History shapes not only the path of the future, but the citizens and individuals of every era. The development and growth of Germany in the late 1800s and early 1900s directly altered and influenced the lives of individuals within German society. Historical changes in this time frame are captured in Erich Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and Theodor Fontane's Effi Briest, in which the novel's main characters are shaped by the time period in which they live, as well as a significant historical event . In Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, the narrator Paul experiences trauma and a loss of youth as a direct result of his involvement in World War I, while in Fontane's Effi Briest, the main character, Effi experiences trauma and a loss of youth as it is consumed with the social expectations of the aristocracy in late 19th century Germany. Each character is shaped by their time period in a similar way, while having a completely different experience in Germany's history. In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul is forced to withdraw from his normal life due to his enlistment. in the First World War. His youth and desire to explore life are abandoned when his life passes entirely to the battlefield. After a discussion with his fellow soldiers about their personal lack of motivation off the battlefield, Paul intimately discusses the very real loss of life he has suffered. Paolo says: “We are no longer young. We don't want to upset the world. We're running away. We fly by ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen years old and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to tear it to pieces… We believe in war.” After the War...... middle of paper ......d First War, as Effi is shaped by her participation in the aristocratic society of Germany in the late 1800s. Both novels exemplify the impact of German historical events and periods of time on its citizens that change the course of Germany's future. Works Cited Remarque, Erich. All quiet on the Western Front. Fawcett Crest, New York: Ballentine Books, 1989 (87-88) Remarque, Erich. All quiet on the Western Front. Fawcett Crest, New York: Ballentine Books, 1989(94)Blackbourn, David. History of Germany 1780-1918. 2nd ed. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2003.(278) Fontane, Theodor. Effi Briest. London, England: Penguin Publishing, 1995.(63)Fontane, Theodor. Effi Briest. London, England: Penguin Publishing, 1995.(14)Otto Von Bismarck. "Speech of blood and iron". Translated by Jerimiah Riemer from Vormärz to Prussian Dominance Volume III.