The Problem of “German Guilt” in the Military Prose of H. G. Konsalik and E. M. Remarque
Frolov Dmitry Mikhailovich
Smolensk State University
Submitted: 31.01.2023
Abstract. The article examines the political and aesthetic positions of the German writers E. M. Remarque and H. G. Konsalik on the key issue that became relevant for the post-war organization of Germany and the formation of principles for changing the world order - the problem of compatriots’ guilt in World War II. The ambiguous perception of the results of the Nuremberg trials by the German society gave rise to many interpretations of the denazification process unfolding in the country, which could not but be reflected in historical and literary narratives. The dissimilarity of the fates and ideological positions of the writers determined the hypothesis of the discrepancy between their political and ethical views on the role of war in the life of an individual and society as a whole. The aim of the work is to identify the similarities and differences in the positions of E. M. Remarque and H. G. Konsalik on the issue of compatriots’ responsibility in crimes against peace and humanity committed by the Nazis during World War II. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that for the first time a comparative historical analysis of E. M. Remarque’s and H. G. Konsalik’s military works was carried out in light of the “German guilt” phenomenon. As a result of the comparative and historical analysis of H. G. Konsalik’s and E. M. Remarque’s military creative work, a fundamental difference was established in the approaches of prose writers to determining the criteria for distinguishing between individual and collective responsibility of compatriots in the greatest tragedy of the twentieth century. The features of the author’s reflection of “German guilt” are revealed - the consistency of the position of E. M. Remarque and the opportunistic approach of H. G. Konsalik.
Key words and phrases: Х. Г. Конзалик, Э. М. Ремарк, роман, война, проблема «немецкой вины», H. G. Konsalik, E. M. Remarque, novel, war, problem of “German guilt”
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