| Augustus Heinzerling | |
| Fictional Character | |
| 1632 series POD: May, 1631 | |
| Appearance(s): | Ring of Fire 1634: The Galileo Affair Grantville Gazette VII Grantville Gazette XXXVII |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | Germany |
| Religion: | Catholicism |
| Date of Birth: | 1593 |
| Spouse: | Hannelore Heinzerling |
| Children: | Karl (son), Aloysius (son), and Matthias (son) |
| Affiliations: | Society of Jesus |
Augustus Heinzerling was a German Jesuit and close confidant of Jules Mazarin. Unlike many other Jesuits, Heinzerling's unkempt life-style was considered beneath a simple ordained priest. However, he had still proven himself worthy in being multilingual. Heinzerling was forced to join the chaplaincy of Count Tilly's army during the Thirty Years' War, and had left that post carrying messages three months before and not been in any hurry to go back. For the time being Monsignor Mazarin had appropriated him as aide-de-camp. Secretly, Heinzerling sired a family with Hannelore Heinzerling.
In February 1632, when reports of Grantville had reached Mazarin, Heinzerling was dispatched by him to investigate the said town and its Catholic priest, Father Lawrence Mazzare, in the form of a diplomatic approach. He later returned to Mazarini and confirmed Grantville's existence. Heinzerling was then ushered by Mazarin in keeping a delicate secret between them of the latter's concerns with Grantville, and ordered to make a living in Grantville with his family to learn more about Mazzare and the developments in Grantville as Mazarin was at that time recalled to Rome. After returning to Grantville, Heinzerling informed Father Mazzare about Mazarin's recall and his potential arrival in Grantville. Also, he and his family were arranged to be sheltered by Mazzare until Mazarin's arrival, and as well having himself named as the curate of Saint Mary's Parish. During his stay in Grantville, Heinzerling was involved in a bar fight at the Thuringen Gardens over a minor religious dispute with Andrew Lennox, in which he received a broken jaw -- and after which he received a black eye from Hannelore for disobedience. Overall, Heinzerling's stay was pleasant and he became adapted to the town's culture.
When Mazarin finally arrived in Grantville while its forces were fighting against Spanish forces, Heinzerling greeted him and acted as his interpreter as they went through the town, and helped with Mazarin's culture shock. By the time of the Croat raid, Heinzerling, Mazarin, and Mazzare had arrived downtown and were ushered into one of the buildings. It is here that he witnessed a radio exchange between Mazzare and Irene Flannery, in which the latter refused to retreat from her home as she had become embittered with Heinzerling's wife for supposedly replacing her at St. Mary Church. During the one-sided massacre, Heinzerling joined the gunfight and was shown to be an avid gunman. After the battle, Heinzerling helped in digging a grave for Irene Flannery and attended her funeral.
After Mazarre received a response from Cardinal Antonio Barberini over the documents the former sent to Rome, Heinzerling and Methodist pastor Simon Jones helped with compiling a tome that detailed the Catholic Church's history from the 17th century to up-time 2000.