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Capital | Ravensburg | ||||||
Largest city | Ulm | ||||||
Other cities | Friedrichshafen, Biberach, Mengen, Sigmaringen, Villingen, Albstadt, Neu-Ulm, Memmingen, Kempten, Lindau | ||||||
Language | German (Swabian dialect) | ||||||
Government | Constitutional Monarchy | ||||||
King | Friedrich II | ||||||
Royal house: | Württemberg | ||||||
Chancellor | Hermann Vogler | ||||||
Population | est 900,000 | ||||||
Independence | Jan 1, 2000 | ||||||
Currency | Württemberg Gulden |
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.
History[]
Doomsday[]
The northern and western parts of the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg were heavily attacked on Doomsday, due largely to the presence of NATO military installations. Targets included:
- Stuttgart
- Heidelberg
- Mannheim
- Heilbronn
- Göppingen
- Freiburg
The southeast portion of the state was spared nuclear attack. It also received limited protection from fallout due to the Swabian Alb mountain region.
In the following months, cities and towns near the West German-Swiss border faced a wave of refugees fleeing the devastation. Although some passed by on the way to Switzerland, many stayed. In most of these communities, the situation became untenable at best as supplies diminished and cases of radiation sickness and other diseases increased. Things went from bad to worse in 1985 as the Swiss closed their borders and began to send back some of the refugees.
The Return of the Württembergs[]
The foundations were laid for Swabia-Württemberg in 1999 but no one could decide on a figurehead. In October it was decided that the Württembergs should be declared the ruling family, this led to the coronation of Friedrich of Württemberg.
Expansion[]
More to come...
The Restoration[]
On midnight of January 1, 2000, in the Ravensburg Cathedral, Duke Friedrich of Württemberg was anointed King Friedrich II of the Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg.
The Augsburg Incident[]
The 2000s was a time of great joy for the citizens of Swabia-Württemberg. They had just become independent, and now could come out of its shell. Contact with the Alpine Confederation and the Celtic Alliance was achieved in 2001, and in the same year, they found out that more nations existed in Oceania, the Azores, France and the UK. But the good times would be halted by an embarrassing incident in 2003.
On 20 August 2003, some Swabian soldiers were patrolling the newly-claimed lands in former Bavaria. Near the town of Augsburg, they encountered a contingent of supposed 'bandits'. They stepped out of the bushes, drew their guns and demanded that the band of men explain why they were in Swabian territory. They explained they were part of the Free State of Bavaria, and that they were the intruders. The Swabians radioed for assistance, and the Bavarians did the same. News of the standoff reached both parties, and both were not impressed. In separate press conferences, the world learned of the situation, and braced.
The standoff would reach many climaxes, one of which was when a Bavarian tank that had detached from its unit encountered Swabian patrols. The crew were taken to the Swabian base and interviewed. Upon learning of this, Bavarian command were furious and demanded the release of the crew. Frederick II ordered the soldiers to release them, and the soldiers involved were dishonourably discharged from the army. However, the last straw was when a unit of Swabian soldiers advanced on Augsburg, not knowing that the Bavarians had put up defensive structures in the city. The Swabians fired on the defences, and the Bavarian chain of command demanded an explanation-or war would be on the cards.
Fearing a war would result in the destruction of the young state, Frederick II issued a statement condemning the soldiers and apologising for any wrongdoing. The world had been following closely, and now a larger nation had to step in to stop the standoff. The only volunteer was the Alpine Confederation. In February 2004, talks began in Ulm on resolving the conflict. Eventually, following a year of negotiations, the Treaty of Ulm was signed on January 7, 2005 and all troops were stood down.
Under the terms of the treaty:
- Bavaria would have control of Augsburg proper, but Swabia would gain the south suburbs.
- Swabia would reorganise its military and recognise Bavaria as an independent entity.
- Swabia would pay an unspecified amount of repatriations.
To this day, relations between the two states are strained, but have brightened in recent years. All soldiers involved in any wrongdoing were discharged from the army and some, like the group that fired on the Augsburg defences, had to be extradited to Bavaria. The official Swabian stance on the situation is that Augsburg proper is theirs, not the Bavarians, but they do recognise the Bavarian claims in the area. The conflict damaged their international relations, and the League of Nations recently told Swabia-Württemberg that unless a permanent solution to Augsburg can be found, they will have to keep denying them admission.
Exploration of Upper Baden-Württemberg[]
Following the Treaty of Ulm, Swabia-Württemberg began to learn more details of the world situation. Contact with North Germany was achieved in 2005, and the Rhineland Federation was reached by 2009. With foreign relations improving, the Swabian government decided to do an expedition of the former Baden-Württemberg. An expeditionary force was sent off in 2010, with Frederick II’s blessing, and would recon with a Rhineland expedition to jointly explore the former state. The expedition lasted a year and the results were quite astonishing, especially in Stuttgart, cradle of the motorcar.
Stuttgart was an inevitable target in the event of nuclear war, and as such, a one megaton Soviet SLBM was detonated over the south of the city. From data gathered by Bavarian explorers the blast destroyed all of Stuttgart-Sud and much of Stuttgart-Ost. However, in the north of the city, the buildings were all relatively intact. Including, amazingly, the Porsche Zuffenhausen plant. At the time of detonation, approximately 2am, the Porsche factory was deserted so there was really nobody there, meaning the complex was preserved, bar a few broken windows. However, weather had gotten to the complex, and so many a plant had grown within the factory. A second expedition was ordered in 2012 to recover materials from the Zuffenhausen factory, and using the blueprints, a factory in Weingarten was opened in 2014, with a red 911 Turbo the first car off the line. Present were former Porsche engineers who had fled the attacks, designer Norbert Singer (who had escaped Stuttgart earlier than most and now lived in Ravensburg) and approximately 10,000 car enthusiasts invited from all over the world.
Other than that, much of Baden-Württemberg was lawless, nuked and/or abandoned, but the government has expressed interest into expanding northward.
Territory[]
As of January 1, 2010, the Kingdom's de facto borders are the eastern edge of the Black Forest, the Neckar River, the Lech River and the border with the Alpine Confederation. The Kingdom also claims the remainder of the former state of Baden-Württemberg.
The Kingdom is divided into several Provinces (Provinzen). They are listed as:
- Provinz Württemberg (Capital at Friedrichshafen)
- Provinz Schwaben (Capital at Kempten)
- Provinz Danube-Iller (Capital at Ulm)
- Provinz Hohenzollern (Capital at Sigmaringen)
- Provinz Ost-Baden (Capital at Villingen)
- Provinz Ravensburg (Capital province)
Each province has its own legislature and is represented by a Governor, who is (except for Ravensburg) nominated by King Friedrich and approved by the provincial legislature. King Friedrich himself acts as Governor of Ravensburg.
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, and can remove the Kanzler through a no-confidence vote. The legislature has the sole power to declare war against another power.
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.
Executive[]
The executive branch is led by the Chancellor (Kanzler) who is elected by the Volksversammlung. The Kanzler serves a five-year term, unless he dies, resigns, or is removed from office by a no-confidence vote. The incumbent Kanzler is Hermann Vogler (CDU), former Oberbürgermeister of Ravensburg. Below the Kanzler and the Ministers who serve at the Kanzler's pleasure. The Ministries include:
- Interior Ministry
- Foreign Ministry
- Defense Ministry
- Finance Ministry
- Health Ministry
- Education Ministry
- Information Ministry
Each Minister has freedom of action to carry out his/her responsibilities, but the Kanzler can issue general guidelines.
Judicial[]
There are two types of courts in the Kingdom:
- Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgericht) hears cases involving the Basic Law. It has the authority to declare invalid any decision by the legislature or a member of the executive branch (including the King) if they determine it to be in violation of the Basic Law. The Verfassungsgericht consists of a burgermeister (judge) and seven jurists, each at least 35 years of age. Each member serves a term of ten years.
- The regular courts handle all other cases.
Economy[]
The majority of the economy is based on agriculture. However, there is manufacturing in the state, mainly Porsche AG, which has its car and motorsports division in Weingarten, outside the capital of Ravensburg. King Frederick II is a particular fan of their cars, and owns quite a few, including the aforementioned red 911 Turbo, a 944 and a specially-commissioned, approximately $800,000 911 limousine, with drinks cabinet and cooler, Connolly leather, an air conditioning system taken from Rolls-Royce and five doors. And, of course, it has a 3.3 litre turbocharged flat-six in the back. The car is an unofficial icon of the state and is nicknamed 'Big Gunther'.
Culture[]
More to come...
International Relations[]
The Kingdom of Swabia-Württemberg has relations with most known survivor states in Europe, including the Alpine Confederation, North Germany, Prussia, and the Nordic Union. It is currently involved in a territorial dispute with Bavaria concerning the city of Augsburg, which both nations claim. It has begun the process of membership with the League of Nations, but membership has been put on hold until the territorial dispute with Bavaria is settled.
See Also[]
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