A basic theme of Remarque's novels is survival in the face of adverse political conditions. Whereas during the time of the “Third Reich” the heroes of his novels had been exiled just like Remarque himself, he now went inside the “Third Reich” itself. The result were his concentration camp novels
Der Funke Leben[
Spark of Life, 1952] and
Zeit zu leben und Zeit zu sterben[
A Time to Love and a Time to Die, 1954] which was published, in the same year, first in English translation in America and then in German. Since Remarque was still living in the United States when he wrote the novel, it was necessary for him to interview people who had experienced the “Third Reich” first-hand and he had to study written accounts of what life was like under the conditions he wanted to describe.…
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Citation: Wagener, Hans. "Zeit zu leben und Zeit zu sterben". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 October 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=19777, accessed 21 November 2024.]
