Summary
Paul describes the unsanitary conditions of life at the
front. Tjaden, tired of killing lice one by one, scrapes them off
his skin into a boot-polish tin. He kills them by heating the tin
with a flame. Haie’s lice have red crosses on their heads, and he
jokes that he got them at a hospital where they attended the surgeon
general.
Himmelstoss has arrived in the camp, proving the rumor
true. He was caught tormenting his recruits excessively and has
been sent to the front as punishment. Müller begins asking everyone
what they would do if the war ended suddenly. Kropp says the war
will not end, but Müller persists. Kat mentions his wife and children.
The younger men mention women and getting drunk. Haie says that
he would become a noncommissioned army officer since digging peat, his
old job, is such a terrible occupation. Tjaden states that he would concentrate
on getting revenge on Himmelstoss. Detering says that he would return
to his farm.
Himmelstoss approaches the men, who rudely ignore him.
He orders Tjaden to stand, but Tjaden moons him in response. Tjaden rushes
off to hide before Himmelstoss returns with the authorities. Müller
continues with his questions. They calculate that there are only
twelve men left out of the twenty from their class who joined the
army. Seven are dead, four are wounded, and one went insane. They
mockingly recite questions that Kantorek shot at them in school.
Paul cannot imagine what he will do after the war. Kropp concludes
that the war has destroyed everything for them. They are not impetuous
youths anymore but men perpetually on the run. They cannot believe
in anything except the war.
Himmelstoss returns with the sergeant-major to punish
Tjaden. Paul and the others refuse to tell him where Tjaden is hiding.
The sergeant-major solves the problem by declaring that Tjaden must report
to the Orderly Room within ten minutes. The men resolve to torment
Himmelstoss at every opportunity. Himmelstoss returns later to demand
that they tell him where Tjaden is. Kropp insults him, and Himmelstoss
storms off.
Later that evening, Kropp and Tjaden are put on trial
for insubordination. Paul and the others tell the court about Himmelstoss’s cruelty
toward Tjaden during training. After hearing their story, the presiding
lieutenant gives Tjaden and Kropp light punishments and lectures
Himmelstoss about his behavior. Tjaden receives three days open
arrest and Kropp receives one. Paul and the others visit them in the
makeshift jail and play cards.
Kat and Paul bribe a driver of a munitions
wagon with two cigarettes to take them back to the house where they
heard the geese. Paul climbs over the fence and enters the shed
to find two geese. He grabs both and slams their heads against the
wall, hoping to avoid a commotion. The attempt fails, and the geese
cackle and fight with him furiously before he manages to escape
with one goose in hand. Kat kills it quickly, and they retreat to
an unused lean-to to cook it, eating quickly for fear of their theft being
discovered. They keep the feathers to make pillows. Paul feels an
intimate closeness with Kat as they roast the goose. They eat their
fill and take the rest to Tjaden and Kropp.
