Moritz Hellmesberger

Moritz Hellmesberger (モーリッツ・ヘルメスベルガー), known to his fellow rebels as August (アウグスト) was the leader of the Dissidence Movement in the Attack on Titan: Before the Fall manga.

Appearance
Moritz had a long face with a square forehead. His long black hair was parted in the middle, exposing his ears. August wore oval-shaped glasses and a large trench coat.

Personality
Moritz was, for the most part, cordial in his interactions with others. He was also welcoming as when he accepted Matteus into the movement, and later Xavi, with no questions asked. As someone who experienced the plight of those within the Industrial City, Moritz was a firm believer in overthrowing the government and giving it to the people. He also showed some pity to those who were treated unfairly by the rebels in the past, expressing his apologies to Xenophon.

While civil, Moritz can also act rashly and erratic when things do not go the way he planned. He also has a bit of a temper and does not approve of his methods being questioned by others, even by his own supporters.

Story
Moritz viewed the rich citizens within the royal government with contempt and saw that the workers, especially those within the Industrial City, were the true backbone of civilization. Thus, he began to hatch a plan to overthrow them and usher in an era of freedom for citizens and equally spreading wealth to everyone. Moritz also believed that one of the master craftsman in particular, Xenophon Harkimo, would be sympathetic to their cause and resolved to have him join them, either willingly or by force. He was able to slowly but surely gather a devoted group of followers and was even able to stockpile numerous weapons for his planned uprising. To hide their identities from the Military Police, each of the heads of the rebellion used code names, with Moritz going by the name "August".

Dissidence Movement arc
August set up a final meeting before his planned uprising within the Industrial City. One of the members of his rebellion, Matteus, brought to them Xavi Inocencio of the Military Police. Hearing Xavi's story, August welcomes him into the group and they plan to start the rebellion in two days time. Unbeknownst to August (or any other members), however, both Xavi and Matteus were spies sent by the Military Police to weed out the rebels.

The night of the rebellion, August targets the Military Police members stationed outside the city and has some of his rebels kill them. After subduing the rest, he orders his lieutenants to split up and seize control of different parts of the city. As they split off, August rallies the majority of the rebels and they pledge their support to his cause. Later, he arrives at Xenophon's workshop and kills the five men outside (unknowingly sent by Xavi). He converses with Mai and hears that the workers were taken away. He spots the girl Mai had taken aside and invites her to come with them to speak with Xenophon. August expresses his wish that Xenophon joins his cause; Xenophon shares his past when the Dissidence Movement threatened and injured him many years ago. August assures him that his group has changed and again asks the foreman to join; eventually, Xenophon agrees to, but demands that in return, August release the workers and Sharle.

Despite agreeing to this, Xenophon ultimately refuses to accompany August. The latter then signals to the other assembled rebels to aim their weapons at the workers, despite Mai's protests; he also requests that Sharle go with them as well in order to quell any more attempts by Xenophon to leave. As they travel to the Military Police headquarters to negotiate with the Royal Government, he is shocked when a young man flies in and starts to fight the rebels; he orders Mai to take their two captives away and to shoot the boy. The Military Police arrives as well, and August frantically orders his men to open fire on both as he flees with Mai and their captives. As they rest at the Military Police headquarters, August decides to have their group rejoin Juli's forces; he hears a shot and is confused as to why the entire building is not under control. He sends Mai to investigate; shortly, Mai tells them Marz was captured and Juli is dead. Bewildered by this turn of events, August realizes that the Military Police are a mix of those from the Industrial City as well as from other districts, which explains why there are more than he expected. He takes umbrage with Mai when she orders him to save those who are still suffering, but agrees that they must return to their hideout. After being informed the hideout is compromised, they return to the Xenophon's workshop. He lashes out at Mai when she tells him that the MP's have taken control of the roads leading to the main gate. August desperately looks for a way out and heads to the roof; there, he is shocked to see Military Police Captains Jentsch Dafner and Gloria Bernhart as well as a battalion of Military Police soldiers surrounding the workshop.

Unable to accept that his rebellion has failed, August takes Sharle hostage and demands that Xenophon negotiates safe passage for them in return for Sharle's life. Mai and his remaining supporter ask him to stop and Xenophon calls him an idiot; nevertheless, Xenophon says he will try. Mai grabs August and tells him to let Sharle go; this causes August to snap and calls her and the other villagers who took part in the rebellion incompetent fools, placing the loss on them. He kills both his follower and Mai after they try to release Sharle. He remembers Xenophon calling him an idiot and proceeds to kick him off the roof of the building. August is then taken into custody by the Military Police, where he insists to Gloria that the other members were dragging him down by not following his plans to perfection. In a state of delirium, August agrees with Gloria's claim that the other members of the movement set him up due to jealousy and Gloria asks for him to reveal everything at the Military Police headquarters.

Trivia

 * It is noted by Xavi Inocencio that the leading members of the Dissidence Movement have code names relating to months of the year, with Moritz's code name being the month of August.