Swabia-Württemberg (1983: Doomsday)

The Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg (Königreich Schwaben-Württemberg) is a survivor nation in the south-west of the former Federal Republic of Germany. It is regarded to be the successor to both the Kingdom of Württemberg and the medieval Duchy of Swabia.

Doomsday


The western part of the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg was heavily attacked on Doomsday, due largely to the presence of NATO military installations. Targets included
 * Stuttgart
 * Heidelberg
 * Mannheim
 * Göppingen
 * Rheinmünster (near Baden-Baden)
 * Freiburg

The agricultural southeast region was spared nuclear attack. It also received limited protection from fallout due to the Swabian Alb mountain region to the north.

In the weeks following Doomsday, the region faced a wave of refugees escaping from the devastation to the north. Although some passed by on the way to the Swiss border, many stayed. One of the towns affected was Ravensburg. In Ravensburg (like most other towns in the region), the situation became untenable as resources dwindled and case of radiation sickness and other diseases increased. On November 16, 1983, the mayor of Ravensburg was found dead in his office. The official explanation was that he committed suicide, but rumors persisted that he was murdered. A few days later, a military unit took over the town and soon established draconian measures in restore order.

At first, the residents accepted martial law. However, sometime in January, 1984, an incident occured involving the local warlord and a family in Altshausen, a village nearby Ravensburg. The warlord arrested the entire family, and gave the eldest daughter a choice: be his mistress or see her parents and brothers hanged. She was given until the end of the day to decide.

Torn apart by such an impossible choice, she went to the only people who could help her.

The Return of the Württembergs
Among the residents of the village of Altshausen were members of the Württemberg family, the former ruiling family of the Kingdom of Württemberg. They included Carl, Duke of Württemberg, his wife Diane, and their six children (in birth order)
 * Hereditary Duke Friedrich
 * Duchess Mathilde
 * Duke Eberhard
 * Duke Phillip
 * Duke Micheal
 * Duchess Eleonore

Like most in the first months following Doomsday, their main concern was their own survival. They had enough food and supplies to hold out for at least two years.

More to come...

Expansion
More to come...

The Restoration
After the defeat of the Ulm Regime, the Ravensburg Provisional Government postponed further annexation for the time being. For the next several years, the government consolidated their position: constructing defensive positions on the frontier, rebuilding infrustructure, and tending to the needs of their newly conquered subjects. An emphasis was placed on rebuilding the education system that was disrupted in the chaotic decade after Doomsday.

In 1991, contact was made with a group of survivor communities in western Bavaria called the Swabian League. The two survivor nations started to trade with one another. In 1993, with the unofficial help of Swiss diplomats, a non-agression and mutual defense pact was signed.

Not long after, there were discussions about forming a permanente government. The Provisional Government was originally created in the hopes that it would join a reconstituted Federal Republic. Now, it was obvious that the Bundesrepublik no longer existed, and it was time to move on. The debate on the issue draged on for almost three years until some suggested that the medieval Duchy of Württemberg be restored. With no better idea in the works, Carl Von Wurttemberg was invited to be the nominal head of state of the restored Duchy of Württemberg.

On April 19, 1998, Duke Carl died of lukemia, leaving his eldest son Friedrick to the position of reinging Duke of Württemberg. By then, there was a movement to unite the Duchy and the League into a united monarchy, with Friedrick as King.

For about six months, the various governments in the region hammered out a constitution for the new monarchy. It would be named the Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg, in recognition of the union of the two governments as well as the medieval realm of Swabia.

Support for the new Kingdom was not unaminous, however. The newly created Alpine Confederation was wary of a monarchy created on its borders. However, they were eventually assured that the citizens would have the same rights and freedoms that they enjoyed under the Old Federal Republic.

On midnight of January 1, 2000, in the Ravensburg Cathedral, Duke Friedrick of Württemberg was anoited King Friedrick II of the Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg.

The Augsburg Incident
More to come...

Territory
As of January 1, 2010, the Kingdom's borders are the edge of the Black Forest, the Necklar River, the Lech River and the border with the Alpine Confederation.

The Kingdom is divided into several Provinces (Provinzen). They are listed as: Each province has its own legislature and is represented by a Govenor, who is (except for Ravensburg) nominated by King Friedrick and approved by the provincial legislature. King Friedrick himself acts as Govenor of Ravensburg.
 * Provinz Württemberg (Capital at Friedrichshafen)
 * Provinz Schwaben (Capital at Kempten)
 * Provinz Danube-Iller (Capital at Ulm)
 * Provinz Hohenzollern (Capital at Hechingen)
 * Provinz Ost-Baden (Capital at Konstanz)
 * Provinz Ravensburg (Capital provience)

Government
The Basic Law (Grundgesetz) for the Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg is, with the exception of an unelected monarch serving as head of state, an almost word-for-word copy of the constitution of the former Federal Republic of Germany.

Legislative
The Kingdom has a bicameral legislature to pass legislation and budgets.. The Volksversammlung (People's Assembly) is directly elected mainly through proportional representation. The Rat der Provinzen (Provincial Council) is chosen by the legislatures of the provinces. The Volksversammlung elects a Kanzler (Chancellor) to lead the executive branch, asnd can remove the Kanzler through a no-confidence vote.

Monarchy


King Friedrich II is the head of state of the Kingdom. His position is mainly ceremonial. His responsibilities include
 * Representing the Kingdom in domestic and international affairs
 * Formally dissolve the legislature and call for elections after a no-confidence vote in the Kanzler.
 * Sign bills into law
 * Appointing ambassadors and other officials