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  • Tom D.

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    When Napoleon stood defeated at Waterloo in 1815, a new age dawned for Prussia. In the Congress of Vienna, the Kingdom was awarded territories in the Rhineland to compensate its losses during the Napoleonic Wars. These new territories would provide the Kingdom with new riches, but it would also be the start of difficult times for King Frederick William III.

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    In the aftermath of Napoleon’s defeat, King Frederick William III formed the Holy Alliance with the Emperor of Austria and the Tsar of Russia to ensure peace and stability on the European continent. This included countering any liberal movements that sought to undermine the authority of the absolute monarchy.

    In Prussia itself, the reform movements came to a halt in 1819. When the Russian envoy, August von Kotzebue, was killed by a radical student, the governments of the German Confederation responded with the Carlsbad Decrees. The Decrees imposed reactionary restrictions, including banning nationalist fraternities ("Burschenschaften"), removing liberal university professors and expanding the censorship of the press. Following the Decrees, notable reformers such as von Humboldt and von Beyme were sacked as ministers and replaced by more conservative figures.

    While the reactionary movement might have silenced the reformers in public, many liberals still held secret meetings to discuss their opinions on the matters of state. This tradition fostered a culture of debate and criticism, which was deeply rooted in Prussia and went back to philosophers such as Immanuel Kant. A plot soon began to form in Prussia’s highest ranks…

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    Gatherings in salons would foster a culture of critical thinking among the middle classes in Prussia.​

    At the same time, economic malaise was forcing more and more lower nobles to sell their estates to the middle class, who were not represented in government affairs. This created a situation where more and more people started demanding reform to have their voices heard.

    When revolution broke out in France in 1830, it soon spread across Europe. In July, the Bourbon King of France, Charles X, was ousted and replace by Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans. In August, unrest spread to the neighbouring United Kingdom of the Netherlands, where Belgian nationalists rose up against the Dutch monarchy. In September, unrest spread across the border into Prussian Rhineland when peasants in Aachen rose up against their rulers. Other cities in the region soon followed when King Frederick William III sent an army to deal with the unrest.

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    Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Gustaf Wappers (1834)​

    While the Belgian nationalists dealt a devastating blow to the Dutch armies in Brussels, the Prussian King had his hands full with dealing with the Rhineland insurrection. Things only got worse, however, as a mutiny broke out by the end of September of 1830. Soldiers who were ordered to fire upon the unruly peasants in Aachen simply laid down their arms and joined their fellow Germans in their call for reform.

    The situation only worsened in October when a rebellion broke out in Russian Poland, threatening to spill over into Prussia as well. The King was now torn between reinforcing the Rhineland or preventing the Polish from rising up in Eastern Prussia. And so the King did what most Kings would do in that situation, he tasked his Cabinet with finding a solution. However, political infighting soon ensued and the Cabinet was quickly torn between those who wanted to increase measures against the Polish and those who wanted to reinforce the Rhineland. Left with an indecisive Cabinet, the King took matters into his own hands and pulled back troops from the Rhineland to reinforce the border with Russian Poland.

    By December, the situation in Belgium had escalated to such an extent that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland intervened. An international conference was called together in London to decide the fate of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch King, hoping to gain support from Prussia and Russia for his cause, only met reluctance. Both the Russian Tsar and the Prussian King had their hands full with internal rebellions and could not send military support to the Dutch, the Holy Alliance had crumbled. As a result, Belgian independence was recognized and the Republic of Belgium was established.

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    The Polish Revolution would occupy the Russians for several years.​

    The success of the government in Brussels caused the revolutionaries in the Rhineland to increase their efforts and further escalated the situation. In the meantime, liberal forces in Berlin increased their pressure on King Frederick William III. As Berlin was increasingly losing control of the rich industrial Rhineland, many within the middle class started to wonder whether or not the government was capable of handling the situation. In January of 1831, this culminated in the Berlin Declaration.

    The Berlin Declaration of 1831 was an anonymous document released as a pamphlet in the government quarters of Berlin. It sparked outrage among conservatives because it called for the creation of a Constitution. People did not forget the promise Frederick William made during the Napoleonic wars to step away from absolutism and turn Prussia into a constitutional monarchy. The Berlin Declaration directly led to the spread of the revolution to the heart of Prussia, as liberal agitators organized themselves and started gathering in one of Berlin’s theatres to form a parliament.

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    The Berliner Parliament of 1831 was a short lived parliament formed by liberal agitators with the intent of establishing a Constitution for Prussia.​

    By now, the situation had become increasingly unstable in Berlin and Crown Prince Frederick William was sent onto the streets to calm down the Berlin citizenry. A road accident in which the Crown Prince was killed occurred however, causing the King to suffer from a heart attack on the 20th of January. Although the King recovered, his weakened state allowed the liberal movement to complete their plot. On the 25th of January, a retired Wilhelm von Humboldt returned to politics and approached the King with a proposal. As a prominent reformist, he held considerable power within the liberal movement. Humboldt managed to convince the King that action had to be taken in regards to the Berlin Parliament. While the Parliamentarians were drafting a radical Constitution, the King would need to appoint his own committee to draft a less radical Constitution if he wanted to remain relevant.

    And thus an ailing King agreed with von Humboldt’s proposal. A committee, comprising of both conservatives and liberals was formed to draft a Constitution for Prussia. After several weeks, their work was done and a Constitution was adopted. Known as the 1831 Prussian Constitution, the document transformed Prussia from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Berlin Parliament dissolved soon after as a result of internal divisions between moderates who adopted the 1831 Constitution and radicals who opposed it. In March of that year, the first elections were held following the system of census suffrage; only those who paid a certain amount of taxes were allowed to vote.

    The adoption of the 1831 Constitution ended the rebellion in the Rhineland and in the capital, but much of the underlying unrest remained unresolved. Peasants felt betrayed by the middle class, who stole their revolution. The nobility saw their influence reduced as a unicameral Landtag was established. And the army staff was begging for reform.

    The first elected Prussian government was headed by von Humboldt and several other moderate liberals. After enacting several economic reforms, such as the foundation of the Deutsches Zollverein in 1834, Prussia began to prosper again, alleviating some of the economic troubles of the past few years.

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    Wilhelm von Humboldt, first Minister-President of Prussia (1831-1835).​

    However, on the 8th of April 1835, von Humboldt passed away, once again sending Prussia into a state of turmoil.

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    Alongside the publication of the official Prussian state newspaper, elections have been called and a new government will have to lead the country back on track. At the moment, there are four major factions in the Landtag:
    1. The Radicals: radical liberals who think the 1831 Constitution didn’t go far enough

    2. The Liberals: moderate liberals who accept the 1831 Constitution and only propose gradual reform going forward

    3. The Conservatives: moderate conservatives who accept the idea of a Constitution but who wish to revise the current one to give the nobility some of their old influence back

    4. The Reactionaries: reactionary conservatives who reject the idea of a Constitution and who wish to return to the days of the absolute monarchy
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    Political scene of Europe in 1836​
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    Welcome to the March of the Eagle: an interactive Victoria 2 Prussia AAR where the people of the forums get to participate in the running of 19th century Prussia as it sets out in its search for glory and a permanent place in Europe’s history. Your vote will decide the patch Prussia takes in this century of progress, prosperity, social changes and… revolutions.

    If you want to make a character and join the IAAR you can by joining the Victoria 2 Prussia iAAR discord here. Please keep in character discussion solely to discord, in order to reduce clutter on the forums.

    If you just want to spectate on the forum, you can comment on posts that will be made and you can vote in the elections for the Landtag.

    Characters have 1 primary role and 1 secondary role. There are 2 primary roles and 3 secondary roles a person can pick from. These are:

    Primary role:

    Noble: Players who choose to play as nobles will have a higher standing with the King and will have the ability to ask him for favors using the favor system

    Commoner: Players who choose to play as commoners will have benefits during elections and will give a 0.5% boost to the faction they are part of.

    Secondary role:

    Capitalist: Players who play as capitalists will be able to invest in factories and infrastructure, contributing to the wealth of Prussia.

    Military Officer: Military Officers lead armies into battle and defend the homeland against foreign and domestic threats.

    Bureaucrat/Clergyman: Players who play as bureaucrats or clergymen will be the only ones who can write bills about technologies in-game and will thus be highly needed to improve Prussia’s scientific knowledge. If no one proposes technologies, the Court Statistician (played by @SibCDC) will decide.

    Character Applications are open! (and will never close!). For those of you who want to know the details of the rules in place. Click here for the Ruleset.

    Finally, we will be playing the game in Victoria 2 (duh) with both DLC enabled and with the HPM mod. For more information, just ask here or take a look at the rules linked above. Everyone is welcome to join the Discord even if they do not participate. We hope to see you soon in the first election of 1836!

    Interactivity approved by Qorten
     
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    Pre-election RP: Royal Ball and Army Reforms of 1835
  • Royal Ball and Army Reforms of 1835

    On the 19th of April 1835, a royal ball was held at the Stadtschloss in Berlin and all notable members of the Prussian nobility were invited. The reason for the ball was that Crown Prince Wilhelm was looking for a suitable wife. Ladies were to appear in dresses with Jewellery. Gentlemen were to appear in Gala Uniform or Gala Dress, all members of the military without sash. The tapes of the Order Crosses were not to be worn above the clothes.


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    Credit to @skagerakk

    When the guests arrived at the Stadtschloss, they were directed by the Master of the Court to the 4th floor, where the “Weiße Saal” had been prepared to host the ball. As prominent guests arrived and filled the room, their names were being announced. Some of the notable attendees where King Leopold I of Greece, Erich von Rabiau, Józef von Tresckow-Taczanowski, Justus von Buckler, Franz von Stockbrünn, Christoffer zu Muskau and Ludwig Henckel Von Donnersmarck. Most of them were accompanied by a female relative, hoping to marry her off to the Crown Prince.

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    When most of the guests had filled the big ball room, the King, 65 years old and looking rather sickly besides his son Wilhelm, motioned that he would hold a speech to formally start the ball:

    "Welcome fellow Kings, dukes, Grafs and other nobles. After the recent time of instability within the realm I am happy that we have once again returned to a time of peace and that my son Wilhelm has finally found the time to go looking for a wife, suitable for his standing. I am happy to see all of you today and hope that you all enjoy yourself here tonight. Now without further ado, I will leave you to it. Herr Kapellmeister, music!"

    At that the orchestra in one of the corners started playing classical music for formal dances and the Crown Prince began his rounds, talking to possible suitors. He was first introduced to Gretchen von Labiau, the niece of General der Infanterie Erich von Labiau. The two danced, after which the Crown Prince moved on to the next candidate. After Gretchen, Prinz Wilhelm was introduced to Feodora von Leiningen by King Leopold of Greece. Feodora was brought up at the British court after her father died and her mother remarried to the Duke of Kent and Strathearn, making her the half sister of Crown Princess Victoria of Great Britain. Feodora and Wilhelm bonded over German food and briefly danced a waltz, before the Crown Prince was forced to move on to the next candidate.

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    Feodora von Leiningen (°1807)

    In the meantime, the ball was not only a perfect opportunity for the Crown Prince to look for a wife, but also for the many nobles who looked for allies to invest in business opportunities. One of them, Franz von Stockbrünn had been keen on making deals with his fellow nobles. So when he was approached by Justus von Buckler, he did not let the opportunity slip and made a deal with the man. The two of them agreed on investing in a cement factory in Silesia. As von Stockbrünn would provide a majority of the capital, he would receive 70% of the profits that the factory would make, leaving 30% for von Buckler.

    After dancing with Feodora von Leiningen, the Crown Prince briefly talked to Cristoffer zu Muskau about politics and the army. Following their brief talk, the Crown Prince found a girl, left alone by her attendant. This angered the Crown Prince, even more so when it turned out that the brother of the girl, Franz von Stockbrünn, had been drinking wine at one of the tables. Von Stockbrünn only made matters worse by responding he had been making important business deals. Somewhat annoyed by von Stockbrünn’s apparent greed, Prinz Wilhelm continued to the next candidate and was introduced to Ludwig Henckel von Donnersmarck’s sister, Agata. The two talked and danced, but Wilhelm was already becoming tired as a result of the many interactions. Luckily for the Crown Prince, the King was even more tired and decided to call it a day. After the King and the Crown Prince left, the orchestra played for another hour before formally ending the ball.

    Several days after the ball, Crown Prince Wilhelm announced his marriage with Feodora von Leiningen, setting the foundation for a strong future relationship with the British Crown. Wilhelm’s brothers Carl and Albrecht also announced their marriages, respectively with Gretchen von Labiau and Agata Henckel von Donnersmarck. As the Prussian Royal family would celebrate, elections were on the doorstep and the different factions in the Landtag were organizing themselves.

    On the 25th of April 1835 the King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm III., ordered the reorganization of the army. The VI. Korps is to be disbanded and the regiments within reassigned: The artillery regiment to the I. Korps and the cavalry to the II. Korps. The II. Kavalleriebrigade (Dragoon) from the V. Korps is to be disbanded an the III. Kavalleriebrigade (Dragoon) will be reassigned to the III. Korps. The goal of the reorganization is, that every Korps has 6 infantry, 2 cavalry (1 Dragoon, 1 Cuirassier) and 4 artillery regiments. All Korps that do not currently follow this new doctrine are to begin recruitment at the nearest city. Generalmajor Erich von Labiau is to be promoted to Generalleutant and given command over the I. Korps, stationed in Berlin, as General Friedrich von Moltke is retiring. Oberstleutnant Christoffer zu Muskau is to be promoted to Generalmajor and given command over the II. Korps, stationed in Breslau and replace General von Roon. Oberst Hans Carstein shall be promoted to Konteradmiral and be given command of the Prussian Navy in Danzig. General Eduard Vogel von Falckenstein, formerly commanding the VI. Korps in Kobenz will be given command over the IV. Korps, stationed in Stralsund, to replace the deceased Prince Friedrich Wilhelm. The IV. Korps is to relocate to Koblenz and meet von Falckenstein there.


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    Credit to @skagerakk
     
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    Elections of 1835 - Factions and speeches
  • With the death of Prussia's first Minister-President in 1835, Prussia went into a state of turmoil forcing the King to call for new elections. 4 loosely organised factions in the Landtag will compete for their seats in the Landtag and have elected leaders, who each gave a speech leading up to the elections which was published in the Allgemeine Preußische Staats-Zeitung, the official governmental newspaper.

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    Allgemeine_Preuische_Staats-Zeitung_2_3.png
    (Ah Gothic, at least I think it is: marvelous invention of the arts, even if a little tricky to read)

    4 factions, 4 choices: who do you want to give control over Prussia? Decide now and vote below. Voting stations across Prussia are open until Friday 18:00/6PM CEST (check the link for a quick conversion to your local timezone).
    https://forms.gle/knsnuXsVyRxBoJw26
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    Election results of 1835, Duels forbidden for Officers and the Crown Prince got married
  • The voting stations all across Prussia have been closed! Votes have been cast and votes have been counted. Without further ado, these are the results of the 1835 elections for the Prussian Landtag:

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    We had 41 people voting in our very first elections, a very good result for a first time. We hope many more people will join us over time, both in the voting stations and in the Landtag itself. We will hold our first Landtag session tomorrow at 20:00 CEST/8PM CEST. After the Landtag session, we will start the first 5 years of gameplay. Until then!
     
    The Formation of a Government and the 1835 Landtag Session
  • The Formation of a Government and the 1835 Landtag Session

    Soon after the 1835 elections, the King and the Crown Prince started the process to form a government by inviting all major faction leaders to his palace in Berlin. After hearing them out, they decided it would be best for the country to be ruled by a Liberal-Conservative coalition government. The highest priority for this government would be to approve a budget for 1836 and 1837 to balance the economic damage of the last few years. After appointing Josef Emmanuel Weingart to the position of Minister-President, the Crown Prince and the Minister-President went over the most important decisions that would have to be made to run the country. A foreign policy was outlined to bring Hannover, Saxony and Bavaria into Prussia's sphere of influence, and in addition Prussia would allign itself with the United Kingdom. Diplomatic backchannels between the UK and Prussia soon established a formal military alliance between the two countries. The Minister-President and the Crown Prince also outlined the national focus for Prussia's domestic policy. The local government of Brandenburg would encourage soldiers, while in the Rheinland the construction of basic industry was also encouraged.

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    List of Passed Bills:
    Railroad Interest Act (Written by Karl Braun, Liberal Faction)
    Railroads are becoming a important part of industry around the world and Europe, to get a head start we must invest in its development, to do this we must research it and it’s logistics to start our railroad boom for Prussian cities and industry by subsidizing engineers to look into the logistics and engineering need to install and build railroads around Prussia.
    Ingame Effect- Research Experimental Railroad

    Scientific Research Act (Written by Lutz von Sommer, Radical Faction)
    Science is the future and thus we should spend our time furthering our knowledge of the different sciences especially when it comes to newer fields like Chemistry and Biology where a new breakthrough might help us discover a whole new realm of possibilites.
    In-game effect - Research Medicine

    Child Protection Act (Written by Karl Braun, Liberal Faction)
    While Prussian children should be able to help provide for their families, restrictions are need to safeguard our children from abuse, or getting themselves seriously hurt in the factory, therefore the Child Protection Act shall forbid privately owned and goverment owned factories from employing children younger than the age of 9 and only allow children under the age of 16 to work up to max 10 hours a day.
    Ingame Effect - set law to “Child Labour Restricted”

    Budget Proposal for 1836 (Written by MP Josef Emmanuel Weingart with oversight from Moderate Coalition membership)
    To address the ongoing budget deficit, the Coalition government established with the King's favor presents the following emergency measures for the year of 1836.
    1. An increase on various labor and land taxes, resulting in an overall 20% increase to Lower Class taxation.
    2. An increase on dues from various Artisan Guilds, resulting in an overall 10% increase to Middle Class taxation.
     
    1836-1838: Gameplay and Roleplay update
  • 1836-1838: Gameplay and Roleplay update

    In line with the Railroad Interest Act, Prussia started focussing its research on experimental railroads. Several missions were sent to the United Kingdom to learn of this novelty. Prominent engineers from the Rhineland managed to strike a deal with some British capitalists who were favorable to the Prussian cause. These engineers returned with valuable information on how these railroads could connect various cities and industrial centers across the country. A team of experts was quickly formed to work out the details; how wide should tracks be? How long can trains be before them become impossible to move? How much coal is needed in getting a train running? Etc. etc. Academical circles in Prussia's universities were excited about all the possible experiments they could do with this new technology.

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    In the meantime, the 1836 Budget was implemented, increasing taxes for the Lower Classes to 70% and to 60% for the Middle Classes. The Budget did not however touch the expenses on the national stockpile, causing the large deficit to persist. As a result, the executive branch would eventually be forced to implement an emergency budget in March of 1836. This increased taxes for the Lower Classes to the max and reduced spending on upkeeping the national stockpile to a minimum. A temporary balance was found, but the emergency budget would only remain in place for two years and would need to be either confirmed or adjusted by the Landtag in 1838.

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    In the meantime, Prussia's diplomats had worked hard to establish foreign relations across Europe. In addition to an alliance with Britain, alliances were also made with the Two Sicilies (1836), Sweden (1836) and Sardinia-Piedmont (1837). An alliance was also offered by Denmark, but the King refused because he feared this would upset the Swedish. These alliances resulted in a sort of duality within Prussian foreign policy. On the one hand, Prussia had secured its maritime trade by allying Britain and Sweden, thus protecting the trade fleet in both the North Sea and the Baltic. On the other hand, Prussia's new Italian allies opened up the possibility of forming a front against both the French and the Austrians should the need arise. By the beginning of 1838, Prussia's alliance system looked as following:

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    On November 10th 1836, a major breakthrough was made in the field of experimental railroads. A first successful test with a steam-powered train on a small piece of track just outside of Berlin attracted enough investors to kick off the Great Railway Expansion. Soon, construction of railway tracks would commence across the country to connect towns and industrial centers. In the meantime, Prussia's research focus had already moved on to improving medicinal knowledge. Especially applications on the battlefield were of particular interest to the Prussian government.

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    By December of 1837, the first railroad in Prussia was established between the important harbour city of Stettin and Kolberg. Spectators from around the region, and capitalists from across the country flocked to Kolberg to watch the first passenger train arrive in the city. Many marvelled at the wonder of modern technology, but a small group of agitators accused the train driver of doing the Devil's work.

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    When the year 1838 arrived, optimism about the future of Prussia abruptly ended when King Friedrich Wilhelm III passed away and was succeeded by his son King Wilhelm I. Not long into Wilhelm's reign, a scandal embroiled the conservative and reactionary parties. After a news report arrived from the Holstein-Mecklenburg border, several conservative and reactionary politicians were arrested and charged with High Treason for attempting to stage an international incident that would force the King to go to war. The trials that followed were bitter and saw three of Prussia's military leaders court-martialled, leaving the I. and II. Armies, as well as the Royal Prussian Navy, without an active leader.

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    Credit to @skagerakk for making this amazing newspaper.
     
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    1838-1840: Landtag Session, Gameplay and Roleplay update
  • 1838-1840: Landtag Session, Gameplay and Roleplay update

    The 1838 Landtag Session did not see much action. As the Minister-President himself could not attend, his job to guide the debates was temporarily taken over by a lower bureaucrat. Due to the limited amount of bills, there wasn't even that much to debate. The most important bill on the docket was undoubtedly the Emergency Budget Extension, which called for an affirmation of the emergency measures by the executive branch. The bill passed easily and the emergency budget has now been extended until further notice. In addition, three more bills were on the docket, including one which was unconstitutional and one which called for an invasion of West Africa and was thus ignored.

    List of passed bills:
    Commercial Structure Act (Written by MP Josef Emmanuel Weingart, Liberal Faction)
    With railways being built across the nation, now more than ever the Prussian markets require official, national structuring. With proper structuring, our gross production and profit will improve as from the Rhineland to Poznan craftsmen and laborers will have equal footing in their market knowledge.
    Effect: Research Market Structure

    Emergency Budget Extension (Written by Wilhelm Hoth, Conservative Faction)
    The Prussian economy hasn't fully recovered. With economic reforms in sight, the current emergency budget shall be kept until the financial situation of the Kingdom Of Prussia has greatly improved, which will be done by further economic incentives and reforms.
    Effect: The Prussian emergency budget shall be upheld until further notice

    In July of 1838, a scandal rocked Pomerania as a local politician was involved in somewhat of a scandal. After a newspaper reported about the man's supposed love affaire, the politician become the running gag of the town. The man, infuriated with the slanderous newspaper, has urged the local court to ban the newspaper on grounds of 'breach of morality and public trust'. The local court agreed with the politician that articles like this should not be allowed to influence the public opinion, especially not with elections ahead. The newspaper was banned from publishing in the future, but this action has angered Liberals and Radicals in the region.

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    In July of '38, the government's research program into medicine was completed and in accordance with the Commercial Structure Act Prussian economic scientists soon began looking into Market Structures and their applications in the field. If the economy could be directed from above, output of Prussia's industries could be increased, some thought. Others preferred Laissez Faire economics, which would give the market the chance to grow on its own without government interference.

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    In November of '38, Prussian educator Adolph Diesterweg published his guidelines for teachers. As a teacher at a state-school in Berlin himself, he tried to implement new ways of educating the country's youth. One of those new ways was a non-sectarian view on religious education and his pupils often knew as much about Catholicism and Judaism as they did about their own Protestant denominations. Diesterweg's view regularly got him into trouble with his surperiors or even with the local authorities, but his guidelines for teaching are a great contribution to Prussia's education system nonetheless.

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    Later that month however, West Prussia was the scene of an unlawful public meeting of the Prussian Chartist Club. The Club rallied in the port city of Danzig to demand an extension of voting rights. Before the unlawful rally would get out of hand, the local division of the Landgendarmerie intervened and send the agitators home while arresting the ring leaders. Unrest in the region, however, continues to spread as more and more radicals demand the expansion of voting rights.

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    In November of 1839, Prussia foreign policy finally paid off when Hanover was added to its sphere of influence. It marked a successful first step in the King's effort to expand Prussia's influence within the German Confederation, at the expense of Austria. Once Hanover was firmly within Prussia's control, the focus of Prussia's diplomatic corps shifted towards Schleswig-Holstein, which was at this point still a satellite state of Denmark.

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    Credit to @skagerakk for making this newspaper.
     
    Election Post of 1840
  • 5 years have passed since the previous elections, which saw a combined liberal and radical majority, which did not lead to a government though, due to skillful intervention of the King. Although signs of weaknesses in this coalition have already shown itself, it is now up to the voters again to dictate the actions of the factions in the Landtag and what coalition and government will come out of these elections. The options are still the same as during the last elections: radicals, liberals, conservatives and reactionaries all vie for your vote. Shortly before voting stations all across Prussia opened, the state newspaper released its newspaper once again with the speeches of each factions' leader.

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    Who will you grant the possibility to rule? You decide. Voting stations are now open and will remain open until Saturday 18:00 CEST/6PM CEST.

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    1840 Election Results and the formation of a Conservative-Reactionary Government
  • 1840 Election Results and the formation of a Conservative-Reactionary Government

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    After the election results were made public, the leader of the Conservatives, Wilhelm Hoth, sat together with the leader of the Reactionaries, Alfred von Neidenburg, to talk about the possibility of a coalition. Not long after, Wihelm Hoth was summoned to the Royal Palace to discuss the matter. After a short meeting with the King, Conservative parliamentarian Josef Stanislaus von Heidelberg was proclaimed as the new Minister-President by Royal Decree.

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    In preparation of the 1840 Landtag session, the government looked as following:

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    1840 Landtag Session and Gameplay 1840-1841
  • 1840 Landtag Session and Gameplay 1840-1841

    The 1840 Landtag Session was rather uneventful, despite the many bills on the docket. In the end the following bills were passed:
    Tariff Bill of 1840 (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    Prussian goods struggle in our very own land against foreign goods. We must raise tariffs in order to support our domestic industry and agriculture.
    Effect: Raise tariffs by 5%

    Expansion and Intervention Act of 1840 (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    Our industry must be supported if Prussia hopes to prosper. Our highly profitable steel operations in the Rhineland must be expanded immediately to make way for greater production. In addition, our struggling artillery factory must be supported until it is profitable on its own for the good of our army’s strength.
    Effect: Expand Steel Factory in Rhineland and Subsidize Artillery Factory in Westfalen

    Artillery Research Bill (Written by Karl Braun, Liberal Faction)
    To help modernize our glorious Prussian military, we should get the help of private industry to research and advance our military's artillery equipment so it's more reliable and hopefully causes some more damage to our enemies' infantry on the battlefield.
    Effect: Research Iron Muzzle-Loaded Artillery

    Philosophy School Bill (Written by Karl Braun, Liberal Faction)
    To promote higher learning in our Prussian univercities we should promote the study of multiple philosophies to help create the next generation of Prussian business owners and politicians and to promote the research of new technolgies to bring prosperity to Prussia.
    Effect: Reseach Idealism


    The Feldjäger Act (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    To further the security of our government, and prevent radical elements from corrupting the root of Prussian society, a newly raised I. Feldjäger Korps will be given investigative jurisdiction, riot control duties, and military police responsibilities in Berlin and Potsdam effective immediately. A permanent detachment of Feldjägers will remain on post in Berlin ready to respond to any threats to the King, Landtag, or other elements of the government. The leader of this detachment will be chosen by the King, and the detachment will function (as before) under the direct command of his Royal Majesty.
    During times of war, the Feldjäger will serve as part of the regular army, under the direction and assignment of the King.
    Effect: Raise 8 Artillery and 4 Cavalry (2 Dragoon and 2 Cuirassier) in Berlin, during times of war, mobilized infantry will join to make a full army
    (This bill was postponed by the King and the Minister-President to prevent an overextension of manpower and resources)

    In line with the Tariff Bill of 1840, tariffs were raised to 5%, generating a small income from taxes on the import of foreign goods. Although relatively insignificant, Chamber of Commerces across the land would start to feel the consequences of this small implementation of barriers.


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    In February, the Prussian embassy in Hannover reported a request from the government of Hannover. The country which was recently added to Prussia's sphere of influence offered an alliance with Prussia. King Wilhelm I and his Minister-President were glad to receive the offer and immediately sent a message back, confirming the formal alliance between the two countries.

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    In April of 1840, a festival was held in Frankfurt to celebrate the works of Mozart. Frankfurt, which functioned as the centre for the German Confederation, quickly became a stage for a demonstration in favour of political unification of Germany. The question has become more and more prominent in the streets and many wonder whether it will be Prussia or Austria who will take the lead in this manner.

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    Soon after the Mozart Festival, the Philosophy School Bill kicked into action as research on Market Structure was finished.

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    In October of 1840, however, there were signs that liberal agitation across the country might begin to stir the populace. At the moment it mainly remained limited to the Rhineland, but the King feared for a disastrous repeat of 1830-1831.

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    Not long after, in December of 1840, a liberal newspaper was censored by the King and His government to prevent the spread of agitation.

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    In March of 1841, rumors about a secret society reached the ears of the government. These rumors suggested that a group like the Illuminati could be behind the liberal agitation of the recent months. The King waved it off as simple rumors, and besides, the right to gather peacefully in enclosed spaces was guaranteed by the Constitution so he couldn't do anything anyway.

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    In March, the Prussian King was approached by the city state of Krakow with a formal request for an alliance. The King, fearing that Austria would ignore the statute of Krakow determined in Vienna in 1815, accepted Krakow's offer and extended a guarantee of independence to the small country.

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    In May of 1841, word reached the ears of the King that a local branch of the Chartist Society had been set up in one of Prussia's provinces to campaign for universal male suffrage. The King, fearing a repeat of 1831, ordered his police forces to suppress the society and kill the movement before it even gained traction.

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    In June, a message arrived from Lübeck. It appeared that their government was forced to default when it became clear their treasury was practically empty. The Prussian treasury, which had extended several loans to Lübeck was angered by this fact, lobbying with the government to enforce sanctions in the German Confederation. The government held a cool head and just warned Lübeck to better pay their debts from now on.

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    In August, it became clear that the efforts of the government to contain the Chartist movement in Prussia had failed as the local branch that they had tried to shut down now organized an illegal rally. Without hesitation, the Conservative-Reactionary government ordered the local police forces to deal with the situation as efficient as possible.

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    In September of 1841, the Chamber of Commerce of Cologne lodged an angry protest against the government's economic policies. Primarily the raise in tariffs formed a major point in many of the complaints. Among them, Ruprecht Birnbaum, an importer of luxury goods, threatened to take this issue to the national level, and did so during the 1841 Liberal Convention.

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    In November of 1841, a poetical pamphlet circulated calling out the political backwardness of the Prussian government. The pamphlet has inspired many local branches of the Radical and Liberal Factions to consider taking it to the streets and protest against the government. The government is stern in their defence of the old order and is prepared to do anything to prevent a repeat of 1831. For now, their preparations remain limited to a couple of bill proposals in the Landtag.

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    In December of 1841, the Deutschlandlied written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben gained traction within several movements that called for German unification. As the issue became more and more apparent, tensions between Prussia and Austria were on the rise. Both held ambitious plans for the German Confederation, but neither like the other one's plan.

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    Between 1840 and 1842, there were also some newspapers made by our players, you can check them out below.

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    Credit to @skagerakk

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    Credit to @Sjwallace

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    Credit to torson
     
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    1842 Landtag Session and 1842-1844 Gameplay
  • 1842 Landtag Session and 1842-1844 Gameplay

    In the 1842 Landtag Session, several important bills were on the docket. With liberal agitation spreading across the land, the Conservatives proposed a bill that would prepare Prussia's armies for the inevitable confrontation. In the end, the following bills passed:
    Administration Development Initiative (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    New political thought is growing across Europe. To ensure our enlightened government stays at the forefront of development in administration and government, we must subsidize research and think-tanks on the matter.
    Effect: Research Ideological Thought, and then State and Government (After all current queued research has finished)

    Military Readiness Act (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    Tensions rise in Central Europe. To ensure our grand Army remains poised to act in Prussia’s time of need, we must raise spending on vital military assets.
    Effect: Raise Army National Stockpile spending to 35%

    Tax reduction for the high class (Written by Wilhelm Hoth, Conservative Faction)
    The Prussian industry is struggling and as such the government shall aid as much as possible. One way is to ease the conditions for capitalists and lowering the taxes.
    Effect: lowers taxes by 5% on the high class

    Royal Prussian Railway Administration Act (Written by Minister-President von Heidelberg, Conservative Faction)
    With the ever growing Prussian economy the need to improve the transportation in the industrial areas of the Kingdom also grows. We should promptly establish a national body that would prevent useless railroads and prioritise those areas who are in desperate need of such transportation. A Königlich Preußische Eisenbahn-Verwaltung (K.P.E.V.) will be established effective immediately, under the oversight of the Ministry of Trade and Commerce.
    Effect: Any private railroad construction has to be approved according to it's priority by the King. State-run railroad projects will be coordinated by the K.P.E.V.

    Silesian Defense Initiative (Written by Afred von Neidenburg, Reactionary Faction)
    The Austrian empire is a rising enemy to Prussia and its independence, as well as its influence within the German confederation. In order to protect what our grandfathers and our kings fought for, it is essential that we construct a line of strong fortifications which can repel the enemy until the full might of Prussia can be brought to bear.
    Effect: Begin construction on forts in every Prussian province that borders Austria or Saxony.

    And so taxes on the Upper Classes were reduced by 5% and spending on the stockpile for the army was increased to 35%


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    On March 31, research on Idealism was finished and the focus shifted to Iron Muzzle-loaded Artillery. Once completed, that new technology would surely deal with any insurgency that decided to poke its ugly head out.

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    As all across Prussia, liberal agitation spread, an event occurred in Hamburg which would see a sign of true German comradery. As a huge fire destroyed most of the city and lots of people were left without a home, the King of Prussia and his government decided to donate money for reconstruction and send all the help that the people of Hamburg would need. The act further established the fact that Prussia would soon lead all of the German states in a union of brotherhood and kinship.

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    Liberal agitation further spread across Prussia, with several student organizations rallying around the topics of Free Press and Universal Suffrage. Illegal rallies were held and dispersed by police forces. But in November of '42, the King received an urgent message from the United Kingdom, Prussia's loyal ally, requesting to them to join the British in their war against Egypt. Even though Prussia had no naval capability and thus no ability to send troops to Egypt, the King accepted in order to keep his alliance with the British. Not much later, the Opium War between the British and the Qing would also break out. Britain was truly overextending itself on multiple fronts.

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    While more and more liberals took it onto the streets, research on improved artillery was finished and work soon began on Ideological Thought within the government. As the confrontation between liberals and conservatives grew bigger by the day, the conservatives needed ideological weapons to fight against this threat.

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    In July of '43, it finally happened. What began as a hot Summer day, ended in utter chaos. All across Prussia, Jacobin rebels had risen to overthrow the government. Their longing for more freedom had reached the boiling point and now they wished to grab those freedoms by force. The King and the Minister-President implemented an emergency budget to fully fund the military. The armies of Prussia fought valiantly and in the end, they were victorious and defeated the rebels. It took until the end of September of that year until the last remnants of the revolution were dealt with.

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    In the meantime, the diplomatic envoys of Prussia had been smooth talking Carlist Spain to draw them into an alliance with Prussia. The wise King of Spain saw that this alliance would counter French influence in Europe and agreed to the proposal. The French were not pleased to say the least. After their alliance with Austria had failed, they were now isolated and surrounded on all sides. Not long after, they announced their official alliance with Russia. Should Prussia declare war on France now, it would have to fight a two-front war, but so would the French.

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    In December of '43, a message arrived from Krakow stating that their alliance with Prussia was no longer needed as they had found the protection of Russia. Should Austria try to end Krakovian souvereignity now, they would find themselves at war with the biggest war machine on the European continent.

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    As chartist rallies continued in Prussia, even after the horrendous revolt of '43, Alsacian nationalists rose up within France's borders. For a brief moment, the streets of Prussia calmed down as everyone held their breath and prayed for the success of these nationals. However, they were quickly dealt with once the French army arrived in the region and put the revolt down.

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    In May of '44, the worst happened, again. Jacobin rebels rose up once again to overthrow the government and install more freedoms. Yet this time, they had directly attacked the garissoned armies of Prussia. In Königsberg and Breslau, they even had the upper hand. An emergency session of the Landtag was immediately called by the King and Minister-President von Heidelberg. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Liberals and the Conservatives formed a temporary alliances and voted in favour of a press reform. The freedom of the press was added to the Constitution and the revolt quickly lost many of its supporters. Only the largest revolt armies were able to hold together. During the battles that followed, Minister-President von Heidelberg died on the battlefield of Küstrin while leading his army. Nonetheless, by July off '44, the revolution was successfully dealt with.

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    In the meantime, Britain had also ended the Opium War and had now gained control over the port city of Hong Kong. British presence in China would be a lasting one for the next couple of decades.

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    Once the Conservatives had found their Ideological Thought, work soon began on improving the State & Government administrations of the country. If Prussia wanted to become a true uniter of Germany, it would need a sturdy and efficient administration that was able to incorporate the elements of all the minor nations that made up the German Confederation.

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    Newspapers for this period:

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    Election Post of 1845
  • 5 years have passed again and it is once again time for elections.
    The Conservative-Reactionary Government managed to hold on during turbulent times. The past 5 years saw civil unrest and strife for more freedoms, how this will translate into the elections only time can tell.
    Will the Liberals and Radicals be able to capitalize on the new freedoms or will the bloodshed wkae reactionary and conservative tendencies within the voter, being appalled by all the violenc?
    You decide!

    Once again the Königlich Preußischer Staats-Anzeiger releaes all the speeches in an election special edition:
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    Poltical parties release pamphlets to promote their ideals and gain support:
    Liberals:
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    Conservative:
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    Reactionary:
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    Radical:
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    Vote now!
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    1845 Election Results
  • 1845 Election Results

    The election results are out, read them in this newspaper made by @skagerakk!

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    1845-1849: Gameplay and Landtag Sessions
  • 1845-1849: Gameplay and Landtag Sessions
    1845 Landtag Session

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    After the King appointed Wilhelm Hoth, one of his Conservative Military Officers, to the position of Minister-President, Hoth led a Conservative-Liberal goverment in the 1845 Landtag Session, which saw a lot of activity due to the many new members joining the legislative body. In the end, the following bills were passed:
    Mechanized Mining Act (Written by Joseph Emmanuel Weingart, Liberal Faction)
    In order to continue our nation's industrialization program, it is vital we support innovation in the field of automation. With this in mind, we must subsidize our vast coal mining industry in Silesia and the Rhineland with new, mechanized, assistance for existing mining operations.
    Effect: Research Semi-Automatization

    Military Developments Act (Written by Volker von Geishof, Reactionary Faction)
    War seems almost inevitable, whether one likes it or not. The prussian military must be ready, our men equiped with up to date armorments and our officers familliar with modern military doctrine. For the security of Prussia.
    Effect: Research Army Professionalism, Muzzle-Loaded Rifles, and Military Plans.

    Tariff Reduction Act of 1845 (Written by Ruprecht Birnbaum, Liberal Faction)
    Tariffs on foreign imports are destroying businesses that solely rely on the import of high quality products which can not be found within Prussia, such as cacao, tobacco, coffee and tea. In order to relieve the pressure on these businesses, tariffs shall be lowered to 2%.
    Effect: Reduce tariffs to 2%


    Gameplay 1845-1847

    In July of 1845, the first exotic animals arrived in the Zoological Garden of Berlin, which had been established a year earlier. Berlin followed the examples of London and Antwerp and displayed animals from all over the world to the public. In the minds of young children, this would sow an interest in far away continents such as Africa and Asia. Maybe grown up, these children will be at the forefront of Prussia's colonial empire.

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    In 1846, as the result of a publication about the Roman Republic's last days by Alexander Hartmann of the Liberal Faction, a fierce debate about the Classics and Roman history began. Many scholars, politicians and intellectuals around the country rediscovered the Classics. In the wake of this new movement, the ideas of freedom of the Roman Republicans and the Greek city states gained a renewed traction within Prussia.

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    In February of '46, the King received news that Austria was planning to end Krakow's existance. As this would be a clear violation of the Treaty of Vienna, King Wilhelm sent an angry letter to the Austrian Emperor. Prussia would not tolerate any Austrian interference in Krakow. Some Polish Prussians felt emboldened by the King's insistance on guaranteeing Krakow's independence and hoped for a brighter future of Poles within Prussia itself.

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    Ignoring Prussian warnings, the Austrians declared war on Krakow on the 15th of April. King Wilhelm was enfuriated, and the seeds were laid for a future conflict. Krakovian resistance did not take long to bow before the strong Austrian army and by June an independent Krakow was no more.

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    In the meantime, technologies to semi-automate factory processes was being researched in Prussia's factories and universities. The idea of automatization was welcomed by many factory owners, but more and more craftsmen saw these so called machines as tools of the Devil. No major incidents have been reported yet, but it is only a matter of time until the craftsmen of Prussia take revenge against the Devil's machines.

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    1845-1847 Newspapers

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    Credit to @skagerakk

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    Credit to torson

    1847 Landtag Session

    The 1847 Landtag Session was temporarily led by Hermann von Heidelberg, brother of the late Minister-President von Heidelberg, and saw many debates with topics ranging from war with Austria to the state of Prussia's healthcare system, and even two Amendments to the Constitution. In the end, the following bills were passed:
    Logical Research Act (Written by Lutz von Sommer, Radical Faction)
    If we wish to improve the lives of our people and use science to increase their quality of life we first must continue to delve into the sciences to find new ways to do so
    Effect: Research Inorganic Chemistry and Empiricism as soon as avaliable

    Children of Prussia Act (Written by Benedict Eichwald, Radical Faction)
    Our children are the future of this nation, having these children properly educated will positively impact the ability of Prussia to invest in research.
    Effect: - Change education system to acceptable education.

    National Research Act (Written by Karl Braun, Liberal Faction)
    Many in Europe are developing the Idea of Nationalism, Essentially one for ones country, While Prussia has some of this already, It is Growing, A United German Nationalism, we should Use this to our Advantage, So we may one day Unite Germany under the Prussian Crown!
    Effect: Research Nationalism & Imperialism as soon as it becomes available

    Healthcare Reform Act (Written by Alexander Hartmann, Liberal Faction)
    To prevent sickness from taking over the country and to ensure efficent workers, the state will assist in the provision of healthcare to the people. Effect: Set healthcare to trinket


    1847-1849 Gameplay

    Emboldened by the King's apparent support for the Polish cause, prominent members of Polish society met in Paris in March of '47 to discuss Polish independence. Not only did Prussian Poles attend, but also Austrian and Russian Poles. When informed about this occassion, the King waved it off as a temporary trend. Poland shall not return to the map of Europe any time soon.


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    In July, an outbreak of tuberculosis occurred in one of Prussia's provinces. The improved healthcare system as a result of the Healthcare Reform Act was however unable to prevent a large loss of life and many poor people were infected with the disease. In the end, the only way to prevent the spread of the disease was to install a quarantine on the infected.

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    As soon as 1848 began, it became clear that it would be a year of revolts throughout Europe. The causes of Liberalism and Nationalism united and agitated many people around the continent. In France, a new revolution was on the horizon, and even in Republican Belgium the idea of an insurrection was not so outlandish. In Prussia, the population was becoming ever more agitated by the radical press. As a result, the King and his Cabinet did not hesitate to initiate another emergency budget and increase spending on the military stockpiles. Prussia would not be caught off guard, in contrary to 43-44.

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    While the streets of Paris were being barricaded by Republicans, the Hungarians rose up against their Habsburg rulers. For Prussia it seemed like the ideal moment to strike at their enemy, but worries about a revolution at home kept the Prussian armies in Brandenburg to protect the King.

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    Once research on Semi-Automatization was completed, work soon began on Muzzle-loaded Rifles. The idea of either a large revolution, or a war with Austria led the King to believe that better weapons were necessary to prepare the Prussian army for conflict.

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    In August of '48, Schleswig Holstein broke free from Denmark after a brief war. Prussia was able to quickly gain influence in the country and added Schleswig Holstein to their sphere of influence, to much protest from both the Danish and the Austrians. But neither could do anything as both were preoccupied by revolutions and revolts.

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    In January of '49, the Revolution finally arrived in Prussia, albeit under a mild form. Pomeralian nationalists rose up in Danzig, but were easily defeated by the III. Korps under Friedrich Krüger.

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    And thus the Revolution ended for Prussia, with little bloodshed and the King remaining in a strong position. Other nations had not fared too well, as Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte pressured the French King into appointing him as Prime Minister. Many expect the Orléanist monarchy to fall soon and be replaced by another Bonaparte. In Austria, a war was still raging between the Austrians and the Hungarians. The moment arrived for Prussia to claim its position as leader of the North German nations.

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    As soon as Muzzle-loaded Rifles were researched, the King took a look at the Warplans that his General Staff had prepared in earlier years. War with Austria was on the horizon, and it was time to start the timetables for the invasion.

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    The King would soon have his reason for a war, as Austrian diplomats pressured Saxony into banning the Prussian ambassador from entering the country in retaliation for Prussia's growing influence in Schleswig Holstein. A international scandal soon ensued and Wilhelm I declared war on Austria, calling upon his allies to join his cause. Austria did the same and called its allies to war. The result was a German Civil War where North German states were led by Prussia against South German states led by Austria.

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    The opening moves of the war saw an invasion of Kaiserslautern and Mainz in the West, while Saxony was invaded in the East.

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    In Kaiserslautern, the Prussian army engaged with Bavarian mobilized troops, which were easily defeated.

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    Not longer after the Battle of Kaiserslautern, the Prussian invasion forces in Saxony won the Battle of Dresden and another Bavarian mobilization force was defeated in the Battle of Aschaffenburg.

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    Another battle soon occurred in Dresden once mobilized troops had fortified themselves in a fort near the city. Prussian numeral advantage was easily able to break through and capture the Saxon army.

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    Near the end of July, the Saxon forces tried one last desperate time to break the siege on their capital, but they failed and were utterly defeated. A few days later, another Bavarian army was destroyed, this time in Meiningen.

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    In September, Tuscan forces tried to invade Prussia proper, but Prussian fortifications proved too hard to break. One of the armies, under the leadership of Aldric Hoffman, were pulled back to deal with the invasion. They were successful in breaking the siege of Breslau and persued the Tuscans further in land until they were finally dealt with at Küstrin.

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    In the meantime, another Bavarian army was defeated at the Battle of Würzburg and the first direct Prusso-Austrian confrontation occurred at the Battle of Karlsbad. So far it looked like Prussia had the upper hand, undoubtedly the result of superior technologies and the fact that Austria was still preoccupied with the Hungarian insurrection.

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    Two more battles would occur before the end of the war. In Bayreuth, the Bavarians were once again defeated by an overwhelming Prussian force, while the Austrians were defeated at Karlsbad for a second time. After these two battles, King Wilhelm offered the Austrians a peace deal, where Saxony would be removed from Austria's sphere of influence and added to the one of Prussia. The wise Emperor of Austria recognized his defeat and agreed to sign the deal. Prussia was now the undisputed leader of the North German states.

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    When King Wilhelm I thought peace had finally arrived, his British ally requested Prussia's help to reclaim the Holy Land from Egypt. As a man of deep faith, the King accepted, even though there was no chance Prussia could send any troops to the Middle East.

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    1850 Newspapers

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    Credit to @skagerakk
     
    State of the World in 1850
  • State of the World in 1850

    In Europe, Austria stands defeated at the hands of Prussia, but was nonetheless able to bring the Hungarians back into the fold. In France, the Revolution of 1848 had succeeded in bringing a Bonaparte back to the highest echelons of government. It is expected that within the following years, King Louis-Philippe will be overshadowed by Louis Napoléon and will be forced to abdicate. In the meantime, Belgium is still suffering from an insurrection in Luxemburg.

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    In the Far East, the Qing Emperor of China is fighting against a Christian rebellion. The Shogunate of Japan still remains a divided nation, but the idea of political modernization is gaining traction.

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    In the Far West, the United States has defeated Mexico in a war after the two had a dispute over Texas. Now that the war has ended, the US has successfully annexed Texas as a State into the Union, while guaranteeing the independence of Rio Grande as a buffer state against Mexico.

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    Formation of Parties in 1848 and Elections of 1850
  • With 1848 rolling around the old system of loose voting blocs, called factions, finally broke down completely with many new parties emerging within the Landtag:

    Freikonservative Partei (Free Conservative Party ):
    Current Party Leader:
    Wilhelm Hoth
    Founding Date: 4th May 1848
    Ideology: Conservative
    Motto: Wohlstand, Bruderschaft, Preußen

    Ethics:
    Trade Policy:
    Protectionism
    Economic Policy: Interventionism
    Religious Policy: Moralism
    Citizenship Policy: Limited Residency
    War Policy: Pro-Military
    Welfare Policy: Populist Welfare

    Description:
    The Free Conservative Party was formed in 1848 to fight Liberal and Radical elements of the political sphere. It has a strong belief in preserving the Prussian values and beliefs in order to preserve the Kingdom and the King as a whole. It is by far the largest party within the Landtag, consisting of many military officers as well as all the Generals who lead armies during the Saxony war with Austria, many of which used to be members of the liberal faction.


    Nationalliberale Partei (National Liberal Party):
    Current Leader:
    Alexander Hartmann
    Founding Year: 1848
    Ideology type: Liberal

    Ethics:
    Trade Policy:
    Free Trade
    Economic Policy: Interventionist
    Religious Policy: Secularism
    Citizenship Policy: Limited Citizenship
    War Policy: Pro Military
    Welfare: Populist Welfare

    Description:
    Formed In 1848 after the March Revolution from Many liberal Philosophers and economists wanting to start their own Party . It wishes to United Germany under Prussian Rule with a Hohenzollern on the throne and to Pass liberal and Democratic Reforms to modernize Prussia. This party consists of the bulk of what used to be the Liberal Faction in the Landtag and is generally regarded to be the most moderate liberal faction, able to reach a compromise with the conservative elements within the Landtag and the royal court.

    Liberale Vereinigung (Liberal Union):
    Current Leader: Orlan von Hammerstein
    Founding Year: 1848
    Ideology type: Liberal

    Ethics:
    Trade Policy:
    Protectionism
    Economic Policy: Laissez faire
    Religious Policy: Secularized
    Citizenship Policy: Full Citizenship
    War Policy: Jingoism
    Welfare Policy: Full Welfare State

    Description:
    Founded in 1848 by Orlan von Hammerstein, it is a nationalist liberal party in favour of the aggressive unification of Germany under Prussia, alongside having a liberal support for political reforms and a support for a deep, though restricted, welfare state, favouring reforms across the board with the exception of most workplace regulations, preferring the adoption of system of unions capable of negotiating that on there own on a factory by factory level. On other economic matters, the party prefers protection for the sake of development of german industry, and a hands off policy for industrial development otherwise, preferring the state focus on modernizing the bureaucratic and educational apparatus. It is a smaller offshoot of the Liberal Faction, mostly consisting of wealthy businessmen who wish for a more prosperous Prussia.


    Deutsche Fortschrittspartei (German Progress Party):
    Current Party Leader: Josef Emmanuel Weingart
    Founding Date: 1 January 1848
    Ideology: Liberal

    Ethics:
    Trade Policy:
    Free Trade
    Economic Policy: Interventionism
    Religious Policy: Pluralism
    Citizenship Policy: Full Citizenship
    War Policy: Anti-Military
    Welfare Policy: No State Interference

    Description:
    Born from the dissolution of the Liberal faction, the DFP became a splinter party from the larger National Liberal Movement. Having little interest in ‘soft conservatism’ and seeing the Liberal movement changing, Josef Emmanuel Weingart declared a new rebirth of the Liberal movement and shifted to align himself with Liberal outcasts such as Lutz von Sommer. This party consists mainly out of the bulk of what used to be the Radical Faction within the Landtag, leaving many to wonder whether or nor the Radicals have given up on their ideals or if this party disguises itself as Liberal, misleading voters in the process. It is the second largest party in the Landtag, but its ideals and motives remain unclear. They have also been criticized as of late, as a large part of their leadership has left the country during the Saxony War, going to America to attend a convention on universal suffrage.


    The Königlich Preußischer Staats-Anzeiger releases its election special, containing the King's speech on the victory parade as well as the speeches of all the Party leaders in regards to the election:

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    The different Parties print pamphlets to aid their election efforts!

    Leading up to the election a large amount of 'Deutsche Fortschrittspartei ' pamphlets are printed and distributed all over Prussia


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    At the height of the 1850 elections campaign, the following NLP pamhlet is circulating throughout the country, but also in the minor German states in the Prussian sphere of influence.

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    The LV puts up these posters in middle class districts.


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    The FKP has its offices across Prussia paper the cities with the following pamphlet(Bearbeitet)

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    Polling stations are now open for all eligible voters!
    (They will remain open until Saturday, 16th May 2020, 8 PM CEST)

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    Election Results of 1850 and the 1850 Landtag Session
  • Sorry for the delay!
    Here are the election results as well as a summary of the 1850 Landtag session and some responses from other players to the events that have transpired in the Role-Play!

    Election results of the 1850 Landtag elections:

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    1850 Landtag session and the outcome of the courtcase between two of the members of the Landtag as well as the outcome of the North German constitutional convention:

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    The Rheinische Zeitung of the DFP as a reaction to the Landtag and its events:

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    (Credit to @torson)

    The conservative Neue Preußsiche Zeitung of the FKP also releases an edition showing their reactions:


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    (Credit to @Diesel_CarSuite)
     
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    Gameplay 1850-1854 and the 1852 Landtag Session
  • Gameplay 1850-1854 and the 1852 Landtag Session

    Gameplay 1850-1852

    All over North Germany, people were excited about the possibility of a unified federation. Despite this however, Bremen went bankrupt and was forced to default. The Prussian government was of course not happy with this development, but with the formation of the North German Federation coming closer, Bremen's finances would be overseen by a national government anyway.

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    In February, the government of Prussia further invested in the idea of Nationalism and Imperialism. With all of the North German states in Prussia's sphere of influence, ideas were growing within the Landtag to unify into some sort of Federation.

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    By July the War between Egypt and Britain was over. The Prussian navy attaché who was sent aboard the HMS Trafalgar, Kapitän zur See Jan Staudenmaier, returned to Prussia and reported what he had learnt about naval warfare to the King. Britain had further increased its influence in Egypt and even annexed some additional territory.

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    But while the British might have been successful in Egypt, their chances at home weren't looking too bright. In Ireland a huge rebellion occurred to liberate the Emerald Isle. Even in London, Irish immigrants had risen up to cause trouble. It would take a while before the British army returned from Egypt and who knew what the Irish could achieve in the meantime.

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    While the Irish rose up in the UK, Jacobins once again rose up in Prussia in October of 1850. An emergency budget was immediately instated, further weakening the Treasury. By November, the Jacobins were defeated, but Prussia's economy had not recovered from the emergency measures. In the meantime, the Prussian Landtag had approved a Constitutional Convention regarding the North German Federation. From all over the land, North Germans gathered in Frankfurt and a Constitution was soon drafted.

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    As a direct result of the Constitutional Convention, Saxony extended an official offer for an alliance to the Prussian King. Wilhelm I gladly accepted, further establishing his hegemony amongst the North German States.

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    By July of 1851, the Irish rebels had gained control over large portions of Ireland and had even engaged in large numbers with the British army in Scotland. While their effort was looking good, their numbers would soon dwindle due to more and more British armies returning from Egypt. By the end of the year, the rebellion was over and relative peace returned to the Emerald Isle.

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    In August of 1851, another Jacobin rebellion occurred in Prussia. Once again, an emergency budget was raised, increasing tariffs to 65% to allow for an increased spending on the military. However, this did not improve the situation of the Treasury as numbers took a dive again. It took until the 1st of December 1851 until each and every rebel cell had been dealt with. In the aftermath of the rebellion, a smaller Pomeralian uprising occurred, but was easily dealt with by the III. Korps. The emergency budget was further extended until the 1852 Landtag Session, and tariffs at 65% continued to bolster the Treasury.

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    In May of 1852, the Constitution of the North German Federation was finally ratified by all member-states, allowing the NGF to formally unite. At the same time, Nationalism and Imperialism had been researched and work soon began on Early Railroads. In Austria, a Hungarian revolt had forced the Kaiser to adopt the 1852 Ausgleich, acknowledging the autonomy of his Hungarian realm and establishing the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary. Resulting from Austria's weakness, Bavaria turned to the NGF for protection and joined its sphere of influence.

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    1852 Newpapers (including information on the 1852 Landtag)

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    1852-1854 Gameplay

    With all of North Germany unified and Austria in a weaker position, Bavaria recognized the situation and offered the NGF with an offer for an alliance. The Bundespräsidium, essentially the King of Prussia, accepted Bavaria's offer gladly.

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    To deal with the bad state of the economy, research soon began on a Stock Exchange to increase tax efficiency. While tariffs where now slightly decreased to 50%, many factories are still going under because they can't get cheap access to foreign goods. While the government's measures might have prevented a bankruptcy of Prussia's Treasury, the economy was certainly not in a healthy state.

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    In July of 1853, Jacobins rose up across the Russian border. While unrest in Prussia remained relatively calm, the II. and III. Korps were put on high alert to deal with any possible insurgency at the border.

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    In August, the British and the Americans signed the Oregon Treaty, establishing a straight border between British Columbia and the United States. The US has now firmly established itself as a force to be reckoned with on the American continent, as British influence is struggling to keep up with the rise of the American Empire.

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    In November, another Jacobin revolt occurred. The Treasury looked more sturdy this time, but many factories further suffered from less craftsmen being available and the high tariffs imposed by the government.

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    While the armies were dealing with the Jacobins, research began on Inorganic Chemistry, as put forward in a bill by Lutz von Sommer (DFP). Scientific advancements had the potential of helping out the fragile industries in the NGF, perhaps enough to cope with the high tariffs.

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    By December of 1853, the revolts were over again. Not long after that, Württemburg requested a formal alliance with the NGF as protection against the growing power of the French.

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    In August of 1854, Polish rebels rose up in Poznan. While strong in numbers, they lacked the tactical and technological superiority of the North German Army and were easily defeated.

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    In that same month, the Ottoman Empire had angered the Russian Czar by imposing anti-Christian legislation in its territories. This led to the Czar proclaiming himself the protector of Eastern Christianity to try and trigger a war between Russia and the Turks. The NGF, along with the other major powers, has asked the Czar to renounce his claim in order to prevent a further escalation. However, the Ottoman Sultan was so insulted that war still occurred between the two, despite the Czar giving in to Western pressure. The NGF remains neutral, but many wonder whether or not this might be the time to strike at the Russian Empire.

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    In December of 1854, research on Inorganic Chemistry was completed and the Bundespräsidium ordered the implementation of Paddle Steamers for the navy, in accordance to a bill passed by the Prussian Landtag in 1852.

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    1855 Newspapers

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    Elections of 1855
  • It is the time again: Elections!
    The first Elections for the North German Reichstag are on!

    While many of the liberal parties unify in opposition to the conservative FKP, new players on the political stage also emerge:

    Partei für wirtschaftlichen und kolonialen Wohlstand und Entwicklung (Party for Economic and Colonial Prosperity and Development):

    Current Leader:
    Wilhelm von Rotstein
    Ideology: Market Liberal
    Founded: 1852
    Motto: Von hier ins himmlische Königreich

    Ethics:
    Trade Policy:
    Free Trade
    Economic Policy: Laissez Faire
    Religious Policy: Secularized
    Citizenship Policy: Limited Citizenship
    War Policy: Jingoism
    Welfare Policy: No position set

    Description:
    We represent the interests of the PCOK (Preußische Creditanstalt & Osthandelsgesellschaft für Kolonien und territoriale Sicherheit) - yet we are independent and act according to that. We support reasonable laws and those that improve our future and that of the colonies, and ultimately leading to a greater wealth for the whole of the NGF. We gladly support our interest and spending for a place in the sun for our mighty empire! Long Live the King, Long Live the Empire! Gott Mit Uns!


    The Norddeutscher Bundes-Anzeiger publishes its election special containing speeches of all the candidates:

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    The different parties also publish pamphlets to promote themselves

    A pamphlet of the Liberal Alliance attacking the financial politics of the FKP:

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    A pamphlet of the PLW promoting their colonial views:

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    A pamphlet of the FKP promoting the fact that they unified North Germany:

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    The elections are now open until Saturday 8:00 pm CEST!

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    Election Results of 1855, a new government and an editorial opinion piece
  • Here are the election results:
    A lot has happened sorry ofr the late update. Another one will come tomorrow so stay tuned!

    On March 22nd 1855 the Norddeutscher Bundes-Anzeiger publishes the election results alongside its analysis as well as an article about colonialism and the PKW:

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    A new issue of the Neue Preußiche Zeitung is released! Read about the FKP victory in the elections, and an opinion piece from Generalmajor Magnus von Klopp:

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    These results led to a coalition between the FKP and the PKW under Bundeskanzler von Hoth!

    Everyone stay tuned for the update tomorrow when events take an unexpected radical turn!