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After his return to Vierzland, Eschau became responsible for military affairs in the empire's [[Tusola|Tusolan]] and [[Oridia|Oridian]] colonies. When the [[1924 economic crisis]] broke out, he, having attained the rank of ''{{wp|Generalfeldmarschall}}'', returned to Vierzland proper and worked to quell civil disobedience against the imperial government. After the abdication of {{wp|Kaiser}} [[Viktor II]] in June 1927, the new emperor [[Alexander II]] tasked Eschau with overthrowing {{wp|socialist}} [[Chancellor of Vierzland|chancellor]] [[Lars Hencke]], culminating in the [[June Putsch]]. The {{wp|coup d'état}} made Eschau {{wp|Acting (law)|acting}} chancellor, and he used his power to centralize state power and repress political dissent. In a bid to combat {{wp|inflation}} and {{wp|unemployment}}, Eschau pursued a policy of ''{{wp|dirigisme}}'', and military spending sharply increased. His {{wp|ideology}} of ''[[Machtstaat]]'', which postulated the idea of a strong central government influenced by {{wp|political catholicism}}, {{wp|national conservatism}}, and {{wp|stratocracy}}, was implemented at all levels of government. In 1931, Eschau made himself ''{{wp|Reichsleiter}}'' and ''{{wp|Reichsmarschall}}'', making him the utmost political and military leader of the empire.
After his return to Vierzland, Eschau became responsible for military affairs in the empire's [[Tusola|Tusolan]] and [[Oridia|Oridian]] colonies. When the [[1924 economic crisis]] broke out, he, having attained the rank of ''{{wp|Generalfeldmarschall}}'', returned to Vierzland proper and worked to quell civil disobedience against the imperial government. After the abdication of {{wp|Kaiser}} [[Viktor II]] in June 1927, the new emperor [[Alexander II]] tasked Eschau with overthrowing {{wp|socialist}} [[Chancellor of Vierzland|chancellor]] [[Lars Hencke]], culminating in the [[June Putsch]]. The {{wp|coup d'état}} made Eschau {{wp|Acting (law)|acting}} chancellor, and he used his power to centralize state power and repress political dissent. In a bid to combat {{wp|inflation}} and {{wp|unemployment}}, Eschau pursued a policy of ''{{wp|dirigisme}}'', and military spending sharply increased. His {{wp|ideology}} of ''[[Machtstaat]]'', which postulated the idea of a strong central government influenced by {{wp|political catholicism}}, {{wp|national conservatism}}, and {{wp|stratocracy}}, was implemented at all levels of government. In 1931, Eschau made himself ''{{wp|Reichsleiter}}'' and ''{{wp|Reichsmarschall}}'', making him the utmost political and military leader of the empire.


In foreign policy, Eschau forged a policy of "direct confrontation" with Vierzland's geopolitical foes. A fierce {{wp|anti-communist}}, he lambasted the {{wp|left-wing}} regimes in power in [[Apelia]], [[Luepola]], and [[Granzery]]. When Luepola [[Invasion of Zacotia|invaded Zacotia]] in 1942, Eschau moved to Zacotia's defense and [[invasion of Luepola|invaded Luepola]], starting the [[Great War (Vasarden)|Great War]]. After a number of initial setbacks, a decisive [[Siege of Kasenberg|battle at Kasenberg]] reversed the tide of the war and Vierzland and [[Allianz (Vasarden)|its allies]] defeated the [[Socialist International Coalition|SIC]] in 1948. During the post-war negotiations, Eschau worked to secure a ''Vierzesraum'' ("Vierz space") in [[Patyria]], which resulted in the creation of pro-Vierz {{wp|client state|client governments}} in Luepola, [[Borland]], [[North Granzery]], [[Vyzinia]], and much of [[Southern Patyria]]. The [[Treaty of Adtrus]] created an uneven and hostile geopolitical situation in Patyria, leading to the dissolution of the ''Allianz'' in April 1949, and the evolution of the so-called "[[Silent War (Vasarden)|Silent War]]" between Vierzland on one side, and [[Tierada]], [[Apelia]], and [[Vonzumier]] on the other. Eschau's death in July 1949 left [[Helmut Bergmann]] as his successor, although the {{wp|military dictatorship}} was eventually dissolved in 1953.  
In foreign policy, Eschau forged a policy of "direct confrontation" with Vierzland's geopolitical foes. A fierce {{wp|anti-communist}}, he lambasted the {{wp|left-wing}} regimes in power in [[Apelia]], [[Luepola]], and [[Granzery]]. When Luepola [[Invasion of Zacotia|invaded Zacotia]] in 1942, Eschau moved to Zacotia's defense and [[invasion of Luepola|invaded Luepola]], starting the [[Great War (Vasarden)|Great War]]. After a number of initial setbacks, a decisive [[Siege of Kasenberg|battle at Kasenberg]] helped reverse the tide of the war and Vierzland and [[Allianz (Vasarden)|its allies]] defeated the [[Socialist International Coalition|SIC]] in 1948. During the post-war negotiations, Eschau worked to secure a ''Vierzesraum'' ("Vierz space") in [[Patyria]], which resulted in the creation of pro-Vierz {{wp|client state|client governments}} in Luepola, [[Borland]], [[North Granzery]], [[Vyzinia]], and much of [[Southern Patyria]]. The [[Treaty of Adtrus]] created an uneven and hostile geopolitical situation in Patyria, leading to the dissolution of the ''Allianz'' in April 1949, and the evolution of the so-called "[[Silent War (Vasarden)|Silent War]]" between Vierzland on one side, and [[Tierada]], [[Apelia]], and [[Vonzumier]] on the other. Eschau's death in July 1949 left [[Helmut Bergmann]] as his successor, although the {{wp|military dictatorship}} was eventually dissolved in 1953.  


Eschau is remembered as one of the most defining characters of the 20th century and in modern world history. His "belligerent" foreign policy is often considered one of the reasons for the start of the Great War, which resulted in the deaths of some 70 to 80 million people. From the time of his rule to the [[Werner Declaration|end of the empire]] in 1990, he was portrayed in an extremely positive light by the imperial government. In modern-day Vierzland, Eschau is seen as a flawed, but generally positive wartime leader who pulled the country out of an economic crisis. Elsewhere, he is criticized for his {{wp|imperialist}} and {{wp|expansionist}} policies which resulted in the subjugation of various Patyrian nations for 40 years.
Eschau is remembered as one of the most defining characters of the 20th century and in modern world history. His "belligerent" foreign policy is often considered one of the reasons for the start of the Great War, which resulted in the deaths of some 70 to 80 million people. From the time of his rule to the [[Werner Declaration|end of the empire]] in 1990, he was portrayed in an extremely positive light by the imperial government. In modern-day Vierzland, Eschau is seen as a flawed, but generally positive wartime leader who pulled the country out of an economic crisis. Elsewhere, he is criticized for his {{wp|imperialist}} and {{wp|expansionist}} policies which resulted in the subjugation of various Patyrian nations for 40 years.

Revision as of 23:13, 23 July 2019

Hermann Eschau
File:Hermann Eschau, 1949.png
1940 photo of Eschau
Reichsleiter of the Vierz Empire
In office
18 July 1931 – 3 July 1949
Preceded byNone (office created)
Succeeded byHelmut Bergmann
Chancellor of the Vierz Empire
In office
15 June 1927 – 3 July 1949
Preceded byLars Hencke
Succeeded byHelmut Bergmann
Personal details
Born
Hermann Luther Eschau

25 August 1875
Niederau, Vonzumier
Died3 July 1949(1949-07-03) (aged 73)
Adtrus, Vierz Empire
Political partyIndependent
Alma materConstantine Imperial War College
Military service
Allegiance Vierz Empire
Branch/serviceImperial Vierz Army
Years of service1887–1900
1912–1949
RankReichsmarschall
Battles/warsFrontier War
Great War

Hermann Luther Eschau (25 August 1875 – 3 July 1949) was a Vierz military officer and statesman who led the Vierz Empire from 1927 to his death in 1949. A key figure in world history, he was instrumental in the start of the Great War and the transformation of Vierzland into a military dictatorship after the June Putsch.

Eschau was born in 1875 to a wealthy Vierzblütig family in Niederau, Vonzumier. His childhood occurred after the Vonzumerian Revolutionary War, and he and his loyalist family moved to Vierzland in 1880 to avoid persecution by the new, independent government. In 1877, he enrolled in the Imperial Vierz Army to fulfill his mandatory military service, achieving the rank of Gefreiter before his honorary discharge in 1900. After working for the Ministry of Defense for some years, he enrolled in Constantine Imperial War College to undergo officer training. He led numerous Vierz forces in the Frontier War against Vonzumier in the 1910s, winning multiple engagements despite Vierzland's eventual defeat in 1914. He returned to Vierzland thereafter, considered a war hero.

After his return to Vierzland, Eschau became responsible for military affairs in the empire's Tusolan and Oridian colonies. When the 1924 economic crisis broke out, he, having attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall, returned to Vierzland proper and worked to quell civil disobedience against the imperial government. After the abdication of Kaiser Viktor II in June 1927, the new emperor Alexander II tasked Eschau with overthrowing socialist chancellor Lars Hencke, culminating in the June Putsch. The coup d'état made Eschau acting chancellor, and he used his power to centralize state power and repress political dissent. In a bid to combat inflation and unemployment, Eschau pursued a policy of dirigisme, and military spending sharply increased. His ideology of Machtstaat, which postulated the idea of a strong central government influenced by political catholicism, national conservatism, and stratocracy, was implemented at all levels of government. In 1931, Eschau made himself Reichsleiter and Reichsmarschall, making him the utmost political and military leader of the empire.

In foreign policy, Eschau forged a policy of "direct confrontation" with Vierzland's geopolitical foes. A fierce anti-communist, he lambasted the left-wing regimes in power in Apelia, Luepola, and Granzery. When Luepola invaded Zacotia in 1942, Eschau moved to Zacotia's defense and invaded Luepola, starting the Great War. After a number of initial setbacks, a decisive battle at Kasenberg helped reverse the tide of the war and Vierzland and its allies defeated the SIC in 1948. During the post-war negotiations, Eschau worked to secure a Vierzesraum ("Vierz space") in Patyria, which resulted in the creation of pro-Vierz client governments in Luepola, Borland, North Granzery, Vyzinia, and much of Southern Patyria. The Treaty of Adtrus created an uneven and hostile geopolitical situation in Patyria, leading to the dissolution of the Allianz in April 1949, and the evolution of the so-called "Silent War" between Vierzland on one side, and Tierada, Apelia, and Vonzumier on the other. Eschau's death in July 1949 left Helmut Bergmann as his successor, although the military dictatorship was eventually dissolved in 1953.

Eschau is remembered as one of the most defining characters of the 20th century and in modern world history. His "belligerent" foreign policy is often considered one of the reasons for the start of the Great War, which resulted in the deaths of some 70 to 80 million people. From the time of his rule to the end of the empire in 1990, he was portrayed in an extremely positive light by the imperial government. In modern-day Vierzland, Eschau is seen as a flawed, but generally positive wartime leader who pulled the country out of an economic crisis. Elsewhere, he is criticized for his imperialist and expansionist policies which resulted in the subjugation of various Patyrian nations for 40 years.