Actually it is Reinhard who first calls, probably out of anger and
disgust, Oberstein a Marchiavellian after he hears Oberstein's
"explanation" on the Westerland Massacre. Maybe Oberstein is most
concerned with the problem what Reinhard should or should not do so
that he rules "like a lion and a fox" (a Marchiavellian principle?).
Oberstein won't succeed if he is left to do it himself. Remember what
happens to him in Yang's First Conquest of Iserlohn, in the First
Season. Oberstein cannot even persuade the Iserlohn Fleet Commander to
believe his words, which are the closest to reality. I doubt if he can
persuade anyone to join him if he is going to rebel against the
Goldenbaums. This may be due to his "lack of charm". Only the few
geniuses understand that he's a good advisor. His ability on the
battlefield seems to stop there too. Remember what he says about
Yang's trap in the Battle of Vermillion. "Well, it may be a trap, but
perhaps it's not." He speaks nothing at all. He frankly admits he is
no match against Mittermeyer or Reuenthal on the battlefield.
Napoleon's remark on Marshal Berthier applies well on Oberstein: He
is unable to command even 50 (or 500) men on the battlefield.
Oberstein will fail if he's left to himself.
I don't think if Oberstein has ever won over the loyalty of anybody,
not even Anton Ferner. All he gains is respect from everyone due to
his extraordinary service off the battlefield. This is quite different
from loyalty.
The following contains a lot of spoiler about Oberstein in the Third
and Fourth Season, specially written for Miss Brown (though everyone
is welcomed). I hope she will find it helpful. It is taken from the
novel.
Book VI:
Oberstein becomes a marshal and is appointed the first Minister of War
in the Lohengramm Dynasty. He is involved indirectly in the plot of
the murder of Yang. He gives much advise to the "unfortunate"
Rennenkampf on this issue. This includes a perfect plan for the murder
(but Rennenkampf execute the plan badly, of course.)
One of his "remarkable" advise to the Kaiser may earn much protest
from all the others in Reinhard's court. He reminds the Kaiser of the
tradition of an ancient kingdom that when the king was married, he
would order the execution of all the Queen's relatives to prevent them
from corrupting the court. He says this just after he hears that
Mariendorf, Hildegard's father and Prime Minister, suggest Reinhard be
married (not necessarily to Hildegard!) as soon as possible. This
shows how unpleasant "Der Oberstein" (that's his nickname by
Mittermeyer) is.
Book VII:
With the start of the Second Goetterdaemmerung, Oberstein follows the
Kaiser to Phezzan. There his sets up a new office of the Ministry of
War. He stays in Phezzan and sees no fighting in the campaing. He
encourages again indirectly Ranke, the Secretary of Interior Security,
to avenge Ranke's humiliation by Reuenthal, thus leading to the
discovery of Reuenthal's Mistress, a relative of Herzog von
Lichtenlade, and the arrest of Reuenthal in Heinessonpolis. Reueunthal
loses his job as Chief of Staff of the Reichsfloette. The relation
between Reuenthal and Oberstein turns from bad to worse because
everyone knows, or at least believes, that Oberstein is the one behind
Ranke.
Book VIII:
Oberstein is still in Phezzan while the Kaiser and Yang are bathing in
blood in the Third Battle of Iserlohn. (The first one: Kempf vs Yang.
The second one: Reuenthal vs Yang.) Yet it does not means that
Oberstein can enjoy peace. Instead, he has to have a stay in the
Phezzan University Hospital, together with Colonel General Lutz and
several other officials. It is because of a bomb plot by the Terra,
which wants to avenge the destruction of the Earth by Colonel General
Wahlen and is influenced by Rubinsky's gang. Oberstein seems to
particiapte little in this book, or else his deeds in this book are
not remarkable enough for me to remember clearly.
Book IX:
This book is chiefly concerned with Reuenthal's "rebelleion". It is
triggered by the nasty conspirators - Rubinsky, Trunhit, a bishop of
the Terra (I can't remember his name.) and Ranke. Whether Oberstein,
the careful, cold calculator knows of the conspiracy of Ranke
beforehand I don't know. Oberstein never shows it. Perhaps the face of
Ferner which Ranke sees just before Ranke's arrest by Kessler shows
that Oberstein has talked with Ferner about Ranke's conspiracy. He
never defends Ranke. Nor does he prevents the rebellion from actually
breaking out. (Oberstein and Ranke are the two accused of conspiracy
against the Kaiser by Reuenthal and thus "forces" Reuenthal to bring
his fleet to Phezzan against them.) All Oberstein does is working out
a plan to suppress the rebellion while Mittermeyer is leading his
fleet to fight Reuenthal. Oberstein's plan is never used. But it is
not difficult to guess that in his plan he tries to prevent any bloody
space battle from occuring (such bloodshed is against the interest of
the dynasty!); instead he tries to break down the "rebel party", to
persuade some of Reuenthal's generals to rebel against Reuenthal.
Oberstein's strange character is shown again in an attempted
assasination of the Kaiser. It happens during a revision of troops.
When the assasinor (I forget the spelling) declares he intends to
avenge the Westerland Massacre on the "callous tyrant" (i.e.
Reinhard), Oberstein steps out and tells him coolly that he, not
Reinhard, is the one that orders the non-intervention of the
Westerland Massacre and that the assasinor should avenge it on him
alone. (The assasinor is so angry that he faints.) (I have mentioned
this attempted assasination before in "Re: Yang vs Reinhard; and
something else.")
Book X:
Oberstein can have achieved four remarkable feats in this book.
Instead he achieves three only. The other one is a failure. One of his
successes is the rescue of the Ministry of Transport. It happens after
Rubinsky has bribed an official to destroy all information in the
computer in the Ministry of Transport. This includes all the maps of
the former FPA. This leads to great confusion in the supply of food
and material in the former FPA and several rebellions in the planets.
Fortunately, Oberstein has stored a copy of the information in the
computer of the Ministry of War. This effectively defeats Rubinsky's
plot and rescue the Ministry of Transport. Then comes his rare
failure, as he is ordered to lead the fleets of Bittenfeld and Mueller
and join Wahlen's fleet to restore law and order in Heinessonpolis.
Oberstein will has nothing of the bloody suppression. He observes
correctly that all the problems in Heinessonpolis come from the hope
for intervention by the Iserlohn Revolutionary Government, headed by
Frederica (now Yang's widow) and Julian. Therefore, Oberstein makes
a series of political arrest, involving more than 1000 people, in the
hope that it will make the bargain for Iserlohn's surrender, which
will certainly kill all the hopes of the rebels. But before there is a
reply from Iserlohn, Bittenfeld, Mueller and Wahlen call for a stop of
such arrests, which hurt the honour of soldiers. All protests
strongly. After some bitter exchanges, with Oberstein mentioning that
all three generals has been beaten by Yang before, Bittenfeld finishes
the meeting brawling with Oberstein on the ground. Oberstein orders
for the arrest of Bittenfeld of course. This almost leads to the
mutiny of the Schwarzlantzenreiter (Bittenfeld's fleet). The Kaiser
has to go to Heinessonpolis to restore the situation. After the Kaiser
has leds his fleet to fight Julian, Oberstein is left in
Heinessonpolis with Wahlen. He achieves his second feat in this book:
the arrest of Rubinsky, thus clearing the way for the future of the
Lohengramm Dynasty. Then after he has returned to Phezzan, the new
capital of the Reich, he achieves the third one, this time sacrificing
his life. That's the bombing attack mentioned by Miss Brown. He
misleads the remaining Terra-ists into believing that his office in
the temporary palace is the Kaiser's bedroom, thus saving Reinhard,
Hildegard and their infant son Alexander-Siegfried from the attack
with his life. Reinhard will never know this. He is dying. Whether
Oberstein's death is the result of total loyalty or total
mis-calculation will remain a secret. When, the dying Reinhard, lying
on bed, finds that Oberstein is absent among the minister and the
generals, (Oberstein is just dead.) Hildegard says, "The Minister of
War has left to finish some important work." Reinhard says,"Bah! That
guy always has some 'important things' to do." This summarizes
Oberstein's controversial career well. We may find these words
inscripted on the tombstone of Oberstein's grave as well.
Reinhard-Siegfried