When during World War One is All Quiet on the Western Front set and what major events occurred during Paul Bäumer’s enlistment?
Netflix’s new All Quiet on the Western Front movie is an adaptation of German WW1 veteran Erich Maria Remarque’s classic novel about the conflict.
Whilst Paul Bäumer and his childhood friends may be fictional characters, the battles that the German army took part in the film during his enlistment were very real.
So, when during the First World War is All Quiet on the Western Front set, and what was the timeline for major events during Bäumer’s supposed enlistment?
When will All Quiet on the Western Front be established in WW1
World War One began July 28, 1914, ending November 11, 1918.
The 2022 Netflix version of All Quiet on Western Front Opens in Spring 1917, when an excited Paul Bäumer (a fictional character played by Felix Kammerer) lies about his age to enlist as a member of the German military.
Original book by Erich Maria Remarque Open in 1917, although the majority of the events depicted then shift to the Summer – Winter of 1918 as the war was grinding towards a Central Powers defeat.
Whilst it is never revealed which battles or assaults Paul Bäumer is said to have taken part in, he is stationed on the Western Front facing down against the French military throughout the story.
Between Spring 1917 and the end of the war, major operations between the Germans and French that may have included Bäumer were the Battle of the Aisne (Nivelle Offensive), the Battle of the Hills, Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Verdun, and finally, the Grand Offensive.
The following represents a simplified timeline of World War One’s major events, starting from the opening scene of Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
1917:
- February 1 – Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
- February 3 – German U-Boat sinks American Steamer SS Housatonic (US severs diplomatic relations with Germany)
- February 23 – German forces withdraw to the Hindenburg Line
- March 14 – China severs relations with Germany
- March 15 – Tsar Nicholas II abdicates the Russian throne
- April 6 – The United States declares war on Germany
- April 9 – Canadian troops win a major victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
- April 29 – A series of mutinies occur in the French army
- May 15 – Philippe Petain replaces Robert Nivelle as commander of the French army
- June 24 – American combat forces finally arrive in France
- July 6 – Arab rebels take Aqaba under the leadership of Lawrence of Arabia
- July 19 – The German Reichstag passes a peace resolution
- August 20 – Second Offensive Battle at the Verdun fortress
- October 26 – Second Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres)
- November 19 – The Battle of Caporetto ends
- November 20 – First large-scale tank assault by the British at Cambrai
- December 11 – Allied liberate Jerusalem from 400 years of Ottoman rule
- December 15 – Russia signs armistice with Germany
1918:
- January 8 – Woodrow Wilson outlines his Fourteen Points
- March 3 – Russia signs Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany
- March 4 – First known case of Spanish Flu
- March 21 – Germany begins their final offensive of the war
- March 26 – French Marshal Ferdinand Foch appointed Supreme Commander of all Allied forces in Europe
- April 1 – British Royal Air Force founded
- April 21 – The Red Baron is shot down and killed
- May 28 – First independent American victory at the Battle of Cantigny
- June – Battle of Belleau Wood
- August 8 – Start of the Hundred Days Offensive
- August 31 – Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
- September 26 – Allied launch their final offensive of the war
- November 9 – Kaiser William II abdicates
- November 10 – Kaiser Charles I abdicates
- November 11 – Germany signs Armistice at Compiegne, bringing an end to the First World War at 11 AM
By Tom Llewellyn – [email protected]
Other news: All Quiet on The Western Front cast ft Daniel Bruhl & Felix Kammerer