Welcome/Wilkommen/Dobre Doshli!
With the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland playing host to the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship, the Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Tourism have united to provide spectators and teams traveling to the country with a guide to help make their stay the best possible. We'd like to offer all those visiting our country for the first time a big welcome, and best of luck on the ice - unless you face our Goldhorns!
National Information and Modern History The United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland is located in the Southwestern region of Atlantian Oceania. A democratic republic, the country is composed of two distinct nations: the Teus, living in the eastern half of the country, and the Siovanijans in the west. The two nations are for the most part split by the Mittelgebirge mountain range that runs roughly along the halfway point of the island.
The history of the islands has usually been one of conflicts between these competing nations. For hundreds of years, Siovanija and Teusland struggled against each other for dominance over the other. Each nation claimed major victories over the other, and it seemed they would be in conflict perpetually. Teusland enjoyed a long period of dominance throughout the late 17th, 18th and first half of the 19th centuries during which it expanded beyond its borders and created a colonial empire. The Teus Empire was at its peak during this period of time, and was one of the largest naval powers in the world.
It faced troubles at home, however, and eventually liberal republicans in Siovanija rose up in cities like Vlaikograd, Chernovets and Siovanska Gora, with the city of Borograd being the heart of these demonstrations. Teusland initially attempted to put down the rebellion, but the Siovanijans grew in conviction as this continued to happen. Worried about the potential cost of a drawn-out guerilla campaign, as well as fearing the revolutionary ideas spreading to the Teus population, the Empire granted independence to Siovanija on July 3, 1808.
The new Siovanijan Republic had a tumultuous youth. Its leaders debated how far their nation should take the revolutionary cause. There were three key factions in the Republic’s politics at that time: the liberals, the nationalists and the Dialikovites. The liberals wanting to maintain and build on what had already been achieved through independence. The nationalists wanted to grow the Republic’s power to take back the lands of the Korjava/Vest-Marlebucht region. This area was equally split 50/50 between Teus and Siovanijans. The Teus Empire had maintained the region as part of its Empire upon independence, and the Siovanijans wanted it back. This area contained the major port city of Pomorie, also known as Marzig. The Dialikovites, named for their leader Anton Dialikov, were the most extreme and advocated for radical changes to the state.
The liberals held much of the power in the early days of the Republic, but as time went on the nationalists grew and grew in power, eventually taking control of the National Parliament in 1865. They immediately embarked on a program to build up the nation’s military, which had been neglected in the years since independence. They also demanded Teusland give economic rights to the Pomorie region and some territories of the western Korjava to Siovanija outright. Teusland, caught up in a series of colonial wars at the time, wanted to avoid what would be a costly and bloody war, and in the 1873 Marzig Declaration granted these demands. This move was widely opposed by the average Teus citizen, and opposition to the Imperial government began to rise.
Tensions between the states continued to rise over the following years, as Teusland continued to make some concessions and Siovanija continued to make demands. These tensions would eventually boil over. In 1888, a Teus army officer shot a Siovanijan demonstrator in Pomorie/Marzig. There were mass protests in the city by Siovanijans, and the Teus government cracked down hard on them. Siovanija responded by occupying the mountain pass connecting the rest of Teusland with the city, shutting down rail transport to the city. Teusland warned it would take ‘any and all means necessary to secure our territory.’ and sent a division to retake the passage. It is unclear which side fired the first shot of the war due to conflicting reports, but the Teus Army won this battle and pushed through to the city. 4 days later, Siovanija declared war on Teusland.
The situation in 1888 militarily placed the states roughly even. Teusland had much more fighting experience, having in the previous years fought and won several colonial wars. In addition to a slightly larger population, the Teus could also call upon soldiers from the colonies to fight for them. The army had, however, gotten complacent in the wake of their victories and thus were not as technologically advanced. Siovanija, on the other hand, had relatively little fighting experience but could call on a technological advantage as well as a well-developed industrial base within the country. Each side believed it would defeat the other in a matter of months.
As is often the case with promised ‘short’ wars, however, that did not occur. The Teus won many of the initial skirmishes along the border, and pushed Siovanijan troops back beyond Pomorie/Marzig, the centre of conflict. This remained the focal point of fighting in the early stages of the war. Air superiority and technological advantage allowed the Siovanijans to finally push the Teus in Marzig back to the border after heavy fighting. The fighting stalled, however, in the Mittelgebirge. Each side dug in for what would become the worst phase of the war.
The mountain warfare continued for the rest of the war. Long, bloody battles were fought over strategic passes, forts and mountain tops, usually never ending in a truly decisive victory for either side. Teusland’s troops from the colonies were rendered ineffective, most of them having never seen snow in their lives, let alone a blizzard or avalanche. Siovanija used their air advantage to harm Teus supply lines and harass urban centres such as Stahlberg and Stelburg. By 1892, however, Teus air technology had caught up to their rivals and these campaigns were halted. Popular opinion in both countries had turned heavily against the war, as millions died on each side for virtually no ground gained.
By the end of 1894, each side was looking for a way out of the war. For Siovanija, it was quickly becoming clear that their army would not be able to hold out much longer as the Teus had adapted much better to the gruelling campaigns and had almost caught up to them in technological advancements. Teusland, however, faced a problem on the homefront: food shortages in rural areas due to the amount being sent to the front, and the new Sparta-Korps, anti-war and, for the first time in history, pro-unification, was growing rapidly. Protests in Stelburg to end the war intensified.
In March 1895, both sides agreed to a ceasefire. The Pomorie/Marzig question would be settled with referenda in different parts of the region over which state each area wanted to join. This was massively opposed by the majority of both nations, who wondered why they had lost millions of sons/brothers/fathers over 7 years for virtually no change. Almost 4.2% of Teusland’s population had become casualties, and around 4.0% for Siovanija. The Sparta-Korps openly marched in the streets of St. Jakob, Felsenkirchen and Stahlberg demanding the end of the monarchy and unification between Siovanija and Teusland. Over the next few months, the food crisis in Teusland got worse and there were riots in the streets of Stelburg, an Imperial stronghold and the capital. The situation was becoming untenable.
On September 23, 1895, Kaiser Heinrich III abdicated the throne, fleeing to the Teus colony of Sankt Konrad. The Sparta-Korps stormed the Sanssouci Palace and proclaimed a Republic of Teusland. In the election that soon followed, the SK won a massive majority on a pro-unification campaign. Starting in December 1895, talks began between the governments of Siovanija and Teusland on unification. This was achieved on May 4, 1896, known as the National Day of the new United Republics.
The new nation faced a series of struggles as a series of nationalist Siovanijan Presidents held office. They restricted pensions for Imperial Teus Army veterans, dismantled the rights of Teus-speakers in the Korjava, and handed the Teus lands little power economically. Frustration in Teusland was growing, and the United Republics were quite divided. Those in Siovanija often voted for the National Liberal Party, while Teus voters supported overwhelmingly the National Union. The NLP gerrymandered districts in contested regions, however, to prevent the NU from gaining power.
Over the years, however, the NU could not be held back, and Marwin Laufer was elected President in 1940 on the back of 93% support in Teusland. His main support group was former soldiers and ardent Teus nationalists/monarchists, who rallied around him and attacked opponents in the streets. Laufer promised to bring Teusland back from the abyss, and during his term in office restricted rights of Siovanijans, transferred much of the nation’s industries to Teusland, and made Teus the official language of business and the military. Laufer and the NU planned to eventually declare Teusland again independent and then proceed to invade Siovanija. Laufer was defeated, however, in an election by Milan Dimitrov.
Dimitrov is regarded as the father of the modern-day United Republics, as he focused on creating a shared sense of identity between each rather than the revenge-driven politics of the early period. Under Dimitrov, many differences were reconciled and each group was given enshrined equality in the constitution. Dimitrov was in power for 16 years and is widely regarded to date as the greatest President of the United Republics. In the years since his rule, Siovanija and Teusland has developed into one of the strongest nations in the world. It enjoys a strong economy as well as a strong value placed on civil liberties and human rights. The United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland have overcome a turbulent past to truly become a united, strong state.
LanguageThere are two official languages in the United Republics: Siovanijan and Teus. As the World Junior tournament will be held entirely in Teusland, you would do well to familiarize with this language first, but we do encourage teams and fans, if possible, to get to see the other half of the country as well. Many Siovanijans will also be travelling to watch this tournament, and so it may be useful to pick up some of the basics.
The Teus language is based in the Latin script, and has developed over the 2000-year history of the Teus peoples. It is the majority language in Teusland, and an official government language. You will see it on signs in all of Teusland, parts of Siovanija near the border, and in larger Siovanijan cities. It is spoken by about 56% of the population as a mother tongue.
The Siovanijan language is also based in the Latin script, and developed over the history of the Siovanijan peoples. Until 1937, however, the language was based in the Cyrillic script. Often on old buildings or in rural areas, you will still see this script. For example, in many towns on the western coast near Trkev, Cyrilic is still used on street signs over Latin. You will see Siovanijan on signs in all of Siovanija, parts of Teusland near the border and in larger Teus cities. It is spoken by about 44% of the population as a mother tongue.
83% of the country is fluently bilingual. English is a commonly-spoken language among young people and is often used in media. Additionally, cities like St. Jakob (largest in the Republics) are quite cosmopolitan, and many other foreign languages can be heard.
One important thing to note for those planning on driving or taking the train is that some Siovanijan cities have different names in Teusland. The most obvious example is the city of Pomorie (Siovanijan) or Marzig (Teus). Other examples include the cities of Chernovets (Karnowitz), Bukovets (Bucowitz), Siovanska Gora (Siowenienberg) and even the capital, Borograd (Borburg). On highway signs approaching the border in Teusland, these names will be used over the official name, except Borograd, which will be signed as Borograd/Borburg.
WeatherThe World Juniors will be held during the winter months. The city of Stelburg, located more inland, is famous for its chilly winters. St. Jakob, the other host city, is located on the sea, and thus won't be as cold and doesn't experience much snow. Stelburg is famous for being rainy in the spring and summer, and it is equally snowy in the winter. Over the years, Stelburgers have become accustomed to this, however, and what's considered normal to them might be different for some visitors. One cool effect of this weather is that the River Drai freezes over, allowing Stelburgers to go skating along the famous river. On a walk by the river side, you can encounter several games of pick-up hockey being played, and the skateway can be very busy. Our advice for visitors would be to make sure you bundle up.
Sporting CultureThe most popular sport in the United Republics is ice hockey. The national game of the country, it is played and watched by the vast majority of the nation’s population. Due to the long winters in much of the country, winter sports tend to be the most popular. The national hockey team has had some success over the years, and is currently ranked 5th in the world after World Cup of Hockey 39. The second most popular sport is football, where the national team just recently qualified for World Cup 84, and the domestic league is on the rise on the world stage. Cricket is popular in Teusland, with a team representing Teusland competing in GCF international events. Basketball is somewhat popular in Siovanija, while gridiron football is on the rise in the country as well. Hockey, however, is king, and the Saturday night broadcast of Ehrenliga games is usually the most-watched TV program of the week. Junior hockey is also quite popular, and many teams are the 'only show in town' in some areas, making them a symbol of their communities. The Siovanijan Hockey League (SHL) and the Teus Major Junior Hockey League (TMJHL) have 14 teams each, and the top teams from each league compete each year for the national championship. College hockey is somewhat on the rise as well, but isn't yet seen as a main pathway to professional play. The U20 national team for this World Junior championship is likely to receive massive support from the nation, and the expectation on them from fans will be to win this tournament at home. Arenas will be full for nearly all tournament games, with the 'Goldhorns Pack' - all games played by the national team - selling out within 5 minutes of being available online. All games will be aired nationally on the Republic Sports Network (RSN), and the hype is real for this event.
Host CitiesAfter a bidding period , the cities of Stelburg and St. Jakob were chosen to host this tournament, beating bids from Borograd/Chernovets and Felsenkirchen/Rotmunde. 3 arenas in each city will be used to host the tournament.
The city of
Stelburg is the third-largest city in the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland. Founded in 979, the city quickly rose to prominence within Teusland, and served as its national capital. As Teusland grew, gradually, into an Empire with possessions overseas, Stelburg was its centrepiece: home of the palaces and manors in which important people made important decisions. The Teus Empire peaked in the late 1700s and early 1800s, and much of the old architecture in Stelburg dates to this time, including the famous Sanssouci Palace. After the Civil War, and the unification process, Stelburg found itself, for the first time in its history, on the outs: no longer the capital, and no longer 'the centre of the world,' as Stelburgers once saw themselves. The early period was hard, due to remaining political struggle in the 'United' Republics, and Stelburg faced a decline in this time period.
By the 1950s, however, much of the old wounds had been healed, and Stelburg was on the rise again, its historic character making it one of the most important cities in the country. President Milan Dimitrov declared that, "If Borograd is our political capital, and St. Jakob our financial capital, then Stelburg is our cultural capital." The National Art Gallery, the National History Museum, the Imperial Museum, and other major cultural institutions can be found in the city. The National Music Conservatory has its headquarters here, and the national opera and ballet companies are both found in the city, it having once been a hub of Teus composers. Balls are still regularly held in the various manors and palaces across the city, and the celebrations can last long into the night. The national football and hockey teams play their games in the city, for the most part. The Stelburg Kaisers are the most successful hockey team in the country, and FC Teussen Stelburg the most successful football team. Today, Stelburg is home to nearly 3 million people in its metro area.
Popular sites to see in Stelburg include the aforementioned cultural buildings. The most famous street in the city is the Teuslandstrasse, which runs east-west in the downtown core. At the west end, it terminates in front of the grounds of the Central Palace, with its lush gardens - and also the grounds of the Imperial Oval, the national cricket oval. It then continues along eastwards past several important government buildings and offices, with monuments and memorials to wars of long ago in the middle, as well as a well-kept garden. It crosses the River Drai on the Kaiser-Wilhelm-III Bridge, before terminating at the Nationalplatz. There are 12 monuments along the route, mostly dedicated to old wars/important leaders. The largest of these is the Civil War memorial, the last one on the street. It depicts a Siovanijan soldier and a Teus soldier embracing, and is captioned: 'Never again will brothers fight'. On the base of the monument are the names of each of the 3.4 million soldiers killed in the conflict on both sides. The Nationalplatz itself is another tourist attraction, considered the centre of the town: the old city, with the one-time Imperial Chancellory - now the Republic of Teusland's government offices - at the north end. Side streets are lined with the city's famous coffee houses, or bakeries - one might try a Stelburger donut.
As a city, Stelburg has come to represent both old and modern interpretations of Teusland, and looks forward to welcoming visitors for the World Juniors. The Stelburger Eispalast arena is located just a few steps away from the Nationalplatz downtown, and is considered the national 'cathedral' of hockey, home to the Stelburg Kaisers. The Blaukard Centre is a 10 minute drive from the city centre, and is home to Eisbaren Stelburg. The Edelweiss Garten, meanwhile, is located a few blocks north of the Eispalast, and is home to the Stelburg Edelweiss junior hockey club.
The other co-hosting city is
St. Jakob, officially St Jakob an der Drai. Located at the mouth of the River Drai, where it meets the Ostsee, St. Jakob grew rapidly as Teusland expanded in the 1600s, as the main commercial port of a marine empire. People flocked to the city from across Teusland, and eventually Siovanija as well. Soon, the city was even seeing immigration from the colonies, such as Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land. Soon, St. Jakob had become the biggest city of the empire, and the hub of its navy and merchant marine. Compared to the more conservative Stelburg, St. Jakob has always been a bit more cosmopolitan, and it adapted much easier to the end of the empire.
Today, St. Jakob is the biggest city in Siovanija & Teusland, with a population of over 4 million. In addition to people from across the United Republics and its former colonies, the city is also home to cultural minorities from nearby nations, such as, for example, the vibrant Banijan community in the city. Many of the United Republics' biggest companies find their head offices in the city, and it is the financial powerhouse of the country. The Bank of Teusland (TeusBank), the biggest bank in the nation, is headquartered here, and the national stock market is centred on the Uberseealle street in the downtown. While Stelburg's downtown features palaces and museums, St. Jakob's features skyscapers and office towers. Sporting-wise, the St. Jakob Saints are one of the most successful Ehrenliga teams in recent history, led by captain Gunter Pfenning - the best S&T player of his generation - while FC St. Jakob have had their struggles in recent years.
St. Jakob is a massive city, and there are many sites to see. The downtown core itself is an attraction, as is the still-busy port - St. Jakob still serves as the primary commercial port of the nation. The old Harbour Lighthouse, built in 1686, is a famous symbol of the city, as is the Mouth of the Drai Bridge, which gives great views looking out to the ocean or the city skyline. St. Jakob is a much more fast-paced, cosmopolitan city compared to any other found in Siovanija & Teusland, and its unique character makes it a great place to visit.
The main arena in St. Jakob is the St. Jakob Forum, one of the most famous arenas in the country. It is home to the St. Jakob Saints of the Ehrenliga, as well as the Junior Saints in the TMJHL. It is located right in the downtown core, and is within walking distance of most of the city's central attractions. The Prenzlauer Eispalast will also be used for tournament games. It is host to EHC Kosmopolit of the Ehrenliga, as well as the St. Jakob Crusaders of the Banijan hockey league. The arena is located in the district of Prenzlau, on the north side of the Drai in the central part of the city. Finally, the St. Jakob host committee decided to use the Arena Johan-Beck in Tarnitz as the final area. Tarnitz is a suburb of the city located about a 15 minute drive north of the downtown core, and the arena is home to the Tarnitz Tornadoes of the TMJHL.
Host ArenasGroup AStelburg Eispalast, Stelburg, Teusland
Capacity: 25,000
Tenants: Stelburg Kaisers (Ehrenliga)
Matches: All Group A, 2x Ro16, 1x QF, 1x SF, Gold Medal Game
Group BBlaukard Centre, Stelburg, Teusland
Capacity: 19,500
Tenants: Eisbaren Stelburg (Ehrenliga)
Matches: All Group B, 1x Ro16, 1x QF
Group CSt. Jakob Forum, St. Jakob, Teusland
Capacity: 22,000
Tenants: St. Jakob Saints (Ehrenliga), St. Jakob Jr. Saints (TMJHL)
Matches: All Group C, 2x Ro16, 1x QF, 1x SF, Bronze Medal Game
Group DPrenzlauer Eispalast, St. Jakob, Teusland
Capacity: 17,500
Tenants: EHC Kosmopolit (Ehrenliga), St. Jakob Crusaders (GBHL)
Matches: All Group D, 1x Ro16, 1x QF
Group E Edelweiss Garten, Stelburg, Teusland
Capacity: 14,000
Tenants: Stelburg Edelweiss (TMJHL)
Matches: All Group E, 1x Ro16
Group FArena Johan-Beck, Tarnitz, Teusland
Capacity: 10,000
Tenants: Tarnitz Tornadoes (TMJHL)
Matches: All Group F, 1x Rox16