Richard von Grimmelshausen
From Gineipaedia, the Legend of Galactic Heroes wiki
 Vice Admiral Grimmelshausen (794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE)) | |
| Gender: | Male |
| Affiliation: | Galactic Empire |
| Rank: | Admiral |
| Flagship(s): | Ostfalen |
| Status: | Deceased (natural causes) |
| Born: | 718 UC (409 IC / 3518 CE) |
| Died: | 794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE) |
| Played by: | Saikachi Ryūji |
Richard von Grimmelshausen (Japanese: リヒャルト・フォン・グリンメルスハウゼン) was an Imperial admiral who served during the late Goldenbaum Dynasty. He was notable to be the direct superior of Reinhard von Lohengramm when the latter received his first appointment as a flag officer.
Contents |
Early life
Grimmelshausen was born to a distinguished noble family in 718 UC (409 IC / 3518 CE). Little is known about his early life, except that by the time he turned eighteen, he already came to the conclusion that he was a person of mediocre talent and was not destined for great deeds. Being the third child of his family, he had little chance of inheriting the viscountcy of his family. However, when both of his older brothers died due to the war, the title of viscount was inherited by him. (HBSHBL: 'Drei Rot')
Early military career
At some point of time after his graduation from a military preparatory school, Grimmelshausen began to serve under Kaiser Friedrich IV when he was still a prince as his military aide-de-camp. Over the years, he gained the trust of the Kaiser and helped him to settle privately the many domestic scandals that were prevalent during the late Goldenbaum Dynasty. It was probable that it was during his tenure as aide-de-camp when he started compiling all the misdeeds of the high nobles. (HBSHBL: 'The Battle of Van-Fleet Starzone')
Later military career
By 794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE), Grimmelshausen was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and was given command of a full fleet. However, with his reputation as an incompetent old commander, his superiors tended to exclude his fleet from their battle plans, despite it participating in major engagements. Grimmelshausen himself also did nothing to dispel that reputation, which irritated Reinhard von Lohengramm (then Müsel) greatly when he was assigned to command a sub-unit of the Grimmelshausen Fleet in 794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE). Reinhard even went as far as privately declaring that Grimmelshausen's existence was a "waste of oxygen". (HBSHBL: 'The Battle of Van-Fleet Starzone')
During the Battle of Van-Fleet between March and April 794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE), Grimmelshausen's fleet barely saw any action in space and was instead ordered by Gregor von Mückenberger, the Imperial Commander of the Space Fleet, to reorganise itself in the second satellite of the fourth planet orbiting Van-Fleet. However, his fleet chanced upon a Free Planets Alliance rear support base located on that satellite, and with the efforts of Reinhard and another of his subordinate Hermann von Lüneburg, the Alliance base was heavily damaged and its commander captured alive. The ground engagement also resulted in both the Alliance and Imperial fleets battling in the starzone to divert attention to that satellite and the later stages of the Battle of Van-Fleet involved a chaotic but ultimately inconclusive mêlée between Alliance and Imperial forces above Van-Fleet 4-2. (HBSHBL: 'Drei Rot', 'Bloodshed in April', 'A Dangerous Man', 'Chronicle of the Aftermath of the Chaotic War')
As a result of the Battle of Van-Fleet, Grimmelshausen was promoted to the rank of Admiral. His promotion was not so much of his personal contribution during the battle but more of under the urging of Friedrich IV. The top military triumvirate acquiesced to the Kaiser's request after they received his assurance that Grimmelshausen would be kept away from active service henceforth. Grimmelshausen, despite his decrepit appearance and his weakening health, was well aware of the circumstances of his promotion and therefore did not attempt to challenge its implicit conditions. (HBSHBL: 'Chronicle of the Aftermath of the Chaotic War')
During his period of semi-retirement, Grimmelshausen shifted his attention towards Reinhard. He was impressed by his subordinate, who to him possessed all the qualities he could never dream of having. Contrary to Reinhard's initial impression of him, Grimmelshausen was not only lucid all the time but even managed to discern Reinhard's ambitions. However, he did nothing to prevent Reinhard's ascendancy and even aided him in multiple ways, first by recommending his best friend Siegfried Kircheis to be promoted for his contributions in the Battle of Van-Fleet, and then putting a good word for Reinhard to Friedrich IV, who was planning to bestow a countship to Reinhard. Finally, via Ulrich Kesler, he entrusted to Reinhard the magnum opus of his life – a book detailing all the misdeeds of contemporary high nobles – and hoped that it would be of use to him. Soon afterwards, he became bedridden as a result of illness and passed away sometime in late 794 UC (485 IC / 3594 CE). (HBSHBL: 'The Hard Wind of Early Summer', 'Candidate for Succeeding a Count's Family', 'Truth Is the Daughter of Time', 'The Sixth Battle of Iserlohn')
Appendices
Appearances
- HBSHBL:
- 'The Battle of Van-Fleet Starzone' (first appearance)
- 'Drei Rot'
- 'Bloodshed in April'
- 'A Dangerous Man'
- 'Chronicle of the Aftermath of the Chaotic War'
- 'The Hard Wind of Early Summer'
- 'Candidate for Succeeding a Count's Family'
- 'The Night of the Party'
- 'The Sixth Battle of Iserlohn' (final appearance; flashback)
Background information
- Grimmelshausen's full name only appeared in the original novel and was never used in the animated adaptation.
- The name "Grimmelshausen" is derived from a municipality in Germany.
