Kingdom of Prussia (1983: Doomsday)

The Kingdom of Prussia is a German survivor nation located in northern Germany along the coast of the Baltic sea.

Doomsday and World War III
Due to its unique circumstances being split between Allied and Soviet forces, Berlin managed to survive better than most major cities. During World War III both the Soviet and Allied leadership believed the city could be captured and with significant resources invested by both sides, it was not struck by nukes. By the time the situation was fully realized, the leadership of the Soviets and the Allies had been destroyed and a nuclear attack could not be authorized for the city. With East German military leadership crippled by strikes on Moscow and Strausberg, East Berlin soon fell into chaos. After several days of rioting and fighting in the streets between citizens and Soviet/East German troops, the citizens eventually gained the upper hand and the troops surrendered. Before the the imprisoned Soviet troops could be executed, the allied forces in West Berlin intervened with the Berlin Wall border stations unmanned. Knowing the coming situation would require as many trained troops as possible, many of the East German and Soviet troops were distributed amongst allied units.

Christian-Sigismund, member of the former royal family of Prussia and last surviving heir of the house of Hohenzollern, after fallout in Potsdam killed his father Louis Ferdinand and nephew Georg Fredrich, was imprisoned in East Berlin at the time. Although reasons for this remain unknown it was likely due to his heritage and high status. He became a rallying figure for many of the german people, a symbol of their old greatness before Nazism destroyed the country, and was forced into a leadership role he likely would rather not have had. He was instrumental in unifying the people of East and West Berlin in the days afterwards and organizing civilian salvage teams for food and resources.

Refugee Crisis
Within a week of Doomsday refugees started arriving in Berlin from all over the countryside straining the resources of the city and spreading the soldiers thin in their abilities to keep order. On December 2, 1983 it was decided that the troops were insufficient to keep order and much of East Berlin had to be abandoned. Gathering any fuel they could find, the Berlin troops withdrew into West Berlin and sealed the gates. Using helicopters the troops were able to send out supply salvage missions outside the city in order to supply the populace with heavy rationing, but staying within the walls indefinitely was not an option. The allied and soviet troops under orders from Christian and the West Berlin city council began to train conscripts from the people, as well as establishing rooftop gardens and greenhouses to supplement food supply from salvage missions. In spring of 1984 conscripted troops and professional soldiers began missions into East Berlin to establish order. Missions were also sent by helicopter to outlying regions to create farming enclaves to augment food production. Fuel was in short supply so supply trips were not frequent and were lightly manned in order to allow for heavier loads. By mid 1986 conditions within East Berlin were stable enough to allow for truck convoys for supply runs, drasticly improving the situation in the city, and by 1989 most of the city was under West Berlin control.

Consolidation
Despite the attitudes of the West Berlin people, the economic climate of the region made a capitalist economy unrealistic. Currencies were unstable, there were no labor laws to speak of, and the survivalist atmosphere made capitalist ventures much too cutthroat to be of any value to the society. Christian Sigismund, with his years living under communist rule decided that a socialist economy was the only way to survive. A more stable provisional civilian government was established with Christian at the head, and various bodies were established to oversee various industries and projects in order to create a stable and self sufficient economy. Troops were sent beyond the borders of the city to solidify control over the rural areas in order to stabilize food production and raw material extraction. By mid 1991 things were well on their way to relative stability, and pressure from the West Berlin people to re-establish a democratic government began to intensify. In June 1992, Christian's leadership council enacted plans for the drafting of a new constitution.

Rebirth of a Nation
The attitudes toward a unified German nation were soured by its history of war and atrocities, so the idea of Germany was abandoned for the new nation, but inspired by Christian's royal heritage and the greatness of old Prussia, it was decided to raise the flag of Prussia again. In November 1992, after months of deliberation and negotiation, a new constitution was drafted for the new Kingdom of Prussia. In honor of his service to the people of Berlin, Christian-Sigismund was restored to the throne of Prussia as Christian I. The role of monarch was limited by the constitution, but instead of the figurehead most monarchs were in a constitutional monarchy, the Prussian constitution recognized the leadership role a monarch could have. Though the true power was in the hands of parliament, the monarch had much influence in national direction and foreign policy. In his first speech as King, Christian indicated that he would work with the elected leaders in order to unite the lawless north German lands as well as reclaim those lost to Poland at the end of World War II.

The years after were mostly spent making good on his first promise of uniting the lawless lands of. With nuclear strikes over much of West and South Germany, Christian focused his efforts on expanding towards the Baltic coast and establishing a port for fishing and trade with other surviving lands. With Rostock destroyed, eastern expansion along the coast was limited, but since most of the cost between there and Poland was rural, other than Dranske and Peenemünde most of the coast survived. By 2002 Prussia controlled the lands of East Germany to Rathenow in the East, Potsdam in the south, and from Zingst to the Polish border along the northern coast. Around this time contact was established with a provisional Soviet Polish government in Poznan, the only major Polish city to survive. In 2004 contact was established with the Nordic Union. This first contact with a surviving allied nation gave a large boost to Prussian morale. In 2005 Christian decided that Prussian control over northern Germany was sufficient to support the population and economy and it was time to make good on his second promise to regain territory stolen after World War II.

On March 21, 2006, Christian I declared war on Poland. The Polish government was caught completely off guard, and with most of their army devoted to keeping order, they were no match for the much larger professional army of Prussia. Within two weeks Prussian troops occupied Poznan and the Treaty of Poznan was signed, ceding Polish Pomerania and some other territory east of the Polish border. As a response to the Soviet resettlement of Pomerania following WWII, Christian declared that all resident Poles in the new Prussian lands were to leave to make way for German settlers. The names of each city and town reverted to their German counterparts. Kołobrzeg, which managed to escape destruction being a minor target and Allied leadership was destroyed before bombs could be authorized, was renamed Neuer Königsberg as a symbol of the new glory of Prussia, and was deemed the target of a new major Prussian port. Prussian leadership set in to enjoy an expected period of peace and prosperity.

Aftermath


The expected peace didn't last long, as taking land was not the same as keeping it. While the German lands within Prussian control were somewhat peaceful despite the chaos of the refugees coming in from across former Germany, the newly acquired Pomerania was a hotbed of unrest, stemming from native Poles resentment at their expulsion. While the Prussian military was able to take on the disorganized Polish military with some ease, the citizens of Pomerania outnumbered the forces left to facilitate the expulsion and resettlement. Riots were commonplace and while most Poles eventually left, the few that remained formed organized resistance groups who harried the Prussian forces. In August 2006, martial law was declared and any members of organized resistance groups were to be shot on sight. This order was controversial as there was no way to tell an ordinary citizen from a resistance fighter on sight. This led to many civilian deaths and Christian's lowest approval since becoming King.

The news that Prussia had forcibly taken Polish lands came as a shock to the Danish people of the Nordic Union. Virtually overnight Denmark went from having good relations to becoming very hostile towards the country. Fearing Prussia might eventually try and move into the historically German region of Northern Schleswig, Denmark put up a large border wall and cut off all relations with the country. Danish politicians issued one last joint statement to Prussia, condemning the expulsion of the Poles as "a blunt act of Neo-Nazism that will not go unpunished".

In late 2008, the situation had gotten increasingly worse. Troop and settler morale was extremely low from bombings and raids on supply trucks and military outposts. Any attempts to crack down only resulted in increased resistance. Parliament called an emergency session and the expulsion order was revoked, the native Poles were allowed to return to their homes if they had not already been taken by refugees settling the area. If proof could be provided, other acommodations and resettlement would be provided. By August 2009, a level of order had been restored to the region. Those Poles who returned were to be offered equal rights and privileges as Germans, and a general amnesty for resistance acts, on the condition that they renounce their former citizenship.

A dual language policy was established in Polish Pomerania, establishing both German and Polish as official languages, and making German education mandatory to encourage a German speaking populace for future generations.

In October 2009, King Christian traveled to Denmark in order to smooth relations with their neighbor to the north and hopefully re-establish diplomatic ties. He attempted to reassure Danish leaders that the Schleswig situation was unrelated to Pomerania, as Northern Schleswig joined Denmark willingly and is still far from Prussian control, while Pomerania was forcefully taken from the German people and within the Prussian sphere of influence. He publicly apologized for the Expulsion order, describing it as a "mistake born of old grudges". He officially renounced any claim in Denmark, and German lands in Poland and reinforced that Prussia's expansion would only continue in lands within the East and West German borders, laying out an official land claim. Danish leaders appreciated the gesture, and assured the Prussian King that the would officially recognize Prussia and cordial relations could be maintained if Prussia returns Pomerania to Poland, as they believed that although Pomerania was once German, it was a legal treaty that ceded it. King Christian saw this as an insult. That he came with good intentions, made nothing but concessions, and the response was a polite demand for more. On returning to Prussia he addressed the nation saying "I am sad to report the mission to Denmark has failed, as the greed of the Danish people is astounding." The people and government saw Christian's reaction as overly emotional, having not even attempted negotiations.

In the years afterward efforts were focused on restoring the cities ruined by the Polish-Prussian war, spreading German culture to Pomerania, fostering economic growth, and rebuilding the armed forces.

Diplomatic Expeditions
Although the Kingdom became cut off from the Nordic Union, the ambassadors, obtained enough information to provide the King a rudimentary state of affairs in Northern Europe; reports were filtered here on the existence of and the. The very mention of states beyond their immediate neighbors at least gave Prussians a sense that the world is not entirely a wasteland. In 3 April 1994, the first Diplomatic Expedition - high security envoys - left Berlin for the Southwest. Under periodic radio contact, the Expedition followed the old highways (whenever possible) towards Bavaria (Southern Germany); avoiding conflict with any of the warlords.

Upon arriving in Bavaria, however, the Prussians were dismayed to find the region in a chaotic, decaying state; Munich was also found to be targeted during Doomsday. On 13 July 1994, while surveying the old German border, it encountered a small outpost full of refugees. The soldiers who controlled it bore peculiar insignias and spoke with plainly Swiss and Austrian accents; the Expedition had arrived at the frontier of the. Throughout the "Alpine tour," the Prussians sent radio transmissions back to Berlin relaying their discovery. In a statewide address on 25 July, King Christian announced (translated from German):
 * Our brave ambassadors have made contact. Civilization, they say, thrives even now in the Alps and breathes in Innsbruck's ancient streets. Our friends and relatives are indeed alive.

Encouraged by this discovery, further Expeditions were sent Westward towards Friesland and Saxony; from 2004 to 2008. Their findings showed that much of former West Germany was in a similar condition to Bavaria, although larger enclaves of civilized settlements have survived. These enclaves were primarily city-states and fortified hamlets; under either warlords, desperate survivors, or remnants of the Bonn government. The exception, however, came in the form of the Republic of North Germany, with whom contact was made in 2006. The Netherlands outside of Friesland was considerably worse, with reports describing it as "Hell." The last Prussian expedition in 2008 was successful in reaching which had taken over some small German territory on its borders. Relations between the two countries proved friendly however, and Prussia dropped any claims on the now Luxembourgish lands.

Government
The Government of Prussia is a Constitutional Monarchy. The monarch acts as both head of State, and Head of Government, but is advised in his position as head of Government by the Chancellor, who is the leader of the majority party in House of Representatives. In the House of Representatives, also known as the Reichstag, the monarch acts as the Speaker of the House, breaking ties in votes, mediating debates, and announcing results. The monarch may make Royal Decrees, outlining specific policy or government actions, but these decrees cannot contradict constitutional statutes or create law. Germans and Poles from their respective regions are properly given representation. In other respects, the Government as a whole mirrors and improves on the old pre-WWI institutions.

These said, however, there is deliberate effort on behalf of the authorities (and the public at large ) to marginalize "certain political malcontents." Communist and Nazi groups, along with their sympathizers, are targeted on a routine basis. There is a clear backlash against both the legacy of World War II and Communist ideology; further amplified by the chaos of Doomsday.

The dominant political parties as of 2009 are the following:
 * The Social Royalist Party - The current majority government, an economically socialist/socially centrist royalist party.
 * Christian Democrat League - A socially and economically conservative party devoted to Christian values.
 * Großdeutschland Coalition - A party devoted to the re-establishment of a unified German nation encompassing the former German lands.
 * Polish Liberal Party - A party making great gains in Polish Pomerania, a socially and economically liberal party devoted to Polish interests on the national level.

Military
The Prussian military is made up mostly of conscripts, though each soldier goes through a longer, more intensive training regime than a standard conscript army that makes them nearly equal to a regular volunteer soldier. While Prussia maintains an Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Navy and Air Force are both severely under-equipped and under-trained due to the lack of experienced men in the fields, as well as facilities for the creation of new military hardware. The army on the other hand is decently equipped having access to most of the Allied and East German pre-DD equipment stationed in Berlin. There are approximately 100,000 soldiers spread amongst the three arms of the Prussian military. Currently there are debates within the Reichstag to convert from a conscript army to a volunteer army with incentives, alongside a program of a year of compulsory military service upon reaching 19 years of age.

Economy
Prussia's main industry is agriculture, and due to its history beginning as a besieged city, it is a world leader in urban agriculture techniques. The rooftop gardens of Berlin have become something of a tourist attraction in recent years. The manufacturing industry began to rebuild in the early 90s and is currently a major employer. The only major Prussian export is Motorcycles. The BMW plant in Berlin is one of the worlds top producers of quality motorcycles, and due to a lack of imports or major automotive manufacturers, BMW motorcycles have become the major transportation option for Prussian commuters. The Berlin region has begun to rebuild its research and development sector and hopes to resume its role as a major world player in R&D in the future.

Current Situation
Prussia is relatively isolated from much of Europe, with a "barrier" of lawless regions and wasteland separating it from the (north) and the Alpine Confederation (south). Although it has maintained a sense of "detached neutrality" from foreign affairs, cordial (but tentative) ties are present with the Alpine Confederation. Although relations with the Nordic Union - especially the Danish elements - have since cooled off, it remains locked in a bitter dispute over the status of Polish lands. As of 2010 no Nordic Country has recognized Prussia as a legitimate country, although several retain informal relations. It maintains a level of alert regarding Poland to the east and Nordic Denmark to the north. There is increasing evidence that the territory that once comprised East and West Germany is becoming split into Alpine and Prussian spheres of influence; both sides becoming friendlier diplomatically.

Since contact was made with North Germany and German Southwest Africa, the Großdeutschland Coalition has increasingly become vocal in supporting plans for a unified national bloc.

The Kingdom takes pride in itself as one of the last centers of German culture and civilization; outside the Alpine Confederation. German, both Standard and Prussian dialects, is the lingua franca, although some are bilingual with Polish; especially in Pomerania. Significant artifacts, documents and artworks - spared from both Doomsday and the post-collapse chaos - are held to be preserved in the rebuilt museums of Berlin. Utilizing surviving city plans, old photographs and (occasional) design revisions, whole towns and cities have been rebuilt as seen fit. Prussian expeditions have made inroads in Central and Western Germany, aiding and spreading influence among the survivor communities there; several warlord factions are claimed to have been destroyed in these activities. There is much political pressure to push west in order to take control of a port with access to the North Sea, which will likely bring Prussia into conflict with North Germany.

As of 2010, it is not a member of the.

Sport
Association football is, as it was pre-Doomsday, the most popular sport. The 1.Bundesliga, established in 1996, is the top flight in the Prussian football pyramid. Hertha Berlin is considered the top club. Other top clubs include Dynamo Berlin, Bayern Berlin, 1.Union Berlin, FC Neuer Konigsberg and SV Babelsburg 03.

Prussia is a member of FIFA.

Basketball, cycling and tennis also are popular sports in Prussia.