German Red Prince

Page 164

Before anyone could even comment on the outcome, the Berlin police began their operation, quickly sealing off the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) building. Later, the police claimed they had been attacked by the CGT and began a forced assault on the building. Eventually, even the military got involved, with hundreds of fully armed soldiers sealing off the building and bringing out small-caliber artillery.

This farcical operation took less than ten hours. From the discovery of the fire to the arrest of the suspect and the sealing off of the union building, the case was solved so quickly in just ten hours.

From beginning to end, the whole thing was over before the public even realized it, followed by a massive media blitz in government newspapers and radio broadcasts announcing the success of the operation.

Soon, people realized something was wrong. The General Labor Union and the Imperial Labor Union were completely unrelated, and their government office buildings were miles apart. What grudge could someone have against someone else to set fire to their building? Also, the government claimed to have caught the suspect, but had not yet released any information about him, saying it was for the suspect's personal safety and to prevent "retaliation."

The headquarters of the union was sealed off, but union members quickly realized that it was a conspiracy and the other party's goal was clear: to make this workers' union disappear completely.

Because the headquarters was investigated, the regional unions at the lower levels began to take action. However, their opinions were not unified. Some wanted to take to the streets to protest and demand a thorough investigation, while others opposed it because the authorities had already defined the nature of the matter. In addition, given the impact of the bill, the Berlin area was very sensitive to demonstrations. If they took to the streets, they would definitely fall into the trap set by the other side.

Although the headquarters building has been investigated and dealt with, there is still a chance to make a comeback. Once the storm has passed, it can continue to develop. However, it is clear that most people do not agree to remain silent. If the Federation of Trade Unions does not speak out, wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting that they were the ones who did it?

The vast majority of subordinate unions chose to take to the streets to protest, and union members also chose to strike, demanding a reinvestigation, but this was destined to be fruitless.

Clashes broke out quickly during the march. A group of people claiming to be members of the Reichstrait trade unions clashed with the Unionist trade unions in the streets, calling it a "counterattack" against the Unionist trade unions. The scale of the conflict gradually expanded and soon got out of control. Shops of all sizes in the Berlin area closed early as the situation turned against them.

What's strange this time is that the police response was noticeably slower. They were practically beating a dog to a pulp on the roadside, yet the police station didn't send a single person.

The conflict wasn't limited to neighborhoods; many other places were also targeted in planned attacks, including the Berlin Workers' House, workers' associations, and labor unions.

These small guilds, large and small, spontaneously formed by workers, were attacked and damaged to varying degrees. Of course, the people in them were also in grave danger, and without exception, they were all severely beaten.

This was clearly a planned and organized operation, but an unexpected incident occurred soon afterward. It's unclear who provided the reports to these people, but they were smashing unofficial labor unions. They were clearly caught up in the chaos and didn't carefully check the list, which led to the problem.

Thorne also set up a union in the Berlin area, ostensibly to unify the management of Rhine enterprises in Berlin, but in reality to develop the power of workers in Berlin. These people did not notice this and brought a group of people to cause trouble.

This union is an official institution of the Kingdom of the Rhine. The three kingdoms had signed an agreement that this union building was equivalent to the territory of the Kingdom of the Rhine and was under its jurisdiction. This group of people had previously vandalized many union offices and were now causing trouble here.

I don't know what these people were thinking, but they definitely didn't realize the seriousness of the problem, and they started causing trouble with their weapons.

Normally, causing a little trouble wouldn't have caused any real damage, but someone just had to throw a Molotov cocktail in.

This changed the nature of the incident; throwing a Molotov cocktail was now considered a terrorist attack. The Stasi and Gestapo, who were protecting the unions, couldn't hold back any longer. When they saw him throw the Molotov cocktail, they almost burst out laughing. They had been waiting for him to do just that.

The rioters were quickly subdued and locked up, and then the Berlin police were notified. The police finally arrived, but it was too late; the unions had been almost completely destroyed.

The only drawback was that a group of people were arrested by the Rhineland authorities. Since this was equivalent to committing a crime on Rhineland territory, the Berlin police couldn't handle it, and various procedures were required to bring them back.

The entire so-called burning of the union building and the brawls between union members lasted very short time, almost a day, but the damage it caused was astonishing, even more serious than the previous bill crisis. Berlin's unions were basically completely reshuffled, and Wilhelm II did not make any statement throughout the entire incident.

Although Wilhelm did not issue any statement, it was clear to everyone that the government was the biggest beneficiary of this incident, as it virtually wiped out all the civilian labor unions in Berlin. However, in terms of public opinion, major newspapers and radio stations were promoting the narrative that this was an internal labor union issue.

People are easily swayed by public opinion. Newspapers, radio, and various media outlets are all pushing the narrative that this is an unofficial, accidental act. The reason is quite simple: the two unions are retaliating against each other, and the government will likely take corresponding measures in the future.

Of course, this was just a deceptive tactic. In the palace, Schtroheim reported the results of the matter to William. It can be said that the operation was very successful. The only drawback was that a few fools almost destroyed the Rhine Kingdom's guild.

The coalition of the Workers' Party and the National Socialist Party was indeed quite capable. This series of actions was orchestrated by them, affecting not only workers' unions but also many unions of the Imperial Party and the Centre Party. In addition to expanding their influence, Wilhelm II could also gradually consolidate his power.

“Very well. As for the Kingdom of Rhine, send them a notice and apologize.” William slowly issued his order.

He has gone to any lengths to further consolidate his power, and this incident was carried out with his tacit approval.

When people were arrested in Berlin, Thorne was notified immediately. After reading the report, he understood what was happening. With the Reichstag fire and Kristallnacht, has Germany accelerated to this point?

343. William's thoughts

Thorne quickly received news of the situation in Berlin.

Adolf was in charge of the Berlin area, coordinating the Gestapo and the Stasi. The Berlin trade unions were very important to Thorne as an intelligence hub, as most of the intelligence in the Berlin area was sent out from there every day.

Such an important place naturally has a very high level of security. I didn’t expect anyone to dare to come here and cause trouble. Those people were quickly subdued by the Gestapo. At first they were stubborn, but after a series of memory restoration spells, they confessed everything.

However, as the lowest-ranking personnel, they were merely pawns who could be discarded at any time. They didn't know much, only that they had accepted a mission and were to carry out sabotage according to the information on the note.

These are all large and small independent unions in Berlin, not under official control. The intention to undermine these unions is very clear: the higher-ups don't want the workers to keep complaining.

The National Workers' Party and the National Socialist Party were also involved, which was clearly a dirty trick to show loyalty. It is estimated that after this, the coalition of the National Workers' Party and the National Socialist Party will gain more seats in parliament.

Kristallnacht and the burning of the Reichstag – history always repeats itself. Last time, the Nazis did this to consolidate their power, and now Germany is doing it for similar reasons. Thorne just doesn't know what Wilhelm was thinking, that he would do something like this now.

Does the absence of dissenting voices mean there are no dissidents? The existence of those unions has, to some extent, alleviated the conflict and prevented social contradictions from escalating prematurely. Now that all the unions have been dismantled, won't the workers be secretly preparing to revolt?

Thorne had no idea what was going on, but it was good news for him. Whatever William did now meant that he would have more power during the revolution.

In response to this farcical attack on the Rhineland Workers' Union, Berlin reacted swiftly, immediately apologizing to Frankfurt for failing to maintain local order and allowing the rioters to attack the Rhineland Workers' Union. The few people who were captured were indeed discarded, and Berlin left them to their own devices.

Clearly, Wilhelm was satisfied with the operation, which was carried out with his tacit approval; otherwise, the Berlin police would not have reacted so slowly.

Although those who caused trouble were arrested, they were expected to be released soon, which pleased William. However, when Chancellor Tirpitz learned of this, he was so angry that he almost fainted.

What time is it now, and you're still making such a big deal out of this?

Tirpitz could obviously tell at a glance that this was all orchestrated by Wilhelm II, but did Wilhelm not consider the actual situation?

With soaring unemployment, slow economic growth, and rising crime rates, is William pulling this stunt because he's tired of living? Or is William just getting old and developing dementia?

"Your Majesty Wilhelm, I hope you can take action as soon as possible. Those perpetrators must be severely punished. They have trampled on the laws of the German Empire. As for the workers' assemblies and demonstrations, they cannot be completely banned. Regulating them is sufficient. Strictly banning them may lead to even bigger problems in the future."

"There are already enough official unions. There is no need to completely ban those small-scale independent unions. It is appropriate to relax the ban a bit."

Tirpitz knew that absolute authority was never a good thing. In some places, it was necessary to make exceptions and give people a place to vent their frustrations, since it wouldn't be a big deal anyway. But with William's actions, the people didn't even have a voice, so now they were just thinking about explosions all the time.

"Alfred, don't panic."

Wilhelm II glanced at Stroheim, and he immediately understood what William meant.

"According to our secret police investigation, almost all of these unions were funded by the French Commune. Some of their unions even have French-language organizations. Moreover, when we made the union regulations, the French Commune immediately took action and issued some statements at the first opportunity."

Stroheim's meaning was clear: these unions had long been funded by foreign powers, specifically France, and who knew what might happen if this continued? He was taking precautions early.

“The red rebels of the French Commune are very capable. If these trade unions are not nipped in the bud when they are at their weakest, they will be much more difficult to deal with later. Their vitality is as strong as weeds. All of this now is to prevent them from causing even greater disasters in the future.”

Hearing this, Tirpitz didn't know what to say. He had only been visiting Austria for a few days, and so many things had happened in the country. Looking at the emperor, who still looked satisfied, Tirpitz began to doubt whether his decision back then was correct. If Ludendorff and his people had been in power, would the situation have been much better than it is now?

"Your Majesty, the attitude of the Austro-Hungarian Empire toward cooperation between the two countries remains unclear. They are not very enthusiastic about our proposal, and there are still many issues to be resolved between Austria and Hungary."

Recently, for some reason, Wilhelm II has been indulging his imperial ambitions again. He is not satisfied with the victory in the war. In addition to becoming the hegemon of Europe, he also wants to become the greatest emperor of the Germanic people. So he has started to contact the Austro-Hungarian Empire again to see if they can cooperate to create a second Holy Roman Empire.

It's common knowledge how unreliable such an idea is. Germany hasn't even sorted out its domestic affairs yet, and it's already thinking about restoring the Holy Roman Empire. How could Austria possibly agree to that? The Holy Roman Empire was originally owned by the Habsburg family. If they were to create a Holy Roman Empire now, Hohenzollern would naturally be the leader. How would Austria-Hungary view that?

Moreover, the relationship between the two empires after the division has never been good, and they have only maintained a superficial harmony. If the Austro-Hungarians find out about Wilhelm II's plan, the two countries may very well go to war again.

Upon hearing Tirpitz's report, Wilhelm II was clearly not satisfied. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was simply being unreasonable. They had a chance to reclaim Germany, but they refused. "Peaceful reunification" through negotiation was one of Wilhelm's ideas, and another was "military reunification."

Prussia is now restarting to expand its army. Wilhelm II wants to fully experience being emperor. If he could lead the Central Powers to defeat the Entente Powers, he can certainly lead Germany to defeat Austria again.

Wilhelm wanted to become the eternal Emperor of Germany. One victory could make him a legend, two victories could make him a myth, and if he succeeded, his achievements would be even more dazzling than those of his ancestors.

“In that case, Alfred, go to the Kingdom of Rhine. This riot has inadvertently injured the guilds of the Kingdom of Rhine. Our two kingdoms should also put aside their differences, ease tensions, and reaffirm our centuries-old friendship.”

Contrary to his usual practice, William sought to ease tensions between the kingdoms within the empire. Bavaria had been invaded, while the Kingdom of the Rhine had joined voluntarily. Given Bavaria's attitude, the Kingdom of the Rhine was clearly more likely to be won over.

Wilhelm II sent Tirpitz to the Rhineland for two reasons: firstly, to investigate the Rhineland's situation, and secondly, to fulfill Wilhelm II's grand plan to integrate the entire German nation.

344. Access

Adolf was the head of the Kingdom of the Rhine in the Berlin region, so these were things he had to deal with. Although it lasted less than a day, the damage to the entire Berlin region was enormous.

Several subordinate organizations that Adolf had been leading and connecting with were purged to varying degrees, and the underground liaison network he had developed in Berlin was also severely damaged.

However, this matter is very easy to investigate; the network of contacts established in Berlin during this period is sufficient to find relevant information.

The first person who would be most suspicious is the so-called arsonist. It is said that he has been caught, but no information about him has been released. Adolf has some connections with the Berlin police and has also found out some information.

The police did catch someone shortly after the fire, but that person was quickly transferred away by another group. The group that caused the disturbance also arrested many people after the street fight. The group that was in the protest is still in jail, but the other group, the first group of troublemakers, were released quickly.

The unions in the Rhine also arrested people, who, after interrogation, admitted to being members of the National Workers' Party and the National Socialist Party.

It's quite obvious that this was all staged, but it's undeniable that the government tacitly approved of this action. What does that mean? It means they actually supported the alliance between the National Socialist Party and the National Workers' Party.

Established major parties like the Imperial Party and the Centre Party were also impacted in this operation. William's purpose in doing so may have been quite simple: to manipulate the National Socialist Party and the National Workers' Party to do the dirty work for him, using them as a tool to do the dirty and tiring work before kicking them out.

These two political parties, however, are absolutely not going to become the ruling party given their current positions. Wilhelm II is an emperor, a nobleman, how could he possibly agree to such a grassroots party becoming the ruling party?

He himself possessed aristocratic arrogance, and most of the members of these two parties were not important figures. Wouldn't he find it unsettling to have such parties dominate Parliament? It seems that Wilhelm II's attitude towards this party is that it is a convenient tool. He can offer some benefits now, but once he has squeezed out all its usefulness, he will kick it aside.

However, these are probably Wilhelm's thoughts. Are these two parties so easy to deal with? The National Socialist Party already has some influence at the grassroots level in Berlin, and the National Workers' Party also has a relatively large influence at the grassroots level. Now the two parties are discussing a merger. If they complete the merger in the future, then based on their influence at the grassroots level, they will not be able to be controlled by Wilhelm.

Logically speaking, a party with an ideology that is still left-leaning could not have developed so smoothly, as evidenced by the trade unions in Berlin. However, the National Socialist Party's development in the Berlin area has been smooth sailing, with virtually no interference. For a time, Adolf even tried to recruit the National Socialist Party, but Thorne refused, avoiding unnecessary contact with the party.

Thorne is acting out of a terrible memory from the past. He doesn't want to come into contact with the National Socialists and have his personality suddenly explode, and then be led astray by them. That would be a huge loss.

The National Socialist Party has a major financial backer. It's strange that a left-leaning party has a major financial backer. Anyway, Adolf felt something was off about this party. It seems that William is using these two parties. However, their unions were not damaged in this operation. It is estimated that their power will expand considerably after this.

In Adolf's eyes, the biggest threat in the Berlin area is this so-called political party alliance. He fears a fierce battle will break out in Berlin, so he needs to seize the time to develop the Communist Party of Germany's power in Berlin and expand his organization.

There was indeed a major financial backer behind the National Socialist Party. Now that the two parties were united, even more funds were being distributed. Coupled with some old connections, Ludendorff's plan was becoming increasingly successful. The timing was indeed slowly becoming very ripe. All that was needed was to wait for the National Socialist Party to develop. When the right moment arrived, William would find out who had tricked him.

News of Tirpitz's impending visit to the Kingdom of the Rhine spread. It was a rare occurrence for the Prussian chancellor to visit the Rhine; the last visit had been several years ago. Generally, a chancellor's visit indicated a major event; otherwise, ordinary diplomats would suffice.

The previous visits were for the unification of Germany and the war. The Chancellor's visit to the Rhine must have been for something important. Major events happened during the previous visits, but nothing happened this time. The inexplicable visit has led to speculation.

The French Commune was also paying close attention to this matter. The Kingdom of the Rhine was directly confronting the Commune, and relations between Germany and France were already facing many problems. Was this an attempt to target France?

Regardless, the three kingdoms within Germany each have their own agendas, but at least they maintain a facade of unity and offer the usual welcomes. However, no one knows how long this superficial harmony can last. The call for German reunification is growing louder, and everyone wants to reunify.

Perhaps this visit was for this very reason? Is it preparation for a second unification?

Tirpitz's visit was very sudden, seemingly on Prussia's whim, without prior notification to the Kingdom of the Rhine. As a result, the Kingdom made preparations rather hastily, welcoming the Imperial Chancellor Tirpitz in Frankfurt.

Thorne was also in the welcoming party. He had great respect for Tirpitz, who could be considered the most outstanding imperial chancellor in the post-Bismarck era. Compared to the previous echoes of Wilhelm II, he was more opinionated and also more assertive.

He single-handedly ushered in the golden age of the German Empire, and his reputation within Germany was excellent. However, it is clear that the events of recent years have taken a toll on him. Tirpitz is now very old, and it is obvious that Wilhelm II is increasingly distrusting him.

Having just ended Ludendorff's dictatorship, Wilhelm had given Tirpitz ample trust and power, all of which were now being taken back one by one. Tirpitz recommended suitable successors to Wilhelm, but these were all politely declined.

The saying goes, "When the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked." Tirpitz is probably in this situation now; many things in the country are no longer within his control.

Tirpitz came here for two reasons. First, to complete William's mission: to unite with the Kingdom of the Rhine to threaten Austria-Hungary. Obviously, this was impossible; it was a decision William made on a whim, and it would be strange if the Kingdom of the Rhine agreed. Second, there was another matter, which was Tirpitz's personal business.

Although he may not live to see that day, Tirpitz is very clear that a war within Germany is inevitable in the future. He certainly does not want war, so he came to ask what the Kingdom of the Rhine thinks about the possible war in the future.

355. Countdown

A proper welcome is still necessary. Since we haven't completely fallen out yet, it's best to discuss things politely. We've already arranged for people to go to the location to welcome this imperial prime minister.

"Welcome, Imperial Chancellor."

Because the delegation was composed of representatives from the entire empire, King Otto was the one who came to greet them. Although the king was not very old, he was clearly not in as good a condition as Wilhelm II.

Now that Wilhelm II is so old, he can still find ways to cause trouble. This king is in his prime but his condition is very bad. Coupled with the health of the eldest prince, to be honest, if Thorne hadn't suddenly come to his senses, Tirpitz would think that Wilhelm's unification of Germany was no joke.

If things had gone according to plan, after King Otto's death, even if the eldest prince inherited the throne, the high-intensity work would likely only last a few years. After his death, the situation in the Rhineland would be unpredictable, and the problems within the Bavarian royal family would be even more serious.

Their royal family seems to have some kind of hereditary disease; they're not very mentally healthy, and several have gone mad. Back when they defeated Austria and unified Bavaria, several people went mad then. The last attack also injured the crown prince. Prussia is the most normal person in the whole country.

According to God's script, glory should have returned to Prussia, but things have turned out this way. No wonder Wilhelm II became more and more insane as time went on. He was just a few more years away from achieving his goal, but now everything has changed.

“King Otto, I have come here to convey His Majesty William’s decree.”

Tirpitz then revealed the purpose of his trip: "William wants to join forces with you to fight against Austria-Hungary. How about that? Shocked, aren't you?"

"Your Excellency has had a long journey. There's no need to rush His Majesty William's decree. Please rest for a while."

We don’t know yet what Tirpitz’s purpose is for coming here, so Thorne has prepared a countermeasure: stalling. I know you’re in a hurry, but don’t rush.

Regardless of what he wants to say now, just shut him up first. Arrange all sorts of activities, and let him talk again when it's almost time to leave. Then you can "reconsider" it in a very "difficult" way, and the matter will be successfully resolved.

Tirpitz didn't know what to say when he heard Otto say that, after all, the king's situation wasn't very good right now.

"Let Thorne entertain you from now on; his decision is my decision."

After speaking, Otto left. His health was deteriorating, and he didn't know why. The kings of the Rhine Kingdom were supposed to live long lives, but in recent generations, they had become increasingly frail. Otto was only recently becoming unwell, while the crown prince was only in his twenties and was already failing.

"Yes, King Otto, please take good care of yourself and get plenty of rest."

Thorne then came out to entertain Tirpitz. He respected the chancellor greatly; had it been anyone else, he would have given them a severe beating.

"Greetings, Your Highness Thorne, we meet again."

"Greetings, Your Excellency Prime Minister. It has been a long time since we last met in Berlin. How are you in good health?"

"Of course, how could my health not be good for the sake of Germany?"

Tirpitz smiled. Looking at his aged appearance, Thorne thought of Bissmann, the chancellor who had devoted his life to Germany but whose end was tragic.

Tirpitz is the same now, having devoted all his efforts to the entire country. The reason why the three kingdoms can be united now, besides William, is mainly because of Tirpitz.

He was the greatest contributor to the overthrow of Ludendorff's dictatorship, and the unity of several kingdoms was entirely due to his efforts. If he were to pass away, a true crisis would be brewing for Germany.

"Time flies by so fast, I can't deny that I'm getting old."