Henri Barbusse

Under Fire: The Story of a Squad (French: Le Feu: journal d'une escouade) by Henri Barbusse (December 1916), was one of the first novels about World War I to be published. Although it is fiction, the novel was based on Barbusse's experiences as a French soldier on the Western Front. The novel takes the form of journal-like anecdotes which the unnamed narrator claims to be writing to record his time in the war. It follows a squad of French volunteer soldiers on the Western front in France after the German invasion. The book opens and ends with broad visions shared by multiple characters but beyond these the action of the novel takes place in occupied France. The anecdotes are episodic, each with a chapter title. The best-known chapter, "The Fire" (Le feu) shares the French-language title of the book. It describes a trench assault from the Allied (French) trench across No-Man's Land into the German trench. In contrast to many war novels which came before it, Under Fire describes war in gritty and brutal realism. It is noted for its realistic descriptions of death in war and the squalid trench conditions. (wikipedia.org)

One of the most powerful accounts of trench warfare from the WWI era, "Under Fire" recounts the experiences of the men of the French Sixth Battalion on the front lines after the German invasion. While a fictional narrative, "Under Fire" is based upon diaries Barbusse had written on the front from 1914-1915, and completed in the hospital while recovering from injuries. Barbusse published his work in both serial and book form in late 1916. By the end of the war it was a world-wide bestseller, having sold over a quarter of a million copies. The narrative received mixed reviews at first because of Barbusse's gritty and brutal realism, which some war critics saw as validation for their protests, while others felt it fictionalized and exaggerated the war. Since then, "Under Fire" has been ranked with such classics as "A Farewell to Arms" and "All Quiet on the Western Front" as one of the most powerful, realistic portrayals of the horrors of war. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Henri Barbusse: Das Feuer. Tagebuch einer Korporalschaft Lesefreundlicher Gro druck in 16-pt-Schrift Gro format, 210 x 297 mm Berliner Ausgabe, 2019 Durchgesehener Neusatz bearbeitet und eingerichtet von Theodor Borken Vorabdruck in der Zeitschrift L'OEuvre; Buchausgabe bei Edition Flammarion in Paris Ende November 1916. Deutsche Ausgabe: Max Rascher Verlag, Z rich, 1918. bersetzt von Leo von Meyenburg. Umschlaggestaltung von Thomas Schultz-Overhage. Gesetzt aus der Minion Pro, 16 pt. Henricus Edition Deutsche Klassik UG (haftungsbeschr nkt)

Henri Barbusse: Das Feuer. Tagebuch einer Korporalschaft Lesefreundlicher Gro druck in 16-pt-Schrift Gro format, 210 x 297 mm Berliner Ausgabe, 2019 Durchgesehener Neusatz bearbeitet und eingerichtet von Theodor Borken Vorabdruck in der Zeitschrift L'OEuvre; Buchausgabe bei Edition Flammarion in Paris Ende November 1916. Deutsche Ausgabe: Max Rascher Verlag, Z rich, 1918. bersetzt von Leo von Meyenburg. Umschlaggestaltung von Thomas Schultz-Overhage. Gesetzt aus der Minion Pro, 16 pt. Henricus Edition Deutsche Klassik UG (haftungsbeschr nkt)

"Mit schmerzhafter Eindringlichkeit beschreibt Barbusse seine Eindrücke des ersten Weltkriegs. Mühevolle Schanzenarbeit, stundenlange Irrm rsche durch die Dunkelheit und allgegenw rtiger Tod - Barbusse nimmt dem Krieg jegliche fehlgeleitete Romantik, die doch so viele junge M nner seiner Zeit mit naiver Begeisterung in den Krieg ziehen lie ." Redaktion Gr ls-Verlag (Edition Werke der Weltliteratur)

"Mit schmerzhafter Eindringlichkeit beschreibt Barbusse seine Eindrücke des ersten Weltkriegs. Mühevolle Schanzenarbeit, stundenlange Irrm rsche durch die Dunkelheit und allgegenw rtiger Tod - Barbusse nimmt dem Krieg jegliche fehlgeleitete Romantik, die doch so viele junge M nner seiner Zeit mit naiver Begeisterung in den Krieg ziehen lie ." Redaktion Gr ls-Verlag (Edition Werke der Weltliteratur)

Da denne boka midt under krigsforvirringen kom ut i Frankrike i 1916, slo den ned som en bombe i fransk offentlighet. Presteskapet og den etablerte offentligheten reagerte med å karakterisere innholdet som landsforræderi og et forsøk på å demoralisere soldatene. Men soldatene i skyttergravene på begge sider av fronten kjente seg godt igjen i beskrivelsene. Den intellektuelle verden var i sjokk. Langsomt ble det akseptert at det her forelå et litterært mesterverk. Boka mottok da også den prestisjetunge Goncourt-prisen. Med sin konkrete, ærlige og skånselsløst realistiske beskrivelse av skyttergravskrigens hverdag har boka stått fram som enestående helt til i dag. Boka ble umiddelbart oversatt til de fleste kulturspråk, men inntil denne utgaven har ikke norsk vært et av disse. 11. november 1918 klokka 11:00 stilnet våpnene i Europa. På slagmarkene hadde krigen etterlatt seg 10 millioner døde soldater, ytterligere 7 millioner var skadet for livet og ytterligere 15 millioner soldater hadde det som ble karakterisert som alvorlige skader. Boka er oversatt av Bernt Knut Tornaas.