Application
Name: North German Confederation
Symbols: State Flag Civil Flag Coat of Arms
Claims: Zhese landz.
Power: Great Power
Government Structure: The North German Constitution of 16 April 1867 created a national parliament with universal suffrage (for men above the age of 25), the Reichstag. Another important organ was the Bundesrat, the 'federal council' of the representatives of the allied governments. To adopt a law, a majority in the Reichstag and in the Bundesrat was necessary. This gave the allied governments, meaning the states and their princes, an important veto.
Executive power was vested in a president, a hereditary office of the House of Hohenzollern, the ruling family of Prussia. He was assisted by a chancellor responsible only to him. There was no formal cabinet; the heads of the departments were not called ministers but secretaries. Those were installed and dismissed by the chancellor.
For all intents and purposes, the confederation was dominated by Prussia. It had four-fifths of the confederation's territory and population — more than the other 21 members combined. The presidency was a hereditary office of the Prussian crown. Prussia had 17 of 43 votes in the Bundesrat despite being by far the largest state, but could easily get a majority by making alliances with the smaller states.
Ideology/Policy: A federation of monarchies under the infamous trimuvirate of Junker, Heer and Krupp. Industrialisation, imperialism, nationalism, social conservatism, Germanisation. Heavily entrenched in the military-industrial complex where the conservative Army and the Navy are a dominant force in politics. Still, liberalism is a significant player owing to the educated middle-class that controls industry. Then there is socialism.
Leaders: King Wilhelm, Minister-President Bismarck
Capital City:Welthaupstadt Germania Berlin.
Population: 45,234,100
Primary Ethnic Group: German
Minority Ethnic Groups: Ashkenazi Jew, Polish, Masurian, Sorbs, French, Frisian, Danish, Czech
Description of Ethnicity: Germans are above all a diverse sort, from the Meuse to the Memel. This is truly evident in the different dialects of German (see here). Hundreds of kingdoms and principalities were compressed into thirty states of the German Confederation following the Congress of Vienna. Twenty-two now compose the North German Confederation, not mentioning the kingdoms absorbed by Prussia.
Language: Officially German. See above for dialects. However each minority contrives to keep their dying languages (Polish, Alsatian French, Czech, etc.) alive in the face of Kulturkampf and Germanisation.
Religion: Lutheran, Calvinist, other Protestant denominations. Roman Catholic. Germany is the heart of the Reformation and one of religious tolerance. However, as the Confederation was designed to place Protestants at the top of the pyramid, the Catholic minority is often suppressed.
Foreign Relations: Nothing is more important than being seen as the gentle giant of Europe, particularly after three devastating wars in the span of seven years that became the backdrop of the Confederation's rise to power. At the head of Bismarck, it tries to be the honest broker of the Continent, seeking to maintain the peace of Europe, a peace that favours Bismarck rather. It remains undisputed hegemon of the German states. Currently it looks west in its diplomatic efforts.
Military Information: Prussia is an army with a state, and thus Prussia, and North Germany at large, cannot function without the backing of the Heer. The North German Army inherited much of the traditions and concepts of the Prussian Army, which was its largest component army. According to article 61 of the constitution, the Prussian military code was to be introduced throughout the North German Reich. The conservative leaders of the army took an ever increasing role in both domestic and foreign policies. As of 1881, most Prussian officers could be divided into two groups: those who argued for boldness and self-sacrifice, and those who advocated technology and maneuver in order to minimize casualties. First encountered during the Franco-Prussian War, new technological military innovations such as the machine gun increased the power of defensive units. For the Prussians, who advocated offensive operations, infantry attacks would risk becoming sacrificial assaults.
Army Size: 400,000 active. About 1,000,000 total.
Navy Size: 38 battleships, 20 armoured cruisers, 38 light cruisers, 12 large cruisers, eight armoured frigates, six armoured corvettes, twenty light corvettes, seven monitors, two floating batteries, six avisos, eighteen gunboats and twenty-eight torpedo boats.
Economic Policy: In 1873, Germany and much of Europe and America entered the Long Depression. To aid faltering industries, the Chancellor abandoned free trade and established protectionist import-tariffs. Several tariffs were enacted to protect German agriculture and industry from foreign competitors in 1879. These policies have been revoked, and economic liberalism and free trade are ideals that have been returned to, for the benefit of big business.
Economic Situation:Prussia lives in an economy of rye and iron, torn between the heavy industrialised West and the Junker-held agrarian East. The economy continues to industrialize and urbanize, with heavy industry – especially coal and steel – becoming important in the Ruhr, and manufacturing growing in the cities, the Ruhr, and Silesia. Industrialisation progressed dynamically in North Germany and German manufacturers began to capture domestic markets from British imports. Farmers too quickly abandoned traditional, inefficient practices in favor of modern methods, including use of new fertilizers and new tools.
In machinery, iron and steel, and other industries, North German firms avoided cut-throat competition and instead relied on trade associations. Germany was a world leader because of its prevailing "corporatist mentality", its strong bureaucratic tradition, and the encouragement of the government. These associations regulate competition and allowed small firms to function in the shadow of much larger companies. The German cartel system (known as Konzerne), being significantly concentrated, was able to make more efficient use of capital. North Germany was not weighted down with an expensive worldwide empire that needed defense.
Infrastructure: By 1880, the Realm had 9,400 locomotives pulling 43,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of freight. The total length of North German railroad tracks continues to expand from 21,000 kilometers in 1871
Imports & Exports: Exports steel, coal, dyes, chemicals. Imports grain, foodstuff, produce, etc.
Currency: Marks, 1 Mark = 358 mg. Gold standard.
History:
It begins with the unofficial union of Brandenburg-Prussia. Brandenburg was an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire under Habsburg suzerainty. Prussia was a duchy of the Polish realm. Yet, these two were effectively ruled from Berlin by House Hohenzollern.
From harbours in Farther Pomerania, the Electorate established the first Brandenburg colonies in the Gold Coast (sold to the Dutch), Mauretania (changed hands frequently) the West Indies (leased), and three successful colonies in Venezuela (independent), the Niger Delta and Hudson Bay.
Under Frederick the Great, the Kingdom of Prussia became a center of enlightened learning and patronage of the arts, and as a Great Power it proved itself in the War of Austrian Succession and grabbed Silesia. In this way Brandenburg became a center of industry. Prussia and Brandenburg however remained separated by a sea of Polish lands. Yet as King in Prussia, Frederick II had the unholy goal of bridging the two territories in a series of wars. Early victories were reversed, and Prussian hubris led to the loss of West Prussia, and then East Prussia. Konigsberg was lost forever.
Napoleon shook the entirety of European politics. Prussia's unfaltering stand against the Grand Armee, most notably at Waterloo almost singlehandedly, rewarded it Saxony and Westphalia in the Congress of Vienna. Also established in this turn of events was the Prusso-Muscovite alliance that would come to dominate German foreign relations.
The Eulenberg Expedition, establishing trade with the Mongols and the Siamese, marked the increasing significance of the Zollverein among the states of the German Confederation. Also notable was, as a result of their writings back home, the start of German colonisation in the Philippines and a failed settlement in Hokkaido.
A marriage between Hohenzollern and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha of Hanover bore fruit in 1859 with the birth of a healthy baby boy. He was named Wilhelm, after his grandfather.
The Schleswig Wars (in which the Danish fleet was Copenhagen'd), the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War passed. In 1871, the southern states could not be convinced to unite with the North, but renewed their military alliance with Prussia for another ten years.
The North German Confederation remains to this day a symbol of Prussian supremacy. Other forces would contrive to tear it apart. Still, however, the voices of liberalism cry out for German unity, from Luxembourg and Limburg in the west to Baden, Bavaria and Austria in the south to Prussia and Konigsberg in the east.
Miscellaneous: Franco-German entente?
RP Example: Invited
429
Name: North German Confederation
Symbols: State Flag Civil Flag Coat of Arms
Claims: Zhese landz.
Power: Great Power
Government Structure: The North German Constitution of 16 April 1867 created a national parliament with universal suffrage (for men above the age of 25), the Reichstag. Another important organ was the Bundesrat, the 'federal council' of the representatives of the allied governments. To adopt a law, a majority in the Reichstag and in the Bundesrat was necessary. This gave the allied governments, meaning the states and their princes, an important veto.
Executive power was vested in a president, a hereditary office of the House of Hohenzollern, the ruling family of Prussia. He was assisted by a chancellor responsible only to him. There was no formal cabinet; the heads of the departments were not called ministers but secretaries. Those were installed and dismissed by the chancellor.
For all intents and purposes, the confederation was dominated by Prussia. It had four-fifths of the confederation's territory and population — more than the other 21 members combined. The presidency was a hereditary office of the Prussian crown. Prussia had 17 of 43 votes in the Bundesrat despite being by far the largest state, but could easily get a majority by making alliances with the smaller states.
Ideology/Policy: A federation of monarchies under the infamous trimuvirate of Junker, Heer and Krupp. Industrialisation, imperialism, nationalism, social conservatism, Germanisation. Heavily entrenched in the military-industrial complex where the conservative Army and the Navy are a dominant force in politics. Still, liberalism is a significant player owing to the educated middle-class that controls industry. Then there is socialism.
Leaders: King Wilhelm, Minister-President Bismarck
Capital City:
Population: 45,234,100
Primary Ethnic Group: German
Minority Ethnic Groups: Ashkenazi Jew, Polish, Masurian, Sorbs, French, Frisian, Danish, Czech
Description of Ethnicity: Germans are above all a diverse sort, from the Meuse to the Memel. This is truly evident in the different dialects of German (see here). Hundreds of kingdoms and principalities were compressed into thirty states of the German Confederation following the Congress of Vienna. Twenty-two now compose the North German Confederation, not mentioning the kingdoms absorbed by Prussia.
Language: Officially German. See above for dialects. However each minority contrives to keep their dying languages (Polish, Alsatian French, Czech, etc.) alive in the face of Kulturkampf and Germanisation.
Religion: Lutheran, Calvinist, other Protestant denominations. Roman Catholic. Germany is the heart of the Reformation and one of religious tolerance. However, as the Confederation was designed to place Protestants at the top of the pyramid, the Catholic minority is often suppressed.
Foreign Relations: Nothing is more important than being seen as the gentle giant of Europe, particularly after three devastating wars in the span of seven years that became the backdrop of the Confederation's rise to power. At the head of Bismarck, it tries to be the honest broker of the Continent, seeking to maintain the peace of Europe, a peace that favours Bismarck rather. It remains undisputed hegemon of the German states. Currently it looks west in its diplomatic efforts.
Military Information: Prussia is an army with a state, and thus Prussia, and North Germany at large, cannot function without the backing of the Heer. The North German Army inherited much of the traditions and concepts of the Prussian Army, which was its largest component army. According to article 61 of the constitution, the Prussian military code was to be introduced throughout the North German Reich. The conservative leaders of the army took an ever increasing role in both domestic and foreign policies. As of 1881, most Prussian officers could be divided into two groups: those who argued for boldness and self-sacrifice, and those who advocated technology and maneuver in order to minimize casualties. First encountered during the Franco-Prussian War, new technological military innovations such as the machine gun increased the power of defensive units. For the Prussians, who advocated offensive operations, infantry attacks would risk becoming sacrificial assaults.
Army Size: 400,000 active. About 1,000,000 total.
Navy Size: 38 battleships, 20 armoured cruisers, 38 light cruisers, 12 large cruisers, eight armoured frigates, six armoured corvettes, twenty light corvettes, seven monitors, two floating batteries, six avisos, eighteen gunboats and twenty-eight torpedo boats.
Economic Policy: In 1873, Germany and much of Europe and America entered the Long Depression. To aid faltering industries, the Chancellor abandoned free trade and established protectionist import-tariffs. Several tariffs were enacted to protect German agriculture and industry from foreign competitors in 1879. These policies have been revoked, and economic liberalism and free trade are ideals that have been returned to, for the benefit of big business.
Economic Situation:Prussia lives in an economy of rye and iron, torn between the heavy industrialised West and the Junker-held agrarian East. The economy continues to industrialize and urbanize, with heavy industry – especially coal and steel – becoming important in the Ruhr, and manufacturing growing in the cities, the Ruhr, and Silesia. Industrialisation progressed dynamically in North Germany and German manufacturers began to capture domestic markets from British imports. Farmers too quickly abandoned traditional, inefficient practices in favor of modern methods, including use of new fertilizers and new tools.
In machinery, iron and steel, and other industries, North German firms avoided cut-throat competition and instead relied on trade associations. Germany was a world leader because of its prevailing "corporatist mentality", its strong bureaucratic tradition, and the encouragement of the government. These associations regulate competition and allowed small firms to function in the shadow of much larger companies. The German cartel system (known as Konzerne), being significantly concentrated, was able to make more efficient use of capital. North Germany was not weighted down with an expensive worldwide empire that needed defense.
Infrastructure: By 1880, the Realm had 9,400 locomotives pulling 43,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of freight. The total length of North German railroad tracks continues to expand from 21,000 kilometers in 1871
Imports & Exports: Exports steel, coal, dyes, chemicals. Imports grain, foodstuff, produce, etc.
Currency: Marks, 1 Mark = 358 mg. Gold standard.
History:
It begins with the unofficial union of Brandenburg-Prussia. Brandenburg was an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire under Habsburg suzerainty. Prussia was a duchy of the Polish realm. Yet, these two were effectively ruled from Berlin by House Hohenzollern.
From harbours in Farther Pomerania, the Electorate established the first Brandenburg colonies in the Gold Coast (sold to the Dutch), Mauretania (changed hands frequently) the West Indies (leased), and three successful colonies in Venezuela (independent), the Niger Delta and Hudson Bay.
Under Frederick the Great, the Kingdom of Prussia became a center of enlightened learning and patronage of the arts, and as a Great Power it proved itself in the War of Austrian Succession and grabbed Silesia. In this way Brandenburg became a center of industry. Prussia and Brandenburg however remained separated by a sea of Polish lands. Yet as King in Prussia, Frederick II had the unholy goal of bridging the two territories in a series of wars. Early victories were reversed, and Prussian hubris led to the loss of West Prussia, and then East Prussia. Konigsberg was lost forever.
Napoleon shook the entirety of European politics. Prussia's unfaltering stand against the Grand Armee, most notably at Waterloo almost singlehandedly, rewarded it Saxony and Westphalia in the Congress of Vienna. Also established in this turn of events was the Prusso-Muscovite alliance that would come to dominate German foreign relations.
The Eulenberg Expedition, establishing trade with the Mongols and the Siamese, marked the increasing significance of the Zollverein among the states of the German Confederation. Also notable was, as a result of their writings back home, the start of German colonisation in the Philippines and a failed settlement in Hokkaido.
A marriage between Hohenzollern and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha of Hanover bore fruit in 1859 with the birth of a healthy baby boy. He was named Wilhelm, after his grandfather.
The Schleswig Wars (in which the Danish fleet was Copenhagen'd), the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War passed. In 1871, the southern states could not be convinced to unite with the North, but renewed their military alliance with Prussia for another ten years.
The North German Confederation remains to this day a symbol of Prussian supremacy. Other forces would contrive to tear it apart. Still, however, the voices of liberalism cry out for German unity, from Luxembourg and Limburg in the west to Baden, Bavaria and Austria in the south to Prussia and Konigsberg in the east.
Miscellaneous: Franco-German entente?
RP Example: Invited
429
