Paul Baimer: protagonist, narrator, fist person point of view, limited personal perspective, 19 years old, idealistic before training

 

Stanislaus Katczinsky (kat): 40, cobbler, paul’s best friend- mentor, shrewd and has talent for finding food

 

Albert Kropp: paul’s classmate and soldier, known as clearest thinker among students\

 

Tjaden: locksmith, skinny one with voracious appetite

 

Haie Westhus: digs peat moss, prefers peace-time army to digging peat

 

Detering: is a simple peasant farmer, loner, misses his wife and farm

 

Muller: pauls class mate, still carries textbooks around and dreams of examinations

 

Leer: pauls class mete, first to grow a beard, obsessed with math and women, first to lose his virginity

 

Franz Kemmerich: grows up with paul, dies after having his leg amputated, loses watch, muller gets his boots

 

Corporal Himmelstoss : postman, drillmaster terror of Klostevlaery, power corrupts

 

Kanstorek: schoolmaster, persuades kids to enlist, older generation that believes it is patriotic and adventurous to go to war

 

 

Themes: destructiveness of war