Background

Note: There are multiple versions of Wolfenstein 3D with various alternate game endings per the various versions of the games, in addition to alternate backstories in manuals and game guides (and additional material added in 'later games') which discuss various and often inconsistent details. So there isn't necessarily a 'consistent' 'Classic' timeline related to the game (but what is included below is based on the related material).

If all the versions and timelines and references are taken into account, there are at least 2-3 'Encounters' between B.J. Blazkowicz and villains such as Hitler, Schabbs, and Grosse Family. 1-3 before 1943, and another at the end of the war. Similar encounters but the locations of the battles changed. Likewise the Spear of Destiny is stolen and recovered several times.

Classic Wolfenstein 3D Timeline

(Covers events of Wolfenstein 3D, Original Encounter, Spear of Destiny and its mission packs)

• 4000 B.C. - Swastikas appear on ceramics in Iran.^[1]
• 100 A.D. - Germans begin using runes for magical and ordinary writing. They were able to use runes as a method of gaining insight into the future or the unknown by supernatural means (see Thule).^[2]
• August 15, 1911 - William "B.J." Blazkowicz is born in America (possibly in Milwaukee).
• 1918 - End of WWI, the Spear of Destiny is one of the national treasures taken from Germany, and brought to a museum in Versailles, France.^[3]
• 1929 - Geneva Convention bans chemical weapons.^[4]
• 1933
  • Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.
  • Albert Einstein lives in California, but becomes a target of the growing Nazi might.^[5]
• 1934 - The Totenkopf instituted by Heinrich Himmler becomes the symbol of recognition and loyalty to Hitler and his ideals. These were used on rings adapted Pagan Germanic mythology from Thor, and Wotan's spear.
• 1939
  • Nazi invasions begin in Europe. Nazi tanks roll into France, Hitler's armies retrieve the Spear of Destiny from Versailles, and bring it to Castle Nuremburg.^[6]
  • Einstein writes a letter President Franklin D. Roosevelt warning of German's advances in physics and warning of the possibility of Nazis developing a uranium bomb.^[7]
• 1940
  • Nazis conquer France.
  • September 21, 1940: Jean Moulin briefs William Blazkowicz under a mission for the OSA in France. The French Resistance help B.J. infiltrate Germany. The Spear of destiny is recovered and demon is destroyed. The spear is brought back to the U.S. where it was kept under tight security.^[8]
  • B.J is honored by president Franklin D. Roosevelt for his actions at the White House in Washington D.C.
• 1941 - Hans von Schlieffen and a group of Storm Troopers travel to the U.S. to regain the spear. Hitler's forces recapture the Spear of Destiny again, but only the Axe escaped to the Nazi's Secret Scandinavian Base (built to carry out atomic research). Three intelligence agents are killed trying to infiltrate Hitler's headquarters. Admiral Powell of the U.S. navy sends B.J. to recover it.^[9]
• 1942 - B.J. is captured and escapes Castle Wolfenstein for the first time, and has his First Encounter with Hans Grösse.^[10]
• March 13, 1943 - An attempt on Hitler's life is made. Henning von Tresckow asked Col. Heinz Brandt to take brandy on Hitler's plane. The attempt failed due to a faulty detonator.^[11]
• 1944
  • July 20, 1944 - An agent attempts to kill Adolf Hitler, with a bomb.^[12], however, Hitler survived the attempt.
  • The Spear of Destiny is recaptured by Hitler. Learning from his past mistakes, Hitler has expanded his subterranean command bunker beneath the chancellery in Berlin so that he can keep the Spear of Destiny nearby and well-guarded. Calling upon the dark forces of the occult, Hitler can see into the future and obtain the plans to future weapon systems.^[13] B.J. is sent to retrieve it again. He discovers, that the Nazi's are working with time travel technology (even going as far to steal technology from the Union Aerospace Corporation). This apparently isn't the last time the Nazi's recapture the spear however.
• 1945
  • January - Over the course of a month, B.J. has his Second Encounter with Hans Grosse at Dresden, early Eisenfaust encounters, and battle with Adolf Hitler at Castle Wolfenstein. False end to the war.^[14].
  • February, 1945^[15]
    • B.J. Escapes from Castle Wolfenstein 'again', and has his Third Encounter with Hans Grosse.
    • B.J. stops the German's deadly gas manufacturing.
    • B.J. destroys Operation Eisenfaust completely.
    • Hitler flees from the Fuhrerbunker at the Reichs Chancellory to try to escape the pursuing Nazi assassin. He hides behind defenses in the Reichstag.
    • (possibly up to April 28) Blazkowicz successfully assassinates Hitler at the Reichstag for the last time.^[16] B.J. became a hero, and world famous, and met the President. Still most of his actions are apparently classified.
  • Spring 1945 - To prevent allies from capturing the Totenkopf rings, Himmler ordered that Shrine at Wewelsburg castle be blast-sealed into the side of the mountain near the castle.
  • April 28, 1945 - The Spear of Destiny is finally captured by Allied Forces from Nuremberg.^[17] It is said General Patton discovered the spear, and the downfall of Germany began that day.^[18] It was fabled that the U.S. was destined to succeed Germany as the New World Power once ownership of the spear changed.^[19]
  • There are rumors that Hitler and Eva committed suicide in the Fuhrerbunker.
  • The war ends in Europe.
• 1951 - Blazkowicz gets married to Julia Marie Peterson, a movie star.^[20]
  • His son Arthur Kenneth Blazkowicz is born.
• Arthur becomes a television host and changes his last name to Blaze.
• Arthur marries Susan Elizabeth McMichaels.
• 1982 - William Joseph Blazkowicz II (Billy Blaze), his son, is born.
• 1990 - Billy Blaze becomes Commander Keen and saves Earth several times.
• 2015 - The Union Aerospace Corporation is founded.
• c. 2145 - B.J. is sent to the future to a UAC Mars Base where he fights the Devil Incarnate.

Notes

Dating of Original Encounter/Second Encounter

• The game mentions that B.J. worked as an operative and looked for Adolf Hitler from the bunkers at Normandy to Bern, Switzerland, this may be a reference to D-Day, June 6, 1944.
• Original Encounter portrays one of B.J.'s earlier attempts on Hitler's life, and acts as a prequel to the original PC Wolfenstein 3D (it is set roughly before the first game by perhaps a month according to the Jaguar version).
  • Hitler is thought to be dead, at the end of the Original Encounter. But returns again for the original Wolfenstein 3D campaign (so-called "3rd Encounter" in the Mac version).
  • Wolfenstein for the Mac Family/SNES/Jaguar/3D0 is different than original game, and set in a different set of locations such as the Wolf's Lair, and has a different storyline/endings. The Mac Family (Jaguar/Mac/3D0/Apple IIGS) actually places Original Encounter/2nd Encounter (which were based on the SNES version) as the first defeat of Hitler by B.J., whereas the 3rd Encounter includes the second defeat (original PC version & Nocturnal Missions). Other than the Jaguar version the MAC/3D0/AppleIIGS do not have much story or any ending screens, but are purely gameplay (which sort of allows for various characters returns to be a bit more 'believable' if assumed they were healed of their 'wounds').
  • Over the course of a month, B.J. has his Original Encounter with Hans Grosse at Dresden, early Eisenfaust encounters, and battle with Adolf Hitler at Castle Wolfenstein. False end to the war.^[21].

Dating of Wolfeinstein 3-D

• The date for when Wolfenstein 3-D takes place is not specifically given in the original games or most ports, manuals, or hintbooks. There is no details given which suggest when it takes place 'historically' (I.E. no direct mentions of the invasion of Berlin (April, 1945), no reference to the Russians, and in fact might suggest that he's actually an undercover behind enemy lines while the Germans still strongly control Germany. There are only clues perhaps that its 'towards the end of the war', and that Hitler is getting desperate to make his last attacks.
• B.J. is locked up for 12 days according to the manual for Wolfenstein 3D (original).
• The Wolfenstein 3-D hintbook only states that Eisenfaust represented Nazi's "last gasp" effort to end the war.
• Wolfenstein Platinum Edition connects RTWC/Wolfenstein 2009/Graphic Novels to the original game. It places Wolfenstein 3D's main events in February, 1945 (this suggests that Hitler attack is different event than the historical suicide in April, 1945). That either war ended earlier in classic timeline, or Hitler's death was falsified, he was resurrected somehow, for classic timeline to continue forward as it does. The trivia section still makes reference to the classic timeline, (confirming Commander Keen is B.J.'s grandson).
• Morse Code that can be heard during a song in Episode 3 states that B.J.'s mission to assassinate Hitler, took the course of a single day.
  • In reality, however, the message from "Little Red Riding Hood" only tells BJ that his mission was to kill Hitler in 24 hours. However, if the song The Twelfth Hour, which is played twice in episode 3 (E3M3 and E3M7), means that it is actually twelve o'clock (and not just a meaningless song title), then it means that BJ failed to kill Hitler in the required time.
    • The fact that BJ was given a time limit on the mission could theoretically refer to the approaching Red Army.
  • However, the song containing Morse code "Kill the S.O.B." plays twice in episode 6. Probably because Noctural Missions was only created as an add-on for Wolfenstein 3D and was not given the same care as the original trilogy. (For example, composing new songs)
• The endings for Wolfenstein 3D (and its Episodes/Missions) are different depending on which version of the game is being played (as well as other adaptations such as the Graphic Novels for Wolfenstein (2009)). Thus there is no specific consistency to the storyline (and some characters are fought more than once over two or more campaigns, MAC/3D0 versions vs. Spear of Destiny and Wolfenstein 3D for example). Even the various descriptions in the Episode ending screens of original DOS Wolfenstein 3D do not necessarily match with what is shown in the actual game itself, or with what is published in the official Hintbook/Manuals. So inconsistencies do exist between the media.
  • In the original PC version it states that B.J. kicked off Hitler's head insuring he would not arise again. However, if he didn't actually kill Hitler, it would either have to be an other one of his clones, or his brain would have had to have been transferred to another body/shell (for him to have survived). Either that, or later developers reimagined what happened to his body (he was resuscitated and 'healed' from his wounds).

• Bunker and Hitler's defeat/death (in history the death was on April 30, 1945) seemingly occurs in both actual WW2 history and Wolfenstein 3D (at least implied by the strategy guide but not specifically mentioned in the games themselves). The event overlaps in each timeline more or less, representing the same event but alternate histories (however, as technically no date is given in the original Wolfenstein 3-D material specifically, and it could instead be based on one of the earlier attempts on Hitler's life before 1945, several of which are also referenced in the hintbook for the game). In actual history Hitler committed suicide with Eva Braun in the Fuhrerbunker under the Reich Chancellery, while in Wolfenstein's timelines he is either killed or at least wounded by B.J. Blazkowicz in the Reichstag Bunker and earlier at Castle Wolfenstein (Original Encounter). Although no date is usually given for when Wolfenstein 3D takes place in the manuals or other material (although the Spear of Destiny Hintbook does mention his suicide was about April 1945, but it is discussing the historical trivia). However, it is possible that the B.J.'s attempt on the Fuhrer represents one of the earlier attempts on Hitler's life before his eventual Suicide (assuming he 'survived'), which could set the event earlier in the war. The Mac Family 3rd encounter suggests Hitler was defeated by B.J. twice.
  • The first episode of Wolfenstein 3D: Escape from Castle Wolfenstein is more or less a remake of Castle Wolfenstein game (that is covering a very similar introductory story, however Castle Wolfenstein is concerned with Operation Rheingold rather than Eisenfaust), but also a semi-sequel, the 3 in 3D has the double meaning of being in 3D, and being the third game in the series. Beyond that Castle Wolfenstein & Episode 3: Die, Fuhrer, Die are roughly related as they represent alternate versions of the Bunker/Hitler's Death (though Beyond Castle Wolfenstein's version shares elements of the 20 July Plot, 1944 in an unrelated bunker at Wolf's Lair). This is specifically pointed out in the Spear of Destiny Hintbook (date included in classic timeline due to this reference). Note: This was only one of several attempts on Hitler's life before or during his rule (around 14 known attempts altogether).
  • The attack on Hitler in Wolfenstein 3D and in the Fourth Reich timelines occurs in the Reichstag Bunker. This is not the same location as Hitler's death at the Führerbunker at the Reichs Chancellory (although in real life the Reichstag and Reich Chancellery and Fuhrerbunker are very close together). The Führerbunker is a location covered in Mission 3: Ultimate Challenge of Spear of Destiny, where B.J. recaptured the Spear of Destiny for the third time (perhaps roughly coinciding with the allied invasion of Berlin near the end of the war April 28, 1945 according to the Spear of Destiny hintbook), and leaving room for possible "Hitler Suicide" for yet another 'loss', or he escaped to Reichstag (only to be followed and killed/defeated).
  • The exact date of B.J. attack is not given in the Fourth Reich timeline but must take place after 1943 following RTCW (somewhere between 1943 and 1945). The Graphic Novels suggest that RTCW is "near the end of the 'war'", and that B.J. believes that Hitler's defeat represents the end of the 'war'. It neither confirms Hitler's death but rather suggests Hitler suffered a "major defeat" suggesting he survived from his wounds, and then allowing the Reich to rebuild itself not long after. There are plenty of paintings of Hitler in Wolfenstein (paintings, photographs, and an old propaganda poster), however, there is no direct mention of him (or his leadership), and Deathshead strangely presumes to put a prominent painting of himself in the castle rather than any paintings of Hitler. The only prominent historical Nazi mentioned, albeit briefly, is Heinrich Himmler who is in command of the SS Paranormal Division.
  • Incidently in real life there was an additional attempt on Hitler's life in 1943 at Wolf's Lair, East Prussia by Unknown Pole. Perhaps this one of the elements that inspired B.J. to be of Polish descent.
  • Strangely the ending of Nocturnal Missions states that following his return from defeating Fatface, he married a movie star. But chronologically speaking that would be before the end of the war, and even before the Eisenfaust missions.

• According to the developers Wolfenstien didn't have Hitler, because it was a 'timeline thing' Hitler had already been defeated. They said RTCW took place after Wolfenstein 3D and their game took place after RTCW.^[22] This was later reflected in the released graphic novels.
  • However both Tides of War and Wolfenstein 3D Classic place Wolfenstein 3D events after RTCW at the 'end of the war'.
  • Not entirely a problem if one considers there may be a First Encounter, 3rd Encounter and possibly even a '2nd Encounter" with Hitler, which might fit these extra dates in. However, how he returns is not explained... be it left for dead and 'surgery', 'resurrection', or 'cloning' or some other method,
• The Strategy Guide implies that Wolfenstein 3D (or at least the Eisenfaust portion of the campaign) took place before Return to Castle Wolfenstein. IF that was the case, it would mean that either an attempt on Hitler occurred before July, 1942, or Eisenfaust took place in 1942, and assassination attempt on the Fuhrer came later. See Welcome Back, Soldier. However it sonly specifically referring to an escape form Wolfenstien, this may relate to First Encounter/Demo/Escape from Castle Wolfenstein, and not the rest of the campaign.
• Alternatively, RTCW: Tides of War places Wolfenstein 3D as a "second campaign" unlocked after completion of ToW, suggesting it as a sequel to RTCW set later in the timeline. The background information and story for Wolfenstein 3D Classic also appears to make that version of the game a 'sequel' to RTCW and Wolfenstein (2009).
• The Old Blood places events of Wolfenstein 3D at some point before January 3, 1946, as referenced in a newspaper concerning the assassination attempt on Hitler's life.
• When Gamespot asked if Mecha-Hitler would be in Wolfenstein: The New Order, they were told that he was already defeated in Wolfenstein 3D (but still possibly alive). It was suggested to them that events of Wolfenstein 3D were still canon.^[23] In addition BJ appears as a tall and blonde character much like his appearance in the original games (rather than brown haired as he appears in RTCW and Wolfenstein). The Nightmare (side mission/easter egg) in The New Order may suggest a repressed memory of this. But it had no direct impact on Hitler's life or the outcome of the war. No exact date is given for the event. The extended Nightmare levels campaign in Old Blood goes as far as the defeat of Hans Grosse, the capture of Eisenfaust documents, and escape from Wolfenstein, and has dated material as early as 1928 (Old silver). Finally, there is a newspaper that makes a more direct reference to B.J.'s assassination attempt on Hitler, and severely injuring him which is a direct reference to events of Wolfenstein 3D or the Original Encounter, though by January 1946, Hitler reappears (apparently after some time of recuperation) and denies he was injured (propaganda).

Placement of the Nocturnal Missions

• The date when these take place is not specifically stated in most sources.

• However, one source states that the Nocturnal Missions place them three months before Wolfeinstein 3-D^{needs verification}.

• The Nocturnal Missions are generally considered a prequel to the original games. This is stated at the end of Episode 3 of the PC version as well. Episode 5, definitely makes reference to Operation Eisenfaust about to begin.
• However strangely the ending for episode 6, is written as if he gets married right after the events of the Nocturnal Missions. His marriage however is said to take place after the war in other places.
• In versions where the story details are mostly stripped away. Such as on the Mac version or the 3D0 version, there is no indication that it is a prequel. The only indication that it is a prequel in Wolfenstein 3D classic is that its triva section, otherwise it seemingly also takes place in the version's date of February, 1945.
• Wolfenstein 3D Classic again lacks much actual 'story' replacing the ending sequence with a Daily News paper screen, which only sets the date as February, 1945 for all the missions (the same screen is used for Spear of Destiny as well). Which again gives no indication within the main game that Nocturnal Missions are a 'prequel', but could even go as far to imply that they occur in the same month as the first three episodes. However, the trivia section does point out that The Nocturnal Missions, were "intended to act as a prequel to the original trilogy of Episodes".

Dating of Spear of Destiny Missions

• The exact date of Spear of Destiny is not specifically given but the hintbook may give some clues. While Mission 2 takes place a year after Mission 1.
  • Jean Moulin was an actual person who lived from 20 June 1899 – 8 July 1943. Thus this indicates that the game Spear of Destiny most likely took place between 1940 and 1943. The story appears to take place not long after France was conquered by the Third Reich, or Operation: Fall Rot in 1940. He did not join the resistance until possibly late 1940 to 1941. However, Jean Moulin did not become a resistance leader until 1941, and wasn't back in France until January 1942.
• Mission 2 has two different conflicting dates...
  • According to the box it is set six weeks after the original.
  • According to the manual: Mission 2 takes place over a year after Spear of Destiny. This would place it roughly 1943 (if Spear of Destiny took place in 1942.) If Spear of Destiny took place in early 1943, then Mission 2 would take place about 1944. However, in actual history the German uranium weapon testing was destroyed by American bombardment on 15 March 1945, to prevent the Russians from obtaining the German research.
• Mission 3 is less clear, but appears to be towards the end of the war. Perhaps shortly before the Nocturnal Missions, or roughly between Episode 2-3 of Wolfenstein 3D (close to the Die Fuhrer Die event) when the Fuhrerbunker became more relevant. Or it might even take place after the original campaign when Hitler actually was in the Fuehrerbunker. Episode 2 ending actually states that Fuhrer fled his bunker to the Reichstag out of fear of assassin.
  • The Spear of Destiny Notes in the official Hintbook which claim to tell the 'real story' appear to be largely fictional themselves. It states that Hitler took the Spear of Destiny from France in 1939 (in real life they didn't invade France until 1940, some history sources claim he actually procured the spear in 1938 from Vienna, when he annexed Austria), and used it over the next five years (which adds up to 1944). Finally it says he committed suicide in his bunker on April 28, 1945, the same day the spear was taken from Nuremburg by the Allies (Hitler actually committed suicide on April 30th).
  • The Endings for the Mission packs are exactly the same as the ending for Spear of Destiny, not text was changed, and doesn't fit with mission storylines too well as it mentions him being near Castle Nuremeburg. It is just recycling the ending screen from Spear of Destiny.
  • Nocturnal Missions take place perhaps shortly before Wolfenstein 3D, and the ending mentions him being sent on that mission next.
  • The Date given for when the Totenkopf rings were blasted into the mountain appears to be inaccurate, as in actual history he supposedly had them blasted into the mountain back in 1938 as an 'ongoing' shrine to those who die and who would die for the Third Reich.

• The Graphic Novel for Spear of Destiny looks to give the event to have taken place prior to 20/21 Sep, 1940, or 30 (the date that appears on multiple documents in Wolfenstein (2009)), which could suggest that Spear of Destiny took place much earlier than implied by other sources and history.

References