Adolf von Holtzendorff

Grand General of Army High Command Adolf Mahrkus Dietrich von Holtzendorff (a.k.a. The Iron Knight, Dangerous Dietrich, von Holtzendorff the Frontline, Red-Eyed War King)

Grand General Adolf Mahrkus Dietrich von Holtzendorff was one of the more affluent members of the Reich's High Command (Oberkommando) during the intermediate years before the Great War, and the ensuring Thirteen Years War that occurred because of it. Toted as a genius in the field of combat, von Holtzendorff never strayed far from his troops, instead choosing to assist them close to the front lines. Serving close to the front lines brings its problems, however, and von Holtzendorff was wounded twice in the Thirteen Years War, but never once leaving his post, even when he came down with pneumonia in 1947. He was awarded both the Purple Cross and the Golden Cross of the Iron Cross after the war ended in 1955 for his efforts.

von Holtzendorff earned the respect of many in the military during the war, both on his own and the enemies. He was nicknamed many things over the course of the war, like the Iron Knight, or Dangerous Dietrich, for doing things no other commander would think to do. For example, his insistence on having his headquarters less than a kilometre and a half away from the front lines garnered the nickname "von Holtzendorff the Frontline" by his men, with Helvana soldiers regularly seeing his visage on the battlefield. They themselves called him the "Red-Eyed War King", because, after the incident where he lost his left eye, most of the blood vessels in his right one had burst, thus reddening his eye.

von Holtzendorff made an impressing figure with how he seemed to tower over everyone else - even with his average height - due in no part thanks to his injuries, as well as the way he held himself in public events. In private venues, however, von Holtzendorff was known to be quite calm and thoughtful but was quite outspoken of the government at the time. He called the current government - a fascist one at the time - a "... pile of dung, that - if I were able to - would wipe from the face of Terra. Given the chance by anyone smart enough, the same would probably also occur.". Even with his closeted outspoken opinion, von Holtzendorff would be a key member of the Wehrmacht up until his retirement in 1980, building up the major focuses of the military - and eventually the navy, alongside Admiral Joel Herrlein - to protect the people of Yytuskia.

After his retirement, political upheaval began to rock the country, von Holtzendorff finally spoke out about the transgressions the government had done to the population over the almost sixty years that it had been in power. While this might have just regularly garnered some bad press, the state of the country picked up on that, causing a fissure to occur in the military between generals and their ideologies. He continued to be a thorn in the governments' side, throwing his vocal support for the democratic wing of the rebellion, before he was called to court, being branded a traitor to the Reich's cause.

von Holtzendorff was tried in late 1984, being sentenced to prison for twenty-five years for dispatching traitor thoughts and supporting the rebellion. von Holtzendorff's conviction caused a bigger fracture to grow within the military, causing many high-ranking generals to break apart from the Reich, offering their support to the rebellion. For this act, von Holtzendorff was once again brought before a court, this time being preceded by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Adam Finke, where he was charged with treason, and sentenced to death by firing squad. An hour before his death, Maximilian Hertel, the Fuhrer, met privately with him. It was there that von Holtzendorff gave a damning statement to Hertel:

"This will be it, Hertel. My death will be the end of it. The death of your reign, your power, your influence. Hell, the death of you even. When I die, for I will die, the people will be up in arms, more then they are now. You don't seem to realize how much influence a war vet can garner, can you? That if men talked well about their Generals, they would tell their children of stories of them, littering their eyes with stars. I may be just a man and may die just a man, but you wait for it, Hertel. My legacy of honour will live, while your life of debauchery and lies will wilt and die."

von Holtzendorff was executed on 1. March 1985 in his full military uniform, and was meant to be cremated. However, rebels seized the transport carrying his body, and brought it to his hometown, burying him there. In 1999, a decade after the civil war ended, Premierfuhrer Alekzander Overnotch exhumed his body, reburying him in Essen-Rostov's Garden of Peace, where he had fought so many years ago, and alongside his old troops.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

At the time of his death, von Holtzendorff would weigh roughly 150 lbs., and be somewhat active in general physical activities. In his final days in prison, he would regularly challenge guards to weight-lifting fights, which - for a sixty-six-year-old - was quite uncommon. He would win hundreds of Reichsmarks this way, often trading it back for food or books.

Facial Features

von Holtzendorff had an average-looking face, where the only major features you could see were the damage done to it during the war. Burn and shrapnel scars littered the left side of his face and neck, crisscrossing across both the bridge of his nose and left eye socket onto the right side of his face. He was usually also seen with an imperial-type mustache, waxed and groomed finely upwards.

Apparel & Accessories

After joining the military, Adolf ordered several sets of his dress uniform and wore them almost every day, taking pride in his national service. This feeling of pride kept going after the war too, where he would constantly be seen in public in full uniform, often reading in cafes, or riding bicycles around Muhlstadt's downtown core.

His uniform was the standard Reich offiziers uniform, with his various medals pinned across his chest. In winter times, he often wore a thick wool coat, as well as wool gloves and an infantry's wool field cap. On his wedding day, in particular, he wore a specially designed, all-white version of his uniform.

Specialized Equipment

After the war ended, von Holtzendorff made a safe practice of carrying an 11mm M.1939 semi-automatic pistol on him at all times. He once used this to ward off a group of muggers, although it was unloaded at the time. He had also been known to carry a small bible on him at all times, and it is thought that this saved his life at the Siege of Essen.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Adolf Mahrkus Dietrich von Holtzendorff was born an only child to a middle-class noble family - the von Holtzendorff's - in the town of Mitterfelden, on 13. August 1919. As the only child, he spent a rather loving family life and usually accompanied his father on visits to the capital to see the Kaiser. On his third visit, he had the rare chance to actually meet the gentleman, where the Kaiser imparted wisdom upon the young child. Knowledge was powerful, and if you were well learned, polite, and consistent, you would do well in life. It was this meeting that young Adolf would constantly refer back to later on in life.

When the Kaiser fell to Maximilian Hertel in 1922, the noble caste was basically abolished; however, most of the population in Mittenfelden respected the von Holtzendorff clan well enough, allowing the family to stay in relative peace. So when young Adolf started to learn about the world around him, he began to voraciously tear into whatever piece of literature and/or learning he could get his hands on, taking the former Kaiser's words about knowledge to heart. He joined the Reich military academy when he turned 18 in 1934, joining the fast-track training program for commisioned officers with plans to be a general just like his grandfather before him.

He joined the army proper in early 1939 as an Oberleutnant, the youngest to do so at twenty-years-old. He was given command of the 131. Infanterie-Division, assigned to Major Mahler at Essen-Rostov at the beginning of 1940, where he spent two years training his troops and getting to know them. On the eve of January 1942, Helvanic troops crossed the border from Rostov into Essen in the beginning stages of what would later become known as the Thirteen Years War. von Holtzendorff made a quick name for himself as being on the frontline where he was responsible for knocking out two enemy tanks with a pair of alcohol bottles he had with him when he was celebrating the New Years.

For the next thirteen years, von Holtzendorff would be stationed at the Seige of Essen-Rostov, fighting alongside his troops as he gradually rose in rank due to the battle. On 17. June 1944, he would be promoted to the rank of Hauptmann, and only two weeks later be promoted to the rank of Major after Mahler's death. In 1949, von Holtzendorff was recalled from the front to attend a promotion ceremony, where he would be promoted to Generalmajor, however, he declined, citing that he would rather be on the lines with his troops. He was injured later that day by enemy mortars. By the time the war ended in 1955, von Holtzendorff had been promoted from an Oberleutnant to Generalleutnant, making him one of the most promoted infantry commanders in the Reich's history.

It was around this time that von Holtzendorff met the love of his life, Jasmin Buchman, and started to court her. By 1956, von Holtzendorff would marry Buchman, and have their first child: Robert.

After the war, von Holtzendorff was put in charge of the 5. Armee, attached to General Cronenberg's Westgruppe, where he worked long and hard turning his mostly unmechanized infantry groups into either motorized and/or mechanized units. He was in charge of 5. Armee until the summer of 1967, where he was promoted to the rank of General and sent to the Oberkommando das Heeres in Muhlstadt and put in charge of modernizing the army. He went at his work with gusto, implementing many changes that he saw fit for the army, such as integrated armour/infantry support, a total mechanization of infantry units, and research into next-generation weaponry.

In the summer of 1968, he was once again promoted, this time to the rank of Grand General of Army High Command, after the previous one died. He would hold this position until his semi-retirement in 1980. He would live until his execution in 1985 and would be survived by his wife, and his two children: Robert and Charlotte.

Sexuality

Heterosexual

Mental Trauma

After and even during the war, Adolf suffered regular night terrors due to the conflict. He would usually stay up extremely late, working on plans for the military, or reading philosophic works, until his exhaustion got to him.

Social

Family Ties

Jasmin Buchman nee Holtzendorff (Deceased) Robert von Holtzendorff Charlotte von Holtzendorff

Religious Views

von Holtzendorff, while not an avid follower of the Holy Order religion, he still had some faith in the following. He was known to celebrate religious days and sometimes partook in religious rites and prayers. Upon his death, he allegedly called out to the Echtkaiser Juna Bach, for safe travel to the afterlife.

Hobbies & Pets

In his spare time, von Holtzendorff was known to be an avid fan of tabletop board games, as well as philosophical literature. He was a particular fan of the Iron War tabletop, which he spent hours with his son playing.

He also, in the later years of his life, owned a dog named Konrad.

by Kisaofbishies

_{von Holtzendorff in 1967, note glass eye and makeup covering his scars}

Species

Human

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Grand General of Army High Command Baron von Holtzendorff

Life

1919 C.E. 1985 C.E. 66 years old

Birthplace

Mitterfelden, Heerhoven-Osterzell

Current Residence

Essen-Rostov's Garden of Peace

Gender

Male

Eyes

Grey, missing left eye

Hair

Icy blond hair, cropped short

Height

5'9" (1.7m)

Weight

150 lbs (68 kgs.)

Quotes & Catchphrases

"If it needs to be, I will gladly die for my troops. They're doing the same thing for me, and for our country, so why should I be the one granted the ability to hide behind our lines, ordering them to their deaths? Because I'm a General? Perish the thought, I'd rather die alongside them in the glory of battle, with honour." - 4. May, 1944, to Admiral zur Zee, Joel Herrlein during the Hossbach Meeting.