Chapter XV: The Edge of the Knife
In late 1940, representatives of all the European powers travelled to Königsberg for a conference called by Chancellor Vogel in which they would try to figure out the future map of Europe. With this meeting, Vogel tried not only to regain the territories that were taken to Germany by the Versailles Treaty, but also to appease an electorate increasingly focused on irredentism and nationalism. Germany's position was clear: he had proven not to be a threat to the former members of the Entente and had contributed substantially to the pacification of Europe in the last seven years, and therefore requested the return of the German populated territories within Denmark, Poland, France and Belgium.
The Königsberg Conference was called to revert the unjust situation in Europe
However, the Allies did not seem at all willing to cooperate, and only accepted the end of Danzig as an independent state and the return of Memel and the surrounding area to Germany. Relying on the old theory that Germany could not occupy the central position in European politics, both France and Germany refused to discuss any other claims, and even our own ally of Czechoslovakia supported these theories despite having enjoyed years of German economic cooperation. After intense debate, the conference ended with a brief treaty by which Germany recovered Danzig and Memel, but without any mention to the other claims. For its part, Poland, frightened by the German position, entered the Franco-British alliance and what is worse, Czechoslovakia decided it was necessary to switch sides and left the Axis for the Allies. The German people would not forget this betrayal.
The relative failure of “Vogel´s Treaty”, as it was called, widespread protests all across the country, and Joseph Wirth, who now had the support of the DNVP, requested early elections to the Reichstag in an irresponsible attempt to assume power. Before the President could declare anything, Vogel himself understood that his best option was to get ahead of events, and requested the convening of elections while designing a plan to win it. On one hand, and after a series of secret meetings with Thalmann, the SPD received guarantess from the KPD that they would have their support for the Chancellory; the fear of a right-wing government that would eliminate the social gains were a major factor in the decision, but also the promise of Vogel that in the future "Germany would not regard the Soviet Union as an ideological enemy, but as a potential strategic partner." Moreover, Vogel presented the plan "Welthauptstadt Germania" which following the guidelines of the brilliant architect Albert Speer would turn Berlin into the capital of the civilized world. For days, German newspapers and people spoke with enthusiasm of the new Berlin that was being planned, and how pleasant life would be with the new avenues and parks designed, and Vogel ensured a massive electoral support of all Berliners and enjoyed again a good deal of attention from the media.
An image of the new Reichstag planned by Albert Speer
As the country prepared for the elections, a diplomatic delegation of Hungary asked Germany to arbitrate in the dispute between Hungary and Romania regarding the territory of Ruthenia. Despite German hints that the entry of Hungary into the Axis would cause a good impression in the face of the final decision, the Hungarians refused to discuss another issue apart of their territorial claims, and finally Germany decided in favor of Romania and declared "that no claim was justified upon the Kingdom of Romania". The next day, Bulgaria announced he was leaving his claims about Dobrich, and Romania breathed with relief and thanked Germany for its support.
Former Hungarian claims on Romania
Meanwhile, a large fascist counter offensive in Spain allowed Franco to take control of Madrid and crushed the Republican defensive line in a few months, who were now forced to flee to the south and fixed the new capital in Seville. The end of the civil war was near, and Germany secretly sent a delegation to the so called “Bando Nacional”, now united around the figure of Generalissimo Franco. Luckily, the Spanish feared isolation after the war, and a provisional and secret agreement was reached: the new regime would respect all trade agreements signed by the Republic if Germany withdrew its expeditionary force, which was done under the pretext that due to the international tension all troops should return to German soil. In Africa and Asia the situation did not change much with the wars in Ethiopia and China stalled, but the Japanese regime received a blow with the embargo decreed by the United States. Were the Americans preparing for a conflict in the Pacific?
Franco and Arias Salgado arrive to Hendaya for a secret meeting with a German delegation
Finally, the scientist Albert Einstein, in collaboration with Heisenberg, ended his plans for the design of an isotope separation plant, for which the government would divert large amount of state funds. According to some, nuclear power was the way forward, and might even have military applications.
German workers setting up the new nuclear installation
The decisive election day finally arrived, and the Zentrum managed to convince all right winged parties that it was time to change course and to give post-electoral support for Joseph Wirth´s candidacy. However, many of the voters saw in these pacts a dangerous right turn of the Zentrum, and despite the apparent importance of the nationalist issue many feared that such an action would favor extremist parties, while the SPD was still contemplated as the party that had ruled Germany quite well over the last decade. The results would leave no room for doubt: the Zentrum downed to 194 seats and the SPD consolidated as first force with 298, while the DNVP increased their supprt within the conservative sectors of society and rose to 71 seats. For its part, the Nazi party lost support once more and got only 45 seats, while the KPD and the BVP gained 32 and 2 seats respectively.
The Reichstag after the 1941 elections
Still, the Zentrum did not surrender, and announced that President Marx, a member of Zentrum, would understand that Wirth should be appointed as chancellor due to the support of all other parties in the Reichstag with a total of 312 depputies supporting him . Marx seemed willing to comply with such a request, but he did not take into account the KPD, that stated his support for Vogel “to avoid a fascist coup against the will of the German people carried out by the Zentrum". Thus, the SPD exceeded the 324 supports necessary to bypass the Presidential will, and the Reichstag proclaimed Hans Vogel as chancellor of Germany for four more years. The new government decided to reinstate Arthur Crispien as Foreign Minister because of his good relations with the Soviet Union, while Hans Erhard would be the new Chief of the Intelligence Services. Meanwhile, Adam Stegerwald announced he was leaving the Zentrum "because of its lack of respect for the democratic process," and after entering the SPD ranks he was confirmed as Minster of Internal Affairs.
The first action of the new government would be to settle accounts with Czechoslovakia, who had left the Axis and reinstated border controls, limiting the rights of the Sudeten German population. After announcing it to the League of Nations, Minister Crispien organized a plebiscite in the Sudetenland, in which 92.3% of the population decided to join the Reich. Ignoring the protests of Prague, German troops entered the Sudetenland and were received by a jubilant crowd sick of the Czech betrayals.
German troops entered the Sudetenland and were received as heroes. The lady in the second picture saluted
the troops all day long, and could not lower his arm when the parade ended.
The international situation growed increasingly tense, and the British Government decided to invite the German Foreign Minister to "negotiate an entry of Germany into the Allies to protect Europe from the Bolshevik menace". However, the German government ignored the proposal and stated that "the allies lost this opportunity at the Könisberg conference." The Western world shook with the signing of the Molotov-Crispien Agreement, by which Germany and the USSR signed a nonaggression pact and mutually recognized the territorial aspirations of both states.
The work of Crispien as ambassador before the Soviet Union paved the road for the Treaty that ensured peace in the East
Faced with such news, both France and UK announced a partial mobilization of its troops, and Germany responded with the mobilization of the Reichswehr. According to the Abwehr, Germany had 245 divisions and allies gathered just 200 between all of them. Would it be enough? For its part, the United States announced that they would not “tolerate another act of aggression by Germany", but did not seem very willing to enter the war. One thing was clear: the world was about to explode, and Germany faced its final destiny.