Erich Maria Remarque was a German novelist best known for his landmark novel All Quiet on the Western Front (1928). This novel, based on his experiences in World War I, was an international bestseller and defined a new genre of veterans’ literature. It inspired multiple film adaptations.

Born as Erich Paul Remark, he adopted the surname Remarque to honor his French ancestry. During World War I, he served on the Western Front, where he was wounded. After the war, he pursued various jobs, including teaching, editing, and technical writing.

The strong anti-war themes of his work led to condemnation by the Nazi regime, which banned and burned his books. Remarque's literary success enabled him to relocate to Switzerland as a refugee, and later to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen.