The Seventh Cross
Shortly after Remarque in June 1946 learned of the death Elfriede Scholz, his youngest sister, who had been beheaded after a trial of the People's Court in 1943, he began work on the novel, which he had dedicated to her. The novel is based on the books and conversations with survivors, such as Edgar Kupfer and Toto Koopman. Among the books were Willi Bredel's "The Trial", the novel "The Seventh Cross" by Anna Seghers, and the analysis "The SS-State," written by Eugen Kogon, which Remarque did not read until 1950. In addition, he was motivated by the lack of denazification and reassessment of history in postwar of Germany and Austria. The idea and details dragged on until 1950, because he lacked materials and had to rely on information from third parties. He had to restart the novel three times, and contracts with publishers had to be rewritten. Against his inner conviction as an authentic author, Remarque felt himself compelled to explain his project in various prefaces and drafts.