Oberleutnant (1st LT) Walther Kruger is a character appearing in Bernhard im Schatten and Schwarzesmarken. A former non-commissioned officer and survivor of Palaiologos, the 29 year old Walther worked his way up through the ranks, eventually coming to serve the 666th as Irisdina Bernhard's staff officer and training manager. His Callsign is Schwarzesmarken 03.
Sometime during the events of Schwarzesmarken, Walther became romantically involved with Sylwia KrzasiĆska. The two would often hang out with one another, eating lunches together, spending off time with together, or sneaking into each others rooms at night. Though not exactly a secret, and despite all the clues, the reveal of their relationship towards the end of Schwarzesmarken still came as a surprise to Theodor Eberbach, as he could not conceive that the taciturn Sylwia would open her heart to his mentor figure.
With the arrests of Irisdina and Pham Thi Lan, Walther took command of the 666th, organizing and planning the rescue of his captured colleagues.
Walther met his end fighting Beatrix Brehme during the 666th's ploy to save Irisdina. Though he gained the upper hand with his acrobatic and unpredictable piloting style, something that Beatrix did not expect from a battered MiG-21, Walther hesitated when given the chance to kill Beatrix, electing to sever her Aligatori's arm instead. Remembering the "kind," "gentle," "lonely," and "sad" girl who had once been JĂŒrgen Bernhard's lover and his and Irisdina's friend, Walther attempted to coax Beatrix from her path, pleading that she no longer has to "suffer" or "burden herself with sin." At first, his appeals seem to be working, until he questioned her ideals and referenced JĂŒrgen.
Walther had unknowingly stepped on a landmine. Beatrix flew into a berserker state, taking Walther by surprise and slamming her MiG into Walther's control unit, fatally crushing it. Screaming for him to "SHUT UP," Beatrix emptied all her remaining rounds into Walther's dead machine.
Walther's speech and murder would contribute to Beatrix's deteriorating mental state. Beatrix's new orders in the aftermath of Walther's demise were brutal and horrifying to many of her soldiers. Now, rather then arresting and dispersing the Berlin protesters, loyalist were to use lethal force against the crowds.
Walther's death hit Sylwia especially hard. Sylwia had been stationed elsewhere with Annette and monitoring his conversation with Beatrix. When Walther died, she broke down in tears and became unresponsive.
With Walther's death, command of the 666th passed to Theodor Eberbach.
In the anime, Walther dies overloading his TSF, trading his life for Beatrix's assault cannon after she kills Sylwia.
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