Leopold Strauss
Voiced by Howard Pinhasik
Leopold Strauss hands out 5 of the 128 story missions, the first Money Lending and Other Sins VI & VII and the last Money Lending and Other Sins I & II.
Hands out work. Their initial is the marker you drive to.
- Role
- Mission givers
- Voice actor
- Howard Pinhasik
- Status
- Not stated
- Occupation
- Bookkeeper Loan shark
- Affiliations
- Van der Linde gang
Player notes
Leopold Strauss is born into poverty in Vienna, Austria, around 1846. His father sells Strauss's younger sister Anna into bonded labour, and Strauss leaves for the United States with his uncle at seventeen because of his health. His uncle dies during the New York draft riots, leaving him alone. After years of illicit schemes, Dutch van der Linde brings Strauss into the Van der Linde gang. Strauss keeps its accounts and builds a money lending business that Arthur Morgan finds cruel.
Strauss remains with the camp's noncombatants during the gang's time in Colter. At Horseshoe Overlook, he begins lending around Valentine and sends Arthur after Chick Matthews, Mr. Wróbel and Lilly Millet. He then directs him to Thomas Downes, whose family has nothing left and who is dying of tuberculosis. Arthur returns empty-handed and condemns Strauss for making the loan. When Edith Downes later reports Thomas's death, Strauss transfers the debt to her. Cornwall's men briefly seize Strauss and John in Valentine, and Strauss is shot in the leg during their escape.
At Clemens Point, Strauss sends Arthur to Winton Holmes and Gwyn Hughes. Holmes seeks a white cougar's pelt to settle his debt, but dies after Arthur kills the animal. Hughes steals a diamond brooch from a corpse to pay what he owes. Strauss later has Arthur collect the Downes debt from Edith. In Saint Denis, he dispatches Arthur to Algie Davison, whose son Nate reveals where the money is after Algie attacks Arthur. Strauss also reads Desmond Blythe's poker hand from behind him during the robbery aboard The Grand Korrigan.
From Beaver Hollow, Strauss gives Arthur the debts of deserter J. John Weathers and Annesburg miner Arthur Londonderry. Weathers offers supplies and a silver locket after soldiers from Fort Wallace pursue him. Londonderry is already dead, and his widow cannot support herself or her child under the debts left behind. Arthur can forgive both families. Back at camp, Arthur holds Strauss responsible for the misery caused by his business, including the encounter with Thomas Downes, and forces him out with money for the road. Strauss protests as he leaves the Van der Linde gang.
Trivia
- ◆After being kicked out of camp by Arthur in "Money Lending and Other Sins VI & VII", he can be seen riding away on one of the extra camp horses, noticeably the Morgan or Tennessee Walker.
- ◆If Arthur goes to confront him during night, Susan and Pearson will appear in the cutscene, getting up as they are sleeping just next to Strauss and will appear afraid and shocked by Arthur’s anger and screams.
- ◆In the third game trailer, Strauss can be seen holding a pair of Double-Action Revolvers, which can also be seen when the gang meets Agent Milton at camp for the first time. Also, during 'The Sheep and the Goats' if Arthur is attacked outside the mission icon, Strauss and Dutch may run out and open fire on Arthur's attacker/s and follow him throughout his escape. This is especially common if Bounty Hunters attack Arthur in Valentine when the mission is still in progress.
- ◆Strauss' biography inaccurately states he was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which wasn't formed until 1867. He was actually born in the Austrian Empire.
- ◆Despite having been born in Austria, Wróbel refers to him as a 'Prussian' while Arthur is searching his home.
- ◆During camp poker games, Strauss says that his brother taught him how to play during a winter in Vienna, and that he never beat him once.
- ◆Strauss' name may be derived from Leo Strauss, a 20th century German-American political philosopher born in 1899, the year in which the majority of the game's events take place. Leo Strauss was also known for being a fan of the western series Gunsmoke. Another similarity is that Leo Strauss died in Annapolis, which is a similar name as Annesburg.
- ◆Strauss is possibly Jewish; his surname is common among German Jews, Vienna had a large Jewish population at the time, and money-lending was a stereotypically Jewish occupation, leading some to accuse the developers of playing to stereotypes. However, it is never definitively indicated that he is Jewish; there are Gentiles with the surname Strauss, and he speaks with a German rather than Yiddish accent.
- ◆If Arthur accepts Strauss' last debtor missions but delays completing them, Strauss would have a conversation with Arthur where he admits he's about to leave. When Arthur spitefully admits that he won't miss him, an offended Strauss sarcastically tells Arthur that his charm is his best feature before riding away.
- ◆If Arthur doesn't accept Strauss' last debtor missions, Strauss would leave the gang off-screen, although his absence is not specifically noted by anyone.
- ◆Strauss is one of the three members of the Van der Linde gang to have an off-screen death. The other two are Jenny Kirk and Mac Callander. However, players got to see Strauss in the game before his death while Jenny and Mac were never shown. Moreover, like Mac, Micah Bell, Cleet, Joe, Annabelle, Bessie Matthews, an unnamed traitor and Molly O'Shea, he doesn't have a marked grave in the game's world.
Story missions
5 missionsIn story order, numbered as they are on the mission list. Not all of these are missions they hand you; some they only appear in.
Character data from Red Dead Wiki, CC BY-SA. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games.
Last verified September 14, 2026