Dune: I.V. Holtzmann

Below some of my notes, about the life of the famous I.V. Holtzmann are given. Please take note that these are just come from my imagination, although some of the events are based on the time line as presented in the Dune Encyclopedia, which is known to contain many historical errors. Appearently, I am not the only one thinking that this might be an interesting story. Brain and Kevin are also going to write about it.

When I wrote this, I was unaware of the story written by Dr. Willis E. McNelly for the Dune Encyclopedia.


Irvin Villo Holtzmann (whoes calling name is Tio) was born on September 25 in the year 8607 A.D., also known as the year 7593 B.G. (Before Guild), or the year 2042 of Liesco II, the planet on which he was born.

On March 3 in the year 8635 A.D. (7565 B.G.) at age 27, he got an accident. He stayed unconcious for 10 days in the Intensive Care. Under the pressure of his father he was cyborged. Revalidation took more than 6 months.

On Februari 7 in the year 8638 A.D. (7562 B.G.) at age 30, he held his famous lecture during which he revealed the "wave-effect" nature of the suspensor-nullification device.

On October 22, 8644 A.D. (7556 B.G.) at age 39 he was thrown into a cometary orbit of 1861.87 years. The Dune encyclopedia is wrong about the fact that he was severely damaged. It was because of sabotage that he was thrown into a cometary orbit. The main engines of the space craft carrying him fired for probably more than 20 hours, until the fuel tanks were emptied completely. The 3 other people present on the space craft, died during this event.

On Januariy 2, 9154 A.D. he discovered the Net, and it's abilities to perform tele vision.

On April 17, 9201 A.D. he constructs a device to travel back in time through the net. It is in the years after, that he discovers that both life changing accidents were attempt to kill him.

Around November 1, 9202 A.D. he discovers the posibility to travel in the future. It is now that he starts his almost 7000 year time of constructing the maps of the future.

Around September 12, 10506 A.D. (5694 B.G.) he at the age of 1901 years passed by Liesco II during the wars of reunification. He did make contact with a number of people, but records of these private communications were lost, because no one believed the people he communicated with. But these communications did cause the death of the descendents of those who caused his accidents.

Around September 31 of the same year he for the first time sees the end of the human race by machines. In the following days, he finds the Golden Path and begins his work to establish it.

Around August 3, 12368 A.D. (3832 B.G.) he, at the age of 3762 years, reappeared at Liesco, and presents the theory for the construction of the defensive shield.

Around June 23, 14230 A.D. (1970 B.G.), at the age of 5625 years, he reappears again, and presents his unified theory. And he makes those private communications which will eventually led to the Butlerian Jihad, and thus cause his death in the year 16092. But because he cannot change his future anymore, and because he will be destroyed before he can transmit any message to anyone before he is destroyed, his view of the future becomes almost fixed, enabeling him to see the distant future, even past the time of the last Duncan and Sheeana.

On April 10, 16092 A.D. (108 B.G.) at the age of 7486 years old, Holtzmann is destroyed by the forces of the Butlerian Jihad. He dies the most lonely death possible, as the human that probably lived the longest, and knew the most, but never was able to share his knowledge with anyone.