All Quiet on the Western Front Scene 5 Summary

  • In the barracks, the soldiers clean their uniforms and complain about Himmelstoss causing them to miss their leave.
  • Everyone wants to give him a smack, but Paul has a plan (which, to everyone's delight, involves smacking him).
  • That night, Himmelstoss walks through the woods while three sheets to the wind.
  • The detachment trips him with rope, covers him with blankets, and spanks him with sabers.
  • They then drop him off in the mud field to crawl his way out.