronger—the things that differentiate us from one another are too powerful. The common interest is no longer decisive. It has broken up already and given place to the interest of the individual. Now and then something still will shine through from that other time when we all wore the same rig, but already it is dwindled and dim. These others here are still our comrades and yet our comrades no longer—that is what is so sad. All else went west in the war, but comradeship we did believe in; now only to find that what death could not do, life is achieving; it is driving us asunder.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: All Quiet on the Western Front, 1929
War erodes shared identity, turning comrades into isolated individuals despite lingering bonds.
In simple terms: War breaks unity, leaving lonely comrades.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address the loss of collective purpose.
Themes
war
identity
isolation
comradeship
memory
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- veteran reintegration
- post‑war counseling
- team building
- conflict resolution
- historical study
Key Concepts
psychology
social cohesion
trauma
Questions to Reflect On
- What can restore shared purpose after conflict?
- How do personal memories affect group cohesion?
A Different Perspective
Individualism can clash with collective needs, complicating reconciliation.
![“I admit that I do not recall the speeches of Comrades [Earl] Browder and [Samuel] Darcy. I do not even recall of what they spoke. It is possible that they said something of this nature. But it was not the Soviet people who created the American Communist Party. It was created by Americans.” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/959/joseph-stalin-1734_communication_i-admit-that-i-do-not-recall-the-speeche_219530.jpg)
