Ernst Jünger ( 29 March 1895 – 17 Feb 1998) was a highly decorated Imperial German soldier, author, and entomologist who became publicly known for his World War I memoir, Storm of Steel. The son of a successful businessman and chemist, Jünger rebelled against an affluent upbringing and briefly served in the French Foreign Legion, an illegal act. Due to his father's efforts, Jünger was able to enlist in the German Army on the outbreak of World War I in 1914. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite, a rare decoration for one of his rank. He wrote against liberal values and democracy, but rejected advances of the rising Nazis. His writings about the impact of materialism in modern society were widely seen as conservative rather than radical nationalist, and his philosophical works came to be highly regarded in mainstream German circles. Less