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Spoiler Warning |
| Plot details follow, read at your own risk. |
Louis Jan "Lou" Buchwalter is an unseen character in L.A. Noire.
Biography[]
Background[]
During Hitler's rise to power, he and Elsa Lichtmann fled Germany to go to America, and they became close friends throughout their four years spent interned together at Ellis Island. Elsa described him as "the only man who loved me without putting his hands on me." The game never makes clear whether this is an indication of the man's orientation, or if his affection for her was simply platonic in nature; they were certainly close enough that he named Lichtmann the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy, indicating that, at the time of his death, she was his only significant personal connection.
Events of L.A. Noire[]
Harlan Fontaine found a job for him with Elysian Fields Development. However, while working on one of Elysian Fields' substandard houses, the poor roofing material collapsed on him and he died as a result of his injuries. Buchwalter's insurance named Elsa as the primary beneficiary.
To cover up the true reasons for Lou's death (the shoddy work materials for the building of the housing developments), the insurance payout was substantially increased by Elysian Fields to $20,000. The large amount of money caused Cole Phelps to persuade Elsa into seeking out Jack Kelso for help, having her say that she suspected foul play, and ultimately to ask Kelso for help in uncovering and putting an end to the conspiracy behind Elysian Fields and the Suburban Redevelopment Fund.