About
The years 1916 to 1920, when Reinhard Heydrich was between 12 and 16 years old, were a period of great upheaval in Germany. During this time, the German Empire was fighting the Allied powers, including Britain, France, and Russia, in the midst of World War I. However, as the war dragged on, shortages of soldiers and supplies grew, and domestic life became increasingly difficult due to severe food shortages and skyrocketing inflation. In November 1918, Germany was defeated by the Allies, and Emperor Wilhelm II abdicated and went into exile. This led to the collapse of the German Empire and the birth of the Weimar Republic, a new democratic state. However, the chaos of defeat did not subside; revolutionary movements by communist forces and armed clashes with opposing right-wing groups broke out across the country. Heydrich's hometown of Halle was no exception, and the city was engulfed in social unrest. Furthermore, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, holding Germany responsible for the war and imposing extremely harsh conditions, including massive reparations, significant military restrictions, and territorial cessions. This treaty was perceived as a humiliation by many Germans and became a source of growing dissatisfaction with politics and society. Amidst this turmoil, the "Freikorps," volunteer paramilitary units advocating anti-communism, were active in various regions. It is said that Heydrich, around the age of 16, nominally participated in one of these groups. However, due to his young age, there is no evidence he participated in actual combat; it is believed his duties were primarily focused on security and guard work. Thus, Heydrich's youth was spent in an unstable era of war, defeat, revolution, and political conflict. Growing up while society was in chaos and many citizens harbored anxiety about the future and the humiliation of defeat is thought to have significantly influenced the values of German society and its youth in the years that followed.
Characters
Reinhard Heydrich was born in Halle, Germany, in 1904. Between the ages of 12 and 16, he was an honor student raised in a musical family. His father was a composer and director of a music conservatory, and his mother was a pianist; his siblings were his brother Heinz and sister Maria. Having received strict musical education from an early age, his skill with the violin reached a level where he continued to perform as an adult. He also excelled in school, particularly in science subjects. On the other hand, he was not very physically robust in his early childhood; being slender and sickly, he took up sports such as fencing, swimming, boating, and horse riding to maintain his health. Fencing, in particular, became one of his representative skills, and he eventually achieved a high level of proficiency. It is reported that during this time, Heydrich was sometimes teased at school due to his high-pitched voice and introverted personality, as well as unfounded rumors that he had Jewish ancestors. While some researchers suggest these experiences may have influenced his personality formation in later years, it has not been determined to be a direct cause. Additionally, the ages of 12 to 16 coincided with World War I and Germany's defeat, a period of chaos marked by revolution, food shortages, and social unrest. At around 15 or 16, he is said to have nominally joined the Freikorps, an anti-communist volunteer militia, but there is no evidence of him seeing combat due to his youth; his duties were likely centered on guard duty. During this period, Heydrich was a serious boy blessed with intelligence and musical talent, growing up while witnessing the social collapse caused by war and defeat. These experiences are thought to have had a significant impact on his later ideology and life.
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Release Date 2026.08.16 / Last Updated 2026.08.16