German Red Prince

Page 209

Not long ago, a referendum was held in the Alsace-Lorraine region, and with an overwhelming 99 percent vote, the people were willing to return to the French Commune.

The East German government ordered the withdrawal of all troops by 5 p.m., and the French would be stationed there tomorrow. The coat of arms of the Rhine Kingdom and the coat of arms of the Empire, these symbols of the old empire, were removed one by one. Madeleine got into the car and looked at the military camp in the distance with a sense of emotion. This departure was probably a farewell forever.

The evacuation began several days ago. The East German government sent vehicles to pick up the troops and their families stationed in Alsace-Lorraine. The document signed by the two countries officially returned Alsace-Lorraine to the French Commune in 1930, so the evacuation started quite early.

Unlike Germany, France was extremely excited about regaining Alsace-Lorraine. Regaining Alsace-Lorraine would wash away ten years of national humiliation, and everyone in France was paying close attention to this matter.

Newspapers large and small are also reporting on this matter. When will Alsace-Lorraine be reclaimed? When will the ceremony officially begin? Which troops will be sent? These are the focus of recent discussions among the French.

If the Alsace-Lorraine issue can be properly resolved, it will indeed have a very significant impact on the easing of relations between Germany and France, as it represents the formal beginning of normalization between the two countries.

The previous hostile relationship was reversed, and newspapers published articles saying "We have avoided another world war." The people of France and Germany believed that after the return of Alsace-Lorraine, France and Germany would enter a long honeymoon period, and war would not break out between them. Europe might enter a long period of peace.

At 5 PM, the Rhine soldiers in the Alsace-Lorraine military district had completed their withdrawal. Maurice, the General Secretary of the French Commune, arrived. From the German side, Thälmann did not come; instead, Thorne arrived, and he was not wearing the uniform of East Germany, but rather the formal attire of the King of the Rhine.

Although Thorne did not ultimately inherit the throne of the Kingdom of Rhine, the people of Rhine had already tacitly accepted him as the next king, so there was nothing wrong with him wearing this outfit.

Thorne wore the Order of the Rhine around his neck. He was only present this time because he was not representing the East German government, but the Kingdom of the Rhine.

The documents regarding the return of Alsace-Lorraine clearly state that it was the German Empire, not East Germany, that seized the land of the French Commune, and therefore the return should be made by the Empire, not by the new government. This cannot be mistaken.

All the Prussian nobles had fled, and it was impossible to go to Africa to bring Wilhelm II back to participate in the event. Therefore, Thorne had to come and preside over this German event.

Thorne didn't know if wearing this outfit made him the officially recognized king of the Kingdom of the Rhine. It was amazing that another king could emerge during the new government period. He hoped that there wouldn't be a major purge in Germany in the future, so that he wouldn't be wiped out.

This is a day to remember. The people of Germany and France will remember this day. There are already many reporters at the event. This is definitely headline news in Europe. Two long-time rivals on the European continent have reconciled today, which will have a profound impact on the world.

"The flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremony is about to begin. Please stand up."

Everyone present stood up. Most of the people there were French, and they were very excited. They all stood up and looked at the German Imperial flag and the Rhine Royal Flag, which would disappear forever from Alsace-Lorraine.

"Now, lower the flags of the German Empire and the Rhineland, and raise the flags of the French Commune and the Alsace-Lorraine District."

As the melody of "The Victor's Laurel" began, the Imperial flag was slowly lowered, followed by the tune of "Defend the Rhine," and the Rhine Royal Flag was gradually lowered. Thorne stood there, his expression much like that of Charles during the handover of Hong Kong.

He didn't know what expression to wear at this moment. Should he be happy or sad? Thorne was definitely happy inside, finally getting rid of this huge burden, saving countless expenses every year. But he also had to keep a straight face. With so many cameras around, his picture might even appear in history books in the future. He could only force himself to suppress a laugh.

At midnight on January 1st, "The Internationale" resounded in the venue, and the flag of the French Commune slowly rose over Alsace-Lorraine. After a twelve-year hiatus, the French flag flew here once again.

Then came the Marseillaise, and as the Marseillaise played, the regional flag of Alsace-Lorraine was slowly raised, at which point the French Commune formally established its full sovereignty over the Alsace-Lorraine region.

Also from January 1, 1930, after the German Imperial Government officially returned Alsace-Lorraine, the German Democratic Republic government officially relinquished all sovereignty over Alsace-Lorraine, and there would be no further disputes between the two sides over this area.

After the French Commune officially restored sovereignty over Alsace-Lorraine, the first batch of French troops arrived from the Eastern Theater. Although it was early morning, countless people still welcomed their troops on the streets. They cheered loudly, threw flowers onto the trucks, and lit fireworks while waving the French Commune flag.

"Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé! Contre nous de la tyrannie, L'étendard sanglant est levé..."

The people sang "La Marseillaise" loudly to welcome the army that belonged to their country. The Alsatians had finally returned to their French homeland. Although this area had previously been the territory of the Holy Roman Empire and many people spoke German, they were indeed quite proud. Just because I speak German does not mean I am German.

Thorne shook hands with Morris, a gesture that marked a formal reconciliation between the two countries.

475. A Century of Revolution

This was Thorne's first real visit to Paris, as the resolution of the Alsace-Lorraine issue had brought Germany and France into a honeymoon period, with their relationship being exceptionally good.

France extended several diplomatic invitations to East Germany, inviting them to visit Paris.

There were just too many domestic matters to attend to before, and Thälmann and his men couldn't spare the time. Now they've finally finished dealing with domestic issues. General Rommel's troops recently liberated Königsberg, and Ludendorff's 60,000 "elite" troops stationed there crumbled instantly under the powerful offensive of the National People's Army. East Prussia has successfully entered the territory of East Germany.

Ludendorff had been operating in East Prussia for many years, and Rommel had indeed put in some effort to successfully liberate it. However, the reactionaries were destined to be destroyed, and the liberation of East Prussia was a major blow to Ludendorff, especially since his 60,000 troops were wiped out by the People's Army there.

After that, Ludendorff had no territory in Germany and could only take refuge in Eastern Europe. Let's see what kind of evil this group of reactionaries can breed together.

With the East Prussian issue resolved, Speer and his team were busy with domestic construction. It must be said that Himmler in this timeline, although he couldn't become the national leader of the SS, was quite capable in managing operations and logistics.

With these people on the National Construction Committee, the reconstruction and development will proceed several times faster than expected. In just a few years, Germany's economy will be able to recover, and at that time Germany will be able to fully participate in the world revolution.

With most of the major domestic issues in Germany resolved, internationally, the Communist International Congress had convened, and leaders of socialist parties around the world were being invited to Paris one after another. From the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe, virtually everyone who could attend came.

Especially since the German revolution had succeeded at this congress, even more people came. If the German revolution had succeeded, then their future revolutions would certainly be much smoother. Everyone came to hear about the main content of this Communist International congress and how the socialist forces in the world would develop in the future.

Every few years, the French Commune would prepare for the Communist International Congress, which was the most exciting period in France's history. It was a socialist France. Thorne had never seen a socialist France before. Looking at these unfamiliar buildings in Paris, he marveled at the magic of the world.

There is still some time before the conference officially opens, because some comrades have come from very far away places, especially some comrades from Africa. Africa is currently the most oppressed place of all, with the reactionary forces of France, Germany, and Britain, as well as Ottoman imperialism, all weighing down on the African people.

These people had to break through layers of blockades to get here. In some places, the Comintern even helped cover their expenses because the places were so poor.

Before all the members of the Communist International Congress had arrived, Thorne was already sightseeing in Paris. East Germany was also taking the opportunity to visit the French Commune, where General Secretary Thälmann was to make an official visit of about a week to discuss future cooperation between the two countries and further expand their relations.

Thorne has nothing to do for the time being, so he has time to relax. It's a paid trip, after all. Paris can be considered a romantic city, the center of world revolution. How could it not be romantic?

The French are indeed artistically gifted. Compared to the Soviet Union in their world, French socialist art has its own unique characteristics, which Thorne found quite impressive.

Especially after arriving at the Palace of the International, Thorne was completely awestruck by the enormous Lenin statue. This building, built in the 1930s, was a testament to the solid foundation of the institution.

Thorne was on his tour when he ran into an old acquaintance. The two recognized each other at a glance; they used to be rivals.

"Hello, Marshal Duklo."

"Hello, I should call you Comrade Thorne now."

Thorne once attended a military parade in France. Back then, he was still a prince, and wow, he felt like those commune militiamen were going to eat him alive.

"Marshal Durok, can we be friends now?"

"Haha, of course, Comrade Thorne. Welcome to France. To be honest, I really didn't expect that you were one of the initiators of this German revolution. If you had told me earlier, we would have been friends when we first met."

“I said at the time, Marshal, do you believe it? And I had already hinted to you that we might meet in Paris, and now we have indeed met.”

Durok is the commander of the Eastern Theater Command. His biggest hypothetical enemy is the Rhine. The Eastern Theater Command was established to guard against the Rhine. Unexpectedly, the Rhine was the first to lead a revolution. After all that defense, why didn't you say you were an ally?

"Marshal, if you study the history of the Rhine more carefully, you might find that the Rhine Revolution was inevitable. This revolution was not initiated by me, but was initiated a hundred years ago, and it had already begun to brew at that time."

The revolution in the Rhine did not begin now, but rather matured now. The revolution in the Rhine began with the establishment of the Kingdom of the Rhine in 1814. The old predecessors had already paved the way, and Thorne was only the final step.

Even if he hadn't made that crucial last-minute save, even if he hadn't time-traveled, someone else would have made that save later on.

"I really don't understand. Ever since the French Commune government existed, I have been responsible for guarding against the Kingdom of the Rhine. Now I find that I really can't understand your family. You are unlike any other royal family in European history. You are really too strange."

Durok looked at Thorne. He was in charge of guarding against the Kingdom of Rhine, so how could he not study the history of the Kingdom of Rhine? The more you understand your opponent, the better, of course. But after Durok started studying the history of Rhine, he found that he understood the kingdom less and less. It was too strange. The more he studied, the more he felt that the kingdom was terrifyingly inspiring.

The Rhineland was initially located in western Germany, a small country that didn't even have a name. While Germany was vying for supremacy, this small country was still playing in the mud. But in the end, it rose to prominence and became the strongest kingdom in western Germany, with a sense of "the success of six generations of the Qin Dynasty." Durok, watching the Rhineland's development, felt like he was becoming a "Rhineland fanatic."

He had long sensed that something was amiss. The political atmosphere in the Rhineland had always been very open; it could be said to be the most open kingdom in Germany. It seemed that they had been preparing for this revolution since the founding of the nation. If this was true, then it was truly a long-term plan.

Those who don't understand are dangerous. They used to be enemies. Rhineland was always a formidable opponent, seemingly a natural counter to France. Durok even ranked the threat of Rhineland above Germany. Now they are friends, and he only hopes they will never be enemies again.

May our friendship last forever.

"I will not attack unless attacked. May our friendship last forever, Comrade Durok."

Durk hoped that conflict would never occur, because he was certain that France would not gain any advantage if a conflict broke out between Germany and France.

The Rhine could have spent a century planning this revolution; who knows what they're thinking right now?

476. When Humanity's Stars Shine

The world is not at peace. The German revolution has brought a new high tide to world revolutions, so this Communist International Congress is very meaningful. Conflicts between continents are intensifying, and the revolutionary situation is very promising.

Representatives from various European countries had almost all arrived. These people lived nearby, and with the success of the German Revolution, there were basically no obstacles for them to come to France. Representatives from other continents were also heading towards Paris. Here, Sauron ran into an old acquaintance.

"Joseph!"

Thorne spotted Joseph, who had come from South America, in the crowd at a glance. He had been away from Europe for several years, and if it weren't for his distinctive mustache, he wouldn't have been recognized at first glance.

"Comrade Thorne, congratulations on your revolutionary success!"

The two hugged tightly, and Thorne was so breathless from the embrace. It has to be said that Joseph's "bandit spirit" has increased considerably since arriving on the rugged continent of South America.

They became more powerful, the situation in Patagonia improved significantly, and they began planning their battle against Argentina.

"You were behind the National Bank of Argentina operation, weren't you? The investigation still hasn't been completed. I doubt anyone else could have done this."

"Haha, Comrade Thorne, I'd rather not say. Whatever you think is true."

Joseph didn't say it explicitly, but from his expression, Thorne knew that he was the one who did it. Otherwise, how could Patagonia have suddenly become rich and had such frequent trade with the Rhine during that period?

"How are you doing, Comrade Joseph? How are you adapting to life in South America? Patagonia is a small place, and you're under quite a bit of pressure."

"It is indeed quite large, but it's not a big problem."

Joseph took a sip of vodka, exhaled a long breath, and tasted the familiar flavor. He couldn't find such pure vodka in Patagonia; he was so busy every day that he had almost given up drinking.

"Comrade Soto trusts me a lot. The comrades in Patagonia are very united. Just because of this, those financiers and oligarchs in Argentina will not be able to defeat us. The revolution in South America will start in Patagonia. It won't be long before the flames of revolution are burning here."

"Be careful, Comrade Joseph. The reactionaries will surely unite to strangle you. Once Germany has recovered and rebuilt, we will resume our long-term aid to Patagonia. We wish you a successful revolution soon."

"Will do."

Joseph raised his glass to Thorne, just as Adolf came over to find Thorne. Looking at the two of them, Thorne felt it was all quite magical that they could be in the same place.

"Comrade Joseph, this is Comrade Adolf, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the German Democratic Republic. You have met him before."

"Of course, I remember."

“I remember you too, hello, Comrade Joseph.”

Adolf also raised his glass to Joseph, looking at the scene before him. These two art students wouldn't be fighting to the death in this timeline.

The atmosphere was lively, with representatives from left-wing political parties around the world chatting together. Some of them had already established their own countries, while others were still leading troops in guerrilla warfare. In any case, everyone present was fighting against international imperialism in their own way.

"Hello, Comrade Thorne, congratulations on your revolutionary success."

Many people came to talk to Thorne because he knew a lot of them. Reed had come to Europe from the United States as the acting head of the Communist Party of the United States. Reed had been managing the Communist Party of the United States base in the Great Lakes region. To be honest, because of the global economic crisis in Germany, the United States almost went to war at that time.

Hugh Iran was shot by an assassin during a speech, but fortunately he was not seriously injured. Hoover's re-election had already caused a lot of dissatisfaction. If Hugh Iran had died in that assassination, the United States would probably have exploded. Civil war almost broke out, and regional conflicts had become the norm. Just as things were developing in a more serious manner, the German Revolution broke out.

At that time, the world's attention was drawn to the German revolution, and the unrest in the United States gradually subsided. Everything seemed to have returned to normal. Hoover was successfully re-elected as President of the United States, but he dared not continue to violently resolve the issue of Iran in the South and the Communist Party of the United States in the North, fearing that he would ignite the United States, which had finally calmed down.

The United States returned to the calm before the storm. The Communist Party of the United States was not strong enough at this time, and the Red Guards were still relatively small. Rashly starting a conflict would not bring much benefit. Everyone tacitly understood this and was busy saving up their big move.

“Comrade Reed, the revolution in North America depends on you. With the strength of the Communist Party of the United States, you can become the center of the revolution in North America.”

The Communist Party in the United States is indeed very capable now. Strikes can easily draw hundreds of thousands of people to the streets. After the meeting to set things right, the surrender and compromise factions within the party were kicked out or left on their own. Hoover is currently busy dealing with the terrible American economy. If he dares to have any ulterior motives, he will have to step down tomorrow.

"The Great Lakes region is our base. Next, the Communist Party of the United States will continue to expand into the eastern region, striving to absorb more forces and win the final decisive battle. In addition, we are also seeking the support of the military to ensure that we can control several standing armies when the war begins."

Reed was thinking far ahead. Hugh Iran in the south had basically united several states in the southern United States. His influence there was even greater than that of Hoover, which was why he dared to ridicule Hoover's policies so fiercely in the South. Throughout the South, Hugh Iran had clearly become the "president," and he seemed to be ready to fight another Civil War. In the eyes of the federal government, he was a much greater threat than the Communist Party of the United States.

The group chatted for a while, mostly about the revolutionary situation in the region and the subsequent preparations. As the delegates continued to enter, the Communist International Congress was about to officially begin. Before the meeting started, someone suggested that everyone take a group photo, so that everyone could share in the joy of the German revolution's victory.

The suggestion was immediately approved by everyone, and everyone quickly found a spot. Everyone stood in front of a huge curtain, on both sides of which were the flags of left-wing political parties from various countries. Thorne noticed that the Nationalist government had also come in the crowd.

The Nationalist government was conducting the Second Northern Expedition, but Chairman Mao still came in person. He was not actually worried about the Second Northern Expedition. The Germans had all fled, and there were plenty of capable people in the Party. The results of the First Northern Expedition were very impressive. After the government's reorganization over the past few years, there was no need to worry too much this time.

Chairman Mao came here this time to discuss issues after unification. He believes that the new China will definitely need to be built, and he hopes that the Comintern can provide some assistance so that China can make some contributions to the world revolution in the future.

There were many people, and Thorne felt that he should only be able to stick his head out, but that was enough.

The photo captured under the flash is one of the most famous in the world, a photograph as significant as a group photo with a physics giant—"The Stars of Humanity."

477. Revolutionary Branch

"Thank you, comrades, for participating in this Communist International Congress. For the well-being of mankind and for the victory of communism, let us move forward together."

The conference began with introductions of the delegates present. Thorne sat in his seat, looking at the unfamiliar faces. The Communist International Congress was one of the few formal international conferences in the world.

Previously, the only thing comparable to the Comintern Congress was the German World Conference. Now that the German Empire is gone, the Comintern Congress has become the world's largest global conference.

"Comrade Maurice, Jacobin representative of the French Commune."

"Comrade Thälmann, representative of the Socialist Unity Party of the German Democratic Republic."

"Comrade Tom Mack, representative of the British Union Labour Party"

"Comrade Giulieti, Socialist Representative of the Italian People's Republic."

"Comrade Mussolini, representative of the Fascist Party of the Italian People's Republic."

"The Nationalist Government of China, represented by the Communist Party, Comrade Mao Zedong."

"Comrade Joseph, representative of the Patagonian Workers' Front and the Patagonian Workers' Party."

......

The names of the representatives participating in the meeting were read out in great numbers. Some were countries, and some were organizations. After all, there were still many places where revolution had not yet been completed. After reading them out, there were probably hundreds of political parties participating in this meeting.

"This Communist International Congress is a great victory. It is the first congress after the collapse of the German hegemonic system, and we are one step closer to our overall goal!"

Morris delivered the opening speech, which was met with applause. This was the first Comintern congress since the collapse of German hegemony. The world was finally facing an unprecedented transformation. The imperial system had collapsed, and victory was on their side.

"Let us thank our German comrades, for it was they who overthrew the hegemony of the German Empire. It is because of their arduous struggle against German imperialism that we have achieved our current victory. Let us thank our German comrades for their great struggle! Welcome them to our big family!"