1856: The question of an inheritance
1856 was, all things considered, a very peaceful and prosperous one for Germany. Although the economists were, perhaps, excessively sanguine about the budget cuts of Dr. Dominik Fellman, nonetheless, the German treasury improved to a considerable extent.
The actual results, after 12 months of activity, were less impressive, but the expansion of two factories and the expensive aid program to fight off another outbreak of influenza perhaps prevented the treasury’s expansion.
Domestically, yet another flare up in Venice reminded Germans that some citizens were not entirely convinced of the value of German unity. The reduction of imports as a result caused hunger and starvation throughout upper Bavaria, already suffering a serious potato blight.
Still, quick thinking government officials ensured a steady stream of aid to the beleaguered people of the region, with Maximillian von Vandenburg, an Assemblyman from München being praised in particular, leading a few individuals to speculate he might be seeking higher office in the upcoming elections.
But, even in a time of peace, foreign affairs dominated the Republic of Germany’s attention. Castille, defeated by France in her disastrous war, lost all of her gains, won by the blood of German soldiers.
But, that was not the end of the story for Castille, not by a long shot. Revolutionaries accomplished what soldiers could not, as a group of ex-patriates, who dreamt of a newly forged Kingdom of Spain, overthrew the government of Grenada and formally petitioned for union with Castille. The King of Castille, not wishing to anger his most powerful (and, indeed, only) friend, requested the assent of the Republic of Germany before agreeing, but Foreign Minister Michael von Hohenzollern was away, and discussion would have to wait until January of 1857.
The whereabouts of the Foreign Minister and head of the House of Hohenzollern were the subject of many rumors throughout the Republic; some speculated he had fallen victim to a secret society, although Michael’s denial seemed to kill those rumors flat.
The patriarch of the Hohenzollern family had a very busy 1856, as he revealed in a speech to the Reichstag in October of 1856. “Fellow Stadtholders and Assemblymen, I thank you all for your concern, and the letters I received were very touching. As many of you know, I have been a lifelong bachelor. As a career diplomat, I never had time to settle down and start a family. That all changed in January. I was in the Vatican, improving relations with the Pope and trying to convince him to abandon his British foolishness. I met the most lovely woman I’d ever imagined. I did not want her to be exposed to the German press, or even present her to you, my friends, before she was ready. You see, she was pregnant.”
Nobody spoke, stunned into silence. Even Michael himself said nothing for about a minute.
“And now, unfortunately, you never will meet her. She died during childbirth just three days ago, giving birth to my son and heir, Konrad Friedrich von Hohenzollern. The boy is resting comfortably; he is healthy and happy, and I look forward to the day when he can inherit my responsibilities.”
After a few more moments, applause broke out, but the jovial mood didn’t last for long. Upon hearing the news that her son had just lost his guaranteed riches and power, Ferdinand von Hohenzollern’s mother final shred of sanity snapped. She took her six year old son in the middle of the night and disappeared, leaving only a cryptic note:
“I wonder which of Germany’s enemies would like a claim on her lands?”
This will be the last update for about a week or so, as I’m leaving to go back home to the US, so this is a good time to have some intrigue, I’m thinking.
I was going to actually rush through the next update so we’d end on an election, but DutchGuy, thankfully, gave us something to do in the interim.
