| Dec 9, 2011 3:21:07 GMT -5 |
Post by thatotherguy on Dec 9, 2011 3:21:07 GMT -5
LUDWIG GERMANY BEILSCHMIDT
"was a long and dark decemeber, from the roof tops I remember there was snow"
"was a long and dark decemeber, from the roof tops I remember there was snow"
I Feel Like We're Summoning The Devil
Nickname/Alias: Ludi, West, Doitsu, Potato bastard,
Gender: Male.
Character Type: Country.
Country or Country of Origin: Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany).
Canon or Original: Original.
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When I look into all of your stupid faces
I think how fun it will be to pound them into dust
Hair: Light blonde.
Height and Weight: 180 cm (5'11"), 80.29 kg (177 lbs).
Other Distinguishing Features: While Ludwig doesn't have any especially unusual or unique attributes to his appearance, his eyes are probably his most attention-getting feature: they are a very vivid shade of light blue, and are usually keenly narrowed in focus.
Overall Appearance:
Ludwig is not a small person; standing at a height of 5'11", he has a well built body and sharp, defining features that often give him a rough and sturdy atmosphere. His hair is very often - if not always - slicked back with copious amounts of hair gel. The only time he ever really leaves it loose is when he is going to bed or is simply out of hair gel completely.
When it comes to clothing, Ludwig favors more simple, modern styles, and although he isn't too picky about what he wears, he always dresses tidily. Dirty or torn clothes are not acceptable, and he seldom wears anything uncomfortable or needless (the Eisernes Kreuz he sports on a silver chain around his neck being the one notable exception). Additionally, he's always preferred darker colors; as the Holy Roman Empire, he often sported a dark tunic and cape, as well as a large gold-trimmed hat.
The iconic green uniform he is often seen in as an adult is likely that of a Waffen SS member, although the darker cuffs indicate that it could also be a Schutzpolizei uniform. Aside from his Iron Cross, Ludwig wears no military decorations or indication of rank on this uniform.
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Man up or I'll beat you with my peace prize!
→ Cleaning.
It is safe to say that Ludwig is a bit of neat freak. Any form of uncleanliness distracts him tremendously --- so much so that he'll stop entire conversations in order to clear up a mess. "One can not work efficiently in messy surroundings!"
→ Dogs.
They are, and always will be, Ludwig's favorite animal. Dogs are loyal, brave and hardworking! They never complain and always do what they're told. In short, they are the perfect companion!
→ Festivals.
Surprisingly, yes! Even though Ludwig doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would engage in such frivolity, there's nothing he loves more than a good old fashioned festival to raise his spirits.
→ Music.
Although Ludwig holds no talent for an instrument himself, he does enjoy listening to music, especially classical pieces that originated from his country.
→ Reading.
While he reads a lot of nonfiction (and manuals, if those count), he's actually quite fond of fictional stories too.
→ Beer.
On a scale of one to wunderbar, beer is pretty much at the top. Oktoberfest, ja?
→ Engineering.
Efficiency and determination are both key traits when it comes to being an engineer - both of which he has. He takes pride in his ingenuity and enjoys fiddling with old car engines in his spare time.
→ Prussia.
His older brother can be a little... difficult at times, but after having been raised and cared for by him, there is no denying their bond is tight.
→ Potatoes.
"Und they must always be mashed! Always!"
→ Wurst, Wurst, Wurst and Wurst.
Did I mention wurst?
→ Pornography.
It's true. "WHAT?! I would never-! I'm-! How dare you even suggest-! LIES!"
Dislikes:
→ Disorder.
There is nothing Ludwig hates more than disorder. It's messy, uncivilized and very often leads to disaster if it isn't taken under control quickly. Luckily, being the intimidating figure that he is, such chaotic situations can easily be tamed; all he has to do is raise his voice a little!
→ Inefficiency.
"Efficiency equals productivity and productivity is key! Got it?!"
→ Cowards.
He can understand being afraid - even he has felt fear - but those who are perceptually terrified and won't do anything about it annoy him greatly.
→ Laziness.
Laziness has always baffled Ludwig to no ends; how can Italy spend all day sleeping when there is work to be done?! Whatever the reason, he's 99.9% sure he doesn't like it.
→ Messiness.
Both in a physical and metaphorical sense; a cluttered mind is just as pesky as a cluttered kitchen.
→ Bullying.
It's sickening to think how easily the strong pick on the weak without so much as a word to stop them. Ludwig detests bullying and it's something he strives to avoid at all costs - he is many things, but a bully isn't one of them.
→ Reminders of his past.
Yes, he did some awful things. He knows this all too well. There is no need to go around pestering him about it.
→ Breaking the rules.
"Rules are there for a reason!"
→ Fighting.
Despite being an extremely well-built and powerful young man, Ludwig does not enjoy fighting; rather he has been forced into doing so by some cruel hand of fate.The truth is, like most nations, he detests violence of all kinds and would rather the world be at peace instead of war.
Strengths:
[+] Physical fitness.
Ludwig is physically built: he has broad shoulders and a well-defined muscular physique, the result of decades of daily exercise and training. This is his biggest strength (haha, I'm punny) and is the one he utilizes most often in combat.
[+] Leadership.
Unafraid to take control of the situation, Ludwig is a born leader, but is perhaps a little too intense and demanding to be considered a good one.
[+] Intelligence.
What? Did you think he was all brawn and no brain? Quite the opposite in fact; Ludwig is an extremely intellectual individual, although he thinks he has dumbed down considerably after prolonged exposure to his peers..
[+] Loyalty / Bravery.
Whether it be out on the battlefield or within a G8 conference room, Ludwig is unflinching in the face of adversary and never backs down, not even when the situation at hand seems far out of his control. Truly, he is a noble friend and powerful Allie to be had.
[+] Organised.
Because someone has to be!
Weaknesses:
[-] Insecure.
You'd never guess it, but on the inside Ludwig is just a big bundle of Germanic nerves. Why do you think he's so obsessed about order and things being 'how they should be'? Without these little reassurances in his life he feels extremely vulnerable, which in turn scares the daylight out of him. A true solider never shows his fear, and Ludwig considers himself to be just that.
[-] Failure.
Being the stubborn old fool that he is, he believes that everything he attempts can be achieved and that failure is just another enemy for him to knock down. He likes to think that he's setting a good example for others, but the high standards that he demands are nearly impossible to meet, so really all he's doing is pushing his friends further away...
[-] Intimidating.
Most of the time this is a plus, but when social interaction is actually required things can get a little awkward. He's one scary dude.
[-] Isolation.
As much as he enjoys being on his own, Ludwig could never imagine himself living in solitude indefinitely. He likes the company of others, even if he doesn't outwardly show it.
[-] Alcohol.
When stressed or angered then it's not uncommon for Ludwig to have a relaxing beer or two with his brother.... And then maybe a third. And a fourth. And perhaps a fifth. You can see where this is going.
[-] Cats.
He has always been a dog person.
Fears:
→ A repeat of the past.
Elements of the ideology he maintained throughout the Second World War still exist not only in Germany but throughout the world, and despite his best efforts to eliminate them, he's actually quite afraid that they might some day gain back power.
→ Seperation.
The reunification happened so recently that even if this is a somewhat irrational fear, it's a very strong one in his mind; he dreads being split in two again.
Secrets:
→ While he absolutely doesn't miss the fear or violence of World War II, he does sort of miss that feeling of standing on top of the world and letting nobody get in his way of what he wanted.
→ He is a surprisingly good singer, though he would never let anyone catch him actually singing.
→ Probably from reading so many fairy tales as a child, he actually does have quite a big imagination. He just chooses not to use it frivolously most of the time.
Any Quirks/Habits:
→ He likes to give food, and sometimes shelter, to stray animals that wander near his house.
→ When Switzerland speaks German, he very rarely understands what he's actually saying. Not that he'd ever tell him that, of course...
→ It takes a lot for him to get drunk, though when he does he's easy-going and laughs at even the stupidest of jokes.
Overall Personality:
At the most superficial level of observation, Ludwig is a diligent and hard-working man who takes it upon himself to make sure that no matter what the situation, everything goes according to plan. He is an undeniably stoic figure with an extremely intimidating aura and a knack at frightening others - but don't let that fool you, for underneath he is a warm and extremely caring (see: mother bear) person who just has a little... difficulty when it comes to expressing emotions.
This is partly because he's so down to earth. Ludwig is ferociously realistic and holds very little thought for imagination, instead opting to set his sights on the now rather than the past or future. He tends to be a pessimist, focusing on what could go wrong instead of right. This comes from his reasonable mind and his tendencies toward self-reliance - Ludwig has difficulty putting faith in other people due to the many times he has been betrayed in the past.
Just as you'd expect from such a stern character, Ludwig possess all the makings of the perfect worker. He's diligent, punctual, productive and efficient, constantly serious even when doing the most trivial of tasks. This attitude contributes to the occasional instances where he overworks or over-stresses himself, although in the proceeding mindset of self-reliance, he will refuse anyone's help, continuing to march stubbornly on without support. However, if it does all become too much, then he won't hesitate in running to the nearest bar and drinking himself blind. Unfortunately, certain, ahem, other Germanic nations love nothing more than exploiting Ludwig's weakness for drinks, the poor man often waking up with a head-splitting hangover and an angry mob outside his window, demanding him to repent for something he doesn't even remember doing.
Alcoholism and veritable strictness aside, it's Ludwig's undying allegiance to his allies which really makes him famous. Those who befriend him can be sure that they have someone to rely on - Ludwig is the sort of man whom never breaks a promise and will always be a support to lean on... for those who deserve it, anyways. Because if there's anything Ludwig hates more then disorder it's moochers. No one should have to care for someone simply because they're too lazy - in his opinion, slacking and mooching should be made illegal by law. Unfortunately, we can't have everything our own way. Although, perhaps this is a good thing in Ludwigs case...
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I'm the hero!
• 800 - Emperor Charlemagne, Frankish ruler of France and Germany, crowned Roman emperor by Pope Leo III.
• 843 - Break-up of Frankish empire; Germany emerges as separate realm.
• 962 - German King Otto I crowned Roman emperor after gaining control of northern Italy; beginning of what became known as Holy Roman Empire centred on Germany.
• 1250 - Death of Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen marks virtual end of central authority and acceleration of empire's collapse into independent princely territories.
• 1438 - Election of Albert I marks beginning of Habsburg dynasty based in Austria.
• 1517 - Martin Luther proclaims Ninety-Five Theses against traditional church practices; start of Protestant split from Catholic Church.
• Early modern Germany
• 1618-1648 Thirty-Years' War: failure of Habsburg emperors' attempt to restore Catholic dominance and imperial authority against opposition of Protestant princes; 1648 Treaty of Westphalia confirms near total independence of territorial states.
• 1806 - Napoleon's armies impose French rule over much of Germany; Francis II declares abolition of Holy Roman Empire and adopts title of emperor of Austria.
• 1813 - Defeat of Napoleon at Battle of Leipzig.
• 1848 - Year of Revolutions; failure of liberals' attempt to unite Germany under democratic constitution; start of period of rapid industrialisation.
• 1871 - Otto von Bismarck achieves unification of Germany under leadership of Prussia; new German Empire's authoritarian constitution creates elected national parliament (Reichstag) but gives Kaiser (emperor) extensive powers.
• 1888 - Start of William II's reign; start of trend towards colonial expansion and build-up of German navy to compete with Britain's; rapid growth of Germany's economic power.
• 1890 - Growing workers' movement culminates in founding of Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
• 1914-1918 - World War I
• 1918 - Germany defeated, signs armistice. Emperor William II abdicates and goes into exile.
• 1919 - Treaty of Versailles: Germany loses colonies and land to neighbours, pays large-scale reparations.
• Beginning of the Weimar Republic, based on a new constitution. Its early years are marked by high unemployment and rampant inflation.
• 1923 - Adolf Hitler, head of the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party, leads an abortive coup in a Munich beer hall.
• France, Belgium occupy the Ruhr over failed reparation payments. Hyperinflation leads to economic collapse.
• 1924 - Hitler writes Mein Kampf - "My Struggle" - in prison.
• 1929 - Global depression, mass unemployment.
• Third Reich
• 1933 - Hitler becomes chancellor. Weimar Republic gives way to a one-party state. Systematic persecution of Germany's Jews escalates. Hitler proclaims the Third Reich in 1934.
• 1935 - Germany begins to re-arm. Nuremberg Laws deprive German Jews of citizenship.
• 1936 - Berlin Olympics.
• 1938 - Annexation of Austria and Sudetenland.
• Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) sees orchestrated attacks on Jews and their property as well as synagogues.
• 1939-1945 - Invasion of Poland triggers World War II.
• Millions of people of all ages, mostly Jews but also large numbers of Gypsies, Slavs and other races, the disabled and homosexuals, die in the Holocaust as the Nazis implement an extermination policy in the death camps of eastern Europe.
Ludwig finds himself lulled into the Nazi beliefs and remains oblivious to the slaughter transpiring in the camps. In later years, he will detest himself for his naivety.
• 1945 - German army defeated. Allies divide Germany into occupation zones. Ludwig is kept prisoner his own home and is bed-ridden at the pain of losing a war and the thought of what he has done.
• 1945-1946 - Nuremberg war crimes trials.
• Divided country.
• 1949 - Germany is divided. The US, French and British zones in the west become the Federal Republic of Germany; the Soviet zone in the east becomes the communist German Democratic Republic.
• Konrad Adenauer, of the Christian Democrats (CDU) is West Germany's first chancellor. East Germany is led by Walter Ulbricht.
• 1950s - Start of rapid economic growth in West Germany.
• 1955 - West Germany joins Nato; East Germany joins the Warsaw Pact.
• 1957 - West Germany joins the European Economic Community.
• 1961 - Construction of the Berlin Wall.
• 1968 - East German constitution declares unification impossible until the West becames socialist.
• 1969 - Social Democrat (SPD) Willy Brandt becomes chancellor and seeks better ties with the Soviet Union and East Germany.
• 1971 - Walter Ulbricht is succeeded in East by Erich Honecker.
• 1973 - East and West Germany join the UN.
• 1974 - Brandt resigns after spy revelations surrounding one of his aides. New Chancellor Helmut Schmidt continues Brandt's "Ostpolitik" (eastern policies).
• Wall tumbles
• 1982 - Christian Democrat Helmut Kohl becomes chancellor.
• 1987 - East German leader Erich Honecker pays a first official visit to West.
• 1989 - Mass exodus of East Germans as Soviet bloc countries relax travel restrictions.
• Berlin Wall is torn down. Ludwig is finally united with his brother after nearly thirty years.
• 1990 - Kohl leads a reunified Germany.
• 1991 - Parliament names Berlin the new capital.
• 1992 - Erich Honecker is brought back to Berlin from Moscow to face political charges.
• 1993 - Germany joins the Maastricht Treaty on European union.
• 1994 - Honecker dies. Kohl re-elected.
• Constitutional court rules that German troops can participate in UN peacekeeping operations outside Nato.
• Russian and Allied troops finally leave Berlin.
• Schroeder years
• 1998 - General election victory for SPD leader Gerhard Schroeder leads to "Red-Green coalition" with the Green Party.
• Kohl replaced as CDU leader by Wolfgang Schaeuble.
• Government and industry announce compensation fund for former slave workers under Nazis.
• 2000 January/April - CDU party funding scandal. Kohl resigns as honorary party chairman after he admits illegally accepting thousands of dollars in party contributions. Party leader Schaeuble resigns over his handling of the scandal. Angela Merkel takes over.
• 2001 March - European Court of Human Rights rules that three former East German Communist leaders should serve jail terms for sanctioning a policy of shooting would-be escapees at the Berlin Wall. The Court said that the men - among them the last East German leader Egon Krenz - had violated international human rights law.
• 2001 June - Government and nuclear industry representatives sign agreement to phase out nuclear energy entirely over next 20 years.
• 2001 November - Chancellor Schroeder survives parliamentary confidence vote over the government's decision to deploy 4,000 troops in the US-led campaign in Afghanistan, Germany's largest deployment outside Europe since World War II.
• 2002 January - Euro replaces Deutsche Mark (DM).
• 2002 March - Government pushes controversial immigration bill through upper house of parliament. It allows a limited number of skilled non-EU workers into the country.
• Former Chancellor Helmut Kohl wins court battle to prevent access to files held on him by the former East German secret police, the Stasi. The ruling also puts out of bounds files on many other people.
• 2002 August - City of Dresden is submerged under floodwater from River Elbe following torrential rain across central Europe. Schroeder says situation is national catastrophe, announces plan to finance repairs by delaying proposed tax cuts.
• Schroeder re-elected
• 2002 September - Schroeder re-elected but with a sharply reduced majority thanks to good showing by his coalition partners, the Greens.
• 2003 March - Constitutional Court decides not to uphold government request to ban neo-Nazi National Democratic Party because of accusations that government informants planted in party ranks had acted as agents provocateurs to discredit it.
• 2004 May - Opposition CDU-backed candidate Horst Koehler, former IMF head, elected president.
• 2004 August/September - Tens of thousands protest in streets, particularly in eastern regions, over government plans to cut unemployment benefit and other welfare and labour reforms.
• 2005 March - Edited East German secret police files on former chancellor Helmut Kohl made available to researchers under certain conditions. Mr Kohl had fought a long legal battle to prevent publication.
• 2005 May - After his party suffers defeat in North Rhein-Westphalia regional election, Chancellor Schroeder announces that he will seek early general elections.
• Parliament ratifies EU constitution.
• 2005 July - President calls early general elections after Chancellor Schroeder deliberately loses a confidence vote in parliament in order to trigger the poll.
• 2005 September - Elections produce very close result. Coalition talks follow.
• 2005 October - Dresden's Frauenkirche reconsecrated 60 years after its destruction by Allied bombers.
• First female chancellor
• 2005 November - Angela Merkel of the CDU becomes chancellor in a "grand coalition" involving the CDU and SPD.
• 2006 July - Parliament approves far-reaching changes to the way in which Germany is governed; the reforms are intended to speed up decision-making.
• 2006 August - Police say two bombs, discovered on regional trains near Cologne at the end of July, were intended to kill large numbers of people. The devices failed to go off.
• 2006 November - Unemployment falls below 4 million for the first time in four years.
• 2008 March - Chancellor Angela Merkel makes historic address to Israeli parliament (Knesset) during a trip marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel. Her address is the first ever given to the Knesset by a German head of government.
• Financial crisis
• 2008 October - Germany agrees a $68bn plan to save one of the country's largest banks, Hypo Real Estate, from collapse.
• European governments pledge up to 1.8 trillion euros as part of co-ordinated plans to shore up their financial sectors, hit hard by the global financial crisis. Germany says it will make as much as 500bn euros available in loan guarantees and capital to bolster the banking system.
• 2008 November - Germany is declared to be officially in recession.
• 2009 February - Parliament approves $63bn stimulus package aimed at shoring up recession-hit economy.
• 2009 August - Figures are released showing that economy grew by 0.3% in last quarter, bringing country out of recession.
• 2009 September - Angela Merkel wins another four years in office as her centre-right alliance (CDU/CSU) secures victory in general election.
• 2009 October - Mrs Merkel's CDU seals coalition deal with pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) after parties reach agreement on major tax cut proposals.
• 2010 - Official data shows the German economy shrank by 5% in 2009, hit by a slump in exports and investment.
• 2010 March - Four Islamists are convicted by a court in Germany of plotting to attack US facilities in the country.
• Eurozone woes
• 2010 May - Germany's parliament votes to approve a 22.4bn euro German contribution to bail out debt-ridden Greece, prompting widespread public anger.
• Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing centre-right coalition suffers a defeat in regional elections in North-Rhine Westphalia, losing its majority in the upper house of parliament.
• 2010 September - Cabinet approves controversial plan to extend lifespan of Germany's nuclear reactors, reversing 2001 decision to phase out nuclear energy by 2021.
• 2011 January - Provisional figures show the economy grew by 3.6% in 2010, its fastest pace since reunification in 1990. Economists attributed the rate to a recovery in exports.
• 2011 March - Setback for Chancellor Angela Merkel as her Christian Democrats lose the key state of Baden-Wuerttemberg after six decades.
• 2011 May - In further u-turn on nuclear power following crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant, German government says all nuclear power plants will be phased out by 2022.
• 2011 June - With German electorate becoming increasingly jittery at prospect of having to fund large part of a second bail-out for Greece, Chancellor Merkel insists that Greek parliament must approve new austerity package to qualify for further EU assistance.
• 2011 December - Looks like the whole of the EU is on the brink of complete financial meltdown. Welp.
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You've got it backwards! Backwards!
Hurry up and throw it! If you don't hurry up and throw it, you'll go "boom"!
There was a package in his hands.
It was small and unimpressive; wrapped tightly in an old newspaper and held together with a ratty piece of string. He hadn't been able to find any proper wrapping materials (not that he had expected to) and Ludwig was slowly starting to wonder if the remains of a German newspaper had been a good choice. The blotched ink words seeped through his fingers, screaming about war and death and conflict and all manner of other things that contradicted heavily with the atmosphere that trickled through the trenches. Instead of machine gun fire and the continual rattle of artillery being used there was laughter and singing and even though there were a few communication difficulties, German and British troops were chatting amiably with one another as if they were good friends rather then sworn enemies who'd been shooting at each other mere days before. In a way, of course, they still were - but not in the sense that you'd expect.
The people here, the ones out on the battlefield, were still just men. They passed around pictures of their families and their lovers back home and they broke down the wall of difference between one another because, in the end, they were normal. Normal people who lived normal lives and who had no choice but to shoot back in an endless game of cat and mouse. Right now, they should have been doing exactly that. Continuing on to fight a fight that had frozen ever since The Battle of Aisne.
Yet here they were.
Standing in the middle of No Man's Land celebrating Christmas not as oponents but as brothers. As comrades.
Ludwig grinned tentatively as he stepped fully out of the trench, rich blue eyes taking in all there was to see. He was pleasantly surprised to spot that someone had erected a small Christmas tree in between the trenches and, while not looking it's healthiest, it offered an arcane glow that could only be described as warm and peaceful. His heart swelled in his chest slightly - once again the 'live and let live' theme was running smoothly as it had been for the last few days. Ever since Christmas Eve there had been the singing of carols and the exchange of food, tobacco and all manner of other souvenirs that seemed a lot more important then they really were. The package in his hands was just that - a small tin of unopened gumdrops. Nothing spectacular, he knew, but Ludwig hoped it would be more the gesture then the actual physical object that counted.
He hadn't spoken to England in a very long time. Truth be told, he wasn't quite sure that he wanted to. The guilt would be too much to handle, and even though he - as a person - was in regret, the mixed (and all too often secret) emotions of his people ran through him as a country, thus causing him to be half supportive and half resistant of the current state of World affairs.
Nodding politely at a few of his peers and the odd British soldier that met his gaze, he calmly walked through the mingling nationalities like a boat through water. Briefly, he paused, embarrassed to be seen wandering around aimlessly like this. He was reasonably high up in the ranks and, while none of his peers knew of his status as a nation, he was generally respected and liked, even if he was known for muttering about the countries under his breath as if they were people.
Breathing out irritably through his nose, Ludwig scanned the crowd hopelessly, wondering if perhaps Arthur was in the barracks rather then outside. However, just as he was about to give up and go to talk with the others, a small crop of blonde hair caught his attention. Aha! Just who he was looking for.
His attention was snagged for the briefest of moments when he caught a glimpse of a match of friendly football that had sparked up, but for the meantime he ignored it and walked up behind the
shorter man, clearing his throat as he did so.
"Ah, Arthur. It's good to see you again."
He spoke in his usual polite tone but it carried warmth and gratitude with it too, not just a sense that Ludwig was trying to make a good impression. Hesitating slightly, his grip tightened on the object in his hand before he offered it out.
"And...Merry Christmas."
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I Summon thee from far away lands, come forth!
You called?
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