((Ooh, good question. I'll go check...
...apparently we should have had Italian Parliamentary elections alongside the General Election in 1894.))
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((Ooh, good question. I'll go check...
...apparently we should have had Italian Parliamentary elections alongside the General Election in 1894.))
The vote for Unemployment Subsidies passes, 420 to 80 and 49 to 35. This session of the Reichstag is hereby closed.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
((I will definitely play tonight; I'm not sure if I'll be able to update or not, because tomorrow is a long day for me.))
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
((I will definitely play tonight; I'm not sure if I'll be able to update or not, because tomorrow is a long day for me.))
1896: A Great Peace
Unlike the vote for peace with the British Empire, the decision to seek a peace with France and Byzantines was relatively straightforward. As Foreign Minister Hubert Schaumburg prepared to lead the delegation, a messenger burst into the Foreign Minister's office: France had completely surrendered. A socialist member of the delegation tried to push the original plan for peace, but an imperialist kicked him under the table, and the Foreign Minister accepted. The Great War was over!
Church bells rang throughout Germany, celebrating the end to a hard-fought war. President Samuel von Dwyfor-Frauenkirche and Chancellor HF Gutfreund shook hands on the steps of the Reichstag building, clapping each other on the back. Minister of War Konrad von Schwaben had his own celebration with the Chief of the General Staff, Konrad Friedrich von Hohenzollern. The Minister of the Interior, Axel Wouters, announced an amnesty for any political prisoners in German dungeons. After a few days of jubilation, the Chancellor got down to business. He promised that the sacrifices Germany's soldiers and sailors had made would not be in vain. Any wounded from the war would receive unemployment benefits until they were well enough to work; if they could not work, those benefits would last the rest of their lives. Minister von Schwaben and the Minister of Education, Walther Herwig, promised government funding for new areas of psychological research, in an effort to understand what soldiers and sailors had gone through. The loudest cheers were reserved for the Minister of War alone, who announced that the German militia would be demobilized and could return to their homes.
War still continued, however, in Hedjaz. Soldiers boarded ships in Italy, headed for Acre and Jaffa. Gleaming German battleships bombarded Hedjazi ports. The Minister of Finance, Franz von Bavel-Timmermans, proclaimed that the war taxes would continue until the end of the war with Hedjaz, simply because so many millions had been spent to fight the Great War. Reparations from France and the Byzantines made those taxes a little easier to swallow, of course. An epidemic of influenza spread throughout Germany, depleting the treasury still further. However, the returning militia went right back to work, and soon Germany was producing like they had never produced before.
Within just a few weeks, Hedjaz's army was defeated and their fortresses fell with alarming regularity. Hedjaz quickly sacrificed an insignificant island in the South Pacific to secure a peace, with Germany and Syria happily accepted. The results of the Great War turned the world upside down; Egypt, almost destroyed, was torn apart by their former friends in London. Azerbaijani soldiers, returning from war in Europe, were furious at their leadership for so quickly agreeing to fight. A military dictatorship was installed, but Azerbaijan was torn apart by her neighbors as well. Tiny Angola enjoyed a very nervous independence, while Wallachia was swallowed by Hungary. A Danish resurgence in Schleswig was put down by the Gendarmerie and the Danish language forbidden in schools.
Perhaps the most surprising result of the Great War was the rise of Asian powers. Hindustan claimed Canada's spot among the Great Powers, while Japan had ambitions in Central Asia. German abolitionists loudly attacked the practice of slavery in Shan, further undermining the traditional power structure.
In Germany, the domestic mood was mostly peaceful. An Austrian named Sigmund Freud announced that, with the aid of a government grant, he would begin treating soldiers free of charge. Inventor Gottlieb Daimler amazed the world with the demonstration of the world's first motor car. He shrewdly donated his first car to the Hohenzollern family. The Hohenzollern most intrigued by the new vehicle was 11 year old Erich von Hohenzollern, the son of the Chief of the General Staff. The elder von Hohenzollern carefully considered potential military applications. The most popular announcement came from the Finance Minister, who announced a 20% cut in taxes, across the board, for every German. The workers in Germany cheered him loudly, and the DSU as a whole gained a few seats in the midterm Conclave. Between the DLP, Bundespartei, and DSU, social reforms were easy to pass, no matter how bitter and angry the conservatives might be.
The bitterest and angriest German, however, was not a conservative. He was a communist. Hermann von Leute was torn in two by the Great War. He was a fierce patriot and welcomed German victory, but he hated that German victory had destroyed any feeling of true class consciousness. The Socialist programs of the Reichstag had completely undermined any real chance at rebellion. Instead of disillusioned soldiers coming back to a corrupt society, they were cheered and welcomed. Even Hubert Schaumburg, who had tried his best to plunge Germany into unending war against the British, had his reputation completely restored when the French surrendered everything.
Deeply frustrated, Hermann von Leute gathered three trusted comrades and prepared to make the Foreign MInister pay. The brutal and public murder of Hubert Schaumburg would either provoke the Gendarmerie to suppress the entire KPD, triggering the uprising von Leute craved, or would destroy the Conservatives as a functioning political party. Unfortunately for the Assemblyman, one of his comrades was an informant for the Gendarmerie. The informant warned his colleagues and the Gendarmerie was at the cafe instead of Schaumburg. Hermann von Leute, who had gone insane in his desperation, fired blindly at the Gendarmerie, wounding two of them. They returned fire and killed the Assemblyman. Deeply shocked, the Reichstag met to discuss the policy of Germany for 1897.
((Assassination attempt rolled a one. Coin flip came out heads.))
- 1
Three cheers for Germany! The enemies of democracy tested our resolve as a nation but we have triumphed thanks to the sacrifices and fighting spirit of our men in arms and our women in the factories. The war has shown that none can stand side-by-side with a soldier of the Republic.
Now that we have won the war we must also win the peace. It is time to build a society built on the principles of liberty for all. In order to do so we must come together as a society and condemn political violence. The actions of Herr von Leute are deeply shocking and must be punished.
-Herr Liberator
Now that we have won the war we must also win the peace. It is time to build a society built on the principles of liberty for all. In order to do so we must come together as a society and condemn political violence. The actions of Herr von Leute are deeply shocking and must be punished.
-Herr Liberator
New legislative proposals may be proposed at this time, in case that was not clear, as well as any other business that needs to be addressed.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
How can we punish a dead man ? Do you propose desecrating his corpse ? Not even the worst criminals of Germany deserve such a fate. The man is dead and thus avoided the reach of our legal system. Let us denounce him , return his corpse to his family for a proper burial and move on.
Legbreaker
Comrade Legbreaker, I don't believe it was Herr von Leute he was referring to.
((And once more, I'm the only Communist.
))
((And once more, I'm the only Communist.
))
I was under the impression that Herr Liberator had not gotten the notice that Herr von Leute had died in his insane assasination attempt and wanted to punish him as if he were still alive. Untill that statement is clarified by Herr Liberator himself I will assume that is indeed the case.Comrade Legbreaker, I don't believe it was Herr von Leute he was referring to.
((And once more, I'm the only Communist.
Legbreaker
We have proven to the world that Germany is the stronger yet again. France has been weakened and Byzantium humiliated. Let us revel in our victory, but let us not grow complacent as well. When this war started, many feared we would be unable to come out victorious. This doubt grew from the lack of attention our military forces received. We cannot afford to neglect both our army and navy again, especially since we have a score to settle in the coming future. I must remind my fellow members of the Reichstag that we lost to the British, forced to hand over Plymouth because we were fending off threats on two separate fronts. While I can understand the circumstances of such a loss, we cannot just accept that Plymouth now belongs to the British forever. When our army and navy are up to strength, we must reclaim what was taken from us and cripple their empire once and for all.
- Eva von Vandenburg
- Eva von Vandenburg
(( So we an pass more social reforms? What do our current set of reforms look like? And what movements do we have, particularly ones that want social reforms? ))
congratulations to the army for a job well done
Alexander Von smithereens
((can you upload a map of Europe with France and byzantine after the war))
Alexander Von smithereens
((can you upload a map of Europe with France and byzantine after the war))
The interior ministry, while shocked and saddened that a man could fall so low as this, is pleased to have been able to prevent a tragedy. Hopefully further cases like this will be prevented by the Reichstag Transparency bill.
Chancellor Gutfreund enters the chamber of the Riechstag for the first time since the conclusion of the Great War. As he ascends the podium, the stadtholders and members, with a few exceptions, begin to applaud, and them rise to join in a thunderous standing ovation. Gutfreund gestures for quiet and for everyone to be seated, and then begins to speak:
My friends, I thank you for the honor you pay me, and acknowledge that it is not my merit you praise, but that of the whole German nation, whose loyalty, courage and martial skill has been tested as never before, and which has passed those tests so supremely well.
I come before you to present an item of new business that is intended to settle the affairs of Italy, including the acquisition of the former Papal State. The details I will present represent the outcome of discussions among representatives of the German, Italian and Papal interests, and have been agreed upon by all parties to the discussions. Of course, before any of these matters can become law, they must be approved by the Reichstag, which approval I now ask for.
I. The nation of Italy is internationally recognised as a distinct satellite nation under the headship of the Republic of Germany. The northern border of this new nation is to be that of the states of Savoie, Piemonte, Lombardia, and Venetia; this border matches the cultural border between those regions with majority Lombard/Umbrian culture and those with majority German culture. Italy is to consist of all of the contiguous lands south of this line, plus the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. Maps are available on request.
II. This border includes all of the lands of the former Papal State. The Former Papal Republic of Italy is to become part of Italy proper.
III. In terms of the actual government of Italy, little or nothing is to change. Italy will continue to have the same devolved domestic powers as are presently given to the Italian Parliament. The Reichstag will continue to determine Italian foreign policy. Armies raised from Italian lands are now considered to be Italian armies, but Germany will take leadership of them in times of war.
IIIa. - (The Italian government requests that any decisions involving Italian lives, capital, or supplies in the event of war be presented before the Italian Assembly as a courtesy, or alternatively, that the President of Italy be taken into the counsels of the German Foreign Ministry.)
IV. Both the Italian Assembly (the governing body of the Former Papal Republic) and the Italian Parliament will continue to exist as elected governing bodies, forming an Upper House and a Lower House in the manner of the Conclave and Assembly.
V. It is noted that the lands of Italy are home to many German-cultured citizens of the Republic, including the majority-German enclave in Emilia. German is to continue to be an accepted culture in Italy, and German citizens are to be given the option of dual citizenship in both Germany and Italy. Any German citizen who chooses instead to repatriate north of the border is to be financially compensated by the Former Papal Republic for the loss of property.
VI. The sum of £2 million is to be given to the treasury of the Republic of Germany by the Former Papal Republic.
My friends, I thank you for the honor you pay me, and acknowledge that it is not my merit you praise, but that of the whole German nation, whose loyalty, courage and martial skill has been tested as never before, and which has passed those tests so supremely well.
I come before you to present an item of new business that is intended to settle the affairs of Italy, including the acquisition of the former Papal State. The details I will present represent the outcome of discussions among representatives of the German, Italian and Papal interests, and have been agreed upon by all parties to the discussions. Of course, before any of these matters can become law, they must be approved by the Reichstag, which approval I now ask for.
I. The nation of Italy is internationally recognised as a distinct satellite nation under the headship of the Republic of Germany. The northern border of this new nation is to be that of the states of Savoie, Piemonte, Lombardia, and Venetia; this border matches the cultural border between those regions with majority Lombard/Umbrian culture and those with majority German culture. Italy is to consist of all of the contiguous lands south of this line, plus the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. Maps are available on request.
II. This border includes all of the lands of the former Papal State. The Former Papal Republic of Italy is to become part of Italy proper.
III. In terms of the actual government of Italy, little or nothing is to change. Italy will continue to have the same devolved domestic powers as are presently given to the Italian Parliament. The Reichstag will continue to determine Italian foreign policy. Armies raised from Italian lands are now considered to be Italian armies, but Germany will take leadership of them in times of war.
IIIa. - (The Italian government requests that any decisions involving Italian lives, capital, or supplies in the event of war be presented before the Italian Assembly as a courtesy, or alternatively, that the President of Italy be taken into the counsels of the German Foreign Ministry.)
IV. Both the Italian Assembly (the governing body of the Former Papal Republic) and the Italian Parliament will continue to exist as elected governing bodies, forming an Upper House and a Lower House in the manner of the Conclave and Assembly.
V. It is noted that the lands of Italy are home to many German-cultured citizens of the Republic, including the majority-German enclave in Emilia. German is to continue to be an accepted culture in Italy, and German citizens are to be given the option of dual citizenship in both Germany and Italy. Any German citizen who chooses instead to repatriate north of the border is to be financially compensated by the Former Papal Republic for the loss of property.
VI. The sum of £2 million is to be given to the treasury of the Republic of Germany by the Former Papal Republic.
Opposed, primarily as the people of Turin have no desire to divorce themselves from Germany, even as a puppet state.
Comrade Legbreaker, I don't believe it was Herr von Leute he was referring to.
((And once more, I'm the only Communist.
((I might make a new character soon, but I thought von Leute had run his course, especially since somebody isn't actually a revolutionary.
))((Yes, check the update before this one and add subsidies, Safe Work Conditions is the largest movement at 11ish radicalism and about 4 million members. Maximum Work Hours and Universal Health Care have 1.5 million each, Pensions about 500k. None of those have radicalism.
((Byzantine borders haven't changed; you can see France in the last update. I'll try to remember to do an atlas-style post around 1900.))
The Chancellor is reminded that any initiative involving Foreign Affairs must be supported by the Foreign Ministry. If the Foreign Minister approves, a drastic measure of this type must be voted on by the entire Reichstag, as it involves both foreign and domestic affairs. Finally, the Chancellor and the President would need to sign the deal once voting was complete.
Members of the Reichstag are free to comment on the proposal, but may not vote on it until the ballot is published by the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
the Gendarmerie should be commended for a job well done perhaps they should start searching for more communist agitators next time they might not be able to prevent an assasination of a hight ranking government.
Alexander Von smithereens
Alexander Von smithereens
The Communist Party is a perfectly legitimate organization, and I take offense to your suggestion that we are nothing more than agitators.
((I might make a new character soon, but I thought von Leute had run his course, especially since somebody isn't actually a revolutionary.
((If I was Revolutionary, there'd be very little reason for the Liberasts and the Conservatives not to ban the party. We already avoided it once and I had to steer it into some odd-ball orthodoxy...))
well then why did representative and a member of the communist party in the Reichstag Hermann von Leute attempt to attack a high ranking member of the government ?it does to gives me a good impression of the communist party unless your are saying the the communist party cant control its members and its nothing more that a mob.
Alexander Von smithereens