Stanislaus Katczinsky

Stanislaus Katczinsky, also known as Kat, is the oldest of the main characters. He is almost forty years old, and with his age, brings experience and leadership into the lives of the other young main characters. Kat was the only main character to have a career back home. He was a cobbler. In a way, he represents the differences between the older soldiers and the younger soldiers. This is due to his age, which has given him more time than the other main characters to live a life and have life experiences. Kat is also known to have a sort of sixth sense. He is always able to scavenge up food and supplies even when no one else has any such luck in doing so. Kat is the best friend that Paul, the novels main character and narrator, makes throughout the novel. Kat is also the final friend of Paul’s to die in the novel. Kat becomes wounded in battle, and Paul carries him on his back to safety, only to find out that he perished along the way due to a splinter that struck him in the back of the head. It is Kat’s death which finally breaks Paul. He no longer is concerned whether he lives or dies in the war. He knows he is now alone, and faces the world without any sense of fear.

The experience and leadership that Kat shows throughout the novel is truly remarkable. He is a great leader, and does whatever he can for the rest of the character throughout the novel. He shares heart touching moments with the main characters in the novel, especially Paul. He always provides a positive influence on the battlefield, and is more knowledgeable about battle tactics than anyone else. It is his leadership qualities which make him such a vital character throughout the novel. He is the type of leader that any comrade would want to have, and he is the type of friend that anyone would like to have.