Fritz Koehne (Pacifica): Difference between revisions

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| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1922|08|17|df=yes}}
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1922|08|17|df=yes}}
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1999|12|22|1922|08|17|df=yes}}
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1999|12|22|1922|08|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Wuppertal (Pacifica)|Wuppertal]], [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Empire]]
| birth_place  = [[Crossen an der Salzach (Pacifica)|Crossen an der Salzach]], [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Empire]]
| death_place  = [[Karlsdorf (Pacifica)|Karlsdorf]], [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Empire]]
| death_place  = [[Karlsdorf (Pacifica)|Karlsdorf]], [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Empire]]
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial =
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| rank          = Major   
| rank          = Major   
| servicenumber =
| servicenumber =
| unit          =  
| unit          = [[Reichsheer (Pacifica)|Reichsheer]]<br>[[Volunteer Army of the Just King (Pacifica)|FARK]]
| commands      =  
| commands      = [[Kybok Dragoons (Pacifica)|Kybok Dragoons]]<br>[[Pelinese Volunteer Legion (Pacifica)|Pelinese Volunteer Legion]]
| battles      = [[Weissersteiner Civil War (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Civil War]]<br>[[Sallodesian Bush War (Pacifica)|Sallodesian Bush War]]<br>[[Pelinese Civil War (Pacifica)|Pelinese Civil War]]<br>[[Cimbrian Civil War (Pacifica)|Cimbrian Civil War]]<br>[[Second Elbonian War of Secession (Pacifica)|Second Elbonian Crisis]]<br>
| battles      = [[Weissersteiner Civil War (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Civil War]]<br>[[Clashonian Civil War (Pacifica)|Clashonian Civil War]]<br>[[Sallodesian Bush War (Pacifica)|Sallodesian Bush War]]<br>[[Pelinese Civil War (Pacifica)|Pelinese Civil War]]<br>[[Cimbrian Civil War (Pacifica)|Cimbrian Civil War]]<br>[[Second Elbonian War of Secession (Pacifica)|Second Elbonian Crisis]]<br>
| battles_label =
| battles_label =
| awards        = <!--2x Iron Cross 1st Class ([[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weisserstein]])-->
| awards        = <!--2x Iron Cross 1st Class ([[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weisserstein]])-->
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| spouse        = [[Fritz Koehne (Pacifica)#Family life|Lara Koehne]] (née Steinhauser)
| spouse        = [[Fritz Koehne (Pacifica)#Family life|Lara Koehne]] (née Steinhauser)
| relations    =  
| relations    =  
| children      = [[Fritz Koehne (Pacifica)#Family life|Robert Koehne]]<br>[[Mekongo Siba (Pacifica)|Mekongo Siba]] (adopted)  
| children      = [[Caspar Koehne (Pacifica)|Caspar Koehne]]<br>[[Robert Koehne (Pacifica)|Robert Koehne]]<br>[[Mekongo Siba (Pacifica)|Mekongo Siba]] (adopted)  
| website      =  
| website      =  
| nickname      = <!--Smiling Death-->
| nickname      = "Smiling Death" <br> "Kybok Koehne"
}}
}}


{{Quote|''"Many see my adopted father as a warmonger, a dishonourable merc or scum. However, I can attest that behind the facade of war, Koehne was a deeply caring man with an enormous heart. A man just like any other."''|Gen. {{Pacifica|Mekongo Siba}} during a Sallodesian interview about his adopted father.}}
{{Quote|''"Many see my adopted father as a warmonger, a dishonourable merc or scum. However, I can attest that behind the facade of war, Koehne was a deeply caring man with an enormous heart. A man just like any other."''|Gen. {{Pacifica|Mekongo Siba}} during a Sallodesian interview about his adopted father.}}


'''Fritz Sebastian Koehne''' (17 August 1922 – 22 December 1999) was a [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner]] soldier, military advisor, paramilitary trainer, and foreign fighter who fought in multiple wars abroad. He was influential in establishing several paramilitary groups abroad (namely the [[Kybok Dragoons (Pacifica)|Kybok Dragoons]] and the [[Pelinese Volunteer Legion (Pacifica)|Pelinese Volunteer Legion]]). This inadvertently made him an important and influential military figure in Weisserstein during the [[Cold War (Pacifica)|Cold War]]. He also adopted [[Sallodesia (Pacifica)|Sallodesian]] General [[Mekongo Siba (Pacifica)|Mekongo Siba]] during his time with the [[Kybok Dragoons (Pacifica)|Kybok Dragoons]] in the [[Sallodesian Bush War (Pacifica)|Sallodesian Bush War]].
'''Fritz Sebastian Koehne''' (17 August 1922 – 22 December 1999), better known by his nicknames '''Kybok Koehne''' or '''Smiling Death''', was a [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner]] soldier, military advisor, paramilitary trainer, and foreign fighter who fought in multiple wars abroad. He was influential in establishing several paramilitary groups abroad (namely the [[Kybok Dragoons (Pacifica)|Kybok Dragoons]] and the [[Pelinese Volunteer Legion (Pacifica)|Pelinese Volunteer Legion]]). This inadvertently made him an important and influential military figure in Weisserstein during the [[Cold War (Pacifica)|Cold War]]. He also adopted [[Sallodesia (Pacifica)|Sallodesian]] General [[Mekongo Siba (Pacifica)|Mekongo Siba]] during his time with the [[Kybok Dragoons (Pacifica)|Kybok Dragoons]] in the [[Sallodesian Bush War (Pacifica)|Sallodesian Bush War]].


== Early life==
== Early life==
Koehne was born in Rossen an der Salzach, [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weisserstein]], on 17 August 1922. His father was a former soldier of the Weissersteiner 7th Army during the [[War of 1919 (Pacifica)|War of 1919]]. This would affect Koehne in his interest with military-related topics.  
Koehne was born in [[Crossen an der Salzach (Pacifica)|Crossen an der Salzach]], [[Weisserstein (Pacifica)|Weisserstein]], in 1922. His father served in the [[Reichswehr (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Reichswehr's]] [[7th Army (Weisserstein) (Pacifica)|7th Army]] during the [[War of 1919 (Pacifica)|War of 1919]]. This would affect Koehne in his interest with military-related topics. At the age of eight, his family moved to the city of [[Lindenburg (Pacifica)|Lindenburg]]. He enrolled to a boarding school there and then commenced training for accountancy. He also joined the [[Landwehr (Pacifica)|Landwehr]], the reserve component of the Weissersteiner Reichswehr. In 1928, his sister, Marja, was born. It was also around this time he met [[Friedrich Josef von Lettow-Ermhau (Pacifica)|Friedrich Josef von Lettow-Ermhau]], who would later become one of the main patrons of the formation of the [[United Crabryan Duchy (Pacifica)|United Crabryan Duchy]], and [[Alois Auernheimer (Pacifica)|Alois Auernheimer]], a writer who would later wrote Koehne's biography ''Kybok Koehne - The Biography of Fritz Sebastian Koehne''.  


===Weissersteiner Civil War===
===Weissersteiner Civil War===
Koehne's service into the Landwehr would eventually led to him seeing action during the [[Weissersteiner Civil War (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Civil War]], and he joined the Reichswehr at the age of 18. He fought during the [[Siege of Lindenburg (Pacifica)|Siege of Lindenburg]] against both [[Straßrist Party (Pacifica)|Straßrist]] and [[Weissersteiner Communist Party (Pacifica)|communist]] forces. During the engagement, Marja would be killed during an assault by communist soldiers in the city's eastern districts, his mother died from an artillery blast, and his father was seen executed by a Straßrist firing squad. This was said to have caused Koehne to fall into a deep state of depression, which, according to his friends, eventually morphed into hatred for fascists, communists, and other enemies of the state.


====Siege of Wuppertal====
[[File:Koehne as a Reichswehr soldier.png|190px|thumb|left|Koehne during the Battle of Kroßrau, December 1944]]
On the evening of 2 July, [[Strasserism (Pacifica)|Straßrist]] forces would occupy the small village of Unterstadt, 7 km from Wuppertal. By 3 July, Strasserist forces began engaging the Reichswehr in the western districts. This would be followed by a communist attack on the eastern districts of the city, effectively encircling Wuppertal from all sides except the north.


Maria would be killed during a firefight between the Reichswehr and communist forces on 12 November, which was witnessed by Fritz. This was said to have caused Koehne to fall into a deep state of depression, which, according to his father, eventually morphed into hatred for fascists, communists, and other enemies of the state.
In 1944, the siege was lifted following the Reichswehr's [[Operation Blauhan (Pacifica)|liberation of the city]]. For his efforts in the fighting, Koehne received an [[Iron Cross, second class (Pacifica)|Iron Cross, second class]], which would become an iconic trademark of his throughout the Cold War. Koehne would later also partook in other battles throughout the war, such as the battles of [[Battle of Crossen an der Salzach (Pacifica)|Crossen an der Salzach]], [[Battle of Zeltbirge (Pacifica)|Zeltbirge]], [[Operation Crossrow (Pacifica)|Illmundigen]], [[Operation Crossrow (Pacifica)|Gladenborn]], and [[Battle of Crossrow (Pacifica)|Kroßrau]]. For his service during the war, he was promoted to ''Oberleutnant'' in January 1945.


Fritz would join the local [[Volkswehr (Pacifica)|Volkswehr]] during this period, which was a local self-defense force made by the city's inhabitants. The unit was eventually absorbed into the Reichswehr following the liberation of the city in 1944. He was promoted to a lieutenant following the liberation of the towns of Unterstadt and [[Lichtfurt am Rhein, Lowenia (Pacifica)|Lichtfurt am Rhein]], which he played a key role in. For his service throughout the conflict, he would receive an [[Iron Cross, second class (Pacifica)|Iron Cross, second class]], which would become an iconic trademark of his throughout the Cold War.
=== Post-Civil War ===
Following the end of the Weissersteiner Civil War, Koehne completed his training as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1947. He remained as part of the reserve component in the Reichswehr. During the [[Great War (Pacifica)|Great War]], Weisserstein secretly drafted a mobilization plan known as "''[[Fall Leopold (Pacifica)|Fall Leopold]]''" due to fears of the war spilling into Weisserstein. Among the men drafted for the mobilization was Koehne, though ''Fall Leopold'' was never executed. Alois Auernheimer, a writer and close friend of Koehne, noted that Koehne was "personally invested" in the Great War, and that his views had been "extremely radicalized" from the Civil War.


====Lindenau, Kurzweise, and Rotterstadt====
=== Involvement in the Clashonian Civil War ===
Koehne would partake in the [[Third battle of Lindenau (Pacifica)|third battle of Lindenau]], which would end in a decisive Imperial victory and prove to be a major blow for the communist forces, as Lindenau was the last major city on their grip. The fall of Lindenau saw the capture of the leadership of the [[Weissersteiner Soviet Republic (Pacifica)|Weissersteiner Soviet Republic]], namely the [[Weissersteiner Soviet Republic (Pacifica)#Leadership|state president of the republic]] and [[Communist party of Weisserstein (Pacifica)|general-secretary of the KPW]] [[Karl Liebknecht (Pacifica)|Karl Liebknecht]].
Koehne would secretly join as part of the [[Volunteer Army of the Just King (Pacifica)|Volunteer Army of the Just King]] during the [[Clashonian Civil War (Pacifica)|Clashonian Civil War]]. Auernheimer stated in Koehne's biography that this was due to the Weissersteiner and Clashonian monarchies being "in the same boat", surrounded by radicals and anti-monarchists. His time in the service of [[Volunteer Army of the Just King (Pacifica)|FARK]] ended following the victory of [[Baldéwin Šummaker (Pacifica)|General Šummaker's]] [[Second Clashonian Republic (Pacifica)|Second Clashonian Republic]]. According to Auernheimer, Koehne maintained close relations with members of the Clashonian monarchist movement, and especially members of FARK.


He would also partake in the [[Second battle of Kurzweise (Pacifica)|liberation of Kurzweise]] and [[Battle of Rotterstadt (Pacifica)|Rotterstadt]] in May 1945, both of which were major Strasserist strongholds in Lowenia. The [[Operation Crossbow (Pacifica)|offensive]] was considered key in securing Imperial victory in Lowenia, and eventually the entirety of Weisserstein.
==Cold War activities==
 
[[File:Koehne as a Reichswehr soldier.png|190px|thumb|Koehne during the Battle of Rotterstadt, May 1945]]
 
====Battle of Brandenburg====
Following the fall of Kurzeise and Rotterstadt, Strasserist forces found themselves surrounded in Brandenburg. The leadership of the [[Strasserist party (Pacifica)|Strasserist party]], namely [[Georg Strasser (Pacifica)|Georg Strasser]] and [[Martin Heusmann (Pacifica)|Martin Heusmann]].
==Cold War activities and the Black Reichswehr==


===Sallodesian Bush War===
===Sallodesian Bush War===
 
- Tasked with helping Sallodesia against commies, organized the Imperial Kybok Dragoons with fellow Reichswehr officer X -[[File:Koehne in Sallodesia, 1964.jpg|190px|thumb|Koehne in Sallodesia, August 1964]]
[[File:Koehne in Sallodesia, 1964.jpg|190px|thumb|Koehne in Sallodesia, August 1964]]


===Pelinese Civil War===
===Pelinese Civil War===
- Formed the PVL without informing the Imperial Crown. Entered into a fight with Reichswehr command and was discharged in 1979. Reinstated into the Reichswehr in 1980 -


===Cimbrian Civil War===
===Cimbrian Civil War===
- Helped organized effort of monarchists and Christians in Cimbria, this time working under the supervision of General Y -


===Second Elbonian Crisis===
===Elbonian Crisis===
- Gave strategic support to Landweer forces during the crisis -


==Retirement and death==
==Retirement and death==
In 1995, at the age of 73, Koehne retired from the Reichswehr, claiming that he finally felt "satisfied" in where he was at life. Koehne would spend his final years touring Weisserstein, Sugovia, Clashonia, and other nations throughout Pacifica, whilst maintaining contact with his close confidants in both the Reichswehr and elsewhere. He visited Sallodesia and Pelinai after his involvements in their conflicts in 1996 and 1997 respectively. The latter would be his final overseas visit before he was hospitalized in September.
In September 1997, Koehne was rushed to the Prince Leonhard hospital in Karlsdorf following a heart attack. He stayed there until December 1999, when he passed away. He was buried in the Lindenburg Soldier's Memorial in January, surrounded by many of his comrades who died during the Siege of Lindenburg.


==Family life==
==Family life==
Koehne married Lara Koehne (''née'' Steinhauser) in 1956 and had two children, [[Caspar Koehne (Pacifica)|Caspar]] (1958) and [[Robert Koehne (writer) (Pacifica)|Robert]] (1960). During his time in Sallodesia, he also adopted orphan [[Mekongo Siba (Pacifica)|Mekongo Siba]], who's parents died during the Bush War. Koehne's reasoning for the adoption was that Siba was "almost like me, who lost everything to demagogues" and sought to fill in a father figure role for Siba.
Caspar would join the Weissersteiner Reichswehr and served as a captain during the 1994 Clashonian War. Robert, despite his upbringing, took up writing as a hobby before eventually becoming a professional writer with the release of his first book ''Das Seeboot'' in 1984. Robert would author two books about his father, the first was his father's journal during his services in Sallodesia, Pelinai, Cimbria, and more, with additional commentary and context from Robert. It was released under the title ''War Journal of an International Soldier''. His second work was released under the title of ''My Father was a Mercenary(?),'' which debunked many accusations that was given to Koehne throughout his Cold War career and was a follow-up commentary to his previous book. Both books received critical acclaim, though many also criticized the book for its biased depictions of Koehne. Siba, his adoptive son, would join him in his endeavors in Pelinai and Cimbria, and eventually became a general of the Sallodesian military.
Koehne continued to work as an accountant between 1947 and 1960, with a small gap between 1950 and 1953. His favorite hobby was hunting, especially after his time in Sallodesia.


== In popular culture ==
== In popular culture ==

Latest revision as of 11:47, 16 April 2024

Fritz Sebastian Koehne
Nickname(s)"Smiling Death"
"Kybok Koehne"
Born(1922-08-17)17 August 1922
Crossen an der Salzach, Weissersteiner Empire
Died22 December 1999(1999-12-22) (aged 77)
Karlsdorf, Weissersteiner Empire
Allegiance Weisserstein
RankMajor
UnitReichsheer
FARK
Commands heldKybok Dragoons
Pelinese Volunteer Legion
Battles/warsWeissersteiner Civil War
Clashonian Civil War
Sallodesian Bush War
Pelinese Civil War
Cimbrian Civil War
Second Elbonian Crisis
Spouse(s)Lara Koehne (née Steinhauser)
ChildrenCaspar Koehne
Robert Koehne
Mekongo Siba (adopted)
"Many see my adopted father as a warmonger, a dishonourable merc or scum. However, I can attest that behind the facade of war, Koehne was a deeply caring man with an enormous heart. A man just like any other."
—Gen. Mekongo Siba during a Sallodesian interview about his adopted father.

Fritz Sebastian Koehne (17 August 1922 – 22 December 1999), better known by his nicknames Kybok Koehne or Smiling Death, was a Weissersteiner soldier, military advisor, paramilitary trainer, and foreign fighter who fought in multiple wars abroad. He was influential in establishing several paramilitary groups abroad (namely the Kybok Dragoons and the Pelinese Volunteer Legion). This inadvertently made him an important and influential military figure in Weisserstein during the Cold War. He also adopted Sallodesian General Mekongo Siba during his time with the Kybok Dragoons in the Sallodesian Bush War.

Early life

Koehne was born in Crossen an der Salzach, Weisserstein, in 1922. His father served in the Weissersteiner Reichswehr's 7th Army during the War of 1919. This would affect Koehne in his interest with military-related topics. At the age of eight, his family moved to the city of Lindenburg. He enrolled to a boarding school there and then commenced training for accountancy. He also joined the Landwehr, the reserve component of the Weissersteiner Reichswehr. In 1928, his sister, Marja, was born. It was also around this time he met Friedrich Josef von Lettow-Ermhau, who would later become one of the main patrons of the formation of the United Crabryan Duchy, and Alois Auernheimer, a writer who would later wrote Koehne's biography Kybok Koehne - The Biography of Fritz Sebastian Koehne.

Weissersteiner Civil War

Koehne's service into the Landwehr would eventually led to him seeing action during the Weissersteiner Civil War, and he joined the Reichswehr at the age of 18. He fought during the Siege of Lindenburg against both Straßrist and communist forces. During the engagement, Marja would be killed during an assault by communist soldiers in the city's eastern districts, his mother died from an artillery blast, and his father was seen executed by a Straßrist firing squad. This was said to have caused Koehne to fall into a deep state of depression, which, according to his friends, eventually morphed into hatred for fascists, communists, and other enemies of the state.

Koehne during the Battle of Kroßrau, December 1944

In 1944, the siege was lifted following the Reichswehr's liberation of the city. For his efforts in the fighting, Koehne received an Iron Cross, second class, which would become an iconic trademark of his throughout the Cold War. Koehne would later also partook in other battles throughout the war, such as the battles of Crossen an der Salzach, Zeltbirge, Illmundigen, Gladenborn, and Kroßrau. For his service during the war, he was promoted to Oberleutnant in January 1945.

Post-Civil War

Following the end of the Weissersteiner Civil War, Koehne completed his training as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1947. He remained as part of the reserve component in the Reichswehr. During the Great War, Weisserstein secretly drafted a mobilization plan known as "Fall Leopold" due to fears of the war spilling into Weisserstein. Among the men drafted for the mobilization was Koehne, though Fall Leopold was never executed. Alois Auernheimer, a writer and close friend of Koehne, noted that Koehne was "personally invested" in the Great War, and that his views had been "extremely radicalized" from the Civil War.

Involvement in the Clashonian Civil War

Koehne would secretly join as part of the Volunteer Army of the Just King during the Clashonian Civil War. Auernheimer stated in Koehne's biography that this was due to the Weissersteiner and Clashonian monarchies being "in the same boat", surrounded by radicals and anti-monarchists. His time in the service of FARK ended following the victory of General Šummaker's Second Clashonian Republic. According to Auernheimer, Koehne maintained close relations with members of the Clashonian monarchist movement, and especially members of FARK.

Cold War activities

Sallodesian Bush War

- Tasked with helping Sallodesia against commies, organized the Imperial Kybok Dragoons with fellow Reichswehr officer X -

Koehne in Sallodesia, August 1964

Pelinese Civil War

- Formed the PVL without informing the Imperial Crown. Entered into a fight with Reichswehr command and was discharged in 1979. Reinstated into the Reichswehr in 1980 -

Cimbrian Civil War

- Helped organized effort of monarchists and Christians in Cimbria, this time working under the supervision of General Y -

Elbonian Crisis

- Gave strategic support to Landweer forces during the crisis -

Retirement and death

In 1995, at the age of 73, Koehne retired from the Reichswehr, claiming that he finally felt "satisfied" in where he was at life. Koehne would spend his final years touring Weisserstein, Sugovia, Clashonia, and other nations throughout Pacifica, whilst maintaining contact with his close confidants in both the Reichswehr and elsewhere. He visited Sallodesia and Pelinai after his involvements in their conflicts in 1996 and 1997 respectively. The latter would be his final overseas visit before he was hospitalized in September.

In September 1997, Koehne was rushed to the Prince Leonhard hospital in Karlsdorf following a heart attack. He stayed there until December 1999, when he passed away. He was buried in the Lindenburg Soldier's Memorial in January, surrounded by many of his comrades who died during the Siege of Lindenburg.

Family life

Koehne married Lara Koehne (née Steinhauser) in 1956 and had two children, Caspar (1958) and Robert (1960). During his time in Sallodesia, he also adopted orphan Mekongo Siba, who's parents died during the Bush War. Koehne's reasoning for the adoption was that Siba was "almost like me, who lost everything to demagogues" and sought to fill in a father figure role for Siba.

Caspar would join the Weissersteiner Reichswehr and served as a captain during the 1994 Clashonian War. Robert, despite his upbringing, took up writing as a hobby before eventually becoming a professional writer with the release of his first book Das Seeboot in 1984. Robert would author two books about his father, the first was his father's journal during his services in Sallodesia, Pelinai, Cimbria, and more, with additional commentary and context from Robert. It was released under the title War Journal of an International Soldier. His second work was released under the title of My Father was a Mercenary(?), which debunked many accusations that was given to Koehne throughout his Cold War career and was a follow-up commentary to his previous book. Both books received critical acclaim, though many also criticized the book for its biased depictions of Koehne. Siba, his adoptive son, would join him in his endeavors in Pelinai and Cimbria, and eventually became a general of the Sallodesian military.

Koehne continued to work as an accountant between 1947 and 1960, with a small gap between 1950 and 1953. His favorite hobby was hunting, especially after his time in Sallodesia.

In popular culture