Altenland
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Das Altisches Reich The Altish Realm | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 National Emblem
| |
| Motto: Freiheit, Einheit und Vaterland | |
| Anthem: Lied vom Vaterland | |
 Altenland (dark green) in Cybelleum | |
 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
• Abdication of Kaiser Siegfried III | 20 October 1928 |
• Offices of Reich Chancellor and Kaiser merged; Winter declared Führer und Reichskanzler | 22 October 1928 |
| 10 April 1934 | |
| Population | |
• 1931 estimate | 77,384,201 |
| Currency | Reichsmark (ℜ) (RMK) |
| Driving side | right |
Altenland, (Reynish: Altany), also known by its official state title Das Altisches Reich, is a sovereign country located in central Cybelleum. It borders Auberon and Gweryn to the north, Alytaj and Rudhoren to the east, Hercynia and Sudenland to the south, and Freijian and Auvernia to the west. Coined as the Neureich, the modern Altish state sees itself as the legitimate successor to the Altish Empire. Altenland is the third-largest country in Cybelleum by population, and unlike many of its neighbors, enjoys an urbanized society with roughly half of its total population living in urban areas. It is an authoritarian Valkist state with political power centralized in the Führer, Martin Winter, and its capital is Hochstadt.
For most of recorded history, the region that now encompasses Altenland was divided amongst independent and often-warring clans and kingdoms. The region was subject to incursions by the Holy Aventine Empire beginning in the 500s AD, leading to large portions of what is now southern Altenland being administered as an imperial province and thus allowing the spread of Epiphanianism into historically-Lyndanist parts of Cybelleum. The religious divide between the Aventine-aligned Catholics in the south and the northern Lyndanists would persist for much of Altish history, despite ethnic connections, and further attempts by the Aventine Empire to pacify Altish peoples further north largely ended in failure. By the late 1700s, the Kingdom of Almeria had become the most powerful of the many Altish states, securing its position and prestige in the 1790-93 Auber-Almerian War. The 1836-40 War of Altish Unification saw Almeria oust Auvernian-aligned Altish kingdoms in the north, and brought about the formation of the Altish Empire in 1840. The 1875-76 Küstern War brought about the destruction of the Aventine-backed, Catholic kingdoms in southern Altenland and incorporated these areas into the Lyndanist monarchy. The Altish state expanded further, into present-day Sudenland, in the 1904 Altish-Sudish War- another case of an Aventine-backed Catholic monarchy being ousted by northern Lyndanists. Following the Great War, which saw the Empire narrowly avoid total collapse, the country reformed its government into a proper parliamentary monarchy.
The Valkistiche Volkspartei, known as the VV or simply as the Valkist Party, is the political party currently in power in Altenland and 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 Kaiser Siegfried III, 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 Kaiser, and the abdication of Kaiser Siegfried III in October of 1928 allowed Winter to merge the powers of the chancellery and the monarch. 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, 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 Kaiser. Despite its common usage, however, "Neureich" is not an official term, and the official state title remains "Das Altisches Reich", replacing the term Das Altisches Kaiserreich in 1929 to reflect the end of the Imperial system.
Background
Following the December Revolution in 1919, the Altish Empire was forced to enact sweeping reforms to government in an effort to stave off civil and political turmoil. Kaiser Siegfried III was able to retain his throne, however, his powers were severely restricted under the new system, which mimicked the parliamentary monarchist system prevalent in other Cybellean monarchies. The reformed Altish Empire 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 1919 Treaty of Verdon. The government printed money in order to make the payments to 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 nearly been successful in destroying the Liber Monarchy, was disturbed by the state of affairs in Altenland. The common perception among Altish communists and socialists was that the "national revolution" had been betrayed by moderates in government, and with center-left and centrist parties in power, they moved to form 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 (Reynish: "Vanguard") organizations had been instrumental in combating communist revolutionaries during the December Revolution, and were credited with reclaiming Münzen and defeating the infant People's Republic of Küstern and Lauenmark. In the early post-war 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 or VV, was born in January 1922 out of the remnants of the Vorhut movements in southern Altenland. The Valkist platform included the rejection of the Verdon Treaty and the implementation of valkist ideas relating to race, religion, culture, and social structure. The VV differed from other right-wing movements at the time in that they were staunch opponents of the Kaiser, who they saw as a coward who'd surrendered the health and pride of the nation to retain his own power, though this particular view was largely masked from the general public during the early years. They promised a strong central government and the formation of a national community based on shared culture. 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)
Having failed to secure a significant majority 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 confident in the Kaiser's moderate, center-right government, which 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, Kaiser Siegfried III interjected to delay his appointment and cited "irreconcilable differences of thought" between himself and Winter and the Valkists. A series of talks were held between VV leaders and the AkP, which long enjoyed the Kaiser's support, and Winter formed an unofficial alliance with the former chancellor Peter Stentz, a close confidant of the Kaiser. On 10 August 1926, under pressure from Stentz and from prominent politicians, industrialists and the business community, Kaiser Siegfried III relented and appointed Martin Winter Reichskanzler.
Winter's relationship with the Kaiser was one of caution and mistrust, and Winter personally resented the Kaiser for agreeing to the terms of the Verdon Treaty, as did many senior members of the VV. For the Kaiser's part, he often referred to Winter as the "soldier-turned-convict", citing his imprisonment in 1920 in connection to the failed Münzen Putsch. The Kaiser tended to avoid Winter whenever possible, and in November 1926 told members of his staff that, "before the war, a man like Winter wouldn't have had a chance- he and his valkist cronies would have all been shot, but now, I am expected to merrily stand beside him with a smile? He will destroy everything our nation is if given the chance, this I am certain." The Kaiser's popularity, however, had been practically non-existent among the general population since the end of the Great War, whereas Winter enjoyed vast public support, and the Kaiser believed that a successful Winter government would result in a more positive public opinion of himself. Even trusted allies of the Kaiser, like Peter Stentz, were optimistic of the Winter government, which was quick to enact bold measures to alleviate the troubling economic situation in Altenland. Furthermore, the Winter government quickly took a hardline stance against Altish communists, launching a comprehensive propaganda campaign in October 1926 aimed a demonizing the far-left and blaming Altenland's woes on communist agitation in the closing days of the Great War, as well as in the present. In this regard, Kaiser Siegfried III saw himself in agreement with Winter, and publicly commended the Reichskanzler in December 1926 for, "standing firm against the communist menace which has sought nothing but the total destruction of the Kaiserreich."
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 1920 Imperial 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 Kaiser or the Reichstag. As the bill required 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. Even the Reichsbund, instrumental in ensuring Valkist domination of the Reichstag, was not safe from 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 elections, 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 Altische 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 Kaiser Siegfried III, 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
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, however fell out of favor with Winter and would remain on the sidelines for years after.
The Blut Putsch made national headlines, and Kaiser Siegfried III - having been placated by the Valkists and accepting the status quo due to public support for the regime - began plotting with like-minded members of government to depose Winter. Talks between the Kaiser and members of the Reichsbund were held between 21-23 September, with Field Marshal Hermann Pröll, chief of the Reichswehr, promising that the military's loyalty lay ultimately with the Kaiser. Preparations for a military coup against the Winter government were underway as early as 26 September. Martin Winter became aware of the Kaiser's plot as early as 1 October, when the intelligence services of the SST intercepted correspondence between Pröll and the Kaiser's secretary. Martin Winter met with Siegfried III on 3 October at Castle Liber to confront him and to negotiate a solution, but little progress was made. The Kaiser threatened to dismiss Winter from his position and dissolve the Reichstag, though this was refuted by Winter, who argued that such an action would result in any remaining public support for the monarchy dissipating overnight. Furthermore, Winter told the Kaiser that - despite Hermann Pröll's claims - the Reichswehr would not act against his government, which had been far more pro-military than previous post-War governments. On 9 October, information on the Kaiser's plot to wield the Reichswehr against the Winter government was leaked to the press, and a scandal garnered national outrage. Demands for the Kaiser's abdication came rapidly, and protests against the Liber Monarchy paralyzed Altish cities throughout the country. The Kaiser, who had returned to Hochstadt on 7 October, doubled down on his opposition to the Winter government by delivering a nationally-broadcast address to the Reichstag, but this failed to simmer public outrage. Winter met with the Kaiser in the Reich Chancellery on 11 October, during which he stated that, "the Altish people are no longer interested in having a Kaiser", and encouraged Siegfried III to abdicate. The Kaiser refused, and evacuated Hochstadt to return to Castle Liber on 12 October. On 13 October, Hermann Pröll was arrested and charged with treason. Kaiser Siegfried III issued a pardon on the 14th, resulting in a telephone exchange between the Kaiser and Winter, during which Winter told him that his government would not comply with any of the Kaiser's directives, including those that might order the Reichstag to be dissolved. On 19 October, Martin Winter again traveled to Castle Liber to speak with the Kaiser. Winter promised that, if the Kaiser abdicated voluntarily, his family would be allowed to retain their fortune and would continue receiving a government pension. After a nine-hour discussion, the Kaiser relented. On the morning of 20 October 1928, Kaiser Siegfried III declared his intention to abdicate the throne. It would take until 15 November for the Articles of Abdication to officially go into effect, however, Winter and the Valkists did not wait to move forward with their plans for Altenland.
On 22 October, Winter's cabinet passed the "Law Concerning the Head of State of the Reich, which abolished the monarchy and had the powers of the Kaiser 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 Kaiserreich had reached the point of no return. As head of state, Winter became the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. On 27 October, 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 monarchy 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 post-War Imperial 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 "Kaiserist 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 1st Panzer Division was christened in 1933, 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 as 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)
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 much 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 Arnheim-Westland, Charlottenburg and Esseter. The Altish government had no recourse. In 1922, however, social and economic turmoil in Auvernia resulted in the nation retracting its occupation forces from Altenland as the Auvernian government could no longer support the financial burden of maintaining an armed occupation, and public opinion regarding post-war military actions was essentially non-existent. Though the Auvernian government would officially back Reynland until 1925, the outbreak of civil war that year would result in Auvernia effectively ignoring its treaty obligations, and drastic changes in government combined with the continued instability would make Auvernia woefully ineffective in the face of foreign stimuli throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s. When the Valkist regime came to power, it would be reported that Reynish soldiers had 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 Kaiser Siegfried III to arrange a summit with the Auvernians to discuss the topic. The Kaiser, still concerned with potential retaliatory measures by the SIA, moved to avoid the situation altogether and directed Winter to focus to the economic situation, which was dire in 1926. The Kaiser 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 Reynland to have its 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 troops began their reluctant withdrawal from Altish territory, a process which was completed in February 1928.
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 (AVR), was a separate entity not affiliated with the Altish Reconciliation Party and fundamentally opposed Rudolf Wehrner's practice of non-violence.
By June of 1933, funded and supplied by the Altish government and organized by Geheim agents, the AVR had developed into a powerful clandestine organization under the nose of the Hale government, which had remained preoccupied with the "civil disobedience" measures relentlessly pursued by Rudolf Wehrner and the ARP. The Hale government had seen its efforts to placate the Altish population stall due to intervention by King James V. in March 1933, prompting the government to shift its tactics to work towards provoking a violent confrontation with the Altish minority in order to justify further crackdowns. On 22 June 1933, while delivering a speech at a protest in Beckton, Rudolf Wehrner was shot by a Reynish contrarian named William Curlage. Wehrner survived the ordeal, but an angry mob of Altishmen responded to the shooting by tackling Curlage and conducting an impromptu lynching in the Royal Square of Beckton. Police moved to break up the crowd, and in the ensuing carnage, 14 protesters were killed by police gunfire. In the aftermath of the Beckton Riot, the Hale government moved quickly to neuter the ARP, passing a measure on 25 June banning the party from holding any public demonstrations. Between 26-30 June, more than a dozen regional offices belonging to the ARP were raided by Reynish police and more than 50 arrests were made. Rudolf Wehrner, recovering in hospital, was placed under police supervision. On 10 July 1933, the Domestic Emergencies Act passed through parliament, establishing the ongoing strife with the ARP and the Altish minority as a whole as a "crisis" and thus affording his government special emergency powers. Attacks on the ARP continued well into the autumn of 1933, culminating with an outright ban on the party, which went into effect on 27 October 1933. Rudolf Wehrner was placed on house arrest and found himself restricted to his private residence near Kubeln, threatened with charges of treason if he had any contact with pro-Altish movements in the country.
On 21 December 1933, anticipating that military action will be required to pacify the situation in Reynland, Martin Winter ordered planning to begin on Fall Grün. The plan was heavily criticized by high-ranking leaders of the Wehrmacht, who argued that Altenland was in no position to combat the Allied nations if they decided to intervene on behalf of Reynland, but Winter insisted that Auvernia could not possibly oppose Altenland, and that military action was to be a final contingency to preserve, "the lives and welfare of Altish peoples in Reynland". The plan itself relied heavily on the use of the Altisches-Vorhut Raenland to induce a state of disorientation from within while Altish armies moved to secure and pacify the country. Planning for Fall Grün was largely completed by early February, though the Führer continued to insist that the operation only begin when no other alternatives are available. To this effect, on 3 March 1934, Reich Foreign Minister Heinrich Rosenthal attempted to arrange a summit with the Hale government to discuss the issue of the Altish minority in Reynland, to which he received a reply from the Reynish Foreign Ministry stating, "the issue of a particular sect of the Reynish population is of no concern to the Altish government, and His Majesty's government is under no obligation to negotiate on matters that only concern the Reynish state." On 16 March, Reich Ambassador to Canterbury Joachim von Ehrsdorf held a brief meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Paul Amberton, where he suggested that the two countries work out a plan to repatriate Altish peoples living in Reynland with Altenland. Paul Amberton, who himself was sympathetic to the idea and to the plight of the Altish minority, said that the Hale government would never agree to such a measure because it would make his government look weak in the face of Altish demands. Despite the diplomatic failures, however, the prospect of actually launching Fall Grün did not become a serious consideration until 29 March, when the Kensington Bridge Incident occurred. Members of the AVR had been transporting a cache of firearms and ammunition across the Kensington Bridge near Kensington in Reynland when they were stopped by a police checkpoint, resulting in a vicious gunfight that left the AVR members trapped on the bridge. A six-hour standoff began, ending when Reynish police assaulted the AVR members on the bridge, killing three of them and taken two into custody. As a result, Prime Minister Hale declared a state of emergency and instituted martial law in the Altish-Reynish border regions, where the Altish population was most concentrated. The Altisches-Vorhut Raenland worked to resist incursions by the Reynish army, resulting in the widespread outbreak of violence. On 3 August 1934, the Hale government declared that an "Altish insurrection" had begun and promised to use the "full measure" of Reynland's military forces to subdue the Altishmen. As Reynish soldiers were killed by armed men of the AVR, Reynish commanders carried out harsh reprisals, oftentimes targeting the civilian population and justifying their actions by labeling many victims of the reprisals, "conspirators".
With the border regions in chaos, on 7 April, the Altisches-Vorhut Raenland attempted to dislodge the national government in a bold strike on Canterbury. Some 2,000 members of the AVR on trucks stormed the House of Commons in what became known as the Battle for Canterbury. Canterbury police and nearby army units moved to surround the AVR forces which had secured a large portion of the government district while King James V. and other members of the government were evacuated from the capital to the port city of Amberton. On 9 April, after a number of days of heated debates, Martin Winter ordered Fall Grün to go ahead. With an army numbering some 300,000, the Wehrmacht crossed into Reynland at 4:40 a.m. on 10 April. Altenland hoped to test the efficiency of their mobile warfare strategy, utilizing their 1st and 2nd panzer divisions to break Reynish defensive lines and create panic and disorder, allowing for large formations to be encircled and isolated, then destroyed by the following infantry. The Luftwaffe, Altenland's new, modern air force, launched unrelenting attacks on Reynish air bases, destroying much of the Reynish air force while it was still on the ground. Within 24 hours of the start of the operation, the Luftwaffe had asserted total control of the skies over Reynland. On 11 April, Martin Winter delivered a nationally-broadcast address to the Reichstag, declaring that Altish forces have moved to, "pacify a corrupt and genocidal regime" in Reynland. Still, the Führer instructed his military leaders to withdraw from the country entirely if Auvernia or its allies indicated that they would intervene in support of Reynland. On 12 April, the predominantly-Altish city of Kubeln was captured by Altish forces. On 14 April, a massive pocket around Edington was closed by the 1st Panzer Division, trapping some 50,000 Reynish soldiers inside. The Wehrmacht continued to carve its way through Reynland throughout the rest of April, and on 4 May 1934, the encirclement of Canterbury was completed. Sir Francis Galloway, commanding the Reynish forces in the capital, chose to surrender on 6 May after Altish commanders threatened to deploy its air force to carpet bomb the city. By this point in the conflict, the Reynish military was in disarray. Its air force had been crippled in the opening hours of the conflict and a quarter-million of its soldiers had been taken prisoner. The Royal Navy remained in working status, however, Altenland had deliberately refrained from utilizing naval forces as it was aware of the disparity between Reynish and Altish naval strength. Most of the country had fallen under Altish occupation by mid-May, with the Monarchy only retaining a section of territory hugging the coast. On 22 May 1934, King James V. and members of the Hale government evacuated Amberton altogether, fleeing to the Reynish colony of Carolina. On 28 May, the final major pocket of Reynish forces - 40,000 men under the command of Sir Henry Lawrence in Amberton - surrendered to the Wehrmacht. As invasion turned into occupation, small enclaves of Reynish soldiers would continue to resist Altish forces for many months.
On 2 June 1934, less than two months after Fall Grün began, Martin Winter delivered an address to the Reichstag declaring an end to the conflict. "The cancerous tumor that was the Hale government has been cut from the consciousness of the Altish people," said the Führer, "and the Reynish state, which had been born solely to oppose the will and to sap the strength of the Altish nation, can no longer be of any harm." On 9 June 1934, Martin Winter signed a decree which set the stage for the total annexation of Reynland, dividing the country into two new Altish states: Westfalen and Rangau. The Reich Ministry of Reynish Affairs was established on 8 July 1934, and Roswald Koch was appointed by the Führer to fill the new position, responsible for pacifying remaining resistance and coordinating the process of integrating Reynland into the Reich. The Altization of Reynland began almost as soon as the country was under Altish control, with dozens of cities having their names changed to an Altish equivalent and official documents being written in Altish rather than Reynish. Schools in Rangau and Westfalen were required to teach Altish as a primary language beginning 1 January 1935, and all newspapers in the new states were required to provide Altish language versions of all editions. Symbology related to the Monarchy was removed and replaced with Valkist symbology, though religious institutions were notably left intact, as the Altish government felt that moving against the predominantly-Contrarian population of Reynland would worsen already-soured relations. Rudolf Wehrner, former leader of the ARP, was initially heralded by Altenland as a hero to the Altish people living in Reynland, but quickly took a firm stance against the Valkist regime for its aggression against Reynland. As a result, in October 1934, Wehrner was arrested by Altish authorities on charges of conspiracy to commit treason and sentenced to a term of life in prison.
International condemnation of Altenland came just days into their military occupation, with Auvernia and the SIA both ordering partial mobilization and deploying forces to the border region and Sudenland, respectively. Auberon, too, deployed some of its forces to its border with Altenland, however, no moves were made to intervene on Reynland's behalf. During the campaign, Altish delegates in these countries distributed photographs and testimony of alleged atrocities committed by the Reynish army against the Altish minority in an effort to justify their actions, which staved off immediate retaliation by the neighboring powers. An editorial published in the Freeminster Inquirer in Atlesia on 7 May 1934 claimed that, "intervention against Valkist Altenland may have been possible if not for the incredible speed in which Altish armies acted, coupled with the woeful unpreparedness of the Allied countries. The fate of Reynland was decided the moment Winter's troops crossed the border, and it is now clear that whenever the Allied nations finally do find themselves prepared to respond, there will be no Reynish state left to defend." This idea is supported by the fact that in June 1934, after the whole of Reynland had been overrun, the majority of the more than half a million Auvernian troops stationed at the Auverno-Altish border were manning the extensive line of fortifications known as the Masson Line, and thus could not be used for offensive operations. Likewise, some 300,000 Aventine troops were present in Sudenland by August 1934, but were supported by only 3 cavalry divisions and less than 500 tanks distributed amongst the infantry. Instead of military action, Auvernia and the SIA opted to respond to Altish aggression against Reynland through economic retaliation, though this proved largely ineffective as Altenland only imported certain luxury goods from either country. The small percentage of coal and other resources imported into Altenland from Auvernia and her colonies were replaced by increasing imports of the same materials from the Federation of Atlesia and Duquesne. The first effective response to the Altish annexation of Reynland came on 19 August 1934, when the Auvernian government closed three consulates and expelled more than a dozen Altish diplomats. This move was echoed by both Auberon and the SIA in late August and early September 1934, however, no tangible efforts were ever made by the Allied powers in support of Reynland. Instead, in December 1934, Auvernia and the SIA both formally relocated their embassies to Reynland to Montgomery, Carolina, which serves as the interim capital of the Reynish government-in-exile. Furthermore, in January 1935, the countries of Norraland and Alytaj fornally recognized the unilateral annexation of Reynland into the Reich, and severed diplomatic ties with the government-in-exile. This move was echoed by Volkhov and a number of others later in 1935 and 1936.
Politics
Ideology
(Main Article: Valkism)
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.
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. The cult of personality surrounding the Führer and the centralization of political power in his person has resulted 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, 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 head of state 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 Verdeckte Reichspolizei, otherwise known as 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.
Foreign Relations
Military and paramilitary
Wehrmacht
(Main article: Wehrmacht)
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. 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.
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