Nielz Metzger (1898–1979) was a Bosken military officer and statesman who served as the President of the Federation of Boskenmark from 1948 to 1975. A decorated veteran of the Kresimirian Unification War, his presidency was characterized by extreme hostility toward the Divine Republic of Kresimiria and unwavering support for the “Silent War” insurgency.
Metzger is historically significant for his rigid opposition to the 1961 Treaty of Brod Moravice. He viewed the peace agreement as a betrayal of the national goal to reclaim the “occupied territory” of Moraviskameja. Despite his immense influence and threats to cut funding, he failed to prevent the leadership of BRC-21, led by Nadja Vrasch, from signing the treaty, marking the first time the Bosken diaspora in Kresimiria defied the government in Vost.
Early Life and Military Career
Born in 1898 in Vost, Metzger was commissioned into the Vosti Imperial Army shortly before the empire’s collapse. Following the dissolution of the Empire in 1918, he joined the newly formed Boskenmark Army.
In 1921, he served as a junior officer under General Meik Rinder during Boskenmark’s intervention in the Unification War. He fought at the Battle of the Brod Ford, where he was wounded during the chaotic retreat across the river. The humiliation of this defeat defined his worldview; he reportedly vowed never to accept the River Brod as a permanent border.
Rising through the ranks during the interwar period, Metzger became a vocal critic of the civilian administration of President Stefan Hartschenll, arguing that the government was too passive in its support of the BRC-21 guerrillas operating in the north.
Presidency (1948–1969)
In 1948, riding a wave of nationalist resentment and with the backing of the military establishment, Metzger was elected President, defeating Hartschnell’s Vice President Oscar Mentzch of the Civic Union. His election coincided with the rise of the hardline Kresimirian Chancellor Kresimirovic II, leading to a rapid escalation of tensions known as the “Iron Era.”
The Proxy War Strategy
Metzger’s doctrine was one of “Total Pressure.” He vastly increased covert funding and weaponry shipments to BRC-21, providing sanctuary in Vost for its leader, Neda Orlak. Under his administration, Boskenmark intelligence provided the logistical support that enabled high-profile attacks such as the 1953 attempt on the Kresimirian Chancellor and the 1954 assassination of Kresimir Basic.
The Treaty Crisis (1960–1961)
Metzger’s influence over the insurgency collapsed following the 1960 Bombing of Karlovac University. While Metzger privately applauded the attack as a show of strength, the massive civilian casualties caused a schism within BRC-21.
- The Conflict: Metzger demanded that BRC-21 continue the armed struggle, believing that Kresimiria was on the verge of cracking. However, the BRC-21 deputy leader, Nadja Vrasch, recognized that the Kresimirian public had united against them and engaged in secret peace talks.
- The Intervention: Intelligence files declassified in the 1990s reveal that Metzger sent envoys to Vrasch threatening to liquidate the BRC-21 leadership if they surrendered their weapons. Vrasch ignored the threats, correctly calculating that Metzger could not project power across the border once the peace process began.
When the Treaty of Brod Moravice was signed in 1961, Metzger denounced it as “The Surrender of Sinj” and refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new Bosken Liberation Front (BLF).
Opposition to left-wing politics
Metzger’s domestic popularity was solidified by his ruthless response to the League of Red Radicals. After the socialist terrorist Lars Aach killed 34 civilians in the 1957 firebombings, Metzger’s suspension of civil liberties was widely accepted by a terrified public as a necessary evil.
Opposition to Restitution (1962)
In 1962, the Kresimirian Assembly passed the Land Restitution Commission Act, allowing Bosken exiles to petition Kresimirian courts for the return of seized property. Metzger vehemently opposed this. He issued a presidential decree stating that any Bosken citizen who filed a claim with a Kresimirian court was “recognizing the authority of the occupier” and would be stripped of their Boskenmark citizenship. This placed him in direct conflict with the BLF and Senator Lutz Diekwisch, who encouraged participation. Ultimately, thousands of Boskens ignored Metzger’s decree to reclaim their ancestral homes, further weakening his authority over the diaspora.
Support for AFIM
Alienated by the BLF, Metzger directed state support toward the hardline splinter group AFIM and its leader Jochen Schoff. During the 1960s, it is believed that Metzger’s intelligence service provided the explosives used in the 1964 AFIM Kidnappings, aiming to sabotage the implementation of the peace treaty.
Retirement and Death
By the late 1960s, Metzger’s hardline stance had left Boskenmark diplomatically isolated and economically stagnant. In 1975, facing pressure from a younger generation of politicians who sought trade with the north, he declined to run for re-election. He was succeeded by the reformer Ivan Piltz, who would go on to sign the Cross-Border Exchange Protocol—an act Metzger bitterly criticized from retirement.
Nielz Metzger died in 1979. He remains a hero to the Bosken far-right, including current President Viktor Luxenberg, but is viewed by Kresimirian historians as the primary engine of the mid-century conflict.