Difference between revisions of "German Empire"

Latest revision as of 22:21, 13 December 2006

German Empire

Flag of German Empire
Motto: "Durch blut und eisen"
[1], [2]
Region	The West Pacific
Capital	Berlin
Official Language(s)	German
Leader	Kaiser Fredrik IV
Population	238,000,000
Currency	mark
NS Sunset XML

Introduction:

The German Empire (German: Neuem Deutsches Kaiserreich) is the name conventionally given in English to the German state from the time of the proclamation of Wilhelm I of Prussia as German Emperor (January 18, 1871) to the present day, under Emperor Fredrik IV of Bavaria. The phrase Second Reich is also sometimes applied to this state in English. The Empire stretches from German New Guinea (German: Deutsch-Neuguinea) in the south Pacific to the fatherland in Central Europe. The state has been ruled constantly since 1817 by an Emperor, or Kaiser.

History:

According to archaeological evidence, the area now comprising Finland was first settled around 8500 BCE during the Stone Age as the ice shield of the last ice age receded. The earliest people were probably hunter-gatherers, living primarily off what the tundra and sea could offer. Pottery is known from around the 5300 BCE (see Comb Ceramic Culture). It has been postulated and held probable that the speakers of the Finno-Ugric language arrived in the area during the Stone Age (see Finno-Ugric peoples), and were possibly even among the first Mesolithic settlers[3]. The arrival of the Battle-Axe Culture (or Cord-Ceramic Culture) in southern coastal Finland around 3200 BCE may have coincided with the start of agriculture. However, the earliest certain records of agriculture are from the late 3rd millennium B.C. Hunting and fishing continued to be important parts of the subsistence economy, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

Although Finland is not part of Scandinavia, the Bronze Age (1500–500 BCE) and Iron Age (500 BCE–1200 CE) were characterised by extensive contacts with Scandinavia, northern Russia and the Baltic region. Inhabitants of Finland - like the Kvens - and their "kings" are mentioned in some historic chronicles and other writings such as the Scandinavian sagas. There are also some written documents from the 13th century.

The beginning of Finland's nearly 600-year association with the Kingdom of Sweden is traditionally connected with the 1150s and the hypothesised introduction of Christianity by Sweden's King Erik after a military expedition later dubbed as the First Swedish Crusade. However, archaeological evidence points to prior Christian influences in south-western and south-eastern Finland and include both western and eastern Christian artifacts. Historically verifiable date of the conquest is 1249 when Birger jarl conducted the so-called Second Swedish Crusade to Finland. Swedish became the dominant language of administration and education; Finnish chiefly a language for the peasantry, clergy and local courts in predominantly Finnish-speaking areas. The society was divided in four estates of the realm: nobility, clergy, burghers and peasants, who represented the majority. Not until the 16th century were the first written works published in Finnish by Mikael Agricola.

The Swedish Kingdom strove to push the borders eastward, which led to wars of varying success with Novgorod. The expansion was halted by the unification of Russia and was eventually rolled back. During the 18th century, virtually all of Finland was twice occupied by Russian forces (1714–1721 and 1742–1743), known by the Finns as the Greater Wrath and the Lesser Wrath. During this time "Finland" became the predominant term for the whole land area from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Russian border; both in domestic Swedish debate and by Russians promising protection from "Swedish oppression."

The earlier Finland – i.e. the south-western area – was from then on called "Finland Proper." The Finnish areas ceded to Russia in 1721 and 1743 (excluding Ingria) were called "Old Finland." In these areas the traditional freedom of peasants was constantly pushed towards the oppressed position peasants had in other parts of Russia.

On December 6, 1917, shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence. The independence was approved by Bolshevist Russia but the Civil Wars that followed in Russia and in Finland and activist expeditions (see Heimosodat), including the ones to White Karelia and Aunus, complicated relations.

In 1918, the country experienced a brief but bitter Civil War that coloured domestic politics for many years. The Civil War was fought between "the whites," who gained support from Imperial Germany, and "the reds," supported by Bolshevist Russia. The reds consisted mostly of leftist property–less rural and industrial workers who, despite universal suffrage in 1906, felt that they lacked political influence. The white forces were mostly made up of bourgeoisie and wealthy peasantry, politically more to the right. Eventually, the whites overcame the reds, and forged deep ties with the German Empire The deep social and political dividing line and mutual enmity between the Reds and Whites remained.

Soon following the White's victory Finland experienced a breif period of occupation by German forces, although remained independant, but in April of 1918 the country fell quietly and seamlessly into the folds of the Kaiser. Later that year, when the Kaiser abdicated his throne in Berlin, he fled the soon occupied nation and took up residence in his provencial capital in Helsinki. From here was declared the New Germany, a continuation of the Second Reich and a standing German Empire.

The only war in which the Second Reich has fought since their ancestors defeat in the Great War was that of the Winter War in which they fought off the Russian aggression. Peace has bred a Germany ripe to expand again its borders, having stagnated in their own culture for decades. Imperial Germany has returned, and they are ready.

Government and Politics:

The German Empire is ruled by an Emperor, whose succession is turned over to his eldest living son. The current Crownprince for Emperor Fredrik IV is his eldest son, Leopold of Mikkeli, who is currently serving as Chief of Staff of the Imperial Navy Baltic Fleet. He enjoys a good relationship with his father, and with the people he will one day rule.

The Kings, Dukes, and Princes of the various states in the Empire did hold considerable political sway with the Emperor and indeed administrative power themselves in their own states. Most of these ruling families are related in some way, and relations with the others are smooth and friendly. Some families, however, are not so content with their position, and because of their freedom within German law, constantly play off other groups within the country in desperate grabs for increased power. These are hardly ever violent, let alone successful. The families in power have been that way for so long, they are quite adept at holding onto their positions.

Powerful multi-national corporations do exist in Germany, but they are rare. Capitalism is the practiced form of economy, but these companies hold very, very little influence. Bribes to public officials are rare as well, as all officials with any real power are usually members of a ruling family, and so have nearly everything it is they need. People independent of a powerful family rarely move very high up in the ranks of the government.

Economy:

The Economy of the Empire is a large and quite powerful establishment. Businesses tend to be smaller, local enterprises, as the larger corporations tend to be regulated by the government heavily, to limit their power. Despite the limitations though, there are a handful of so-called mega corporations. It is these that dominate the industries, lording over the many smaller businesses, constantly maneuvering among them, purchasing and selling to gain advantages over the others. Of the few larger corporations, at least two are openly run by members of powerful families, the Franz family of Turku, and the Mann family of Espoo.

Culture:

Germany's contributions to the world's cultural heritage are numerous, and the country is often known as das Land der Dichter und Denker (the land of poets and thinkers). German literature can be traced back to the Middle Ages, in particular to such authors as Walther von der Vogelweide and Wolfram von Eschenbach, considered some of the most important poets of medieval Europe. The fairy tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are world famous and the Nibelungenlied, whose author is not known, is also a major contribution to German literature. Theologian Luther, who translated the Bible into German, is widely credited for having set the basis for modern "High German" language. The most admired German poets and authors are without doubt Lessing, Goethe, Schiller, Kleist and Hoffmann. Other poets include Friedrich Hölderlin, Heinrich Heine, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Theodor Fontane, Rainer Maria Rilke and authors of the 20th century include Nobel Prize winners Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, Heinrich Böll, and Günter Grass. Other famous authors are Brecht and Schmidt. Germany's influence on world philosophy was significant as well, as exemplified by Magnus, Leibniz, Kant, Herder, Mendelssohn, Novalis, Fichte, Hegel, Marx, Engels, Feuerbach, Schopenhauer, Schweitzer, Nietzsche, Husserl, Hartmann, Jaspers, Luxemburg, Heidegger, Arendt, Steiner, Gadamer, and Habermas. In the field of sociology influential German thinkers were Tönnies, Simmel, Weber, Horkheimer, Adorno, and Luhmann. Many historical figures, though not citizens of Germany in the modern sense, were important and influential figures in German culture, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Kafka,and Stefan Zweig.

Religion:

Germany is the home of the Reformation launched by Martin Luther in the early 16th century. Today, Protestants (particularly in the north and east) comprise about 33% of the population and Catholics (particularly in the south and west) also 33%. The current pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, is German. The third largest religious identity in Germany is that of non-religious people (including atheists and agnostics), who amount to a total of 28.5% of the population.

Approximately 50,000 Muslims (predominantly from Turkey and the former Yugoslavia) live in Germany. Most are Sunnis and Alevites from Turkey but there is a small number of Shiites.

Judaism is also common in Germany, the latest estimates suggest that over seven hundred thousand people in Germany are practicing Jews. Most are of Eastern European decent.

Religion abroad is primarily Christian Catholic, although local beliefs still exist in a superstitious nation.

Military:

The German Army, or Heer, in German, is an extremely efficient force. Its structure includes a universal mass conscription policy from for short-term military service followed by a longer period in reserves. Healthy men who were born in the Empire can be conscripted as early as seventeen, and then serve for three years before being able to volunteer for additional service. The German Army places a great emphasis on high quality training and maintains a large number of experienced senior officers.

Planning and operational control is conducted by the General Staff. The Kaiser is the official Commander-in-Chief, but the Army chief of staff, Freidrik von Mommsen is the effective leader in the field. The Army is organized into four Armies for the four operational military zones in the country, as well as a fifth Army for international use. Each commands all ground operations in their areas of operation.

The German Army currently is comprised of four field armies of roughly five-hundred thousand men each, including armored support and mechanized elements. In addition to this, for every one man in the field, there are six men behind him, serving in logistical positions. Supporting the well-trained and professional army is a reserve force made up of army veterans. This force can contain anywhere from seven hundred thousand to one million combat troops. They are well armed, but have no dedicated armored vehicle support, and exist only as a light infantry force. The Army command is centralized in Helsinki. The name for the reserve force is the Schutztruppe. It is made up of the same kind of army veterans, and sometimes includes local men who would normally not be allowed to join the military.

Until the late 1990s Germany relied on his large German Army for defense. However, in 1997, Germany's new head of the Imperial German Navy, Admiral James von Tirpitz, a descendant of the legendary Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, advised the Kaiser Fredrik IV that the country needed a large modern navy. Before that, the navy had consisted only of nineteen fifties era support ships and a single out-dated battlecruiser. This new Tirpitz, like his legendary ancestor, argued that this new navy would help protect Germany's growing overseas empire and its northern coastline from enemy attack. In 1999 the German Navy Laws once again authorized the massive expansion of the country's navy.

By 2006 the German Navy had expanded more than four-fold. This included 8 modern dreadnoughts, 15 aircraft carriers, 28 battlecruisers, roughly two-hundred and fifty cruisers, roughly four-hundred escorts, and forty battleships. Germany also has two-hundred and eighty nuclear-powered submarines (with at least fifteen more under construction). The Kaiser's navy was growing to become a major world player. The German Navy is divided into three different fleets, the North Sea Fleet, based in Turku, the Arctic Fleet, based in Murmansk, and the Baltic Fleet, commanded by the Crownprince Leopold, based out of the German capital city of Helsinki. German Naval Headquarters is located in Turku, alongside the command of the North Sea Fleet.

The German Air Force, or Luftwaffe, is a large and well-funded organization. Germany has always maintained a large and powerful air force, and the Empire under Kaiser Fredrik IV is no different. The current commander of the Luftwaffe is General Erich von Ritter, under him serve the commanders of the Fighter Arm and the Bomber Arm, General Arnold Comes and General Oberst Knoblauch, respectively. Between them they command over five-thousand aircraft, including large transport aircraft, who answer to General Knoblauch of the Bomber Arm. All helicopter aviation is handled by the German Army Air Services. The Luftwaffe’s primary command center is in the city of Vantaa.

There are four fleets established under each of the two Aviation Arms of the Luftwaffe, each will operate in a single theater of operations in the Empire. There is the Eastern Air Fleet, the Central Air Fleet, the Southern Air Fleet, and the Western Air Fleet. Each has its own command center from which all theater air operations are commanded.