All Quiet on the Western Front - Ending Explained

The film diverges significantly from the book in its final act. After surviving years of hell, Paul and Kat are the last remaining members of their group. In the days leading up to the armistice, Kat is shot by a young boy while stealing food from a farm and dies of his wound while Paul carries him to safety. Broken and alone, Paul is ordered by General Friedrichs into a final, suicidal attack on the French lines at 10:45 AM on November 11th—just 15 minutes before the ceasefire. Paul fights brutally, killing French soldiers, but is stabbed in the back with a bayonet in a trench. He stumbles out into the light and dies exactly as the clock strikes 11:00 AM and the fighting stops. A young recruit finds his body and retrieves the scarf, but leaves Paul's dog tag, leaving him as just another unknown casualty.

The Ending: Action vs. Nihilism. The film's ending is often debated. The book's ending (Paul dying on a quiet day) suggests that his death is meaningless because it goes unnoticed. The film's ending (dying in a final charge) suggests his death is meaningless because it was preventable and caused by ego.
The Role of Friedrichs. Some interpret General Friedrichs not as a realistic character but as a caricature of the 'Stab-in-the-back' myth's origin—representing the military leadership that would later blame civilians for the loss, setting the stage for WWII.