Chapter 64: Iron and Blood, Golden Freedom (4)
Translated by Vine | Proofread by Lust
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< German Civil War – Iron and Blood, Golden Freedom (4) >
November 19, 1939
Northern Germany, 10th Military District, Hamburg – Kiel Naval Base
I was entering Kiel Naval Base in a car with Emperor Wilhelm III.
My father, Hjalmar Schacht, had once again delegated this military-related event to me, claiming it wasn’t necessary for him to attend personally.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was dumping all the events he found boring or tedious on me and focusing solely on economic and domestic affairs, which he enjoyed…
“Is this the first time we’ve attended an official event together?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Since we were transitioning to a constitutional monarchy with a democratic government, the Emperor usually wouldn’t need to appear in public.
However, Kiel Naval Base, the site of the sailors’ mutiny that triggered the collapse of the German Empire, held symbolic significance. We had decided to hold a formal defection ceremony for the navy with the Emperor present.
The conservative elements within the German Navy also had considerable monarchist leanings.
Many high-ranking naval officers still yearned for the glory days of the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, which dwarfed the current Kriegsmarine. Their nostalgia was understandable.
“Kiel Naval Base… It’s been a long time…”
While I had been genuinely concerned about getting an ulcer from having to spend time with him, Wilhelm III was unusually quiet today, and his expression seemed wistful.
It was the first time I had seen him with such an expression.
While I hadn’t seen it myself, the mighty warships that once filled this harbor were symbols of Wilhelm II’s expansionist policies and the German Empire’s ambition.
While the survival of Count Blumenthal, who played a key role in the Reich Chancellery attack and the surrender of Army Group North, had been confirmed, before the news arrived, the Emperor, who had been fully prepared to exploit even his eldest son’s friend’s “martyrdom” for political gain, was showing a rare display of emotion.
Our car, accompanied by a military band, drove slowly through the honor guard and lined-up sailors, stopping before the waiting naval officers.
While the Naval High Command was officially located in Berlin, Admiral Canaris, head of the Abwehr and also a naval admiral, in collusion with Admiral Raeder, had dispatched key naval commanders to major naval bases like Kiel and Wilhelmshaven before the civil war began.
Thanks to this, all the key figures of the navy were gathered here.
“It is an honor to have you here, Your Majesty, and State Secretary.”
Admiral Erich Raeder, the senior-most admiral, addressed the Emperor and me with a subtle difference in tone.
It seemed the elderly and conservative admiral wasn’t pleased to see a mere State Secretary instead of the Chancellor…
“Thank you for the welcome. It’s been a while, Admiral Raeder.”
Wilhelm III and Erich Raeder shook hands naturally, and then Raeder shook hands with me.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Admiral Raeder. I am Dietrich Schacht, State Secretary of the Ministry of State.”
“A pleasure.”
There were many others to greet after Admiral Raeder.
Rolf Carls, who, in the original timeline, had vied with Karl Dönitz for the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.
Günther Lütjens, who planned many of the Kriegsmarine’s operations during World War II, including Operation Sea Lion and Operation Rheinübung.
Wilhelm Marschall, a highly capable admiral known for his aggressiveness, repeatedly disobeying orders to avoid engagement and sinking enemy ships.
And Alfred Saalwächter, who was in charge during the pursuit of the Bismarck.
Seeing the key figures of the World War II Kriegsmarine gathered here was a surreal experience.
Finally, I shook hands with a man who looked older than the other admirals, despite being relatively young, his face wrinkled and his frame thin.
“Kommodore Karl Dönitz. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Dietrich Schacht, State Secretary of the Ministry of State. A pleasure to meet you too, Kommodore Dönitz.”
The symbol of the World War II Kriegsmarine, known for his U-boat warfare, and the man who succeeded Hitler as the last leader of Nazi Germany, surrendering to the Allied forces.
I had been curious about Dönitz’s views on the New Government. Unlike Raeder and other conservative admirals, who were largely apolitical, Dönitz had been a supporter of Nazism.
However, he showed no particular displeasure or curiosity towards me, despite my youth, unlike Raeder and the others.
He simply shook my hand curtly and looked away. What was he thinking?
As I pondered this, Wilhelm III, after exchanging pleasantries with the admirals, stepped up to the podium.
The mighty warships that once filled this harbor, the grand Kaiserliche Marine of the German Empire, were gone.
Even combining all the warships in all German ports, including those under construction, there were barely enough proper battleships to count on one hand.
However, at this moment, that didn’t seem to matter to him. The Emperor, who usually seemed devoid of emotion, had a human expression on his face for the first time.
Wilhelm III, who had fought in the last war as Crown Prince, spoke in a low voice, standing where the downfall of the German Empire had begun, now as the constitutional monarch of Germany.
“…I have finally returned.”
–
After the welcoming ceremony, we attended a meeting with the naval officers for a more substantial discussion. The ceremony was merely symbolic; this was the real deal.
“Your Majesty, the current state of the navy is dire. The battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, though launched, remain incomplete in port, as does the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin.”
Launching a ship meant floating the basic hull and watertight structure.
Of course, warships required another year or two of outfitting and armament after launch, but leaving these expensive battleships and aircraft carriers half-finished was understandably frustrating for the navy.
Wilhelm III, listening to Admiral Raeder with his arms crossed, pointed at me and said, “Address your concerns to the State Secretary, not me. The era of the Empire is over.”
To hear such words from Emperor Wilhelm himself… Had the establishment of the constitutional monarchy and the visit to Kiel Naval Base had such a profound impact on him?
Even I was surprised. Admiral Raeder, with a slightly displeased expression, turned to me.
“State Secretary, as I said, the navy has been effectively neglected since the start of the civil war. While we pledge our loyalty to His Majesty’s government, I trust the New Government doesn’t intend to continue neglecting the navy.”
The Kriegsmarine during World War II had been in a precarious position. Too weak to challenge the dominant naval powers, yet too important to be abandoned completely.
“Of course not, Admiral. That is precisely why we are here today.”
The Kriegsmarine admirals didn’t look particularly hopeful. Even Nazi Germany, with its ambitious Plan Z, had been stingy with naval funding, prioritizing the army until the eve of war in 1939.
“First, I must inform you that, unfortunately, Plan Z, conceived under the Nazi regime, will have to be abandoned.”
Plan Z was a naval rearmament program aiming to rebuild a high seas fleet consisting of multiple battleships, aircraft carriers, and battlecruisers.
It was such an ambitious and unrealistic plan that it seemed feasible only for a nation with the economic might of the United States.
“Ahem…”
The admirals looked uncomfortable, but they didn’t openly express their anger. They weren’t foolish enough to insist on Plan Z while the nation was fighting a two-front war.
That was a small mercy. While the German naval leadership still clung to the outdated concept of big-gun battleships, we had an excuse.
“As you know, the New Government is currently engaged in a civil war with the Nazi regime and a two-front war with Italy, so our budget is limited.”
Admiral Raeder, his expression darkening, asked, “We are aware of that. But do you intend to leave the battleships and aircraft carriers we were building as scrap metal?”
“Of course not. We will allocate the budget to complete the Bismarck, Tirpitz, and Graf Zeppelin.”
The admirals’ expressions visibly brightened. It seemed they had been worried that the New Government would abandon all large warship construction plans.
Their low expectations made it easier to satisfy them.
“H-How much?”
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Admiral Raeder, surprised by the unexpected news, seemed both pleased and skeptical.
“While it’s not finalized, we plan to allocate the budget to complete the Bismarck by 1940, the Tirpitz by the first half of 1941, and the Graf Zeppelin by the end of 1941.”
“Oh…”
The admirals were delighted, but I hadn’t originally intended to do this.
I knew how ineffective battleships were in modern warfare, and I was skeptical of the need for two Bismarck-class battleships, built with outdated design principles, let alone the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin.
This plan had been championed by Admiral Canaris and Lieutenant Colonel Oster of the Abwehr. They argued that we needed a minimum deterrent at sea and the navy’s loyalty to secure our supply lines from the United States, especially for oil and trucks.
While the United States, during the Crown Prince’s visit, had been understanding of our situation and allowed trade via the Netherlands, we couldn’t rely on Dutch or other nations’ merchant ships indefinitely, especially if we wanted to import enough oil to operate both the air force and the navy.
The Abwehr, which had played a key role in the coup, was slated to absorb all other intelligence agencies after the civil war, but this wasn’t sufficient reward for their contributions. Approving the navy’s request was partly a political reward for Canaris and Oster, who were nominally naval officers.
“Thank you. But what about the auxiliary vessels…?”
“We will discuss that after the civil war concludes.”
“Hmm, I see.”
The admirals seemed satisfied with the promise of completing the Bismarck, Tirpitz, and Graf Zeppelin.
The only one who looked displeased was Dönitz…
While I agreed that, militarily, investing in submarines instead of battleships would be more effective, political considerations complicated matters.
Dönitz’s infamous unrestricted submarine warfare, while effective militarily, was a violation of international law and risked triggering a diplomatic disaster.
One of the factors that brought the United States into World War I against Germany had been the sinking of the Lusitania, a British ocean liner carrying American passengers, by a German U-boat.
While Nazi Germany’s foreign policy could be described as “non-existent,” we couldn’t afford such recklessness and couldn’t risk using unrestricted submarine warfare.
“In any case, thank you. I was concerned, given the New Government’s financial constraints, but I’m relieved that the pride of our navy won’t be abandoned. Please convey my gratitude to Canaris and the Chancellor.”
The Bismarck, Tirpitz, and Graf Zeppelin. All symbols of the German Navy in the original timeline. The Bismarck sunk shortly after her maiden voyage, the Tirpitz served mainly as a fleet in being, and the Graf Zeppelin was never completed.
I hoped they would avoid such misfortune this time.
“While our resources are limited, please understand that the New Government values the navy. I will convey your message to the Chancellor.”
Admiral Raeder, his face now beaming, shook my hand, a stark contrast to our initial meeting.
The budget for this, despite our limited resources, was thanks to my father’s ingenuity. The Mefo bills, exceeding 20 billion Reichsmarks, had been a daunting challenge, but the arms manufacturers were in an even more precarious position.
Having produced weapons for the Nazi Wehrmacht on credit, relying on government guarantees, they were now facing bankruptcy, unable to deliver their products due to the civil war and thus unable to receive payment.
My father had struck a deal with them. The New Government would gradually repay the Mefo bills and purchase the equipment intended for the Nazi Wehrmacht, providing them with much-needed liquidity, in exchange for a reduction in the total amount of the Mefo bills.
While the arms manufacturers were understandably unhappy about the reduction, even with government guarantees, receiving a smaller amount now was preferable to facing imminent bankruptcy.
With the added condition of overlooking their collusion with the Nazis, the arms manufacturers reluctantly agreed. We had also begun seizing the assets of companies that had actively collaborated with the Nazi regime.
Considering that my father was the architect of the Mefo bills, it was a ruthless display of capitalist pragmatism. I couldn’t help but admire his financial acumen.
As a result, the total amount of Mefo bills had been reduced by approximately 40%, to around 12 billion Reichsmarks. While still astronomical, securing an agreement for installment payments from the companies provided some breathing room.
As I observed the delighted admirals, the Emperor approached me and remarked, “It seems loyalty to the crown is no match for money.”
“Such are the times, Your Majesty.”
–
After the meeting concluded and the Emperor and the State Secretary departed.
Karl Dönitz stood on the balcony, the sea breeze ruffling his hair, staring blankly at the ocean.
“Why the long face? Everyone else is celebrating.”
Dönitz smiled wryly at the voice behind him. Günther Lütjens, gruff but friendly, joined him on the balcony.
“What’s wrong? Upset that you couldn’t bring up the submarine fleet?”
“I just feel… empty.”
Before meeting the State Secretary of the New Government, Admiral Raeder had warned Dönitz not to attract attention and to remain silent.
Therefore, Dönitz hadn’t spoken to the State Secretary and had remained silent throughout the meeting.
While the young State Secretary hadn’t seemed particularly interested in him, the navy leadership had been worried about potential repercussions due to Dönitz’s known Nazi sympathies.
“I initially thought aligning myself with the Führer and the Nazi Party would be beneficial for my career, given my dissenting views within the navy.”
“Well, that’s understandable.”
Lütjens spoke casually. Dönitz, a staunch advocate for submarine warfare in a navy obsessed with surface fleets and big-gun battleships, was undoubtedly an outsider.
However, Dönitz was experiencing a profound sense of disillusionment.
“But as I did so, I began to truly believe that the Führer and the Nazi Party were the ones who would restore Germany’s greatness.”
Dönitz, deeply influenced by Nazism, genuinely admired Hitler and believed that Jews and Bolsheviks were the root cause of Germany’s decline.
“I believed there was no one who could lead Germany better than Hitler. But I was wrong.”
Just two and a half months after the coup.
The seemingly invincible dictator’s regime was crumbling. Its downfall exposed such depravity that even the Nazi sympathizer Dönitz couldn’t defend it.
“Do you regret it?”
“…I feel… lost.”
Dönitz, his gaze fixed on the ocean, fell silent.
Lütjens, watching him quietly, spoke, “We witnessed the downfall of the Kaiser’s empire and the Kaiserliche Marine.”
He looked at the Graf Zeppelin, the incomplete aircraft carrier floating aimlessly in the harbor, launched but never finished.
“It felt like the end of the world back then, but we’re still here, living our lives.”
Dönitz closed his eyes slowly at Lütjens’s words.
He still couldn’t imagine a Germany without Hitler, but he would have to live in one.
“Yes, I suppose so…”
< German Civil War – Iron and Blood, Golden Freedom (4) > End
ⓒ Carcassonne
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