Can you list some headcanons that you have about klaus and kolya in the 1980 Au?
Klaus has mad insomnia (or at the very least super bad at getting and staying asleep) and it can affect his waking hours. He can go on little sleep and work just fine but sometimes he pushes it. Bc if he can’t get any meaningful sleep at night he’s inclined just to just bite the bullet and stay up regardless of what time it is. So he does sometimes just pass out at inopportune times bc his body is taking the sleep. Nikolai having to sleep on his stomach helps Klaus so much, the weight of another on him is therapeutic plus he sleeps better knowing there’s another person in the room. Almost like he doesn’t have to stand the watch, someone else can catch things just in case he can’t. It’s protective.
Klaus is an instructor (and runs the training program overall) for new tank crews in this verse bc East Germany for the most part isn’t involved in direct combat but are preparing regardless. So while he is super intimidating and nerve wracking to have as a teacher he does put in the extra effort for cadets to learn all they can. He can man every position in the tank and can also serve as a decent mechanic is need be (a weaker skill set but he can fix a fair amount of common things) So thats the high standards he’s teaching and expecting them to reach. Klaus is a hands on instructor tho. So being close to him in and out the tank is expected, you will never see him in the classroom setting (Thielicke’s job) learning hands on is how Klaus learned and he thinks it’s the best method bc muscle memory undeniably so invaluable.
He’s been in military academies in lieu of civilian schooling at his father’s request (his father in the 80s has just retired as a General) so boarding schools then officer schooling. And bc of his father’s looming presence on him (incredible pressure on him) Klaus always was one of the top students in his class. I think he’d gain promotions in rank super fast bc of that too, getting a new rank on graduation and that extra experience he had up to officer schooling helping in that regard too. Definitely attended the Fredrich Engles Military Academy in Dresden.
Speaking of Dresden he’s from there! His mother is from the western side of Germany but his father is also from Dresden.
I love the concept of past lives and like to think the 80s is just a life he’s been reincarnated into. The movie verse being now a past life too. He also has a past life as a Hussar with the Prussian first life hussars (I know that unit was normally filled with Prussians but Klaus would have started in a Silesian regiment and performed so well he got moved.) after all Cavalry are the forefathers to tanks.
Nikolai in a past life was a Cossack (everyone thank @historicalgae for that one and Nikolai sleeping on top of Klaus)
They’re at each other’s throats in many ways in each life