Kurt Vogel
"Wir halten die Lampen beleuchtet hoch in den Bergen,
bis unsere gefallenen Kameraden zurückgeben."
NameKurt Rudolf Vogel, Stabsoberjäger
GenderMale
Ageeinunddreißig (31)
[ ❇ ] C H A R A C T E R I Z A T I O N
AppearanceKurt Vogel is a dark soul, shown through his appearance. His short jet-black hair, sunken grayed eyes and the ever present five o’clock shadow accentuate his gloomy visage. His slender build deceives others as a weakness, but he has an indescribable quickness that makes up for his slight physique. Physical agility and quickness of wit are his more positive qualities.
He dresses in the uniform of the 2. Gebirgs-Division [2nd Mountain division] which consists of the standard feldgrau (field gray) tunic and trousers as worn by the regular infantry. All Mountain troops wear mountain boots (Bergstieffel), the short-brimmed mountain cap (Bergmutz), and a reversible Windbluse (anorak) with the edelweiss patch on the right arm. Kurt wears the core German field gear (ammunition pouches, canteens, mess kits, first aid kit, etc.).
Personality Kurt Vogel is a professional soldier; disciplined and organized even though he spends most of his time working at cutting trees. He his educated and intelligent. He does what needs to be done regardless of his own opinion if his commander/boss, tells him to do something. As a young man, he occasionally mutilated small animals, conducting meaningless biological experiments just for fun. He may have been diagnosed as a sociopath if someone qualified were to observe him, but that never happened. Kurt has taken to drinking alcoholic beverages when able. It has morphed into an obsession with him; drinking on a semi-regular basis. A friend created a still making a homebrew of Jägermeister. He finds himself becoming more and more intoxicated and he likes it. Kurt can be mean and cruel; traits that have been fomented while killing animals.
Biography Kurt Vogel was born the third week of June in 2013 while the mercury hovered between 30 and 35 degrees (°C or 85 – 95 ℉) in the Salzach River basin north of the Austrian Alps. The region was historically known for its salt mines dating back over 7,000 years. By the time Kurt’s father was born, the salt mines had been closed down, but they were still there. Some people had taken to living in the salt mines since the global devastation of the twentieth century.
Kurt’s father, Stefan was born in the late 1960s, working at logging and as a soldier in the local militia. Kurt married a Hungarian woman named, Zsófia (nee Werth) who was the granddaughter of Colonel Béla Werth, former commander of the 2nd Hungarian Cavalry in the early 1940s. Stefan Vogel trained as an NCO with the Gebirgsjäger Division in the Austrian alps. He saw sporadic combat against a few Russian formations to the east as well as on the domestic front against the walking dead and other mutants who populate the former regional capital at Salzburg; now overrun by the undead.
Kurt was aware of his great grandfather’s service to Hungary and the fatherland and his German grandfather, Klaus who served as a soldier in the Waffen Schutzstaffel (SS) as a Grenadier in the 2nd SS Division, seeing vast experience on the Eastern Front then later in France. The boy wanted to emulate his grandfathers as a soldier fighting for the 2nd Deutsches Kaiserreich. All true Germans; the Austrians considered themselves racially Germans, swore fealty to the government at Altensteig near Stuttgart. Therefore, Kurt Vogel was loyal to the Second German Empire, prepared to fight and die for the fatherland.
As a boy, Kurt explored the mountains with the other childhood boys. They played the game of “guns” with each other. Kurt often took the play more serious demanding the others take it serious too. He had a habit of getting into fights with the others, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He even developed his own fighting style employing both his feet and hands.
When not exploring the mountains, Kurt read books. He had an unquenchable thirst for learning. He taught himself to speak Russian, English and French, but these are cursory skills. If he were immersed in these cultures, he could increase his fluency. He knows enough to get what he wants to get and get to where he wants to go. HE also read military history books and taught himself small unit operations from Squad (~10 men) level up through Battalion (~800 men) level and all echelons in between.
As a boy, Kurt’s father, Stefan taught his sons to hunt with a bow as well as a rifle. Kurt became quite adept at using the bow. They often joined hunting parties in the Alps to bring back meat to put on the dinner table. Kurt seemed to possess a queer fondness to killing game for sport. Occasionally, Kurt would conduct biological experiments on small forest animals merely for entertainment, mutilating their bodies while taking pleasure in killing them. One might diagnose Kurt Vogel as a sociopath if a diagnosis were even conducted, but in these hard times, that did not occur.
Early in his life, his mother, Zsófia insisted young Kurt learn to play the violin. Kurt’s brother, Karl (29) played the Cello and his sister, Gretchen (28) played the Viola. There was a fourth sibling named, Lisbeth who perished at age five when Kurt was ten. Kurt was instructed to be saddened by his sister’s death, but he rarely showed it. Her death affected him in no way whatsoever. The Vogel string trio often played classical pieces at their mother’s insistence from time to time; especially at Christmas. She took great pleasure in listening to her children’s music.
Every Sunday morning, the Vogel family dressed in their nicest clothing attending religious services at the local Catholic church. His mother taught her children catholic traditions and was well versed in the knowledge of the catholic faith. He and his brother, Karl served the priest on the alter.
When Kurt was old enough to not have to go to school any longer, he worked in logging with his father and continued his training as a soldier with the local militia. He was issued the uniform and equipment of the 2. Gebirgs-Division [2nd Mountain division] including a working model of Gewehr 33/40 used by all members of the Division. Kurt was assigned as a rifleman in 2nd platoon, Number 12 kompanie, third battalion, 136th Mountain Infantry Regiment [12/3-136 IN] which can best be described as a Militia organization falling under the watchful eye of the Zweites Deutsches Kaiserreich im Altensteig.
Over the next decade and more, Kurt saw action either clearing the undead in Salzburg, random forays into Bavaria or fighting against those who would oppose the Empire. Their unit even traveled as far as Altensteig and even Berlin, the former capital. Kurt noticed that their unit tended to make a wide track around the Black Forest avoiding entrance. Occasionally, a few patrols would explore the forest. Sometimes they never returned, while other times only a handful of soldiers returned babbling about horrendous creatures existing in the wooded lands. These stories never frightened Kurt. He remained curious. But these trips were sparse, lasting for only a month or a little more at a time. It was a major training event for the members of the unit as they each had jobs to perform back home along the Salzach River. During one of his trips north, he found an MP-40 Schmeisser submachine gun which he cleaned up and has taken to carry with his equipment.
After serving with the militia for a few years, his father, Stefan handed him an SS Honor Dagger that Kurt's grandfather once carried several decades earlier. Kurt was quite honored to receive this family heirloom and treasures this as one of his most valued possessions.
Kurt struggles with his experiences in Salzburg and the Black Forest and his upbringing as a Catholic. He loved and respected his mother who passed away when he was 26. But the sins he was committing were very much against the teaching of the church. He never wanted to do anything against her religious teachings. He seemed to have no problems consoling the murders he committed while fighting against the enemy. His biggest concern was the pleasure he took in harming others. He could not see himself separated from the lust of battle. It is very intoxicating to the young man.
[ ❇ ] M I S C E L L A N E O U S
Gear• Gewehr 33/40 (7.92mm Mauser)
• MP-40 Schmeisser (9×19mm)
• Mauser Bayonet
• SS-Ehrendolch (SS-Honor Dagger)
• Folding Shovel
• feldgrau (field gray) tunic and trousers
• Bergstieffel (mountain boots)
• Bergmutz (short-brimmed mountain cap)
• Anorak (reversible windbluse with the edelweiss patch on the right arm)
• field gear consisting of belt, suspenders, breadbag, assault pack bag, six rifle ammunition pouches, six MP40 ammunition pouches, two canteens, mess kit, first aid kit, chemical mask, weapons cleaning kit, Rain gear, cleaning rag and one day’s rations.
• 120 rounds of 7.92mm cartridges
• 210 rounds of 9mm cartridges
• four Stielhandgranate (“potato masher” hand grenades)
• Violin /w bow
Skills Although most people in real life have significantly more than five skills they are experienced in, I limit this list to five as requested, but during the RP, other skills will be revealed.
• Expert sharpshooter with his rifle.
• Accomplished in hand to hand combat.
• Proficient knowledge in small unit operations (Squad/Platoon/Company/Battalion)
• Proficient knowledge in mountaineering skills (vertical rope work).
• Accomplished Violin player enjoying classical composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Bach and Stradivarius.
Other Dialogue color=6ecff6 (Light Blue)
Adept at the use of the bow.
Experienced hunter and forager
Knowledgeable of Germanic and European history with an appreciation for the Teutonic Knights.
Cursory knowledge and understanding of English, Russian and French. He picks up on tidbits in conversation.
Quote translated: We keep the lamps lit high in the mountains until our fallen comrades return.
