Gmunenhochwald

Raugraviate of Gmunenhochwald Raugrafschaft auf Gmunenhochwald (Alemannisch)
Flag
Gmunenhochwald within Dolchland.
Map of Gmunenhochwalden
Capital	Untergmunenbrucken
Official languages	Alemannisch
Demonym(s)	Gmunenhochwalder
Government	Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
• Raugrave	Ernst Klemens VI
• Staatanzler	Johann-Heinrich von Altenheim
Legislature	Raugrafstag
• Upper house	Hirtenrat
• Lower house	Schäferrat
Constituent State of Dolchland  Semi-independent State

Gmunenhochwald, officially the Raugraviate of Gmunenhochwald (Alemannisch: Raugrafschaft auf Gmunenhochwald), is a semi-independent constituent state of Dolchland, in south-eastern Argis. It is located at almost the geographic centre of the country, between the two mountain ranges of $$$ and $$$. It borders the states of Greater Vethringen to the north, the Duchy of Gloschlick (an exclave of Panedonia), Randstadt and Witternen to east, the southern part of Panedonia to the south-east, Macklenover and Märzwald to the south and Inner Habstria and Sohenburg to the west. Gmunenhochwald is a landlocked nation and it has no direct route to the coast. The Raugraviate has a population of $$$, which is mainly rural and is concentrated along the length of the river Gmune, although much of the population still lives amongst the valleys, upland fields and forests of the mountains themselves. The Gmune, which is fed by tributaries from the mountains, runs through the central valley and down through the country, forming a broad fertile floodplain in the east of the nation where it exits into Witternen. There are very few urban areas of any real size and most of these are clustered along the Gmune. The total area of the Raugraviate is $$$. The official language is Alemannisch, athough there are numerous different dialects spoken, some of them with very small geographic spreads, sometimes of only an isolated valley.

The Raugraviate is a unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy, with the power of the Raugrave defined by the constitution, the $$$. The Raugrave does retain significant powers, however, with the ability to dismiss the government at will, as well as to define laws as they see fit. In practice, however, this is limited by the often personal relationship between the monarch and their government, as well as years of tradition and protocol. The current Raugrave is Ernst Klemens VI of the House of Hochgmunentorf, who has ruled the state since 1957. The capital and most populous city, Untergmunenbrücken, is in the south-east of the country, towards the Witternen border. It is the political, economic and cultural centre of the state and it has a population of $$$. The next most populous city is Niederbekstein in the north east, with a population of $$$. The other large cities are Sudrodestadt in the south, Hagenunterbergen in the west and Hochgmunentorf, which is also the seat of the House of Hochgmunentorf-Tangerthal, in roughly the geographic centre of the state.

Gmunenhochwald has seen many thousands of years of human habitation. The earliest human remains and artefacts date from the end of the last Ice Age, forming groups of hunter-gathers with worked flint tools. The Dolchic peoples arrived in the Gmune Valley by 2000BCE and either pushed out or subsumed the native inhabitants. The small valleys, isolated plateaus and uplands formed tribal territories, which slowly coalesced into petty kingdoms. The south of Gmunenhochwald was a key battleground during the War of the Habstrian Succession, as the valley of the Gmune formed a major trade and transportation route across southern Dolchland. A force holding any one of the fortified cities of Untergmunenbrücken, Hochgmunentorf and Hagenunterbergen could close the valley to the opposing side, or at least force them into a costly siege. Since then, the Raugraviate has attempted to stay apart from imperial politics of Dolchland, especially since it borders two of the five kingdoms of Dolchland. During the Schlammburg Crisis, the young Raugraf Ernst Klemens attempted to distance himself from either side but, due to being bordered to the south and east by Panedonia, Gmunenhochwald was more drawn to the Panedonian side. Since then, Ernst Klemens has striven to maintain a steady course within Imperial politics.

The Raugraviate is a developing economy, with a GDP of $$$ and a per capita GDP of $$$, lagging behind the other, similarly sized Dolchland states. The state has a mixed economy and is predominantly based in the natural sector, with livestock and arable farming making up the largest parts of the economy. There is also a small heavy industrial sector, with some mining of iron and coal taking place within the $$$ mountains. Logging and other timber related activities also add to the economy. In the internal politics of Dolchland, Gmunenhochland is more aligned to Panedonia than Habstria when political differences between those two powerful states arise, but the state's government tries to keep itself aloof to them and act in the best interests of the empire as a whole. The state has few international contacts, primarily due to it being landlocked and no direct route beyond Dolchland's borders.

Etymology

Gmunenhochwald takes its name from the river Gmune, which runs roughly in a west to east direction through the country, before flowing out of the Raugraviate where the borders of Witternen and Panedonia meet. That the river names the state itself shows how important the river has been to the development of the state itself. It remains key to the local economy in modern times as well. The river's name is thought to derive from a possessive variation of Gmu, a proto-Dolchic river god and personification of the river itself. The latter parts of the name refers to the high forests that dominate the flanks of the mountains that rise above the river's northern and southern banks.

The river's name is also seen in the names of many of the important and lesser settlements within the state, such as Untergmunenbrücken ("Bridge over the lower reaches of the Gmune") and Hochgmunentorf ("Village high above the Gmune"), the latter of which is also from where the ruling house takes its name.

The title of the ruler of Gmunenhochwald is also unique amongst the states of Dolchland. The title derives its name from the properties of the land itself, coming from the its "raw" (Alemannisch: Rau) nature of the terrain, the rough and rugged mountains, isolated valleys, deep forests and windswept moors. This was then appended to the common title of Graf, giving the ruling family of the state a unique title amongst the Dolchic nobility. At first, this was a self-applied title, in an attempt to differentiate it from the other counties of Dolchland.

Politics

Government

Gmunenhochwald is a unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy and a constituent state of Dolchland. The Raugravate's government has authority over internal affairs, such as interal law and order, taxation and other economic policies. The imperial government, based in Imperial Schlammburg, maintains sole authority over foreign affairs, empire-wide taxation, laws that affect the empire as a whole, defence and military affairs.

The current monarch is Raugrave Ernst Klemens VI of the House of Hochgmunentorf-Tangerthal. He acceded to the throne in 1957. However, since 2019, the Raugrave has allowed the nation to be governed by a regent in his name, due to his advanced age and waning health. The current regent is Gravess $$$, a great granddaughter of the Raugrave. The heir apparent is Grave $$$, the surviving son the eldest grandchild of Ernst Klemens and a cousin of $$$.

The Staatkanzler of Johann-Heinrich von Altenheim, who took office in 2005. Before then, he was a member of $$$, the current majority party of the state. He has demonstrated continued loyalty to the ruling house and follows the Raugrave's wishes that $$$ is to act in his stead.

The government meets in Untergmunenbrücken, where the machinery of both government and administration are based. It has also met frequently at the ruling family's seat at Hochgmunentorf, which can happen whenever the Raugrave feels that it is more convenient for them than meeting at the capital.

Executive

Gmunenhochwald has a monarch as head of state and an elected parliament that enacts the law. The monarch, the Raugrave (Alemannisch: Raugraf, feminine: Raugräfin) retains substantial political authority. The Constitution of Gmunenhochwald was adopted in 1997 and significantly reduced the powers of the Raugrave and established the office of Staatskanzler (Anglic: "State Chancellor") as Prime Minister, abolishing the old office of Erzkanzler (Anglic: Archchancellor). This change meant that the Chancellor was no longer appointed by the Raugrave at their whim but chosen by the party that held the majority in the parliament, although they still had to gain the consent of the Raugrave. The parliamentary system had been established by the old constitution, adopted in 1961.

The reigning Raugrave is the Head of State and represents the state in the [Dolchland Imperial Diet], as well as every other interstate forum where Gmunenhochwald's interests need to be represented. The Raugrave may veto any laws adopted by the parliament, as well as call referendums, propose new legislation and dissolve parliament as they see fit.

The executive authority of the government is vested in a collegiate government formed of the head of government, the State Chancellor, and ten ministers. The State Chancellor is chosen by the party that holds the majority, whilst the other ten are chosen by the parliament as a whole and appointed by the Raugrave. The ministers reflect the balance of parties in the parliament. The government is collectively responsible to the parliament, as well as individually. The parliament can approach the Raugrave to remove them individually or the government as a whole.

Legislature

The bicameral Raugraflichetag (Anglic: "Raugravial Assembly") holds legislative authority in the Raugraviate. It is split up into two houses, the upper Hirtenrat and the lower Schäferrat. The Hirtenrat (Anglic: "Herders' Council") consists of 20 members of the state's nobility, who hold their positions due to feudal rights. The Schäferrat (Anglic: "Shepherds' Council") consist of 120 members, and are elected by the wider population of the state itself, using a first-past-the-post system. Elections are held every five years and two members are elected from each of the electoral districts of the state. Candidates for elections must be put before the Raugrave and the Hirtenrat, who then approve or reject them. The Schäferrat, whether a single party if it holds a majority or a coalition of parties if one does not, proposes a government to the Raugrave, who then approves it. Legislation is proposed in a similar manner - the government proposes legislation to the Schäferrat, where it must be voted on and then it is put before the Raugrave, who can then accept or reject it. The Hirtenrat acts in an oversight manner, as they are able to review any potential legislation before it is put before the Raugrave, either passing it through or requiring changes made. Once changes have been made, it goes back to the Schäferrat to be voted on again.

The 1997 Constitution abolished all property requirements to be eligible to vote, lowered the voting age to 18, gave women the right to vote. To be eligible to vote, a person needs to be a registered resident of the Raugraviate, as well as not having any criminal convictions from anywhere in Dolchland. In order to be able to stand for election, a person needs to own a house of least two bedrooms and a hearth. Previously, a herd of at least ten cows and a bull or fifty sheep was also necessary.

Judiciary

Within the state, the Raugraflichegericht (Anglic: "Raugravial Court") is the highest judicial authority. It plays both a constitutional role, as it rules on the conformity of laws with the constitution of the state, as well as acting as the highest court of criminal and civil appeal with the Raugraviate. Its members are chosen by the Raugrave from candidates selected by the Raugraflichetag and are usually the most experienced lawyers and judges in the state. Below the Raugrave's Court is the Staatgericht, the State Court and below them the Regional Courts. These act in both criminal and civil cases, in line with the constitutional and laws of the state, as well as that of Dolchland.

Economy

The economy of Gmunenhochwald is a developing one, with its main industries being agriculture, especially wool production and beef and dairy farming. Arable farming makes up a large propotion of its economy, although not on a vast scale, as much of the interior of the state is hilly or forested. There is some small-scale extraction of iron and coal from both the $$$ and $$$ mountains, although this has never reached the levels of intensity seen in the larger Dolchic kingdoms or other Argic nations. In the past, other heavy industries were carried out, with steel production on a middling scale at Sudrodestadt and locomotive manufacturing at Hagenunterbergen. However, these have declined in recent decades, with the last locomotive rolling out of the Hagenunterbergen Locomotive Works in 1994.

Natural Sector

The production, processing of wool and textile manufacture provides much of the employment of the state, with large portions of the uplands that have been cleared being turned over to sheep pasture. This industry, along with cattle farming, has always been important to the state, with significant influence on the culture and politics of the state itself. The upper and lower house of the Raugraflichetag are named after the fact that it was expected that the higher and lower nobility of the state would own significant numbers of cattle and sheep.

Significant arable farming takes places in the valley of the Gmune, as well as the areas around the cities of Hagenunterbergen and Sudrodestadt - the names of both the cities make reference to the field systems that used to stand outside of their walls, although the introduction of mechanised farming saw the landscape around them change significantly. Crops such as wheat and rye dominate, although both potato and beetroot are also very common and are amongst the most significant crops for feeding the local population. Much of the food that is grown within the state stays within its borders, however - it is Gmunenhochwald is not known as a breadbasket for the rest of the empire.

Logging forms another of the principal industries. This is both for the production of firewood, as well as for charcoal, especially within the valleys of the $$$. Historically, it was a major source of income for the state but led to widespread deforestation by the middle of the 1800s. After that, it declined and was replaced with coal mining. From the early 1900s onwards, the Raugraviate has introduced strict controls on logging and has attempted a programme of replanting the forests that give the state its name.

Industrial Sector

The industrial sector of the Raugraviate has declined in recent years. The other, larger states, such as the kingdoms of Panedonia and Habstria, as well as the State of the Order of the Dagger were able to industrialise in a way that Gmunenhochland was never able to manage. The hills and mountains that make up much of the state do contain significant reserves of coal and iron but this has never been extracted on a large scale. Before the mid 1800s, charcoal was the preferred fuel for many industries and the Raugraviate grew moderately wealthy from its export to the other states but deforestation caused this industry to wane. Coal started to be mined to replace it but the other states had sought different sources for it by the point that the Raugraviate was able to open viable mines.

Although the railway came quite late to Gmenunenhochwald, the Hagenunterbergen Locomotive Works was able to build up a reputation as one of the best manufacturers of steam locomotives in Dolchland. An ancillary network of ironworks, glassworks, brickworks and even electric arc furances and more were formed in and around Hagenunterbergen, making it the most industrialised city in the state, with steel being brought in from Sudenrodestadt, which was the next most industrialised area. However, a combination of the stagnated Dolchic economy and a refusal by the locomotive works itself to move beyond its expertise of steam locomotives meant that when diesel and electric locomotives became more common, it was not able to keep up. The last steam locomotive was 1994. Since then, it has been limited to manufacturing spares and overhauling existing locomotives, which has meant that the city itself has declined along with it.

Due to the continuing importance of the Gmune to the state's economy, there is a large river boat and barge manufacturing industry that keeps trade flowing through the state and beyond its borders. Various manufacturers based in Untergmunebrücken build boats not just for trade and travel on the Gmume, but even the large rivers in Dolchland. This includes the $$$ river that flows through much of the eastern states of Dolchland and through the capital of Schlammburg. This is one of the few heavy industries that has been able to remain boyant in the face of the weak Dolchic economy.

Service Sector

The service sector of Gmunenhochwald is underdeveloped compared to both the other Dolchic states and other nations across the Eurth.

Tourism

Tourism is a minor industry in Gmunenhochwald, with much of it coming from the other states within Dolchland and very little of it from international origin.

Infrastructure

Outside of the major settlements and the Gmune valley, much of the road network remains unimproved. At best, they are simple tarmac roads in varying states of repair that are usually passable all year around. In the more hilly, forested or isolated areas of the state, the roadways tend to be metalled surfaces or dirt tracks, again in differing conditions. These may not be passable all year round, especially after heavy rains or, occasionally in the more elevated areas, snows. Whilst the Raugrave is supposed to keep the road network of the state in good repair, realistically outside of the main routes, the responsibility for this falls on the local administration and nobles. Some of these are aware that a good road system aids commerce and communication, others view it as little more than an onerous task that is best avoided until they are are forced to carry it out.

The river Gmune is one of the main transport routes through the state, at least as far it remains navigable to boats. The Raugrave holds a monopoly over traffic on the river Gmune and this is expressed by tolls levied against all traffic utilitising the river. This forms one of the main sources of income for the Raugrave. The state capital Untergmunebrücken performs a major role in this, as the bridge after which it is named blocks all traffic upstream and downstream, unless the tolls have been paid. The Gmune remains one of the main trade arteries in the state, with some of the tributaries acting in a similar manner where they are navigable.

Similarly, the rail network is entirely in the hands of the Raugrave, as for much of the 1800s it was deliberately stymied in order to keep the riverborne traffic high. It was only after pressure, both internal from the Raugraflichetag and external from the other states, that the Raugrave Karl Klemens III allowed the first railways to be laid in 1873, and only then if it stayed in Raugravial hands. This, along with an element of ambivalence towards it in favour of the river and canal network of the state, meant that the rail network remained somewhat undeveloped for a lot longer than the other states of Dolchland.

The sole airport is just outside the capital, Untergmunebrücken and is known as the Ernst Klemens VI International Airport. It sees little traffic and there were accusations that it was little more than a vanity project of Raugrave Ernst Klemens, especially since there is no international service there and even very little domestic traffic. There are smaller aerodromes outside of the cities of Niederbekstein, Sudrodestadt, Hagenunterbergen and Hochgmunentorf. However, these see even less traffic than the main airport outside of the capital.