Lützow

Empire of Lützow Lützower Reich
Flag
Motto:  Einig für Volk und Vaterland! (Lützowig) United for the people and the fatherland!
Anthem:  "[Lützow hoch in Ehren]" O Lützow, highly cherished
Capital	Thielfurt
Largest city	Litzburg
Official languages	Lützowig
Ethnic groups	6% Löwenitch 4% Pentagrad 3% others
Demonym(s)	Lützower/Lützowan
Government	Constitutional monarchy
• Emperor	Friedrich IV.
• Prime Minister	Wolfgang von Kreutzard
Legislature	Imperial Assembly
Formation
• Declared	26 January 1832
Area
• Total	222,400 km2 (85,900 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.25
Population
• September 2024 estimate	55,691,803
• 2010 census	45,046,878
• Density	222.4/km2 (576.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
• Per capita	𝔊𝔐20,858
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	𝔊𝔐1.159 trillion
HDI (2022)	0.882 very high
Currency	Goldmark (𝔊𝔐/GM)
Time zone	Eastern Trica Standard Time
Driving side	right
Calling code	+46
Internet TLD	.lw

The Lützow Empire, also simply known as Lützow is a constitutional monarchy in eastern Trica. It is one of the most populated countries on the continent with a population of around 55 million people. Lützow borders the sea to the north- and south-east, the sea is locally called the Mareanisches Meer (Mareanian Sea). It borders Pentagrad and Löwenburg to the north-west while in the north it borders Saturnia, in the south-east it also borders Saulopsa, while in the east it borders Nueva Gloria and in the south it borders free territories. The capital of Lützow is Thielfurt but the biggest city by population is Litzstädt it also houses the financial center of the Empire. The 55 million people living in Lützow are divided between the 12 imperial states which also make up the 222,400 km² (85,900 sq mi) of Lützowan territory.

The economy of Lützow is one of the biggest of Trica, with it's main focus on arms manufacturing, automobile industry and large scientific and technological sector. As a developed country it offers social security, a universal health care system, and tuition-free university education.

History

Early years

Settlement in what is now Lützow began in the what Lützowan historians call the early stone age, with various tribes inhabiting it from the new stone age onward, chiefly the Primor. Various Lützowan tribes have inhabited the eastern parts of modern Lützow since classical antiquity. The general region that forms modern day Lützow has existed since 100 AD. In 746, the first attempts at a Kingdom of Lützow failed due to many infighting and disagreements. Due to this many wars broke out and different regions decided to isolate themselves from each other seeking close relationships outside of the region, notably Teutzien. After several hundred years of a status quo a plague from neighboring lands destroyed many regions and lasted till 1206. After the plague, also referred to as "Laufende Tod" (Walking death), demands by the populations of most regions demanded a unified kingdom to ease the transport of medicine in case of another plague, but these calls were ignored and the status quo returned. In 1550 the status quo was once again interrupted by a succession crisis in the recently established Juraten. Many battles broke out between other regions who claimed the throne. With no clear winner after the multiple years of fighting the Juraten proclaimed a "Peasant's Republic", much to the dismay of the monarchs who quickly united to take it down. The republic quickly came to an end and any uprisings were squashed. In the end the succession crisis was resolved by the Treaty of 1564 which was signed in Litzstädt, which saw a Teutzian rise to the throne.  In the following years the cooperation between each separate region increased and once again the demand for one united state became louder, yet the monarchs wanted to keep their powers.

Lützowan formation

By 1724 a confederation was formed which one emperor being voted in by each leading monarch of the states. The Lützower Bund (Lützowan Federation) as it was being called made way for further cooperation between each nations that now made up the federation. In 1829 the Teutzian king Wilhelm IV. was voted as emperor of the federation and began to push for a united Empire under Teutzian leadership. The south, most notably the Juraten and Süderland opposed Teutzian leadership due to the fear of northern dominance. Argonnen, Elbing and Gädesberg sided with Juraten and Süderland and went on to form the Bund der Freien Nationen (League of Free Nations). Seeing no other option Teutzien formed the Lützower Nordbund (North Lützowan Federation). War was officially declared on the 7th November 1830 after a border skirmish by southern forces, starting the Lützowan civil war. Initial success saw the south in a better position but quickly lost footing due to superior artillery power on the North's side. After a little more than a year and a lot of casualties on both side Wilhelm IV. declared the Empire pf Lützow on the 26th January 1832 in Thielfurt.

Post-unification to Modern day

The newly crowned Emperor Wilhelm IV. quickly pushed to regain the trust of the south by promising any damage will be paid by the north and Juraten and Süderland received the special status of Freie Imperialstaaten (Free Imperial States) and no political change was forced upon the southern states. The following years saw the young Lützow Empire prosper with the industrial age boosting the economy further. When in 1911 the neighboring nation of Löwenburg devolved into a state of anarchistic chaos, the western borders of Lützow and Löwenburg were fortified and division nearby were prepared to full combat readiness in case the conflict spilled over. Lützow offered humanitarian aid during the 34 years that the civil war lasted. When in 1945 a anti-monarchist faction won the civil war, the divisions at the border were reduced to standby level but remained at their locations and kept at high alert. Löwenburg was viewed with high suspicion after dissempowering and expropriating Löwenburgian nobility, several of which fled to Lützow. Once more the divisions at the border were alerted to full combat readiness when a violent military coup support by pro-monarchist forces brought back the old monarchy. While Lützow viewed this as a positive sign initally relations remained cold due to the way the Löwenburgian monarchy rules. While several attempts to improve relations were made, no attempt went beyond a trade agreement. After 1999 the Lützowan government together with Friedrich III. sought to liberalize and democratize the country further. By 2005 government reforms were completed and the first elections of the reformed government were done. Starting in 2010 Lützow started to use solar and nuclear power as primary source as gas and coal power were deemed unsustainable to nature and resources for both began to dwindle.

Politics

Lützow is a federal constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, otherwise known as a "federal democratic parliamentary monarchy". Federal legislative power is vested in the parliament consisting of the Reichstag (Imperial Diet) and Reichsrat (Imperial Council), which together form the legislative body. The Reichstag is elected through direct elections using the mixed-member proportional representation system. The members of the Reichsrat represent and are appointed by the governments of the twelve federated states. Amendments generally require a two-thirds majority of both the Reichstag and the Reichsrat; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the rule of law, are valid in perpetuity.

The emperor, currently Kaiser Friedrich IV., is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is crowned in Thielfurt and can be with a 75% majority forced to abdicate in case he breaks any democratic rules of the constitution. The second-highest official in the Lützow order of precedence is the Reichstagspräsident (President of the Reichstag), who is elected by the Reichstag and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body. The third-highest official and the head of government is the prime minister, who is appointed by the Kaiser after being elected by the party or coalition with the most seats in the Reichstag. The prime minister, currently Wolfgang von Kreutzard, is the head of government and exercises executive power through his Cabinet.

Imperial states

Lützow is a federation and comprises 12 imperial states which are collectively referred to as Länder. Each state (Land) has its own constitution, and is largely autonomous in regard to its internal organisation. As of 2024 Lützow is divided into X districts (Bezirke) at a municipal level.

State	Capital	Area km²/mi²		Population
Teutzien	Lietzow	30.500	11.776	6.412.627
Lüttingen	Norderstädt	10.940	4.224	1.684.643
Zinnoland	Lehrte	21.260	8.209	4.561.339
Vormark	Wollstein	19.100	7.375	4.236.124
Argonnen	Rossbach	15.340	5.923	2.390.280
Elbing	Litzstädt	18.820	7.266	8.789.268
Wittenburg	Turnau	16.020	6.185	3.622.455
Schlesow	Zittau	15.360	5.931	2.803.531
Süderland	Brig	27.280	10.533	6.953.696
Juraten	Neu-Ulmersburg	23.040	8.896	5.402.505
Gädesberg	Prümberg	22.160	8.556	6.332.989
Thielfurt	Thielfurt	120	46	2.502.346

Law

Lützow's civil law system was created in the early 1830s, basing off of law's of the previous states and improving upon them with the Teutzian Law being the most important. The Reichsstaatgericht (Imperial State Court) is the Lützow Supreme Court responsible for constitutional matters, with power of judicial review. Lützow's specialized supreme court system includes the inquisitorial Imperial Court of Justice for civil and criminal cases, along with the Imperial Labour Court, Imperial Social Court, Imperial Fiscal Court, and Imperial Administrative Court for other matters.

Criminal and private laws are codified on the national level in the Strafgesetzbuch and the Volksgesetzbuch respectively. The Lützow penal system seeks the rehabilitation of the criminal and the protection of the public. With the exceptions of petty crimes, tried by a single professional judge, and of serious political crimes, all charges are adjudicated by mixed tribunals where lay judges (Schöffen) and professional judges preside together.

As of 2016, Lützow's murder rate stood at a low of 1.08 murders per 100,000. In 2018, the overall crime rate fell to its lowest since 1992.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Lützow since 2007, and LGBT rights are generally protected in the nation.

Military

KPz Jaguar of the Reichswehr

Lützow's military, the Reichswehr (Realm/Imperial Defence), is organised into the Heer (Army and special forces SKH), Reichsmarine (Navy), Luftkorps (Air Force) and Digitales- und Informationsraum (Digital and Information Domain Service) branches. The current budget of the Reichswehr is 67.658 billion 𝔊𝔐 which is 5.8% of the GDP. Combined with the huge arms manufacturing industry, the armed forces of Lützow is one of the most modern and best trained militaries of the world.

As of September 2024, the Reichswehr has a strength of 375.450 active soldiers and 120.000 civilians. Reservists are available to the armed forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad. Until 2000, military service was compulsory for men at age 18, but this has been partially suspended and replaced with a voluntary service, tho joining the armed froces is highly encouraged in schools with some schools having a Reichswehr club. Since 1996 women may serve in all functions of service without restriction.

In peacetime, the Reichswehr is commanded by the Minister of Defence. In state of defence, the Prime Minister would become commander-in-chief of the Reichswehr. Up until 1998 the Emperor became commander-in-chief of the Reichswehr in a state of defence. The role of the Reichswehr is described in the Constitution of Lützow as focused on self-defensive only but is not restricted to it and may protect Lützow's interests anywhere in Trica.