Mein Leben, Mein Krieg...

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Mien Leben, Mien Krieg

Prologue

1918
October 4, 1918 Prince Maximilian of Baden replaces Count Georg von Hertling as Chancellor of Germany
October 7 – November 3, 1918 Naval mutinies
November 4, 1918 Sailors and worker's councils declare general strikes.
November 5, 1918 3rd Squadron revolts.
November 7, 1918 100,000 workers march on the Royal House of Wittelsbach. The Kaiser flees.
November 8, 1918 All 22 of Germany’s lesser kings, princes, grand dukes, and rulling dukes had been deposed.
November 9, 1918 Proclamation of the Republic by Philipp Scheidemann, some hours later: proclamation of the Socialist Republic by Karl Liebknecht; also:
Matthias Erzberger arrives at Allied HQ at Compiegne.
Kaiser Wilhelm told to abdicate, and the Kaiser therefore abdicates.
Social Democrats demand government from Prince Max.
Friedrich Ebert assumes the chancellery.
First German Republic established.
November 11, 1918 First World War ended.
Mid December, 1918 First Freikorps unit formed; Maercker Volunteer Rifles.
December 23, 1918 Lt. Dorrenbach with the Volksmarine Division declare gov. under arrest, surround the chancellory and occupy phone exchange.
December 24, 1918 Battle of the Schloss
December 30, 1918 Spartakusbund splits from the Independent Socialists (later becomes the Communist Party).
1919
January 1919 Independent Socialists & Spartacusbund stage large protests. Large sections of Berlin seized. Also:
"Free Workers' Committee for a fair Peace" renamed German Workers Party.
January 10, 1919 Battle of Berlin begins; Counter-revolution
January 13, 1919 Battle of Berlin finished.
January 1919 Bremen seized. Also:
German Gov. moved to the city of Weimar.
February 6, 1919 Fritz Ebert opens the Reichstag in Weimar, Germany.
February 11, 1919 Friedrich Ebert (SPD) leaves office. Also:
Philipp Scheidemann appointed chancellor.
February 21, 1919 Kurt Eisner assassinated. Also:
Attempted assassination of Erhard Auer.
March 3, 1919 2nd Battle for Berlin; Communists seize Berlin;Gustav Noske appointed dictator of Germany.
March 7, 1919 Communist Strike Committee withdraws proclamation and makes peace overtures to government.
March 10, 1919 Gustav Noske orders Peoples’ Naval Division disbanded. Battle for Berlin over.
March 1919 Adolf Hitler finishes job of guarding Russian prisoners.
April 6 and April 7, 1919 Bavaria declared a Soviet Republic.
April 14, 1919 Freikorps suppress Communists in Dresden.
April 18, 1919 Freikorps suppress Communists in Brunswick. Also:
Battle of the Bavarian governments at Dachau. Communists defeat republican forces.
April 27, 1919 Battle for Munich between Communists and Freikorps units.
April 29, 1919 German representatives arrive in Paris.
May 1, 1919 Communist defences at Munich breached.
May 2, 1919 City of Munich taken; not declared secure until May 6th; aprox. 1200 Communists killed.
May 10, 1919 Freikorps suppress communists in Leipzig.
June 21, 1919 Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) leaves office
June 22, 1919 German Reichstag ratify the Versailles Treaty.
June 28, 1919 Versailles Treaty signed in the Hall of Mirrors.
Weimar Republic
August 11, 1919 The Weimar Constitution is announced.
September 11, 1919 Adolf Hitler sent as Vertrauensmann to infiltrate the German Worker’s Party (DAP).
1920
January 1920 The DAP grew to 190 members.
February 4, 1920 Allies demand 900 Germans be handed over for war crimes.
February 20, 1920 DAP changes name to National Socialist German Workers’ Party.
February 1920 Inter-Allied Control Commission order 2/3 of Freikorps disbanded.
February 24, 1920 First public meeting of the NSDAP.
March 13, 1920 Kapp Putsch
March 14, 1920 Communists seize demilitarized Ruhr; Dortmund, Remschied, Hagen, Mulheim, Dusseldorf; 300 people killed (mostly policemen).
March 17, 1920 Kapp Putsch ends.
March 27, 1920 Gustav Bauer (SPD) leaves office
March 31, 1920 Adolf Hitler mustered out of the military.
April 3, 1920 21 different Freikorps units, under the command of General Baron Oskar von Watter, annihilate the Ruhr Communist uprising in five days; thousands killed.
April 1920 Government stops paying Freikorps units.
May 10, 1920 Dr. Joseph Wirth and Walter Rathenau announce their "Policy of Fulfillment"; not received well by nationalist groups.
June 21, 1920 Hermann Mueller (SPD) leaves office
August 11, 1920 National Disarmament Law takes effect; disbanded civil guards
December 17, 1920 NSDAP buys its first paper, the Voelkischer Beobachter.
December 1920 NSDAP total party membership comes to 2000.
1921
March 21, 1921 Plebiscite in Upper Silesia. They vote to remain part of Germany.
March, 1921 Allied Plebiscite Commission rejects vote, draws boundary anyway; takes section of mines, mills and furnaces and 350,000 Germans and puts them under Polish rule. (Disputed)
April 27, 1921 Allied Reparations Committee levels 33 billion war reparations debt onto Germany; commands the handing over of 26% of all exports for 42 years and puts the Germans immediately into 12 billion in arrears.
May 3, 1921 Polish forces under Wojciech Korfantry invade Upper Silesia. (Also Disputed)
May 5, 1921 London Ultimatum which set the total sum of the war indemnity at 132 billion marks.
May 10, 1921 Konstantin Fehrenbach (Center) leaves office
May 23, 1921 German Freikorps smash Polish forces at St. Annaberg.
May 24, 1921 Under Allied pressure, all Freikorps units outlawed.
July 11, 1921 Adolf Hitler resigns from the party to force the hand of Anton Drexler not to unite with the DSP.
July 25, 1921 Adolf Hitler rejoins the party.
July 29, 1921 Adolf Hitler assumes leadership of the NSDAP. He becomes "Der Fuehrer".
August 26, 1921 Matthias Erzberger, (finance minister of 1920) gunned down by OC killers
September 14, 1921 Hitler and SA disrupt speech by Otto Ballestedt of the Bayernbund; beaten badly; Hitler with others arrested.
October 26, 1921 Dr. Joseph Wirth (Center) forms 2nd cabinet
1922
January 12, 1922 Adolf Hitler sentenced to three months.
June 24, 1922 Hitler Incarcerated. Also:
Walter Rathenau assassinated.
Reichsmark (RM) was 272 to 1 American dollar
July 27, 1922 Hitler released.
July 1922 670 reichsmarks = 1 US dollar
August 1922 2,000 reichsmarks = 1 US dollar
October 27, 1922 Benito Mussolini establishes his Fascist dictatorship in Italy.
October 1922 45,000 reichsmarks = 1 US dollar
November 22, 1922 Dr. Wirth leaves office
November 1922 10,000 reichsmarks = 1 US dollar
December 27, 1922 France occupies the Ruhr.
December 30, 1922 500,000 reichsmarks = 1 US dollar
1923
February 1923 Reichsbank buys back RM (or reichsmark); stabilizes RM at 20,000 to 1 US dollar
May 4, 1923 RM 40,000 = 1 US dollar
May 27, 1923 Albert Leo Schlageter, a German freebooter and saboteur, was executed by a French firing squad in the Ruhr. Hitler declared him a hero that the German nation was not worthy to possess.
June 1, 1923 RM 70,000 =1 US dollar
June 30, 1923 RM 150,000 = 1 US dollar
August 1-August 7, 1923 RM 3,500,000 = 1 US Dollar
August 13, 1923 Dr. Wilhelm Cuno (No party affliation) Leaves office
August 15, 1923 RM 4,000,000 = 1 US Dollar
September 1, 1923 RM 10,000,000 = 1 US Dollar
Around September 10 to September 25, 1923 Prices reportedly rise hourly in several German cities.
September 24, 1923 Chancellor Stresemann ends the passive resistance in the Ruhr; infuriates the nationalists.
September 30, 1923 Major Fedor von Bock crushes a coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr. Also:
RM 60,000,000 = 1 US Dollar
October 6, 1923 Dr. Gustav Stresemann (People’s) forms 2nd cabinet
October 20, 1923 General Alfred Mueller marches on Saxony to prevent a communist takeover. Also:
General Otto von Lossow in Bavaria is relieved of command by Berlin; he refuses.
October 23, 1923 Communist takeover of Hamburg
October 25, 1923 Hamburg uprising suppressed
November 8, 1923 Beer Hall Putsch
November 9, 1923 Beer Hall Putsch quelled.
November 12, 1923 Dr. Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht was named ‘’Reichswaehrungskommissar’’.
November 15, 1923 Rentenmark issued; pegged to the Gold Standard; Rentenmark 4.2 = 1 US dollar; at this time:
Old Reichsmark 4,200,000,000 = 1 US dollar
November 30, 1923 Dr. Stresemann leaves office.
1924
February 26, 1924 Hitlerputsch trial begins.
June 3, 1924 Dr. Wilhelm Marx (Center) forms 2nd cabinet
August 29, 1924 Dawes Plan agreed by Reichstag.
December 20, 1924 Hitler released from the Landsberg Prison.
1925
January 4. 1925 Hitler begins his political comeback by meeting with new ministers and President of Bavaria.
January 15, 1925 Dr. Marx leaves office.
February 27, 1925 Nazi party refounded.; Hitler gives his first speech since release from prison.
February 28, 1925 Reichspresident Friedrich Ebert dies.
July 1925 French and Belgian troops evacuate the Ruhr completely.
November 22, 1925 Strasser wing of Nazi party goes into rebellion.
December 1, 1925 Locarno Treaty signed
1926
January 20, 1926 Dr. Hans Luther (No party affliation) forms 2nd cabinet
February 14, 1926 Bamberg conference begins.
April 24, 1926 Germany and Soviet Union sign Berlin Treaty.
May 12, 1926 Dr. Luther leaves office over flag dispute
May 16, 1926 Marx cabinet of the Center, BVP, DDP, DVP.
June 20, 1926 Referendum on expropriation of princely families.
September 10, 1926 Germany enters League of Nations
1927
January 29, 1927 Marx’s 3rd cabinet leaves office
May 1927 Hitler speaking ban lifted in Bavaria.
July 16, 1927 Unemployment Insurance Law passed.
1928
June 29, 1928 Marx’s 4th cabinet leaves office
October 20, 1928 Alfred Hugenberg becomes head of DNVP
December 8, 1928 Prelate Kaas becomes head of Center party.
1929
June 7, 1929 Young Plan settles reparations problem.
October 3, 1929 Foreign minister Gustav Stresemann dies.
October 24, 1929 Black Thursday Collapse of stock exchange in New York City; start of world economic collapse.
December 22, 1929 Liberty Law referendum to reject Young Plan fails.
1930
March 30, 1930 Hermann Mueller’s (SPD) 2nd cabinet leaves office
June 30, 1930 French troops leave the Rhineland ahead of schedule.
July 16, 1930 Reichstag dissolved; first emergency decree by Reichspresident.
August 1930 SA commander in Berlin Walter Stennes calls for SA general strike against Nazi Party.
September 14, 1930 Reichstag elections; gains by Nazi Party.
September 1930 Hitler at trial of 3 SA Lieutenants disavows the SA goals of replacing the army and hence appeases the army.
1931
May 11, 1931 Austrian Kreditanstalt collapses
May 1931 Four million unemployed in Germany.
June 20, 1931 Herbert Hoover puts moratorium on reparations.
July 13, 1931 German bank crisis.
October 11, 1931 Harzburg Front formed of coalition between DNVP, Stahlhelm, and Nazi Party
1932
April 10, 1932 Paul von Hindenburg reelected Reichspresident.
May 30, 1932 Henrich Bruening (Center) leaves office.
June 1, 1932 Franz von Papen cabinet
June 16-July 9, 1932 Lausanne conference
July 20, 1932 Von Papen dissolves Prussian government.
July 31, 1932 Reichstag elections where Nazi party becomes the largest party.
November 6, 1932 Reichstag elections; Nazis lose votes.
November 17, 1932 Franz von Papen (Center) leaves office
December 3, 1932 Kurt von Schleicher cabinet
1933
January 28, 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (no party affliation) leaves office
January 30, 1933 Hitler cabinet (Von Papen vice-chancellor).
Feb 27 - The Reichstag burns.
March 23, 1933 Adolf Hitler establishes Nazi dictatorship.
March 23 - Enabling Act gives Hitler dictatorial power.
May 10 - Nazis burn books in Germany.
July 14 - Nazi party declared only party in Germany.
Oct 14 - Germany quits the League of Nations.
1934
June 30 - The "Night of the Long Knives."
July 25 - Nazis murder Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss.
Aug 2 - German President Hindenburg dies.
Aug 19 - Adolf Hitler becomes Führer of Germany.
1935
March 16 - Hitler violates the Treaty of Versailles by introducing military conscription.

Thanks to Wikipedia for most of this.

 

[Sir Humphrey]

and so it begins... Something grand no doubt.

 

[Brasidas]

So... historical lead-up then?

 

[unmerged(44312)]

A very nice summary of all the events that brought the Weimar republic down and a good start for an AAR. Do you plan to make it historical up to 1939?

 

[unmerged(34597)]

Yeah, pretty much, except i might re-occupy the Rhineland early. I have special plans for Czechoslovakia also...but not till '39. So yes, historical till then.

 

[unmerged(19363)]

Nice historical start. Do you plan on doing the AAR in the same way, or more of a narrative form?

 

[unmerged(34597)]

Mostly narrative, but i might experiment until i find a style that suits how i write.

 

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Mein Leben, Mein Krieg

Part 1.

All characters are fictional (apart from those who obviously aren’t, Hitler, various Generals and Political leaders etc) any relation or similarity to other people is purely coincidental.

Outside Hitler’s Office, Berlin: 1st January 1936

Ernst Melzer was a man of both high and low status within the hierarchy of the German government. As an assistant he was one of the lowest of the low, as the personal assistant to the Führer he was in one of the most sensitive positions available. If only the Fuhrer would actually talk to him, beyond, that is, being ordered to get his coffee or type out his laundry list. So near…and yet so very, very far. 1936 had begun, the new years celebrations had gone on late into the next morning and had left large portions of the population with a hangover. Melzer was not exempt from this statistic and was acutely aware of all loud (and invariably painful) noises, what he needed was a strong coffee and a day off. Unfortunately politics does not take holidays nor feels any sympathy for lowly assistants who feel as though a very large, blunt, and particularly rusty axe was repeatedly pummelling his head.

The new-year started in the worst possible way Ernst could imagine, the Führer had decided to make a government re-shuffle. This meant that there was now a small mountain of forms that needed to be dictated, typed, and then signed in triplicate were demanding his attention. On top of this a number of shouting matches developed throughout the day between Hitler and the receivers of the aforementioned forms, this further aggravated Ernst’s already monumental headache. First to go was the minister for security, Wilhelm Frick, he was replaced by Franz Gürtner. Werner von Blomberg, armaments minister, was the second high-profile minister to be replaced, he found his position filled by Fritz Fhyssen. This however was only the start of a very long day for Ernst Melzer.

Before and after lunch Hitler organised a number of meetings with his top ranking officials, the Whermacht and Luftwaffe ministers were informed of his plans for the next year, chief amongst this was the upgrading of all squadrons to the latest designs. When Erich Raeder was told that the destroyer and submarine projects were to be cancelled in favour of freeing up Industry for the upgrading of the Luftwaffe, it was said that birds took flight outside in response to the resulting (and most prodigious) expletive. He seemed happier later, though, after the Führer informed him of his plans for research and development projects.

Late in the afternoon Hitler came out of his office and handed Ernst a sheet of paper, while taking it to the appropriate department Melzer had a peek at the contents, briefly it said that:

--Mauser Werke was assigned the task of developing improved infantry tactics and weapons (Basic Infantry).

--I.G. Farben was informed of the need for better machinery and equipment (Basic Machine Tools).

--Krupp was to starte a programme to develop a new panzer, one capable of standing up to the French versions (Basic Light Tank).

--Kriegsmarinewerft was set the task of increasing the range and effectiveness of submarines (Long Range Submarine).

--Heinkel Flugzeugwerke needed to get to work on developing a new tactical bomber (Basic Tactical Bomber).

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I'll tell you now that posts might be a bit hectic...I'm doing Year 12 and between school, homework, and sleep I have very little free time. But I shall endeavour.

 

[unmerged(1057)]

Nice beginning!..

 

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Mein Leben, Mein Krieg

Part 2.

Whermacht Base near Dortmund: 1st January 1936

Guenther von Hanfstaengl was not by nature a man quick to temper, but the actions of his superiors lately were really testing his patients. Several days ago his leave had been unexpectedly cancelled along with most of the soldiers in his division, the 36. Infanterie-Division, ruining his plans for the new-year. He had heard rumours that the entire XII Armeekorps had been restricted to various bases surrounding Dortmund in preparation for some large, and as yet unknown, operation, but these were unsubstantiated.

Guenther gives a start when Unteroffizier Eberhard bursts through the door to the barracks, he is red faced and it is quite possible he has been shouting at other soldiers from nearby barracks. This suspicion is clarified as he begins an apparently well rehearsed diatribe…
“Get you lazy dogs! If the Führer wanted you to sleep all day he wouldn’t be paying you! YOU!!…He grabs a soldier and pulls him from the bunk, dumping him unceremoniously on the none-too-soft wooden floor.
…Where the hell do you think you are!”
“On the floor sir” comes a muffled reply. Guenther winces, knowing that the soldier, probably still a fresh recruit, has committed a cardinal sin, he looks away quickly, not wanting to see Eberhard’s response. He is too slow. The Unteroffizier lashes out with his foot, connecting squarely with the soldier’s face, a crunch of bone and splash of blood indicate he has broken the hapless soldier’s nose. He mewls, thrown back against the wall. More blood runs down his face, joining with more from a nastily cut lip, and drips onto the front of his nightshirt. Kneeling down before him and leaning so as to be face to face the Unteroffizier roars at him, spraying him with spittle…
“YOU ARE A SOLDIER OF THE GLORIOUS GERMAN WHERMACHT…
And adds a little softer…
…and don’t you forget it”
Eberhard gets back up and addresses the rest of the men.
“We move out tomorrow at 7am, pack your gear and be ready to march. DISMISSED!” he stomps off, apparently to yell at the next barracks, leaving a fading red mark every right step.

Outside Hitler’s office, Berlin: 2nd January 1936

Ernst was in shock, he had almost gone into a catatonic state when he saw the orders he was to write for the Whermacht.

XII. Armeekorps under the command of Lt. General Becker K, was ordered to move from Dortmund to Aachen, detaching from this force 36. Infanterie-Division was ordered to move to Cologne. Simultaneously IX. Armeekorps under the command of Lt. General List was ordered to move from Frankfurt-am-Main to Saarbrüken.

This was unprecedented, not only was the Führer putting an army on each of the French and Dutch borders but he was re-occupying the Rhineland. Ernst knew enough about the treaty of Versailles to realise that the French had the right to march their army in and forcefully remove the German soldiers, and one division would not be enough to hold them back. Apparently his were not the only concerns with Hitler’s orders. Later in the day Melzer heard one side of a phone call, probably from the Chief of the Whermacht, or perhaps one of the generals was querying the validity of his orders.
“I don’t care what they think, those pitiful French are too weak to resist us and they no longer want a part in any war.” A pause.
“F@#% the treaty, we went far beyond the bounds of the Versailles Treaty long ago, and the British can do little more than appease us. I will shatter the chains of that criminal document forever…I will not be cowed by a piece of paper.” He slams the receiver down, obviously done with whoever was on the other end of the line.

Ernst sighs, resigned to whatever fate befalls his nation…

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Hopefully some pics up next.

 

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Ernst sighs, resigned to whatever fate befalls his nation…

...and to Europe.

Nice tone for what is coming!

 

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Mein Leben, Mein Krieg

Part 3

On the road from Dortmund to Colonge: 3rd January 1936

Guenther had never been so proud in his life. His was to be the first German division to enter the Rhineland in over 15 years. His feet were sore and his back hurt from the terrific load in his pack but still he walked tall and with a spring in his step. That first step across the regional border had left him enervated and yet his blood was so full of adrenaline he couldn’t sit down. Yet he couldn’t help but wonder what the reaction of the League of Nations and particularly the French would be. Was he to become one of the first casualties of another meat-grinder war like WWI? Surely his destiny lies elsewhere…

Outside Hitler’s Office, Berlin: 7th January 1936

The last week has been eventful for both Ernst and Germany, on the fourth of January 36. Infantrie Division arrived at Cologne, this, along with the positioning of the IX and XII Armeekorps along the French and Dutch meant that the diplomatic staff had been kept busy for quite some time. With a single nonchalant action the Führer has shrugged off any pretence of obeying the Treaty of Versailles. Protests were lodged by Britain, France, the Netherlands and Belgium but Hitler ignored them. He called a French bluff after they had given him an ultimatum whereby they would invade the Rhineland and force the German division out within 24 hours if he did not order them back. Ernst allowed himself the thought that maybe the Führer was right when he said that the French had had enough of war. In the days following the re-occupation massive parades were held throughout the nation in celebration, the people partied until late in the night, however this time Ernst refrained from getting too drunk.

One of the huge celebrations that erupted throughout Germany after the re-occupation.​

Today the new Heavy Cruiser, Graf Spee, was to formally join the Kriegsmarine, Hitler has planned another set of parades to commemorate the event, as this ship should greatly improve the fighting ability of the fleet.

The launch of the Graf Spee.​

 

[unmerged(34597)]

Is anyone reading this? I can't improve the story if people don't give suggestions...

 

[unmerged(41995)]

what do you mean improve the story? Kepp at it, I'm certainly reading it!

What sort of suggestions are you looking for?

Your Military parade picture is tastefully blotchy - that must have taken some time to accomplish wd!

 

[unmerged(44312)]

Is the ship name in reallity the Wilhelm Gustloff?

 

[unmerged(22441)]

Very Good ARR Just two thing (if I remanber right) the plebiscite in 1921 was win be Germany but they cheat a littel (they transpot around 800k germens born in Silesia back to Silesia so they can vote and Poland Didn't do it We were fighting Bolsevik Russia at the time) and Wojciech Korfanty didn't invade Silesia he was lider of a revolts agents the resultats of the plebiscite (there were 3 revolt from 1918 to 1921) and sorry for my english
o

 

[Lord Durham]

Is anyone reading this? I can't improve the story if people don't give suggestions...

People are reading. In fact, your views/post ratio is above average. A couple of hints, answer the feedback to let the readers know you're reading their comments, and read and post in other threads to network yourself.

Good stuff, BTW.

 

[unmerged(34597)]

Thanks everyone...

therev: Thats the problem with suggestions, you don't know you need one until someone gives you one.

As for the parade it took about ten minutes in photoshop...

Zauberfloete: To be honest...I don't know. I just did a web-search for "Graf Spee launch".

Mr.Forn@L: Sorry about that...I didn't know.

Your english is fine...hell, mine is worse if I have to write an essay until 2am

Lord Durham: thx for the advice.

 

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Mein Leben, Mein Krieg

Part 4

Main Luftwaffe Airbase, Berlin: 1st February 1937

Udo was inspecting his aircraft, a Do 17, it had only recently replaced all the ageing Ju 52’s of the squadron, but even so even newer aircraft were beginning to replace the Dorniers. More training. New technology was good, but every time one aircraft was replaced by another there was always a risk that crews could be lost while they learnt to fly them. But he wasn’t worried, it seemed that he was a natural when it came flying, stick him in any old thing and, provided it had wings, he could bring the best out of it. Something was changing though, the rate of new designs and the large increase in the number of squadrons told Udo that something loomed on the horizon.

Panzer training field, outside Berlin: 1st February 1937

“Hauptmann Dürr, fire at target number five.” Oberst Kielmannsegg’s tinny voice came over the radio. Walter ducks his head inside the PzKpfw.IIc, to yell at the gunner.
“Target five!!…”The turret moves slowly to the left, stops, shifts back a little.
“…Fire!!” The main cannon roars…the overpressure created by the blast makes Walter’s ears pop. He pokes his head back out of the cupola to see the result, there is now only charred shards of wood where once a dummy tank stood.
“Well done Hauptmann…lets test accuracy at even larger ranges. Fire at target number nine” Back inside, back to the noise and fumes of the interior to pass on the next target…

“Good job out there today Hauptmann, I hope to see similar results tomorrow.”
“Yes sir, we’re certainly putting the new panzer through its paces.” Oberst Kielmannsegg pauses a moment thinking.
“…yes…I suppose we did…though only combat itself will prove its worthiness.” He salutes and walks off. Walter Dürr was left saluting the Oberst’s back wondering when and where that might be.

Kiel Naval Base, Kiel: 1st February 1937

Jochen Schimmelpenninck. What a stupid name. Not only could most people not pronounce it properly, but also it was too damn long. And on his fresh new submariners uniform it had been mutilated further than any verbal attempt could. Obviously too long for the machine which sewed it below the left breast pocket it now read Schimmelpenni. An atrocity! How could he possibly wear his uniform with pride? But there was hope, perhaps he could get his mother to fix it up during weekend leave, he just needed to figure out how to cover it up for the next few days.

Outside Hitler’s Office, Berlin: 1st February 1937

Ernst Melzer had had a much easier time since those tumultuous early months of 1936, it had all settled back into a dull monotony. Trade deals with numerous nations both near and far had been concluded, trading Germany’s massive energy surplus for the oil and rare materials it needs. Technology had advanced quickly over the past year, particularly in the industrial sector. A number of new infantry divisions had been created along with many engineer brigades. Another Panzer division is being created, when it is completed there will be four divisions in total. Most recently the hulls for the Bismark and Tirpitz were laid down on the 28th January, just a few days ago. Unfortunately construction and upgrading efforts have been hampered by lack of industrial capacity, however the Führer would not authorise the construction of more factories, saying that each would need five or so years to pay off the industrial investment required to build them. Time and industry are two commodities which Germany simply doesn’t have enough of as it is.

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Does anyone know what Submariner is in German?
I'm pretty sure its not Unterseebooter.

 

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Mein Leben, Mein Krieg

Part 5

Unknown Region: Date unknown.

A Stuka passes overhead, its dull roar turning into a high pitched whine as it dives downwards, when almost vertical the Stuka jettisons its load, 700 kilograms of high-explosive fall through the air to plummet into the soft ground. Delayed triggers fire, a dome of earth heaves itself into the air, hangs there a moment, as if fighting the laws of physics, but falls again, defeated. A nearby pillbox spews flame and dust as its reinforced concrete walls are breached by the force of the detonating bombs, the gun inside falls silent and secondary explosions from ammunition cooking off add to the destruction. AA fire from behind a nearby tree-line tears into the Stuka, so low the gunners could not possibly miss and nearly every shot finds its mark. Smoke billows from the engine and then a second later the cockpit glass splashes red, shatters and trails behind the crippled, and now pilotless, plane. Rolling over to begin its final dive the rear gunner, now upside down, can see the AA gun and crew, in an act of mindless rage the gunner returns fire, sowing death around the gun before his craft plows a 100 meter furrow in a field. The fire inside the pillbox must have reached a cache, because now a thundering explosion hoists the rotating outer casing high into the air, shattering, and falling down, parts landing a mere meter away from Guenther.

Ooh…that was close…

He runs forward with his brigade, determined to find a path into the defensive system. Ruined panzers mark a slowly advancing path past the line of defenses, 500 meters away a panzer receives a glancing blow from a shell, a Hauptmann poking his head through the cupola is enveloped in flame. They arrive at the next gun emplacement, a grenade is pushed through the slit and detonates, men of an unknown nation come stumbling out the rear of the pillbox bloodied and wounded. Guenther briefly wonders if they are the lucky or unlucky ones. A quick burst from the Unteroffizier’s sub-machinegun answers that query.

People shouting…can’t hear their words…just keep running and do as others do…

Into the breach once more!

Blood…blood everywhere…on walls…on guns…dripping and slurping…How could one grenade do so much? Try not to slip…

Sanity retreats…

Another grenade goes down to the second level, detonates and is followed by another, then followed by a sub-machinegun burst. Guenther follows the Unteroffizier down a ladder. Choking smoke lies like a blanket over the whole room, dulling senses and making time seem to slow.

Tunnels lead off into the dark…better watch out for the enemy…oops…too late…

A rifle pokes out from behind a corner and fires hitting the Unteroffizier in the chest. His hands clench in reflex, tightening on the trigger until the gun fires. Too weak to resist the recoil the gun jerks back further and further until the bullets find a hapless soldier in the way. He is pegged four times before the clip runs dry. A foreign grenade follows this wave of destruction.

Pitty ‘bout him…his nose had only just healed…now he’s left leaking on the floor…more blood…Ooh…look at that…look at that ball roll…go ball go…

It went. The room flashes bright, blinding people looking at the granade. Not that it mattered, before their brain even registered the need to blink their bodies were assailed by a lethal wave of metal shards, twisted and malformed to make removal that much harder. In the tight confines of the pillbox the effects were devastating. Guenther is blown back against the cement wall, a trail of gore marks his progress through the air, his head slams into the wall and merciful darkness comes.

…

Darkness only lasts a moment, Guenther lays crumpled against the wall. A shadow passes over him, he looks up with his one remaining half blinded eye and smiles.

The shadow shoots him in the face…