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As a 20-year Bundeswehr veteran, he's spent the vast majority of his adult life in uniform, following a long-established family tradition. Since leaving the army in 2011, he's gone into business as a private military contractor, mainly doing advisory work for NATO forces.
Raised in East Berlin during the Cold War, Matthias was a conscript in the National People's Army at the time of German reunification. After the NPA was integrated into the Bundeswehr, he applied to re-join and was accepted into officer training. His army career was one of slow, steady progress through the ranks. He was promoted to Captain (Hauptmann) just prior to his deployment to Uzbekistan with ISAF; while there he was wounded on a sortie into Afghanistan, and although he recovered well, his departure from the forces followed shortly afterward.
Matthias has a straightforward, businesslike manner, but has a reputation as someone who works hard and plays hard. He fences (a hobby he picked up at officer school), he enjoys both jogging and hiking, and he plays a lot of poker. He's a firm atheist, and prefers not to talk about religion at all. Unlike many Berliners, he can't stand fruity beers; he drinks Kölsch if he can get it.
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