| Moishe Leutner | |
| Fictional Character | |
| Shared Universe Story | |
| Cthulhu Mythos Stories | |
| Appearance: | "The Hill of the Beast" |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct narrator |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
| Religion: | None (raised in Judaism) |
| Date of Birth: | 1916 |
| Date of Death: | 1991 |
| Cause of Death: | Natural causes |
| Occupation: | Lawyer |
| Affiliations: | Communist Party USA Abraham Lincoln Brigade (Spanish Civil War) United States Army (World War II) |
Moishe Leutner (1916-1991) was an American civil-rights attorney from New York City. He was a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and World War II.[1]
Leutner was a sophomore at NYU when the Spanish Civil War began. While he'd been interested in the Miskatonic University's expedition to Antarctica, as a card carrying member of CPUSA, he felt obligated to fight the Nationalists in Spain.[2]
In July, 1938, Leutner was part of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade along with fellow American George Kurculiotis. He was part of the Republican forces that successfully crossed the Ebro River and seized some Nationalist ground with minimal bloodshed. However, even then, Leutner and the other Republicans realized that the Nationalists had the greater numbers and superior weaponry (provided by Italy and Germany).[3]
The Republican forces began their advance. One night, after the Abe Lincolns bunked down, Leutner heard a Catholic Mass on the Nationalist side. However, he also heard the sound of a flute or piccolo that wasn't part of the standard Mass. He pointed it out to Kurculiotis, who was dismissive of Leutner's concerns.[4]
The Republican advance continued until it reached the outskirts of Gandesa, Catalonia. The Nationalists had a position on a hill, designated Hill 666. At this point, company commander Lt. Peck had been shot in the knee, and Sgt. Jacoby had taken command. Leutner succeeded Jacoby. After the initial drive on Gandesa was halted, Jacoby informed Leutner that the Abe Lincolns were now tasked with taking Hill 666.Leutner was familiar enough with the New Testament that he realized the significance of the number 666, and joked that they were tasked with taking "the Hill of the Beast."[5]
The Abe Lincolns took fire almost as soon as they moved. Still, Leutner and the Abe Lincolns were able to make their way up the hill for nearly three days. Kurculiotis lost part of his ear, and Leutner had a shallow but painful hand wound, but they were making progress.[6] However, at the stroke midnight on the third night, the Nationalists began another Mass. Leutner realized what he was hearing was not normal. Soon, the piping began, and the Nationalists successfully summoned a shoggoth which immediately descended upon the Americans. Leutner recognized it from his studies of the Miskatonic University expedition.[7] Other shoggoths soon followed, and the Abe Lincolns retreated in a panic. Leutner realized that flamethrowers were in short supply in the Republic, and so the Nationalists would prevail in the long run.[8]
Leutner survived and wrote a brief account of the Hill of the Beast. He returned to the U.S. While he was designated a Premature Anti-Fascist, he enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. He received the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in North Africa and Italy. After the war, he returned to New York City and became a civil rights attorney.[9]
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