Ferdinand Schörner is a minor antagonist in the Hearts of Iron 4 The New Order Last Days Of Europe mod.
The de facto leader of the German militarists, an ambitious and brutal Generalfeldmarschal of the Wehrmacht
Biography[]
Early Life and Military Beginnings[]
Schörner's military career began during the First World War, where he served as a lieutenant on the Italian front. He distinguished himself particularly during the Battle of Caporetto, earning the prestigious Pour le Mérite medal for his service. This early taste of military success would shape his worldview and career trajectory in the decades to come.
During the tumultuous Weimar years, Schörner remained in the army, setting himself apart from many of his contemporaries who left military service. Ironically, he participated in putting down the Beer Hall Putsch—the very Nazi uprising that would later evolve into the regime he would faithfully serve. This early opposition to the Nazi movement did not prevent him from later becoming one of its most devoted military adherents.
World War II[]
Throughout the Second World War, Schörner specialized in mountain warfare, participating in the invasions of Poland, Greece, and the Soviet Union. His operations in the Arctic sector near Murmansk showcased both his tactical abilities and his growing reputation for brutality. Schörner became known for his unflinching loyalty to Adolf Hitler and his willingness to employ human wave tactics regardless of casualties—a philosophy that would come to define his approach to warfare.
His unwavering devotion to the Nazi cause and his battlefield successes led to his promotion to Generalfeldmarschall and eventually to his appointment as Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht (Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces), though this position was contested with his rival Hans Speidel, creating confusion within the command structure of the Wehrmacht.
The Militarist Faction and Power Struggles[]
In the post-war years, as the Reich consolidated its conquests, Schörner emerged as the de facto leader of the German militarists—a faction within the National Socialist German Workers' Party that advocated for constant military expansion and aggressive foreign policies. Despite his advanced age (he was 70 years old in 1962), Schörner's influence within the Wehrmacht and the party remained formidable.
His philosophy centered on the belief that Germany must maintain perpetual warfare to thrive, and that the size of an army was the decisive factor in conflicts. To Schörner, it mattered little how professional the force was or how many casualties resulted—what mattered was having more bodies to expend than the enemy. This "We Have Reserves" mentality led him to implement massive conscription programs, which he saw as the dual benefit of bolstering military strength while sending potential dissidents to the front lines.
Schörner's rise to power was marked by a fierce rivalry with Hans Speidel, the reformist Chief of the OKW who represented everything Schörner despised. While Speidel advocated for a smaller, more professional Wehrmacht and sought to protect the German people, Schörner wanted to use the population as a weapon and merge the military and civilian government into a single entity. This fundamental disagreement led to numerous confrontations, with Speidel repeatedly preventing Schörner from taking control of the Wehrmacht.
Another significant adversary was Henning von Tresckow, who, like Speidel, represented the more moderate elements within the Wehrmacht. To Tresckow, Schörner embodied all the bloodthirsty and corrupt attitudes festering within the military, and his reforms inevitably threatened Schörner's influence.
The German Civil War and Its Aftermath[]
When civil war erupted in Germany following Hitler's death, Schörner played a crucial role as puppet master behind Hermann Göring's bid for power. Though seemingly loyal to Göring, Schörner had no qualms about disposing of his favored Führer if he became an obstacle to his militaristic plans.
The aftermath of the civil war placed Schörner in a precarious but influential position regardless of which faction emerged victorious. If Albert Speer or Martin Bormann won the conflict, they found themselves unable to eliminate Schörner immediately due to his substantial support base within the Wehrmacht. Executing him would have created a martyr for the militarists to rally behind, potentially igniting another war. Instead, they were forced to placate him temporarily while seeking opportunities to diminish his influence.
[]
| Hearts of Iron IV Mods Villains | ||
|
1984 Kaiserreich Kaiserreich's Outdated Contents Kaiserredux Old World Blues Caesar's Legion Super Mutants The Enclave The Brotherhood of Steel The New California Republic Communist Sympathizers Other/Unaligned Enclave Reborn/Enclave+ Submod Red Flood Red World Red Dusk Republic of Iraq Republic of South Africa SFR Yugoslavia The Fire Rises United States of America Russian Federation Republic of Belarus French Republic Federal Republic of Germany People's Republic of China The New Order: Last Days of Europe Antartica Caribbean Brazil Argentina China Germany Italy Japan Kazakhstan Mexico Ordensstaat Burgund Reichkommissariat Moskowien Russia Ukraine United Kingdom United States TNO's Outdated Contents Russia Reichkommissariat Moskowien Thousand-Week Reich Pax Britannica Russian Empire: Moscow Circle Extermis Ultimis | ||