Altenland

Das Altisches Reich The Altish Realm
Flag National Emblem
Motto: Freiheit, Einheit und Vaterland
Anthem: Lied vom Vaterland
Capital and largest city	Hochstadt
Official languages	Standard Altische
Recognized languages	!Rhenish, !Bavarian, !Austrian, !Bohemian, !Moravian, !English
Ethnic groups	Altische (84%) Reynish (11%) !Mixed Slavs (3%) Other(2%)
Demonym(s)	Altish
Government	Unitary Valkist one-party state under an authoritarian dicatorship.
• Führer and Reichskanzler	Martin Winter
Legislature	Reichstag
• Upper house	Reichsrat
History
• Martin Winter becomes Chancellor	10 August 1926
• Sicheres Altenland Decree passed in the Reichstag	3 February 1927
• Neureich Act passed in the Reichstag	21 April 1927
• Death of President Ruppert Graff	19 October 1928
• Offices of Reich Chancellor and President merged; Winter declared Führer und Reichskanzler	22 October 1928
• Altish Annexation of Reynland	13 April 1931
Population
• 1931 estimate	64,384,201
Currency	Reichsmark (ℜ) (RMK)
Driving side	right

Altenland, (Reynish: Altany), also known by its official state title Das Altisches Reich, is a country located in central Cybellum. It borders Auberon and Gweryn to the north, Alytaj to the west, Hercynia and Sudenland to the south, and Freijian and Auvernia to the west. Coined as the Neureich, the modern Altish state is seen as the successor to the Altish Empire. which existed from 1840 until its collapse in 1920 as a result of the December Revolution.

The Valkistiche Volkspartei, known as the VV or simply as the Valkist Party, was formed primarily from the various Vorhut movements that were active in Altenland during the turbulent period following the Great War. Headed by the skilled orator and war veteran Martin Winter, the VV formed a coalition with other right-wing political parties active at the time, known as the Reichsbund, and achieved victory in the July 1926 Altish federal elections. Winter leveraged then-president, Ruppert Graff, to appoint him chancellor, saying that he would not participate in a coalition government unless he was its leader. Winter became Reichskanzler on 10 August 1926 at the behest of prominent right-wing politicians and industrialists. The Hochstadt Plot was used to pass the Sicheres Altenland Decree in February 1927, allowing for the suppression of civil liberties and mass arrests of political opponents. The Neureich Act of July 1927 gave Winter's government the power to make and enforce laws without the Reichstag or president, and the mysterious death of President Ruppert Graff in October of 1928 allowed Winter to merge the powers of the chancellery and presidency. A referendum in November 1928 confirmed Winter as the sole Führer, or leader. Power was centralized in Winter's person.

In the midst of global economic recession, which had struck Altenland especially hard due to its already-weakened economic state following the Great War, the Valkists restored economic stability and ended mass unemployment. Financed by deficit spending, the regime has undertaken extensive public works projects, including the Autobahnen (motorways), hydro-electric dams, and a massive secret rearmament program, which gave rise to the Wehrmacht in 1931.

The Reynland issue is one of particular concern for the Valkists, as well as the broader international community. Occupied by Altenland during the Great War, the Reynland gained independence during the December Revolution. Martin Winter, citing the ethnic minority of Altish peoples living inside Reynland, sought to answer what he called the "Reynish Question". In April of 1934, the outbreak of a Altish-backed valkist coup in Reynland and retaliation by the Reynish government against the Altish minority in the country acted as justification for Altish troops to march into the Reynland, ousting the monarchy of King James V. and leading to the creation of a Reynish government-in-exile in Carolina. In the years since the Altish annexation, most outward resistance has been curtailed, though and underground resistance movement remains active, working to prevent the process of integration of the new provinces of Westfalen and Ragnau into the Reich.

Etymology

Altenland translates literally to "Old Land" or "Ancient Land", and is the term used by both Altisch and Reynish speakers. It was originally used in reference to the geographic area that now comprises Altenland and became more popular in the 18 Century as Pan-Altish sentiments were becoming more-popular among Altish monarchs in the region's many kingdoms and city-states. The formation of the Altish Empire in 1840 saw the term Altenland first used to describe the unified Altish state, however, this was used as the country's informal name, and the official state title of the Empire was "Das Altische Reich", which was changed to "Das Altische Kaiserreich" in 1876.

The use of the name "Neureich" ("New Reich") is common both within Altenland and abroad, although there are misconceptions about its origins and its practical usage. The term was first coined by Martin Winter and used in speeches in the early 1920s, and frequently used in his book Eine Neue Ordnung to describe the new Altenland that he sought to built. In 1928, after Winter became Chancellor, the Neureich Act was a piece of legislation passed that gave Winter's government the power to make laws and issue decrees without parliament or the president. Despite its common usage, however, "Neureich" is not an official term, and the official state title remains "Das Alitsches Reich", a modification of the official state title under the Altish Empire and notably different from the official title under the Republic: Das Altisches Republik.

Background

Altenland was known as the Altish Republic between 1920 and 1928. It was a parliamentary democracy with a semi-presidential system that, from its inception after the December Revolution was plagued by hyperinflation, political extremism, contentious relationships with the victors of the Great War, and divided political parties that failed to yeild an effective coalition government. Severe setbacks to the Altish economy began shortly after the Great War ended, a large part being from reparations payments required under the 1920 Treaty of Verdon. The government printed money in order to make the payments and repay the country's war debt, but the resulting hyperinflation led to inflated prices for consumer goods, widespread shortages and food riots. Unemployment skyrocketed to a height of 30% in 1921 as the Altish wartime economy transitioned back into peacetime and millions of veterans returned home to find a lack of employment opportunities.

The Altish left-wing, which had so effectively brought about the destruction of the Lieber Monarchy, was itself dissatisfied with the state of affairs in Altenland. The common perception among Altish communists and socialists was that moderates in parliament had betrayed the revolution and thus, with center-left and centrist parties in power, formed active paramilitary organizations that engaged in street violence throughout the country. The government reacted by banning several far-left political organizations, but in most cases, the bans only served to further-placate leftist movements and encourage them to organize a second revolution. In response to the ever-present threat of communist takeover, the Vorhut took shape. Comprising mainly of veterans of the Great War, early Vorhut (Rhenish: Vanguard) organizations had been instrumental during the December Revolution, having beaten communist paramilitaries in Münzen and facilitating the destruction of the People's Republic of Küstern and Lauenmark. In the early Republican period, Vorhut movements resigned themselves to opposing leftist political movements throughout Altenland, and were often depended upon heavily by the national and state governments to oppose leftist efforts.

The Valkist People's Party (Valkistiche Volkspartei), commonly known as the Valkist Party, was born in January 1922 out of the remnants of the Vorhut movements in southern Altenland. The Valkist platform included the destruction of the Altish Republic, rejection of the Treaty of Verdon, and the implementation of valkist ideas relating to race, religion and culture. They promised a strong central government, the formation of a national community based on culture, and the full integration of the Reynland into the Reich. The party, especially its original paramilitary wing Volksgarde (VG; People's Guard), became a visible symbol of the Altish right-wing in the mid-1920s, often engaging in political violence against left-wing revolutionary movements, disrupting their meetings and attacking their members, which was customary among political paramilitary forces during this period.

The failure of the Altish government to enact effective economic reform and alleviate the burden placed upon the Altish people caused internal political strife to reach a boiling point in 1926. The Valkist Party had been campaigning for years, and its platform was met with a positive reaction from the disenfranchised population of Altenland. In the July 1926 Altish federal elections, the Valkists won a major victory, securing 227 of 650 total seats. Combined with their right-wing allies in the Reichsbund, the Valkist-led coalition enjoyed 408 seats in total, or a 62% majority.

History

Valkist rise to power

(Main article: Martin Winter's rise to power)

Martin Winter became Altenland's head of state, with the title of Führer und Reichskanzler, in 1929.

Having failed to secure a significant victory in the 1924 Altish federal elections, the Valkist Party began coordinating with other significant right-wing parties in the country, bringing about the creation of the Reichsbund in October 1924. In the 1926 Altish federal elections, the drastic turn of the global economy into a state of brutal recession saw the Altish people lose confidence in the moderate, center-right coalition that had achieved power from the centrists in 1924. Promising a "national and cultural revival", the VV saw massive success in 1926, winning 227 of 650 seats, or 35%, making it the largest single party in the Reichstag. Altogether, the Valkist-led Reichsbund won 408 total seats, securing a 62% majority. While it had been assumed that Martin Winter would be named Reichskanzler, conservative Reichspräsident Ruppert Graff was fearful of a Valkist holding such a position, and made efforts to delay Winter's appointment. A series of talks were held between VV leaders and the AkP, of which President Graff was a part of, and Winter formed an unofficial political alliance with Peter Stentz, an influential member of the AkP and a close confidant of the president. On 10 August 1926, under pressure from Stentz and from prominent politicians, industrialists and the business community, President Graff relented, appointed Martin Winter Chancellor.

On the evening of 27 January 1927, intelligence services of the SST tipped off local police to a planned communist coup against Winter's government. In what would become known as the Hochstadt Plot, SST paramilitary forces joined with local law enforcement in a series of proactive raids throughout the capital, taking more than a hundred people into custody and seizing an arsenal of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Organized communist movements in Altenland denied any knowledge of or involvement in the plot, and accused Winter's government of orchestrating a false-flag operation. Regardless, with public fear of a communist takeover heightened, Winter forced the Sicheres Altenland Decree through the Reichstag on 3 February 1927. The decree suspended most civil liberties, including the rights of assembly and freedom of the press, and allowed police to detain people indefinitely without formal charges, leading to mass arrests of suspected communists. Additionally, the decree suspended federal elections until the "communist issue" could be resolved. The legislation was accompanied by a comprehensive propaganda campaign that secured public support for the measure. Violent suppression of communists by the SST began almost immediately after the decree was passed, leading to the arrest of more than 5,000 members of the KPA by the end of April 1927.

On 21 April 1927, the Neureich Act, an amendment to the Republican constitution, passed in the Reichstag by a vote of 520 to 130. This amendment allowed Winter and his cabinet to pass laws - even those in violation of the constitution - without the consent of the president or the Reichstag. As the bill required a two-thirds majority to pass, the Valkists used intimidation tactics as well as the provisions of the Sicheres Altenland Decree to keep several political opponents from attending, and the KPA had already been banned.

On 5 May, the government seized the assets of numerous opposition parties and banned nine of them on 18 May. The remaining major political parties not involved in the Reichsbund followed suit. On 11 August 1927, legislation was passed preventing the creation of new political parties, and all remaining opposition parties not aligned with the VV were effectively banned. Even the Reichsbund, instrumental in ensuring Valkist domination of the Reichstag, was not safe from the Winter's efforts to consolidate power. In 1928, the suspension on national elections was lifted, but special restrictions were placed on political parties belonging to the Reichsbund. In the months before the 1928 Altish federal election, members of the SST used similar intimidation tactics used to garner support for the Neureich Act to force members of the Reichstag running for re-election to retire. When elections were held on 9 July 1928, only members of the Valkist Party could run to fill the vacancies that had been created. Furthermore, non-VV parties could not run in opposition to VV candidates. When the election concluded, the Valkists had gained 113 seats in the Reichstag, to a total of 340 or 52%.

By mid-1928, all civilian organizations had their leadership replaced with Valkist sympathizers or party members, and either merged with the VV or faced dissolution. Harsh persecution of labor and trade unionists began around this time, and on 12 September 1928, Martin Winter issued a decree banning the organizations entirely and jailing many prominent union leaders. On 24 September 1928, the Alitsche Arbeitsfront was formed by Winter's decree. The ALF continues to exist as the only official labor union in Altenland, organized and administrated by the Valkist Party itself.

As chancellor, Martin Winter moved to confront the economic troubles plaguing Altenland. At the start of 1927, an estimated 15 million people were unemployed - 25% of the population - and the balance of trade deficit was daunting. Planning of massive public works projects began as early as December 1926, and using deficit spending, the first of these projects began in early 1927, creating 2.1 million new jobs by the end of that year alone, and leading to a rise in average wages nationwide. By the end of 1928, with work on the ambitious Autobahnen and the beginning stages of a comprehensive rearmament campaign well underway, a total of 3.3 million new jobs had been created since Winter became chancellor. Public support for the Valkist regime grew exponentially and President Ruppert Graff, having been placated by Winter and now existing as little more than a national figurehead, had neither the political nor public support to oppose the Valkists.

Spread of the New Order and consolidation

Ruppert Graff, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Altish Army on the Auvernian front of the Great War, was elected President of the Altish Republic in 1926.

In the autumn of 1928, tensions within the VV and the greater Reichsbund were reaching a fever pitch. The Kochists, Lyndanist hardliners led by Roswalt Koch, had become increasingly agitated by Winter's failure to enact anti-Catholic and anti-Contrarian measures. Roswalt Koch himself, the youngest high-profile Valkist leader at the time at the age of 28, was among Winter's closest allies - serving as the head of the SST's intelligence office since 1925 - and had found himself in an unusual position as his followers demanded pro-Lyndanist measures be taken by the Winter government. On 7 September 1928, Koch met with both Martin Winter and Peter Pappenheim in Hochstadt to discuss the tense situation. In the aftermath of this summit, the Blut Putsch ("blood coup") would occur. Between 9-11 September 1928, up to 200 members of the VV, SST and a number of Winter's political adversaries were killed. Koch was spared with the expectation that he get his followers under control and never again question Martin Winter's methods or actions.

The Blut Putsch made national headlines, and President Ruppert Graff - having had his power thoroughly neutered by the Valkists and accepting the status quo due to public approval of the regime - began plotting with like-minded members of the Reichstag to depose Winter. Talks between Graff and numerous members of the Reichsbund were held between 21-23 September, with Field Marshal Hermann Pröll, chief of the Republikswehr, promising that the military's loyalty lay with the President. Preparations began being made for a military coup against the Winter government as early as 26 September. Martin Winter became aware of President Graff's plot as early as 1 October, when the intelligence services of the SST intercepted correspondence between Pröll and President Graff's secretary. Martin Winter met with Graff on 3 October to confront him and to negotiate a solution, but little progress was made. In his personal diary, Graff wrote that Winter is a, "stubborn idealist who cannot fathom the idea that the Altish people will eventually lose their love for him, and that when they do, his delusions of grandeur for the future of the Altish nation will be ripped away from him. I am convinced that Herr Winter is perhaps the most dangerous person the Altish people have ever known, and I curse myself that I failed to see such danger earlier. I had thought, like many, that he had what it takes to save our nation, but now I am suffocated by the fear that, when he is done with it, the Altish nation will cease to exist and our people will know ruin so vast and absolute that even the horrors of the Great War will disappear from the national consciousness."

On 19 October 1928, Graff died suddenly at the Reich Chancellory in Hochstadt. The government rushed to publish an autopsy, which released on 20 October, declaring that the President had suffered a heart attack in his sleep. On 22 October, Winter's cabinet passed the "Law Concerning the Head of State of the Reich, which abolished the position of President and had its powers merged with those of the Chancellor. Winter thus became head of state as well as head of government and was formally named Führer und Reichskanzler ("Leader and Chancellor"). The dismantling of the Altish Republic had reached the point of no return. As head of state, Winter became the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, and on 24 October, Winter had Field Marshal Hermann Pröll fired as Chief of Staff of the Republikswehr and jailed for treason. On 27 October, the armed forces were renamed the Reichswehr. An altered loyalty oath was instituted for servicemen requiring them to affirm loyalty to Martin Winter personally rather than the office of the supreme commander or the state. On 2 November, the merger of the presidency and the chancellorship was approved by a 90% of the electorate in a plebiscite.

Most Altishmen were relieved that the conflicts and street fighting of the Republican era had ended. They were deluged with propaganda orchestrated by the Reich Minister of Public Information Konstantine Kohler, who promised peace and plenty for all in united, communist-free country without the constraints of the Verdon Treaty. The Valkist Party obtained and legitimized power through the use and manipulation of legal mechanisms, the use of police powers, and by taking control of state and federal institutions. The first concentration camp, designed for political opponents and enemies of the state, was opened in Adeschau in 1929. A number of small-scale purges were carried out in the Reichswehr to remove "Graffist and Pröllist personalities and sympathizers" through the remainder of 1928 and 1929. Similar purges were carried out against members of the Reichsbund parties, arresting more than two dozen suspected of being communist sympathizers in preparation for the 1930 Altish federal elections, which would see the VV increase their stranglehold over the Reichstag.

Domestic efforts & rearmament

As early as November 1928, Winter announced that rearmament must begin, albeit clandestinely at first, as to do so was a violation of the Verdon Treaty. On 20 January 1929, he delivered a speech before the Reichstag outlining his desire for world peace and declared that Altenland would, "engage in a policy of continued military disarmament" provided the other nations of Cybelleum did the same. When the other Cybellean powers failed to commit to this policy, Altenland withdrew from the International Disarmament Conference in October 1929 much to the protest of Auvernia and the SIA. The Altish government argued that "no commitments towards continued disarmament can be made in good faith if the clauses set forth apply only to Altenland." The Aventine government responded to Altenland's withdrawal by bolstering its military presence in Sudenland in late October 1929, an action that would be used by Altenland to justify their decision to leave in the first place, claiming that, "any additional commitments made by Altenland would not be genuine, as the very military apparatus that is the topic of discussion for Cybellean disarmament is now being wielded to compel the Altish state to adhere to its requirements under duress."

In February 1930, Winter told his military leaders that rearmament needed to be complete by 1940 in order to allow Altenland to protect its territorial integrity against "increasingly hostile neighbors". In August 1930, Winter announced the creation of an air force, and that the Reichswehr would be increased to 500,000 men as opposed to the 150,000-maximum permitted under the Verdon Treaty. In October 1930, Winter formally rejected naval limitations placed on Altenland by the Verdon Treaty, an action which was met by international condemnation but little in the way of tangible action against the Valkist regime. Altenland also began designing and constructing new tanks and other armored vehicles in violation of the Verdon Treaty, though cleverly masked their manufacturing as "tractors and other farm equipment." In March 1931, the Reichswehr was formally renamed: Wehrmacht. By 1935, the Wehrmacht had grown to comprise 900,000 active-duty personnel and 800,000 reserve personnel for a total of 1.7 million total personnel. The 1. Panzer Division was also christened in 1935, marking the Valkist regime's first major steps towards developing the military strategy of Bewegungskrieg, which Altenland believes will secure victory in future conflicts.

Economic measures in the late 1920s and early 1930s were taken with the principle of Autarky, or self-sufficiency in mind. In Eine Neue Ordnung, Martin Winter spoke at length at how Altenland's dependency upon foreign nations for critical materials led to mass famine and the collapse of the military-industrial complex during the Great War, and explained that the future Altish state must be completely self-sufficient. Efforts in the early 1930s to maximize domestic output of raw materials, such a coal and certain alloys, were successful, but Altenland's lack of deposits of certain critical materials meant that the Altish government was forced to outsource. The 1932 Altish-Norralandic Trade Agreement secured a steady supply of steel and other metals in great quantities, although Martin Winter privately warned that this delicate supply chain would likely be severed the moment a major conflict broke out. To address this issue, Altish delegates attended the Eastern Trade Conference in October 1933, where it was decided that Alytaj would serve as intermediary for the transport of critical materials, needed for Altish rearmament efforts, from Volkhov through their country in order to reach Altenland as a means to circumvent scrutiny by Auvernia and the SIA regarding Verdon Treaty violations. In exchange for fuel, iron, steel, and other critical materials, Altenland would provide to Volkhov machine tools, radios and other manufactured goods. The agreement made at the Eastern Trade Conference set the stage for the Valkist regime to massively expand their rearmament efforts unimpeded by its regional opponents, with the idea of autarky being sacrificed due to the realities of international trade and economics.

Using primarily deficit spending, the Altish government has embarked on a number of ambitious public works programs, completing the first Autobahn in 1934 and two more in 1936. The Julian Pichler Hydroelectric Dam in Almeria was completed and activated in August 1936, providing electricity to nearly 5 million and alleviating the burden on Altenland's existing coal-based power network. Numerous bridges, tunnels, and other infastructure works have been completed or remain underway, and Altenland's aging rail network has seen major investment. These public works programs, although not a permenant source of employment, have raised millions out of poverty and unemployment. Combined with the growth of the Wehrmacht, in 1936, unemployment fell to less than 8%. In 1921, some 17 million (30% of the population) were unemployed and in 1927, when the Valkists came to power, 15 million or 1 in 4 Altishmen were still without work. Public support for the Valkist regime and for Martin Winter himself exploded, and in 1935, a special referendum was held to prove that the Altish people continued to support Winter even considering the annexation of Reynland, which occured in 1934. Economic recovery in Altenland has been organized into four-year plans, the first of which beginning in 1931 and completing in 1935.

The annexation of Reynland

(Main article: Altish annexation of Reynland)

Altish soldiers march through the town of Kubeln, which boasted a 79% majority Altish population, in present-day Rangau on 12 April 1934

During the Great War, the country of Reynland was invaded by the Altish Empire to secure its vital ports for use by the Altish navy, and remained under military occupation for the duration of the war, seeing extensive fighting primarily between Altish and Auber forces. In November 1915, in an effort to alleviate the Auvernians to the west, Auberon carried out an offensive into Reynland that saw significant progress, but the liberated territories were reclaimed by an Altish counter-offensive of August 1916, reasserting their control over Reynland for the remainder of the war. By the autumn of 1919, peace negotiations were well underway in the Auvernian city of Verdon, and most Altish leaders predicted that a "peace with honor" was achievable. Altenland had not been beaten, after all, and all sides had committed to the idea of ending the fighting. The outbreak of the December Revolution, however, would prompt the Grand Coalition to press for increasingly harsh terms against Altenland. When the Kaiser abdicated on 6 January 1920 and a center coalition took control of the state, a new list of demands for peace was delivered, with Auvernia threatening to resume hostilities against Altenland alone if the new government refused to sign. The Treaty of Verdon, among many other things, reestablished the Kingdom of Reynland as an independent state with James V as King.

Under the Verdon Treaty, Reynland was entitled to compensation by Altenland in the form of reparations. When the Altish government defaulted on payments in 1921, the Reynish - backed by Auvernia - deployed soldiers to seize Altish economic and industrial assets in Almanland and Charlottenburg. The Altish government had no recourse, and certain cities in these Altish states would be forced to host Reynish and Auvernian soldiers until as late as 1927. When the Valkist regime came to power, it would be reported that Reynish soldiers in particular unleashed a wave of terror on the Altish civilian population, committing sexual crimes against women and children and beating and oftentimes killing the men as well. The Reynish government denied that these events occurred, and a neutral commission led by Atlesia to investigate these reports and speak to alleged victims determined in 1928 that abuse likely did occur but was not systemic nor widespread. The Altish government dismissed the findings of the Atlesian commission.

After Martin Winter became chancellor in 1926, discussions over the presence of Reynish troops in Altenland increased in frequency, with Winter pressing President Ruppert Graff to arrange a summit with the Auvernians to discuss the topic. Graff, concerned that pressing the issue would result in harsher actions by Auvernia, did his best to avoid the situation altogether and attempted to direct Winter's focus to the economic situation, which was dire in 1926. President Graff would continue to push his hands-off policy regarding Reynish military occupation, as he had done since taking office in 1924, until the Neureich Act was passed on 21 April 1927, making Winter the unofficial dictator of Altenland and his Valkists the powerhouse of the Reichstag. On 7 May 1927, Reich Foreign Minister Ludwig Riess issued formal demands to Auvernia to have Auvernian and Reynish troops removed from Altish territory, indicating that Altenland's, "adherence to reparations payments" since 1921 made it, "unconscionable to continue utilizing military force to ensure payment". Atlesian delegates mediated a conference in Münzen on 26 May 1927 and determined that, "the military force required to compel timely reparations payments under the Verdon Treaty in 1921 is no longer reasonable, given the Altish government's punctuality in adhering to its obligations in this regard." In July 1927, Reynish and Auvernian troops began their withdrawal from Altish territory, a process which was completed in February 1928.

Rudolf Wehrner, leader of the ARP in Reynland

In April 1930, a right-wing conservative coalition secured victory in Reynland's parliamentary elections, and James Hale became prime minister. The Hale government was staunchly anti-Valkist and anti-Lyndanist, and saw the Altish minority - the majority of which practiced Lyndanism - to be a threat to Reynland's Contrarian values and to the security of the Reynish state. The Hale government quickly moved to placate and disenfranchise the Altish minority, passing a measure in March 1931 that stripped Altish landowners of their property and redistributed the land to Reynishmen. The Altish Reconciliation Party (ARP), created in 1925 by Rudolf Wehrner to advocate for ethnically-Altish citizens of Reynland in parliament, came under enormous attack in a massive propaganda campaign designed to paint the ARP's leaders as being puppets of Valkist Altenland. Marches and political demonstrations carried out by the ARP became violent affairs as organizations such as the Reynish Contrarian League staged counter-demonstrations and instigated violence. Rudolf Wehrner, a pacifist since his service in the Great War, rejected calls by other ARP leaders to react to Reynish violence with violence of their own, and argued that such actions would only provide the Hale government with more ammunition. Instead, Wehrner launched a "campaign of civil disobedience" in August 1931, which consisted of hunger strikes, sit-ins at local businesses, and other non-violent forms of protest. While Rudolf Wehrner carried out his pacifist plan of action, in Altenland, Martin Winter and his Cabinet assembled on 13 May 1932 to discuss the Reynland situation and committed to providing clandestine support to the Altish minority. The first of the Auslands-Vorhut ("international vanguard") was formally established with the support of Geheim agents in September 1932, and the smuggling of arms and equipment began in October. The Reynish Auslands-Vorhut, officially called the Altisches-Vorhut Raenland, was a separate entity not affiliated with the Altish Reconciliation Party and fundamentally opposed Rudolf Wehrner's practice of non-violence.

WIP.

Politics

Ideology

(Main Article: Valkism)

Martin Winter, Peter Pappenheim and Walther Lautmann perform the Valkist salute at the Hapsburg Rally, August 1934.

The Valkists are a far-right political party which arose during the social and financial upheavals that arose in the aftermath of the Great War. The party was formed in 1922 after the failed Münzen Putsch, when right-wing Vorhut paramilitary organizations were banned from operating in most states in Altenland. The Valkistiche Volkspartei (VV) saw limited success in the 1924 Altish federal election, securing only 29 seats, or 4% in the Reichstag. In 1926, after the formation of the Reichsbund with other right-wing parties and extensive campaigning, the Valkist Party alone secured 227 of 670 seats, or 33% of seats. Combined with its partners, the Valkists achieved a 60% majority.

While in prison after the failed Münzen Putsch, despite having had no direct involvement, Martin Winter wrote Eine Neue Ordnung, which laid out his plans for transforming Altish society and conforming it to his valkist ideals. Valkist ideology brought together elements of cultural supremacy, authoritarianism, eugenics, and combined them with pan-Altishism and territorial expansion with the goal of "righting the wrongs" of the Treaty of Verdon and achieving Autarky for the Altish people.

Volksgemeinschaft

The regime has worked to restructure the Reich into one adhering to the concepts of Volksgemeinschaft, or "People's Community", rooted in the notion of uniting all peoples across class divides to achieve national purpose and unity. In the Valkist vision of Volksgemeinschaft, society is to be organized into classes (based upon talent, property or profession), but there is to be no class conflict, because a common national consciousness will inspire different economic and social classes to live together harmoniously and work for the good of the nation. While the Valkist movement does not specifically alienate different races from participating in the people's community, it does state that harmony can only be achieved by ensuring that the people be "united in cause and in identity", establishing that the idea of 'foreign' should not be used to identify those who hail from outside of the community, but should indicate those within the community that fail or refuse to conform to its values and support its goals, whether or not they belong to the traditional Altish stock. To this effect, the idea of the Volk is not solely of racial origin, but transcends statehood and race.

Ständestaat

The Valkist state is based upon an organic collective in a natural hierarchy with an aristocracy based upon merit positioned at the highest echelon of society. In this system, social mobility is based upon merit, and the productivity and value the individual within the Volksgemeinschaft. Under Valkism, the Volk form certain "estates" that exist within the greater people's community, and the state promotes anti-liberalism, anti-individualism, and is anti-democratic. As opposed to other similar movements, Valkism rejects the role of organized religion as a pillar in the social structure, and instead vests its faith in the Führer to serve as the ultimate leader and mediator. Instead of the Epiphanian or Lyndanist faiths as a guiding model, a nationalist spiritualism for the state and the Volk is in proposed. Although the movement rejects Epiphanian corporatism, Lyndanist concepts of collectivism serve as inspiration for the Valkist model of social structure. The Ständestaat also serve an economic function, with the people organized into their "estates" based upon their profession. Employers and employees under the system are encouraged to work with one another to maximize productivity without neglecting wages or quality of life, with strict rules put in place by the government to ensure that this is made reality.

Legalistic Authoritarianism

The Valkist state is based on a formal constitution and is grounded in a legal framework as opposed to the standard despotism commonly adopted by authoritarian regimes. Peter Pappenheim serves as a leading legal theorist, and with Martin Winter himself, is responsible for laying the groundwork for the new Valkist constitution as well as the sweeping legal reforms that have taken place since the Valkists came to power. Valkist ideology establishes that a strong executive element of government is required for a government to act decisively, and that the dictator (Führer) is not in power merely to protect the status quo during times of crisis, but to set a new status quo. Under this system, the Führer must be a sovereign entity capable of opposing party politics, liberalism, and parliamentary infighting that, in the view of the Valkists' core founders, are the critical issue plaguing modern democracies.

Valkism also outlines an essential division between the liberal doctrine of separation of powers and what is seen as the nature of democracy itself: the identity of the rulers and the ruled. In Eine Neue Ordnung, Martin Winter wrote that "once the people are involved in the destiny of the state, however slight this involvement may appear to be, the state becomes democratic." Furthermore, an oligarchic party principal not dissimilar to the governments of the medieval period tends to work against the people. Valkism holds that the people must rally and unite behind the Führer, who in turn gives them voice.

The Friend-Enemy distinction also plays a major role in Valkist legalism, and is written about at-length in Eine Neue Ordnung: "The political enemy need not be morally evil or aesthetically ugly, but he is nevertheless the 'other', the stranger." Winter describes the "enemy" as whoever is "in a specially intense way, existentially something different and alien, making the probability to conflict in certain cases more likely." As seen by the Valkists, these enemies need not be based on race nor on nationality, and instead on the liklihood that conflict between him and the state will occur. The Friend-Enemy distinction is widely considered an "unimportant" distinction among Valkists, who believe that a national enemy is rarely chosen by virtue of morality or appearance alone, and that the ideas of prominent Valkist legalists have already been in practice for centuries.

Technophilia

Valkism fully embraces modernism and the technological and social evolutions that occur over time. Technological modernization and progress is not pursued for the sake of progress itself, however, and rather to be used as a tool to create and enhance the society and the state. In Eine Neue Ordnung, Martin Winter outlines his belief that the principle struggle faced by mankind is not one between classes and parties but between man and technology, and expressed his concerns about the effects a mechanized, highly modernized society will have on the human spirit, and that the technological apparatus of modernity has reached, or will soon reach, a point in which it has achieved a position of superiority over the common man. For this, Winter sees nationalism as the antidote to the anti-particularist materialism. In the Valkist state, the acceptance of any modern technique and the endorsement of any modern phenomena is imperative, and the overall subjugation and employment of new technologies and methods is critical to achieve the desired post-modern political order.

Trenchocracy

In his earliest speeches and writings, Martin Winter spoke of the emergence of a young intellectual elite born in the trenches of the Great War, ready to oppose bourgeois capitalism and to embody a new nationalist revolutionary spirit. In Eine Neue Ordnung, Winter expanded upon the concept, defining the concept as Aristokratie der Schützengräben, "Aristocracy of the Trenches", or Trenchocracy. The fundamental belief is that the Great War formed a fraternal bond between all of its participants regardless of social class or background, and in order to overcome class struggle and divisiveness, the state must cede power to militant and politically radicalized veterans as the new generation of natural leaders.

The Valkist regime has taken major steps towards implementing the concepts of Trenchocracy, with must of its leadership having served in some capacity in the Great War, or in the political violence that plagued Altenland in the aftermath of the war. An important deviation from standard militarist societies is that the Valkist state does not empower the military itself to encompass political functions, and establishes that military leaders and those immersed by conflict should rise to serve in the political capacity, separate from the uniformed armed forces.

Government

(Main: Government of Altenland)

Martin Winter rules Altenland by asserting the Führerprinzip ("leader principle"), which calls for absolute obedience by all subordinates. The Valkist state is structured as a pyramid, with himself positioned at the apex. Party rank is not determined by elections, and positions are filled through appointment by those of higher rank. Heavy use of propaganda has developed a cult of personality around Winter.

  Valkistiche Volkspartei (VV): 410 seats

  Vaterländisch Arbeiterpartei (VAP): 155 seats

  Unabhängigkeitspartei (UkP): 45 seats

  Reichspartei (RP): 40 seats

While top officials report to Winter and follow his policies, they maintain considerable autonomy. Winter expects officials to "work towards the Führer"- to take the initiative in promoting policies and taking actions in line with party goals and Winter's wishes, without his involvement in day-to-day decision-making. Due to the cult of personality surrounding the Führer and the centralization of political power around him, resulting in much of the government becoming a disorganized collection of factions led by the party elite, struggling to amass power and gain the Führer's favor. In this way, the fostering of distrust, competition and infighting among his subordinates has allowed Winter to further-consolidate and maximize his own power. The Reichstag, Altenland's parliament that existed under both the Imperial and Republican systems, has continued to exist under the Valkist regime, although its powers to legislate have been largely stripped away with Winter serving as both chancellor and president simultaneously. Federal elections have continued to be held following Winter's rise to power, but as of 1930, but are largely seen as illegitimate. Executive actions Winter, including the Neureich Act, have seen most organized political opposition outlawed, leaving only four political parties, all of which involved in the Valkist-led Reichsbund. Of these parties, the VV alone controls 410 seats, or 63% of total seats.

Altenland under the Valkist regime continues to utilize the administrative framework of the previous Altish Empire and Altish Republic, with the nation comprising of numerous Länder (constituent states), which were formerly independent kingdoms and duchies unified into the Altish Empire in 1840. With the creation of the Altish Republic in 1920, these former monarchist states took inspiration from the Atlesian system to reform the Länder into democratic, as part of the broader federation of Altish states. Under the Valkist regime, leadership of the Länder is by appointment, with all currently-serving state leaders (Staatsoberhäupter) selected by the Führer, though entrusted with a significant degree of autonomy. Local elections are still common in many parts of the country, though whether are not these are permitted is dependent upon the Staatsoberhäupter, as no executive action has been taken explicitly forbidding them from taking place. Still, in most instances, the VV is the only party present on local ballots, and Martin Winter continues to actively debate the idea of abolishing local elections in favor of appointment of mayors and other local leaders by the Reich Ministry of the Interior.

Law

(Main article: Law in Altenland)

In March 1930, civil servants and members of the military were required to swear and oath of unconditional obedience to Winter. These laws became the basis of the Führerprinzip, the concept that Winter's word overrides all existing laws. Any acts sanctioned by Winter, even murder, thus became legal, so long as they were ordered by the Führer. All legislation proposed by cabinet ministers is required to be approved by the office of Deputy Führer Peter Pappenheim, who also maintains the power to veto top civil service appointments.

The vast majority of the judicial system and legal codes of the Altish Republic remain in place to deal with non-political crimes, though the intensity of government prosecution of criminal offenses increased exponentially. People convicted of three or more offenses - even minor crimes such as petty theft or vandalism - may be jailed indefinitely. People such as prostitutes and pickpockets are judged to be inherently criminal and a threat to the community, leading to mass arrests of said individuals without trail.

The Volksgerichtshof ("People's Court") was established in 1930 to deal with political cases, making more than 11,000 arrests of political opponents and ordering 2,000 executions since its creation. Penalties can be issued for offenses such as being communist, printing seditious leaflets, or speaking negatively of the Altish military, especially related to its performance in the Great war. The Verpo is in charge of investigative policing to enforce Valkist ideology and confines political offenders and others seemed as undesirable or of particular threat to the state.

What makes Altenland unique compared to other authoritarian states is that it affords its people certain civil rights. Unlike in democratic countries where civil rights are unalienable and granted often by God or another religious diety, civil rights in Altenland are granted by the Führer alone, and serve to reward those most loyal to the state and the regime. Freedom of speech and freedom to criticize leaders is allowed in a limited capacity, with Martin Winter believing it to be imperative for a population to be able to voice their grievances to allow for the government to take action to rectify issue when necessary. Strict rules apply, however, to how individual speech can be expressed, with all forms of protest being illegal in most cases. Altish citizens imbued with Führerrechte enjoy the right to own private property, start a business, and are free of religious persecution. Religious protections work to prevent in-fighting between the northern Lyndanist-majority states and the southern Altish states, which maintain large populations of Catholics, and the eastern states, where Contrarianism is common.

Military and paramilitary

Wehrmacht

(Main article: Wehrmacht)

Altish soldiers of the Heer march into Reynland, 12 April 1934

The unified armed forces of Altenland are called the Wehrmacht ("defense force"), and encompasses the Heer (army), Kriegsmarine (navy) and the Luftwaffe (air force). Prior to 1931, the Altish armed forces was called the Reichswehr, having been changed from Republikswehr in 1928. Since October 1928, all members of the armed forces are required to pledge an oath of unconditional obedience to Martin Winter personally. This contrasted the previous oath taken by servicemembers, which required allegiance to the constitution of the country and its lawful establishments. The Winter-Eid also includes an oath of loyalty to the Volk, though obedience to Winter supersedes this.

Comprehensive rearmament campaigns were launched as early as 1929 on Winter's orders, ushering in a series of violations of the Treaty of Verdon. By 1933, the Heer had grown from its limit of 150,000 to 750,000 personnel, and the Kriegsmarine - restricted to 20,000 personnel with no aircraft carriers, submarines, and with severe tonnage limits - had grown to 112,000 personnel, at least 30 submarines and numerous new vessels, including the battlecruiser Lorenz, far surpassed tonnage limitations. The Luftwaffe was officially created in 1930, though combat aircraft production had begun in 1929. In 1933, the Luftwaffe had approximately 1,500 combat aircraft and a total of 198,000 men in service.

The Wehrmacht made its debut as the military arm of the Valkist regime in April 1934, when Altish troops moved to annex Reynland. Though mostly bloodless, it was the first major military operation carried out by the Reichswehr and saw involvement by all three of its branches. Since the annexation, the Reichswehr has maintained a sizable military presence in the provinces of Rangau and Westfalen, supplementing law enforcement, facilitating the integration of the regions, and participating in anti-partisan military activities.