Ritter Ervin von Braunschweig, Freiherr von Durz
Date of Birth: 27 April 1841
Place of Birth: Königsberg, Preußen
Culture: Albanian
Position: Baron of Durrës/Durz, Knight of the Teutonic Order, Councillor for Albania
Early life
Son to a Prussian general and a Christian Albanian mother, Ervin von Braunschweig was raised with two different heritages. No, three different heritages, as his busy father and lousy mother sent the boy away to be an apprentice of the revolutionary writer Wolfram Liberalen when Ervin was only 13 years old. Wolfram would teach the boy all about history, politics, and specifically the Danubian Revolution.
In 1855, the pro-Danubian General von Braunschweig (Sr.) and his wife were shot on the account of treason. Officially, a letter from father to son contained too much sensitive information. Unofficially, after the alliance between the Federation and Prussia was cancelled, there was no more need for a sentimental general like Von Braunschweig, and an execution was a simple way to get rid of him. Young Ervin was grieved by the loss of his father, whom he had barely known, yet his bond with Wolfram only grew stronger.
Military education
When his mentor was elected Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order, Ervin started military training. Unlike his mentor, and like his father, he wanted to join, and perhaps once command an army. It seemed he had a keen mind for strategy, and in 1858 the 17-year old Ervin von Braunschweig entered the Wiener Militärakademie. Von Braunschweig graduated a year and a half later and officially became a Colonel of the Cavalry in the Southern Armies. He had deliberately been placed there because of his Albanian background.
The Storm at Durz
On December 23rd, 1859, the Muslim regent of Durrës blocked the city, and its important port, for all trade until the Albanian culture would be equal to others, and Albania had required full statehood. Regardless of the validity of the regent’s protest, the situation was potentially dangerous and had to be defused at once. In a display of authority and courage, Von Braunschweig ordered his cavalry to charge through the gates and overpower the city guards. Had things gone wrong, the Colonel would most likely have been shot for acting without explicit orders. As things were, though, the cavalry managed to take the city from the perplexed guards without any casualties on either side, and the regent was disposed of. Ervin von Braunschweig was appointed as the new Baron of Durz, which, along with the rest of Albania, was to become a fully integrated part of the Danubian Federation.
Early Political Life
In the light of the new Baron of Durz' admission to politics as Chancellor of Albania, he was invited for a chat at the Teutonic Order's headquarters. During his life, Ervin had been closely tied to the Teutonic Order, of which his mentor was the Hochmeister. It was only now that the Order deemed him responsible and worthy enough to join, and the Baron of Durz was officially inaugurated as Ritter.
Only a year later, Von Braunschweig joined the Social Democrat Party. As a prominent member of the Teutonic Order, he was concerned with the welfare of every single living soul in God's kingdom, rich or poor, worker or banker. Socialism was still in its early stage, though, and its policies were far from perfected. Neither the Radicals, nor mentor Liberalen decided to support the SDP at this time.
Teutonic Order: Official Notice
