German Red Prince

Page 206

Goebbels originally wanted Adolf to come to Cologne to promote the Socialist Labour Party together, but Adolf did not come, so the task was given to Adenauer.

Adenauer made a huge contribution to the expansion of the Socialist Labour Party in the north of the Rhine. Goebbels will have more and more work to do in the future and it will be impossible for him to continue serving as the party chairman. It is obvious to everyone who will succeed him.

Thorne felt that the reunification of Germany now would be similar to the reunification of Germany in their world.

The various problems following German reunification have been discussed for decades: promises made before reunification and exploitation after reunification. Such things must never happen in this timeline. Historical issues must be resolved one by one.

467. Diplomatic Preparations and Street Conflicts

With the changing of the guard, ordinary people don't really care much about these ideological things. What people in Prussia care about most right now is how their lives will be after the change of government—whether it will be better or worse than it is now.

If they were better off than they are now, these people would definitely support the new government; but if they were worse off, they might as well stay at home and reminisce about the Hohenzollern dynasty.

The struggle for power is about winning the hearts and minds of the people. This applies everywhere. The current German government must do better than the old imperial era to ensure the stability of its regime. Communism is not about military strength and terror; it requires the people's heartfelt support. Relying on these two things is useless.

After reorganizing the order of daily life and unifying the country, the most important thing for ordinary people is their property. They wonder if they can exchange the Imperial Marks they have saved up, and whether the money in their hands will become worthless.

The rationing system has not completely ended, and the current German government has not issued a new currency. However, it is a consensus among all Germans that the Reichsmark will become worthless in the future.

If the empire is gone, what use is the Imperial Mark? Following the inertia of thought, now that the Rhine has won the final victory, the only thing that will retain its value must be the Rhine Mark.

Even before the revolutionary government liberated Berlin, many people had begun secretly saving Rhinemarks. Now that Berlin had been successfully liberated, the exchange of Rhinemarks became even more frenzied, with the amount of private exchange alone being impossible to count.

This uncontrolled exchange could cause serious problems, and the government must take timely measures to regulate it. The printing of the new currency is underway, and it may take some time before it is put into the market. During this period, government-controlled banks also support the exchange of Rhinemarks.

The exchange rate was also very reasonable. The exchange rate between the Reichsmark and the Rhinemark did not plummet to several thousand to one like it did when the Soviet Union collapsed, nor did it drop to the point where 500,000 marks could buy bread in the early stages of the Third German period.

Thorne didn't want East Germany in this world to become the Weimar Republic in his world, where some mustachioed guy would jump on the table and shout that a loaf of bread costs 500,000 marks.

The Reichsmark can still circulate in East Germany. Its purchasing power is not as strong as before, but it is not much worse. On the one hand, the Reichsmark can be used normally, and on the other hand, the government supports its exchange. The priority is to get through this period of social unrest. At present, stabilizing the situation is more important than anything else.

With East Germany coming to power, it no longer needed to hide its diplomatic relations with France. France also actively courted the new German government. French newspapers publicized the revolution in Germany, while German newspapers began to promote the advantages of the French system.

France and Germany began exchanging pleasantries, something unimaginable in the past. Many people, reading the newspapers, felt the world was so surreal, and they were witnessing history firsthand.

The vast majority of people within the government also favored further strengthening ties with the French Commune, since France was the elder brother of socialism and there was no other choice but to cooperate with it.

Eastern Europe imposed a blockade on Germany, and after the revolution succeeded, the Austro-Hungarian market also announced an embargo against Germany. Germany's vast colonial markets would no longer be able to deliver goods to them in the future. Germany had no other choice but the Comintern.

Leaning to one side, siding with the socialist camp, is a path that every socialist country faces at its inception, requiring layers of blockades. Only by banding together and uniting can they have a chance of survival.

Relations between Germany and France have cooled considerably, but have not yet strengthened their friendship. Neither government has made any further explicit statements, except that Germany is receiving more products from France.

Adolf and others were also preparing to visit France. The East German government was making preparations for this visit, and he, as the first foreign minister of the republic, would be making his first foreign visit on behalf of East Germany.

By joining the Comintern, the French were testing the Germans' sincerity, and the Germans were also observing the French attitude. Both sides now knew what the other wanted and understood perfectly well that Germany needed the Comintern to provide them with life-saving support to recover. And what were the French most concerned about? It had to be Alsace-Lorraine, which they had longed for for decades.

Adolf's upcoming visit has the mission of securing a successful negotiation. Germany can give up Alsace-Lorraine; the key is how much Adolf can gain this time.

During the Rhine period, this area was known as a "tough nut to crack." The Kingdom of the Rhine even had to establish a military district here to manage it, which was extremely costly and thankless. You might say it's the homeland of the Holy Roman Empire, but they insist on being French.

At the time, this territory could have easily been controlled by Prussia. Prussia could have used it to monitor the Rhineland, which would have been ideal. But they still very "kindly" gave it to the Kingdom of the Rhine. They gave it to you in the name of the Empire; could you refuse it? Would you be disrespectful?

Handing Alsace-Lorraine over to the Kingdom of the Rhine was one of Bismarck's most successful policies. For the Empire, it demonstrated Prussia's power as the "world's sovereign." For the Rhine, however, the land was extremely costly to manage, and its frequent disturbances could greatly hinder its development. Moreover, it could divert all the hatred from the war against France to the Rhine, killing two birds with one stone.

At present, East Germany would be better off doing France a favor and returning this highly controversial land. It would be too much of a loss to abandon the development of the entire country by keeping this useless piece of land.

Major policies are the government's business. Most ordinary Germans hope for a more stable future. The first to reopen were newspapers. Public opinion is a more powerful weapon than artillery shells; it's about letting the public understand the new government.

Although the pub wasn't open yet, people just needed a place to discuss things. On street corners and in open-air spaces, people with newspapers would still gather together to talk about recent events.

Armed soldiers stood guard in front of several exchange banks, and armored vehicles were parked there. The strangely shaped helmets made many citizens withdrawing money feel uncomfortable. To be honest, these helmets were not as good-looking as the Imperial helmets, but their uniforms were much better looking than the previous uniforms.

A sign on the wall next to the exchange counter reminds people to leave promptly after exchanging their currency and not to linger. The exchange counter is crowded every day, and accidents can happen in some places.

There are always people who want to take the risk, and as more incidents occur, security at the bank entrances has become more stringent. In addition to the soldiers with guns, there are also two armored vehicles parked in front of larger banks like this one.

Fritz had never seen it, but he had heard that those who wanted to take the risk were tackled as soon as they pulled out their guns. Many of the people queuing up every day were plainclothes officers. Once they were arrested, the treatment was simple: they were dragged away by a few soldiers and then a gunshot rang out.

After exchanging his Imperial coins, Mark Fritz breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally resolved his biggest concern. He could live his life as usual from now on, and he just hoped it wouldn't be too bad.

Taverns and other entertainment venues weren't open yet, but that didn't stop people from chatting. With the empire collapsing, aside from those who didn't care or welcome it, there were also those who were nostalgic.

This nostalgia inevitably led to conflict, and Fritz saw the people in front of him start physically fighting as they were talking.

468. Time will tell.

Berlin is still being rebuilt, but because the destruction caused by the war was not significant and not many people are needed, the army is the main force in the reconstruction work in many places, with ordinary citizens going there to help. Overall, people are quite free.

After a few days of anxiety, the citizens of Berlin adapted to their new life as the People's Army entered the city in an orderly manner. They were no longer so afraid, and as the city's order was restored, more and more people appeared on the streets.

It used to be an empire, and the Germans were the most powerful in the world, always holding their heads high. But now things are different. The empire is gone. The empire we lived in for more than a decade is gone. The Austrians didn't destroy it, the French, the British, and the Russians didn't destroy it, but it was destroyed by its own people.

At this time, there will be a lot of nostalgia people. Every country has these kinds of people. The previous dynasty treated you like cattle and horses, and now you're still playing the nostalgia card.

Just like Hong Kong today, which was colonized for so long, some people cried even harder than the British when the Queen died, as if their own parents had died.

At this time, many people began to feel nostalgic for the empire. The German Empire had been destroyed, German hegemony had been destroyed, and Germans would never be able to hold their heads high again.

"Such a large empire, gone just like that."

"That's right. We defeated so many enemies, but we never expected to be defeated by ourselves."

A group of people smoked and began to reminisce about the former empire and the once-prosperous Berlin. At first, their tone was quite normal; they were just talking about how suddenly the empire collapsed and reminiscing about its past glory. No one was drinking, but as they talked, the atmosphere became awkward.

"No matter how much you guard against it, it's hard to guard against a thief within your own family."

A middle-aged man angrily tapped the ground with his cane. As an old Prussian Plain Black Flag man, he was naturally very dissatisfied with the change of flag.

"A perfectly good empire has been ruined. I wonder if the Rhine people have the ability to bring Germany back. In this situation, we have to bow down to the French. I think we'll be the French's dogs from now on!"

His words resonated with some people, who began to discuss it quietly. Judging from the newspapers, it was indeed a request for funds. There were more and more reports about France in the newspapers, but these reports gradually changed from negative news to positive news, with many praising the French system.

The "dark medieval socialist kingdom" that was once portrayed in newspapers as autocratic, dark, and barbaric has disappeared. It seems that the other side of the world has undergone a Renaissance overnight and has immediately become bright.

The statement "From European hegemon to the dog of the French" does indeed create a strong contrast that can evoke very strong emotions in ordinary people, making many feel uncomfortable.

“I visited France more than ten years ago, before the riots started. The people I knew there were all very nice. Although we didn’t get along, they were still very friendly to me when they saw that I was German. I also made quite a few friends.”

"After the riots started, there was massacre. I lost contact with several of my friends there. Then France's attitude towards us changed drastically. Many Germans who stayed in France were monitored or imprisoned on the pretext of being German spies. Have you heard of the Commune's secret police? It's said that if you say something bad about the government before going to bed at night, it could be recorded. Your family and friends could all be spies."

Once this was said, the topic shifted from simple nostalgia to a veiled attack. Those who understood immediately realized that the French Commune was a socialist country, and Germany would also become a socialist country in the future. If France was under so much surveillance, how could Germany be any less?

The tone of their speech was quite harsh. Are there public intellectuals in Germany these days? They all said things like "I heard," "My friend said," and "It is said." How much of it is true is unknown, but everyone prefers to hear what they want to hear.

"You seem to reminisce so much, but were you there during the Brandenburg Gate defense?"

Maximilian listened for a while and then asked this very crucial question: Since you miss that empire so much, did you go to the last battle of Prussia, the Battle of Brandenburg Gate?

When Maximilian said that, everyone turned to look at the person who had just spoken. Yes, after chatting for so long, it was this guy who had been sighing and complaining, while the others hadn't said much.

After listening to him talk for so long, it's as if he's willing to die for the old empire. Did he actually go to the Battle of Brandenburg Gate?

The Battle of the Brandenburg Gate is known as Prussia's last battle because it involved not only the Prussian regular army but also many Berlin citizens who volunteered to participate. Although Rundstedt and Manstein explicitly prohibited ordinary people from participating in the war, they could not stop the enthusiasm of these people.

Many local Berliners still participated in the Battle of Brandenburg Gate. After the regular army was defeated by the Rhinelanders, these people fought a guerrilla war against them for a long time. If that's the case, these people are the real patriots.

"Emperor Wilhelm, he was the Emperor of the Empire, surely no one was more patriotic than him? Why didn't he stay in Berlin, stay in front of the Brandenburg Gate to fight the Rhine? Why didn't Field Marshal Ludendorff and Field Marshal Hindenburg stay either? They were heroes of the Great War, why aren't these people in Berlin now?"

"Furthermore, you call the French Revolution a riot, saying how many people they killed. Do you even know who they killed? Are you implying that Germany will follow suit? That we'll kill everyone from the past? General Rundstedt, the commander-in-chief of the Prussian army, is doing just fine now. Didn't you read the newspapers? General Rundstedt and General Manstein weren't even war criminals; they were prisoners of war."

The people gathered here were just there to watch the drama unfold, and Maximilian's words amused them. They all stared at the man, wanting to know how he would respond.

"These things haven't happened yet, but that doesn't mean they won't happen in the future. Who knows if they have ears around here? We might all be under surveillance! We might all be in trouble in the future. Besides, isn't the collapse of the empire a fact? In our current state, are we going to become the French's dogs in the future?"

The key to arguing is not to let the other person lead you by the nose. If the other person changes the subject, change the topic and continue the conversation. After this civil war, Germany's world hegemony is definitely over. Austria-Hungary, which they used to look down on, may come back and compete with them for German leadership. France is the leader of the Comintern and the second strongest in Europe. If Germany wants to develop in the future, it will definitely have to look to France for approval.

"Still reminiscing about your empire? You're right, the empire was the strongest in the world, but so what? Logically speaking, we're all the strongest in the world, so why are there so many poor people and beggars in Berlin? Why can't the strongest in the world even afford to pay the pensions for soldiers who died in the war!"

The imperial hegemony had no other effect than giving them a sense of identity. It simply gave them an air of superiority, since what people fight for most is a sense of pride.

"Socialism is dictatorship and autocracy! We are definitely going to be ruled by terror!"

Upon hearing this, Fritz, who had been listening nearby for a while, was so frightened that he quickly took two steps back, as did the others around him. "Ha! How dare you say that? Don't get blood on my hands!"

These words immediately turned into a physical confrontation. Berlin was still under martial law, though it had been relaxed considerably, not completely lifted. Fighting in broad daylight immediately attracted the attention of patrolling police, who rushed over with whistles.

The police didn't ask anything. Normally, people can settle things privately, but this is a special period. They don't care about the details; if someone is fighting, they'll be detained first.

Seeing the police arrive and arrest the two men, Fritz was so frightened that he quickly ran home. Even after arriving home, he was still shaken, closing all the windows and other doors. He was now terrified by what that man had said. There were informants everywhere; would he be found? Would someone knock on his door one day and take him away, then vanish without a trace?

Fritz began to regret not going over there to join the fun and hearing the word "counter-revolutionary." After all, in the Empire, if you dared to say in the street that the Empire was doomed, whether it was during Wilhelm's time or Hesludendorff's time, you would be imprisoned at best and executed at worst.

Although he was just an observer, he was practically involved. What if the police came to arrest him after their trial? Fritz even considered packing his things and running away.

Did Berlin really have that many spies and agents? There were indeed quite a few before the war ended, but they were mainly in the military and government departments. After the war, Heydrich and the Gestapo's main task was to search for hidden saboteurs. They really couldn't spare that many people to monitor ordinary people; they would be too busy.

After taking the two men back to the police station for a while, Sheriff York knew what they had been talking about. He admired their audacity for daring to say such things. Since he didn't dare make the decision himself, he submitted a report to his superiors to ask for the government's opinion.

Looking at the report, Talman and the others were both amused and exasperated. This matter had actually escalated to the central government level, causing such a huge uproar.

"It seems everyone has a deep misunderstanding about us. This is such a small matter. The report has been handed to me. I don't know how many more will come in the future."

"Haha, I can tell everyone's nervous. It seems William's publicity is quite effective; they all think we're a bunch of cannibals."

Thorne also read the report and could only say that the stereotypes discussed there were indeed quite strong, as if saying a single word would kill someone.

"As I have said, our government is not perfect and may lose its way in the future, but we will try our best to correct the mistakes. Our government's greatest support is the people. If we don't even allow people to speak, then our regime has no reason to exist."

"Comrade Thorne's film is very timely in changing stereotypes."

Adolf saw the report right after watching the film; the public still had deep misunderstandings about them, and Thorne's film was very timely.

"The movie might change everyone's stereotypes, but Comrade Adolf, you're in trouble this time. We're going to become the French's dogs."

Thorne joked with Adolf, who was about to go to Paris for negotiations. If he let Alsace-Lorraine go, wouldn't he become the French's dog?

"Time will be my witness, Comrade Thorne, time will prove everything."

Adolf, however, didn't take it seriously. He was being criticized now, but time would surely clear his name.

Thallman personally responded to the specially submitted report, stating that it should be handled as appropriate, that freedom of speech is paramount, and that time would tell whether the person was right or wrong.

469. Where did all these plainclothes officers come from?

Talman's reply quickly reached Sheriff York, who found the response somewhat surprising.

If this were during the old imperial era, anyone who dared to say such things would at least be imprisoned for ten days to half a month for "insulting the motherland." Surprisingly, this letter didn't mention any punishment, but instead told him to handle it officially.

If that's the case, then these two were just fighting in the street and didn't do anything else. After reading the letter, Sheriff York knew how to handle it, so he gave them a lecture and let them go.

Maximilian argued with that person because he couldn't stand that hindsight-mongering attitude. Even after Wilhelm II had run away, he was still talking about it. Why didn't he go up and fight the Rhine himself? If he had actually gone to the battlefield, Maximilian wouldn't have said anything.

His own father had fought in a major war back then, but the compensation after the war was minimal. Otherwise, he wouldn't have started working as a gofer at such a young age. The powerful empire of that time had nothing to do with him, and its overthrow wouldn't evoke much emotion in him; he might just sigh.

They were released after being detained for less than a day, which surprised everyone. They thought only Maximilian would be released, but it turned out that both of them were out. Wow, this new government didn't even keep them locked up for a month or two.

Fritz had been listening to a few people arguing and watching the commotion when he saw the two men being arrested. He was terrified, fearing he might get into trouble himself. The propaganda of the old German government had left many people skeptical of the new government. They wondered if the new government was really as the propaganda claimed, full of undercover spies who would arrest people after just a few words.

Fritz was so disturbed by this incident that he couldn't stay at home. He went out and staked out the police station. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was there to cause trouble. Anyone would be suspicious if he stood there for so long. Who would stake out a police station for no reason?

Several times, people came up to talk to him. These people who came up to talk to him were real plainclothes officers. After all, he was too strange. He was staking out the police station. Could he be a reactionary trying to sabotage the operation and scouting the area in advance?

Interestingly, Fritz was suspicious all the way, thinking everyone was an undercover officer. But when an undercover officer actually came up to him and talked to him, he didn't recognize him and even chatted with him enthusiastically. After talking with several undercover officers for a while, they found out what this guy was doing at the police station entrance and who he was waiting for.

His words and innuendo amused the Gestapo members, who described them as if Wilhelm II's wife were Gestapo agents, making them sound incredibly powerful.

"Where did all these Gestapo come from? If there really were that many, just paying their salaries would amount to a fortune a year. The way you're talking makes it sound like everyone in Germany is a Gestapo member. Who could possibly manage so many people?"

"Not necessarily. You've never seen the Gestapo, so you don't know how powerful they are. The people on this street could very well be Gestapo agents."

Fritz pointed to the people he found suspicious: those reading newspapers on the street corner, those smoking at the intersection, those asking for directions, those resting—all of these people were suspicious and were probably plainclothes officers.

"My God, you're amazing. You were able to spot these guys in a crowd. I think the new government should recruit you to be in charge of spy training."

Several plainclothes officers found it amusing to watch Fritz trying to identify the Gestapo members, and then asked him if he looked like one.

"Sir, do you think we look like the Gestapo?"

"you?"

Fritz sized up the group of people, looked them over carefully, and then shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. It sounds like someone who does odd jobs in an office."

"Sir, you guessed perfectly."

Several Gestapo officers nodded seriously, agreeing with Fritz's words. They were indeed doing odd jobs in the office, but at the Gestapo's Berlin headquarters.

After chatting for a while, when he saw Maximilian come out, Fritz stopped talking to them and quickly ran up to talk to him. The plainclothes officers left as soon as they saw him run over.

Why don't we tell him our true identities?