Michael Widmann

"'Will all due respect, my Lord, I am not not going to boast about all of my past experiences or my memories to you. Out of all people to ask, you should know why my reputation precedes me more than anyone else...' — Widmann, to Jürgen III"Michael Sakeem Widmann is a notable politician and former soldier in the Menschlicher Sternenstaat, serving as its current Staatskanzler, or State Chancellor, since 778 SA after the death of the previous ruling Louis Wepper. His own ascension to power in the government came close in time with that of the election of Jürgen III of House Kaulitz to the throne of the Sternenkaiser, or Star Emperor, in 781 SA, - only briefly serving under the imperial administration of Laurenz I.

Widmann was born in the von Ellezen Arcology Hospital on Vera to Jonas Widmann, a minor politician in the arcology, and Aasima Distler, a second-generation half-Bresener immigrant, on October 2nd, 739 SA along with his sister, Layla Widmann. Attending the von Ellezen Imperial Lyceum for his primary and secondary education, Widmann made a string of friendships that are reflectant in the current administration of the nation - namely Vincent Heitmeyer, current Staatsführer of the Staatsschutz.

At the age of 16, Widmann was conscripted along Heitmeyer and several other classmates in the outbreak of the Great Northern Offensive against the Voihi alien species after committing to an early graduating class of 756 SA. Serving in the 98th Vera K-SS PzGren. Division Das Licht Gottes, Widmann quickly rose through the enlist ranks after surviving the planetary invasions of Youian and Souukt. The division's transfer to fight in the infant Fourth Slar Rebellion and later Operation Thunderbloom against the Scitoni Syndicate allowed him to inevitably reach the rank of Sturmscharführer at 20 years old. However, he was briefly injured by a plasma blast in the closing hours of the Liberation of Tikyan Two, leaving the iconic shears of flesh still on his outer thighs thirty years later.

Widmann enrolled in the Imperial College of Vera and attained a masters degree in Cosmic Anthropology after ending his military service, using this as a means to enter politics in the steps of his father. Meeting Anneliese Ehrenberg at the college, the pair married a few years after, with the marriage itself providing Widmann stronger inspiration to delve through the ocean of Veran politics.

His avid support for classic forms of Staatism such as the Jostenist fields gave him distinction from the sea of reformists and conservatives, catching the eye of the aging Laurenz I after being the keynote speaker to an imperial convocation and deliver his speech entitled Meine Sonnenträume, or "My Sundream". This allowed Widmann to be selected in the Supreme Convocation for candidates of replacement to the aging Staatskanzler Louis Wepper, who soon died in 778 from a nanomachine cascade failure. He won this election, being inaugurated as the new leader of the Vaterlandspartei that same year at 39 years old and soon attaining the position of Staatskanzler after approval from Laurenz I. A year later, Joseph Widmann was born to Anneliese and Michael.

Through the death of Laurenz I and into the reign of Jürgen III, Widmann attempted to revive the classic tenets of the Sternenstaat through various new externally applicant policies, such as significant diplomatic measures to improve relations with the People's Republic of Sinica and newfound measures to establish economic and political ties with nations such as Olimpiada and Pikasistan after the astropolitical theater was scouted. Domestically, Widmann revitalized the stagnating Staat economy through public projects that allowed for the creation of multiple civil and military fabrication centers alongside new arcologies and space stations along the Sternenbahn transportation network. Widmann was preferential to asserting Staat dominance in local space, sending manpower and equipment to the United Front of the Abajun Revolution during the Abajun Civil War and invading Megaslava alongside the Aumanii.

With this in mind, Widmann's commitment to both the strengthening of the Staat and its opening to the international astropolitical sphere has lead to the creation of an overall negative reputation for him and the country. Mocked as the "Aviator Dictator" abroad, he has been accused of committing crimes against sapients for cracking down on xenoi treasonous sentiments and being a nuisance in the Gamma Quadrant for the constant projection of Staat power along the Gaian Trail. However, at home, Widmann is considered to be one of the best State Chancellors of recent times, lifting billions from poverty and saving countless humans and xenoi from the tumult of the Gamma Quadrant through ordering the Staatswehr to undergo peacekeeping missions. The accusations of Widmann being bigoted against sexual and political minorities are not entirely accurate in painting a picture of him, however, as those beliefs of intolerance are dominant across the entirety of the Staat originating from even the Confederate era.

Early life
Work in progress.

Military service
Work in progress.

University and political career
Work in progress.

Domestic policies
Widmann's policies closely follow that of Jostenist Staatism, which places heavy emphasis on military strength, expansionism, and social inward perfection in the light of Dietrich Josten. When he gained control of the Sternenstaat, Widmann quickly pursued to dismantle the current Hämmerlist system put in place to prevent inter-governmental friction as he was able to manipulate both the Staatswehr from his position and the Staatsschutz through his close friend and ally Vincent Heitmeyer.

Economic policy
The economic policy of Widmann hinges on the strengthening of the state's achieved autarky while simultaneously becoming a fount of financial power in the Gamma Quadrant. With no reliance on most interstellar lanes of traffic (and booming resources and industry abound), the Sternenstaat has already been placed in a position of large self-sufficiency, and Widmann has sought to use this state to benefit the nation through making deals with local star states (such as Sinica) to deliver essential goods such as food, water, and fuel or sophisticated products such as vehicles, weapons, and infrastructure in exchange for monetary consolidation of Staat political power and reliance. This has lead to a bloc of Staat-reliant polities to arise with attachment to the Staat economy, such as the Abajun Empire. In astropolitical circles, this has been called the "blind enslavement policy".

Widmann allows for corporations to operate independently within the Staat as long as their economic basis is legally tied to that of the Staat treasury - for example, the Storch luxury mega-automotive corporation is by itself a private entity, but its yearly profits are liable to be seized and spent at any moment and context by the Staat through an affirmation of "national emergency contributions". The practice is seen abroad as grossly totalitarian, but has been in effect since the early years of the Staat when nationalization was omnipresent in the face of war.

Environmental policy
Breaking the mold of his otherwise continuous thought of Jostenist Staatism, Widmann is a strong advocate for maintaining the natural environments of various life-addled worlds, in addition to funding terraforming procedures on worlds with the possible qualities to host life. His argumentation for such is to create new living space for the citizens of the Staat "that aren't dystopian tenements in arcologies that blot the sun", with his personal views on living in houses trumping that of the cramped apartments, condominiums, and tenements found across the galaxy.

This policy also is indicative of his allegiance to preserving the nature of alien worlds, pledging to not alter them extensively so that native populations can remain in a state of passiveness under the Staat's stern rule.

Religious policy
Widmann maintains the dominance of Veran Catholicism as the state religion of the Menschlicher Sternenstaat, both from a political and a religious perspective. For political reasons, he allows the Heiliger Staatskirche to operate in high autonomy and power due to the church being officially headed by the Sternenkaiser himself, and thus gives the Star Emperor more legitimacy through such means. The proliferation of the religion beyond humans and the borders of the Staat also brings many xenoi into the fold of Staat ideology and influence, which aids the country in being stabilized and having greater power projection throughout the region.

For religious reasons, Widmann keeps the church in a high echelon of power due to the various heresies and heretical denomination throughout the Milky Way. As a baptized believer himself, Widmann sees Veran Catholicism as one of the two main conduits to producing patriotic Staatsmen - with the other being secular allegiance to the state and its ideological practices.

Military policy
The Staatskanzler is a strong advocate for the increase of military powers and funding, with the Staatswehr and Staatsschutz both seeing dramatic, positive trends in incoming funds and opened technological projects. With piracy and barbarism being a constant outside of the Staat and civil insurrection with subject species being a lingering risk inside the country, having a strong military would ensure order and security for citizens. In addition to this, the hostility of foreign powers soon after opening the Staat to the international sphere has only justified his decision to the populace at large, with volunteers spiking in record numbers across all branches and paramilitary organizations.

Currently, Widmann's aggressive military policies have lead to several anti-piracy excursions outside of the borders of the Sternenstaat, complemented by an increase in production for vehicles and equipment of war and mobilization plans.

Sophont rights policy
Widmann affirms equity between all races and ethnicities of humanity that have not been genetically or artificially modified en-masse. With Staatism placing enormous reliance on biological purity and human supremacism, it has allowed the state to ascend past the restrictions of racial or ethnic discrimination. This is something ingrained in Staat super-culture.

With this in mind, Widmann also still maintains heavy discrimination against "intraspecies degenerates", which includes those in sexual and political minorities. Those with religious views differing to the state religion are allowed to persist in their belief, including xenoi. However, religions and spiritual beliefs that predicate "immorality" as per the definition by the state are targeted for discrimination, including heretical sects and various "new age" cults constantly arising in distant lands.

Synthetic consciousnesses and beings have recently been targeted for mass discrimination as per the Sapience-Gesetzbuch 226 sophont law, spurred on to pass by Widmann himself. Arising from the Synthetic refugee crisis plaguing the Staat within the last decade, the S-G 226 law was pushed by Widmann and two influential legislative colleagues to quickly resolve the issue of synths committing violence and other criminal actions following the breakage of their human conditioning matrices. This has rendered the Staat as, currently, being one of the most inhospitable regions of the galaxy for synths as of the modern day.

Foreign policy
Main article: Foreign policy of Michael Widmann

Nauticus Sector
Within the Nauticus Sector of the Gamma Quadrant, Widmann has been relentless in solidifying Sternenstaat presence and/or dominance. The recent conception of the Interstellar Compact of Collective Human Harmony, or simply the Interstellar Human Compact, between the member states of the Menschlicher Sternenstaat, Sinica, and other nations has guaranteed a strong defense interest within the Nauticus Sector due to the industrial and technological capacities of the Staat-Sinican hegemony. In addition to this, the undertaking of massive anti-pirate operations such as Operation Wolkenkratzer has verified the fact that Widmann's administration is spearheading military domination and annihilation of opposition within this stellar region.

Work in progress.

Gaian Trail and the New Silk Road
Work in progress.

Stepford-Arnau Trade and Military Alliance
The interstellar organization dedicated to the preservation of the Stepford-Arnau Gate Network, known as the Stepford-Arnau Trade and Military Alliance, or SATMA, has been garnering vilification by Widmann and his state administration since the gathered information of their total military and commercial power has been made public. The power projections by the member states of the Tezekians, Aumanii, and Alexzonyians through proximal interstellar trade lanes have roused the Staat and Widmann to invest further into military readiness and defense, including the drafting of plans for a hypothetical "hybrid command" between Sternenstaat and Sinican military forces present within the Nauticus Sector.

Work in progress.

Galactic Commerce Corridor
In a similar vein to SATMA, the Galactic Commerce Corridor has been interpreted by Widmann and his administration as a possible economic threat based on industrial and financial projections. In addition to this, the prominence of members within the GCC and their dual presence in SATMA has, in Widmann's words, "confirmed the presence of an interstellar cabal of commercial and economic subjugation".

Work in progress.

Swift Winds Trade Corridor
Work in progress.

Sivulon Trade Network
Widmann has been pursuing an increase in Sternenstaat presence within the Sivulon Trade Network for some time, both as an avenue of commercial ventures and power projection as a means to stifle assumed counterprojections by star states such as the Perseid Federation. However, with the increased attention to the threat of SATMA and the commercial inter-connectivity between members of the Compact, less attention has been directed to the Sivulon Trade Network in recent years.

Work in progress.

Polls and rankings
Work in progress.

Assessments
Work in progress.

Personal image
Widmann is nationally (and, arguably, internationally) acclaimed for the creation of a paternal, charismatic, and culturally-savvy persona that encapsulates the massive power of his Staatskanzler position. He is well known for being a fan of vehicular competitions and sports, with this adoration extending to even his own investments into various automotive and vehicle manufacturing corporations. Most public appearances of Widmann — excluding negatively-charged ones such as state funerals or announcements of defeat — are always complemented by his sporting of sunglasses and aviators. He also boasts to the public an extensive watch and holography module collection, with luxurious items being dated from both the modern day and even during the "nuclear age" of old Earth.

Widmann's public appearances are usually hyped into becoming a practical celebrity show by the state propaganda machinery, with standing ovations and Roman salutes often being performed beyond normal durations for each speech that he makes. This "cultivated fame" has resulted in the creation of a miscellany of multimedia created in reference to or in direct acknowledgement of Widmann, often as a means of selling corporate products through public enticement and outreach. Internationally, his Aviator Dictator moniker has created cult followings, which are more often than not treated negatively by various communities.

It is argued that his fame supersedes even that of the Sternenkaiser himself.

Work in progress.

Family
After graduating from the Imperial College of Vera and attaining his master's degree in Cosmic Anthropology, Widmann married Anneliese Ehrenberg at the age of 29, with his wife moving into the apartment he lived in within the von Nuemmer Arcology. However, the stresses of political life left them to not think about children until Widmann was announced the new Staatskanzler following the Supreme Convocation's release of results. With Widmann being 40 and Anneliese being 38, Joseph Widmann was born.

As of 790 SA, Joseph is ten years old and currently attending primary school at the local campus of the Preparatory Academy of Vera''. Anneliese is living with her husband at the Rosenvilla'' - the residence of State Chancellors.

Personal wealth
Currently, Michael Widmann is one of the wealthiest "commoners" in the Sternenstaat, with an annual income of 5 million Staatsmark and a current value of nearly 300 billion. The massive amounts of leftover Staatsmark originates from his investments in various corporations such as Storch and the start-up industrial vehicular company Haallen, in addition to "donations" from the Imperial Treasury by Jürgen III.

There is current controversy that Widmann, in addition to Vincent Heitmeyer and other high-ranking government officials, are involved in a trillion-Staatsmark worth extra-national criminal cooperation with the Sinican government using clandestine units to bribe, blackmail, and rob from various foreign merchants and corporations throughout the galaxy. However, these sources are disputed by the government, as they originate from pirate broadcasters in the Jiang-Schönau Neutral Territory.

Religion
Widmann is an expressive Veran Catholic, having been baptized in the faith with the spectation of his mother and father shortly before leaving for war at 16 as a "blessing and ward against misfortune". He has donated extensive amounts of money to the Holy State Church, and is currently one of the highest members in the Ritterschaft Christi monastic order.

Sports
Not well known by the common citizen, Widmann is an avid fan of "impromptu racing", using vehicles not necessarily built for racing in competitive matches as a "measure of their raw ability". This includes spacecraft, aerocraft, and traditional terrestrial and marine vehicles.

Personal health
The wounds that he sustained from the Liberation of Tikyan Two still persist in effect to the present day, due to Widmann's decline of submitting to full cellular regeneration and tissue reconstitution. This mainly affects walking for long periods of time, to which he will often require a cane to keep long-standing stability. However, this does not affect his public image as much as some would otherwise think, as it is seen as valorous to still persist with such an injury in accordance to the biological purism of the Staat.

Honors
Work in progress.

Trivia

 * In regards to modern day ethnicity, Michael is mostly German, but has Arab blood originating from the Breseners (whose colonial populations were from the Middle East of Earth).
 * His nickname of Platzhirsch originates as a term used by the unit he helped lead in the 98th Veran, meaning "Top Dog". It mocked the authority of his superior at the time, Untersturmführer Fritz Haberlin.