The writer Edlef Köppen (1893-1939) published this autobiographical war novel in 1930. It tells the story of the war volunteer Adolf Reisiger, who loses all illusions during the course of World War I and psychologically collapses by the end of the war. Köppen's book differs from other, more conventionally told war novels of the era through its constant switching between the narrated storyline and inserted historical documents. With these, the author highlights the increasingly stark contrast between life at the front and official statements such as army reports, imperial speeches, or propaganda articles.