Quotes From "Arch Of Triumph: A Novel Of A Man Without A Country" By Erich Maria Remarque

There was always a screen behind which one could hide– a superior who in turn had his superior– orders, instructions, duties, commands– and finally the many-headed monster, morale, necessity, hard reality, responsibility, or whatever it was called– there was always a screen behind which to evade the simple law of humanity. Erich Maria Remarque

When we love each other we are immortal and indestructible like the heartbeat and the rain and the wind. Erich Maria Remarque

What’s going on outside, Ravic?” “Nothing new, Kate. The world goes on eagerly preparing for suicide and at the same time deluding itself about what it’s doing.” “Will there be war?” “Everyone knows that there will be war. What one does not yet know is when. Everyone expects a miracle.” Ravic smiled. “Never before have I seen so many politicians who believe in miracles as at present in France and England. And never so few as in Germany.” She remained lying silent for a while. “To think that it should be possible–” she said then. “Yes– it seems so impossible that it will happen some day. Just because one considers it so impossible and doesn’t protect oneself against it. Erich Maria Remarque

The best way to lose a woman was to show her a kind of life that one could offer her for only a few days. Erich Maria Remarque

One lost easiest what one held in one’s arms– never what one left. Erich Maria Remarque

The invisible storehouse in nothingness, called memory. Erich Maria Remarque

He looked around. The room, a few suitcases, some belongings, a handful of well-read books– a man needed few things to live. And it was good not to get used to many things when life was unsettled. Again and again one had to abandon them or they were taken away. One should be ready to leave every day. That was the reason he had lived alone– when one was on the move one should not have anything that could bind one. Nothing that could stir the heart. The adventure– but nothing more. Erich Maria Remarque

There is no guilt in feelings ever. Erich Maria Remarque

Actually, what does man live for?”“ To think about it. Any other question?” “Yes. Why does he die just when he has done that and has become a bit more sensible?” “Some people die without having become more sensible.”“ Don’t evade my question. And don’t start talking about the transmigration of souls.” “I’ll ask you something else first. Lions kill antelopes; spiders flies; foxes chickens; which is the only race in the world that wars on itself uninterruptedly, fighting and killing one another?” “Those are questions for children. The crown of creation, of course, the human being– who invented the words love, kindness, and mercy.” “Good. And who is the only being in Nature that is capable of committing suicide and does it?” “Again the human being– who invented eternity, God, and resurrection.”“ Excellent, ” Ravic said. “You see of how many contradictions we consist. And you want to know why we die? . Erich Maria Remarque

The story of the herd of seals. Hundreds of them on a beach; among them the hunter killing one after the other with a club. Together they could easily have crushed him– but they lay there, watching him come to murder, and did not move; he was only killing a neighbor– one neighbor after the other. The story of the European seals. The sunset of civilization. Tired shapeless Götterdämmerung. The empty banners of human rights. The sell-out of a continent. The onrushing deluge. The haggling for the last prices. The old dance of despair on the volcano. Peoples again slowly being driven into a slaughterhouse. The fleas would save themselves when the sheep were being sacrificed. As always. Erich Maria Remarque

One always expects something else. Erich Maria Remarque

Sweet words. Gentle deceptive balm. Help, love, to belong together, to come back again– words, sweet words. Nothing but words. How many words existed for this simple, wild, cruel attraction of two bodies! What a rainbow of imagination, lies, sentiment, and self-deception enclosed it! Erich Maria Remarque

A neat little apartment with a neat little bourgeois life. A neat little security on the edge of the abyss. Do you really see that? Erich Maria Remarque