Standartenführer (Oberst) Herzog is a fictional character from Dead Snow, a Norwegian independent zombie comedy ("zomedy"). Portrayed by Ørjan Gamst, he is the chief antagonist. Originally the merciless Nazi commander for an Einsatzgruppe division stationed near Øksfjord, Norway during World War II, his appearance in the film is as a zombie, re-animated in 2009.
Appearance[]
His story begins in Northern Norway, with a mysterious hiker who tells a group of young medical students, vacationing in the mountains near Øksfjord, about the tragic history of the area from 1942 to 1945. During this time, Herzog and his soldiers tortured and abused the local populace, to such a degree that his cruelty became the grim stuff of legend for the area. Toward the end of the war, realizing that their defeat was at hand, the German soldiers began looting gold, silver and other precious items from the townspeople. However, the residents rebelled, killing many of Herzog's men. Herzog, whom the hiker calls 'the devil,' managed to escape with some of his soldiers into the mountains, where it is believed they all perished. The man tells the indifferent students that the 'evil presence' the notorious officer left behind should not be awakened, and implores them to tread carefully. After the hiker's visit, the students find an old wooden box, containing medals, gold coins and jewelry. Unaware that they have come across some of Herzog's war loot, and having already forgotten their visitor's tale of the Nazis years prior, the students play with the gold pieces and discuss selling them. Herzog first appears the night the box is found, retrieving one of the coins from the snow, right outside an outhouse where two of the students are having sex. He soon unleashes his zombie troops on the students, with the couple among the first to be killed. Throughout the movie, Herzog is seen dispatching his soldiers, primarily through gestures, and observing the action from a distance. He also watches as the students accidentally set fire to their cabin. His troops ultimately kill seven of the students, along with the hiker who originally warned them. After much carnage and bloodshed, and his zombie troops destroyed, Herzog is left alone with two surviving students. When the two survivors discuss finishing him off, Herzog yells in German, "Aufstehen!" (translated as "get up" in English), and rouses a battalion of zombie soldiers, buried beneath the snow. During the ensuring chase, Herzog breaks with his commander role and joins the action, striking one student on the head with a hammer and disemboweling him. He then removes a gold pocketwatch off his remains. The remaining survivor, named Martin (portrayed by Vegar Hoel), realizing what Herzog is truly after, runs to the group's burnt cabin to retrieve the wooden box. Finally given his gold, Herzog appears satisfied and Martin is allowed to escape.
Upon reaching the supposed safety of his car, Martin prepares to leave the disastrous scene when he discovers one of Herzog's coins. With his discovery, Martin also discovers Herzog, who has returned to take violent possession of his remaining coin.
