Crumbling Reich: A Weimar Republic Game (Gameplay Thread)

[Dereich]

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On the Intentions of This Government

Members of the Reichstag and my countrymen. I have the pleasure of addressing you as the representative of Marshal Hindenburg, our President and the steady hand guiding the German people. His mandate refreshed, Marshal Hindenburg has expressed his concern for the plight of the German people and his desire to see stability and prosperity return to our Fatherland. In pursuit of those goals, I will lay out the immediate intentions of this government.

It has always been a priority of the President and his governments that prudent and sound finance be maintained. We do not want a return to the dark days of the last decade, when the failure of the Mark cause misery for all. However, prudence must at times be balanced with the acknowledged national interest. In that national interest, this government will be bringing forward and supporting a legislative proposal of the SDP to create a make-work infrastructure initiative that has been dubbed "the Autobahn."

The primary purpose of any government is to assure the safety and well-being of its subjects. To that end, this government is formulating legislation to ensure that local constabularies are capable of handling outbreaks of violence and are better able to coordinate a response to the ongoing epidemic of armed violence. We will also ensure that national assistance can be provided to those areas that are particularly hard-pressed by Bolshevik and other armed mobs. Make no mistake that this government will do whatever is necessary to end violence on the streets.

Recently, I have heard much speculation that this government intends to do away with the constitution and rule without the Reichstag. As you all can see, that is clearly not the case. No government intending to rule without the Reichstag would put itself through the trials of a Motion of No Confidence. While this government will do all it can to restore German Honor and to ensure stability, it will do so by constitutional means. The question of an oath has also been publicly discussed. This should not be blown out of proportion. We all have an interest in ensuring that Germans are governed by Germans, not by the French or the Russians. We will consider any appropriate measure to ensure that foreign interference in the governance of Germans is minimized, and action will be tailored to that purpose.

Finally, this government is considering other necessary legislation meant to instill pride and educate on the great heroes and scholars of our Fatherland. We are making every practical effort to see that the indignities of the past decades are reversed and that our pride is restored. And we are working to ensure that that Germany will resume its rightful place on the world stage. Thank you.

[Dereich]

An Announcement from the Government

AFTER due consideration and careful review of the situation within the State of Prussia, it is the opinion of the President and of his Ministry that the State of Prussia has failed to enforce the Law on Firearms and Ammunition, 1928 and Law on Extremist Groups, 1929 as required by law.

THEREFORE, under Article 48(1) of the Constitution of 1919, a limited deployment of the Reichswehr is authorized within the State of Prussia to compel performance of the law and to assist local authorities in said enforcement. This announcement serves as notice to the Reichstag as required by Article 48(3) of the Constitution of 1919.

x Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Reichskanzler

[Dereich]

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The Chancellor Addresses the Nation

My fellow Germans, we have peace! For the first time in months, or even years, a citizen can walk the length of the Wilhelmstrasse at night without needing to fear the sounds of gunfire or the depravities of criminal gangs. What a great thing it is! And yet how terrible! That the glorious and undefeated Army of the Reich was required to ensure calm in the streets is a travesty. That German arms, the finest in the world, needed to aimed at fellow Germans instead of the enemies of the Fatherland is shameful. It should not have had to happen and it is my Ministry's goal to see that it need never happen again.

But how to do this? The greatest failure in this epidemic of violence has been with local police forces. But who can blame the constabularies? They are asked to do the impossible! They are underfunded and undermanned. They are asked to handle ordinary crime as well as hordes of armed revolutionaries. It is an impossible task! Something greater is needed. Today, it was the Reichswehr. Tomorrow, I hope it will be the Reichspolizei. I am today introducing legislation to the Reichstag to create a national police force, one that is capable of supplementing overburdened the local and State forces when needed. A force trained to deal with violence and revolts, so that the local police can focus on ordinary crime and the Reichswehr can focus on the enemies of the Fatherland. Along with the Reichspolizei, my legislation will enable your Ministry to coordinate police action between the states and will ease barriers to joint law enforcement between jurisdictions.

Yes Citizens, the crisis of the moment has receded. The Reichswehr are returning to their barracks with thanks of the President and of the Nation for a job well-done. But we must be vigilant! Your Ministry is doing all it can to see that order and stability will remain permanently. Order and stability will give the German soul freedom to flourish and the opportunity for German worker and employer to work together to restore prosperity. I call on the Reichstag to support this legislation! Don't stand between the German people and a brighter future!

[Dereich]

It is the case that a proposal along these lines was at one point discussed within the cabinet. However, due to the need for cabinet consensus the proposal was tabled in favor of the current motion proposed by the Chancellor.

The Office of the Chancellor would support and adopt this version of reform if that was the decision of the Reichstag, but it is not the official policy of the Ministry. The Chancellor recommends that the parties in the government vote their conscience on this proposal.

[Dereich]

Minister Mehrun and Minister Hugenberg, just like all the members of the Ministry, are good German patriots. It is the Chancellor's belief that neither Minister acted in ways contrary to the interests of the Fatherland and both have the full confidence of Chancellor and President.

[Dereich]

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On the Coming Elections

My fellow Germans, the time has come again for elections. You can rest assured as the process begins that Government will do everything in its power to ensure that the elections proceed safely and will take action against lawbreakers who threaten to cause harm to the law abiding voter.

Over the previous months, your Ministry has done what it could to make things right in our beloved Fatherland. Unlike in previous days, this government showed that it would take every action possible to restore safety to the streets. There would be no more "Year of Chaos" under our watch. And we have taken action to see that the streets will stay safe by creating the Reichspolizei, unlike others who would shrug their shoulders and accept violence as a fact of life. And, of course, we have answered the cry of the unemployed worker without needlessly harming the German industrialist. This government has in just the last few weeks created tens of thousands of jobs, with tens of thousands more openings yet to be filled. The Reichspolizei will be a testament to German order! The Autobahn will be a testament to German industry and work ethic! The Fatherland stands much improved and enhanced at home and abroad under the strong and stable leadership of President Hindenburg and this Ministry.

So why, you may ask, is an election necessary? Because, fellow Germans, there is more to be done and the Reichstag is a squabbling mess! This government has scarcely had time to govern; in just a few short months it has had to waste valuable time facing down motion after motion against itself and its ministers. So much more could be done, were the Ministry be given a mandate to govern! Further initiatives to restore German pride, proposals to aid German farmers and utilize partnership with landowners to create jobs and restore German prosperity, a restoration of the Reich's rightful place in the world! Return this government to office, beloved Germans, and you will have it all!

[Dereich]

There will be an immediate change to the new cabinet. General von Schleicher has been chosen as the Reich's special envoy to the Government of the Republic of China and will assist that government in the interests of Sino-German cooperation.

Herr Mehrun has graciously agreed to reenter the cabinet in his place as Minister without Portfolio.

[Dereich]

A Brief Address on the Presidential Decree

What is the Reich? It is the culmination of German spirit and the voice of the German People. As is so often pointed out, we are ruled by a constitutional government. All good citizens, men and women alike, fulfill their role in installing legislators to operate the machinery of the Reich for the benefit of the German People. It is they who chose the Reichstag that we have now, chosen by votes and under the rule of law.

What, then, is this General Strike? It is an attempt by perfidious politicians and their idealistic patsies to  subvert the will of the people. To say "NO! It does not matter if the German People and their representatives supported these parties. It is only the parties supported by the Man in Moscow who are allowed to govern." Yes, this is the striker's tantrum revealed! They are men who could not convince the German people and so they decided that their opinions should count more. That the opinion of the factory worker in Berlin matters more than that of the shopkeeper, the soldier, or the worker in the Rhineland. The General Strike is nothing less than an attack on democracy and the Reich itself!

Which is why I welcomed the Presidential Decrees! By striking solely for the whims of their KPD masters, these men still on strike are attacking the German Reich itself. It is only right that the Reich should act in self-defense, in defense of the results of the election and of the authority of the State.

[Dereich]

An Announcement from the Chancellor's Office

IN light of the ongoing rapidly developing situation within the Reich which are causing a threat to the public order and after receiving due approval from the President of the Reich, the Reichswehr is authorized to assist in measures to restore public safety as envisioned by Article 48(2) of the Constitution of 1919, should their deployment become necessary.  This announcement serves as notice to the Reichstag as required by Article 48(3) of the Constitution of 1919.

x Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Reichskanzler

[Dereich]

An Announcement from the Chancellor's Office

After consideration of the circumstances around the German Reich. It is the opinion of the President and the Ministry that the Reichswehr as constituted is incapable of effectively responding to the obstacles facing the Reich. As such, the Reichswehr Minister is hereby ordered to organize and execute an expansion of the Reichswehr beyond the current number of active personnel of 100,000 men.

[Dereich]

An Announcement from the Chancellor's Office

By the express approval of the President and under the authority granted by Article 48 of the German Constitution of 1919, Article 118 of the same is in part suspended. The right of newspapers (including but not limited to Der Stürmer and Völkischer Beobachter), publication houses, and broadcast stations associated with the National Socialist German Workers' Party to publish is hereby suspended.

x Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Reichskanzler

By the express approval of the President and under the authority granted by Article 48 of the German Constitution of 1919, Articles 123 and 124 of the same are in part suspended. The National Socialist German Workers' Party is hereby outlawed. The right of assembly is suspended for members of that organization insofar as the assembly is related to the aforementioned National Socialist German Workers' Party.

x Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Reichskanzler

[Dereich]

On the Resumption of Normal Government

Now that the tumult of the past few days is resolved and order is restored, it is necessary that the normal functions of government resume. However, it is apparent to all that the members of the Reichstag elected under the banner of the National Socialist German Worker's Party cannot continue to sit in the Reichstag after their party has engaged in a violent rebellion against the Reich. It is also apparent to the government that it would be undemocratic to allow the Reichstag to resume while the seats of the largest party of the most recent election lay vacant.

THEREFORE, elections will be scheduled on the dates of February 6 or February 13, depending on each State and region's stability and ability to conduct an election, to fill the vacant seats of the NSDAP members. The seats will be filled proportionally by State. The Reichstag will reopen on February 15 as a full and representative body.

Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen, Reichskanzler