König suffered from severe social anxiety throughout his life, often being bullied during his childhood for his tall stature. At the age of 17, he volunteered for the German Armed Forces and was selected for the Kommando Spezialkräfte. While he hoped to join to be a recon sniper, his physical size and his inability to stay still made him an unsuitable candidate. He was later assigned to be an insertion specialist to serve as a battering ram charging through doors in contested environments.