Crumbling Reich: A Weimar Republic Game (Signup Thread)

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons

German Reich: 1932

“It is said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried”
― Winston Churchill


The golden age of the Weimar Republic has come to a sudden and devastating end. The worldwide economic depression has destroyed the economy, and unemployment rises at a pace never seen before in the history of the Germans. Established politicians panic as Germany's new Republican institutions faces more of a threat than ever. Communists, socialists, monarchists, and national socialists battle openly in the streets of Germany. Many openly speculate that Germany's young Republic has but years to live, as many are willing to sacrifice anything and anyone to build Germany in their image, while others do anything to protect the banner of the red, gold, and black. And it is indeed a young Republic. Forged in the desperate hours of November 1918, the Republican is built on the backs of the army and reactionary Freikorps, many of whom have desired its removal since, but it has endured much already. The hyperinflation, the Kapp Putsch, and multiple communist uprisings. Everyone is still asking however, will the Weimar Republic prove to be a passing shadow, or will it stand the test of time?

Greetings, and welcome to Crumbling Reich, a roleplay of the chaotic Weimar Republic, set in the elections of 1932 and onwards. There will be a Federal Election, and a Presidential Election in 1932.  The RP will start during the election season in early 1932; the Presidential Election being held in March, followed by a potential run-off in April, followed by a Federal Election in June. Election results will be calculated through a mixture of roleplay quality, historical precedent, and a touch of randomness. Players can apply to play as individuals, either custom characters (realistic please), or real life historical characters who will engage in the fighting, intrigue, and politics of time. Who you want to be is really up to you. You can be a Reichswehr officer, a Reichstag member, a street gang leader, a party leader, a newspaper publisher, or whatever you please as long as it is realistic and makes sense. Some characters will be NPCs, such as President Paul Von Hidenburg, who is both nearing senility and will be controlled by myself for reasons that will become clear. There will be regular news updates and commentary on player actions to keep things fun and interesting. Player posts can be campaign speeches, street battles, conversations with associates, or anything that you believe could happen in a political game. And remember, enjoy!

~ Rules ~

1. The OP (Me) and Co-OP (None yet) will settle in game disputes that may appear

2. No Powergaming, Metagaming, etc. Do not determine other character actions without asking them, unless its something small like dialogue choices (as long as you're consult the other player with what the outcome of your discussions is).

3. Be polite please , rudeness ain't needed. Be considerate and kind towards your fellow players and blog posters.

4. Be reasonable and stick to decent historical accuracy and realism.

5. If you commit to playing a major character or lead a major party, make sure you know you can stay active

6. There is zero tolerance for out of character advocacy of violent ideology, Nazism, or genocide. And this should be obvious, but this blog's rules are to be listened to.

7. If you have any suggestions, please provide!

8. Have fun!

Primary Parties:

Deutsche Zentrumspartei (DZ) - German Centre Party: Catholic Conservatives and Moderates committed to the Republic

Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) - Social Democratic Party of Germany: Social Democrats dedicated to the preservation of the Republic

Deutschnationale Volkspartei (DNVP) - German National People's Party: Monarchists, reactionaries, and nationalists who would prefer to see the Republic ended, perhaps with a return to the monarchy

Secondary Parties:

Bayerische Volkspartei (BVP) - Bavarian People's Party: Bavarian regionalist and conservative party

Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (KPD) - Communist Party of Germany: Communists and Marxists who would like to see Germany become a socialist state, allies of the USSR.

Deutsche Volkspartei (DVP) - German People's Party: Nationalists and market liberals

 Nationalsozialiste Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP)- German National Socialist Workers Party: Ultra-nationalists and radicals dedicated to building a Pan-Germanic state built on their racial theories and violent view of Germanic supremacy, they are no friends of the Republic

Tertiary Parties:

Deutsch-Hannoversche Partei (DHP) - German-Hanoverian Party

Landbund (LB) - National Rural League

Deutsche Staatspartei (DStP) - German State Party

Volksrechtpartei (VRP) - People's Justice Party

Sozialistische Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands (SADP) - Socialist Workers' Party of Germany


Paramilitary Organizations (NEW)

Sturmabteilung (SA)-Storm Battalion: NSDAP

Roter Frontkämpferbund (RFB)-Alliance of Red-Front Fighters: KPD

Der Stahlhelm (DS)-The Steel Helmet: DNVP

Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold (RSRG)-Reich Banner Black-Red-Gold: SPD/DStP

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons

Custom Character Application

Character Name:
Character Age:
Character Gender:
Character Appearance:
Character Party (if military, provide their ideological sympathies):
Character Traits (keep it balanced and interesting):
Character Bio:
Other Character Info:

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons

Key Reich Information



Wikimedia Commons

Communist Party of Germany - 77 seats

Leader: Ernst Thälmann (Devout Centrist)

Members: Willy Leow (PSOL), Walter Hirzgebau (Laki)

Socialist Workers' Party of Germany - 1 seat

Members: Karl Borromäus Frank (Ishan)

Social Democratic Party of Germany - 142 seats

Leader: Otto Wels (GoTfan)

Members: Kurt Schumacher (Representative Elcaspar)

German Centre Party - 68 seats

Members: Franz von Papen [Independent] (JacksonHitchcock)

German State Party - 20 seats

Members: Artur Mahraun (Kingpoleon)

German People's Party - 30 seats

German-Hanoverian Party - 5 seats

Bavarian People's Party - 19 seats

National Rural League - 9 seats
People's Justice Party - 4 seats

German National People's Party - 93 seats

Leader: Alfred Hugenberg (RGM)

Members:  Carl Schmitt  (Brother Jonathan)

German National Socialist Workers Party - 107 seats


Political Map

Blue - Strong Conservative

Light Blue - Leans Conservative

Red - Strong Leftist

Pink - Leans Leftist

Gold - Strong Reactionary

Yellow - Leans Reactionary

Green - Swing between Reactionary and Conservative

Orange - Swing between Reactionary and Leftist

Purple - Swing between Leftist and Conservative

Reich Chancellor: Heinrich Bruning
Reich President: Paul von Hindenburg

[PSOL]

Can I play as Willy Leow?

[Devout Centrist]

Applying for Ernst Thälmann

[GoTfan]

Otto Wels please.

[Continential]

Can I have the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany?

[KaiserDave]

Can I play as Willy Leow?

Yep!

Applying for Ernst Thälmann

Great!

Otto Wels please.

Granted!

[KaiserDave]

Can I have the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany?

I’d be happy to grant you an individual but parties cannot be applied for

[Elcaspar]

I will apply for Kurt Schumacher

[KaiserDave]

I will apply for Kurt Schumacher

Granted!

[Continential]

Can I have the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany?

I’d be happy to grant you an individual but parties cannot be applied for

Then I'll take Karl Borromäus Frank then, he was a former Communist (Opposition) who joined SAPD.

[KaiserDave]

Can I have the Socialist Workers' Party of Germany?

I’d be happy to grant you an individual but parties cannot be applied for

Then I'll take Karl Borromäus Frank then, he was a former Communist (Opposition) who joined SAPD.

Granted

[RGM2609]

Are either Von Papen or Hugenberg available?

[KaiserDave]

Are either Von Papen or Hugenberg available?

Hugenberg is! Von Papen was reserved privately.

[RGM2609]

Are either Von Papen or Hugenberg available?

Hugenberg is! Von Papen was reserved privately.

Alright. I would like Hugenberg, please.

[KaiserDave]

Are either Von Papen or Hugenberg available?

Hugenberg is! Von Papen was reserved privately.

Alright. I would like Hugenberg, please.

Done! And thank you for taking someone on the German right.

As for new players, I think we have a solid array of left wing posters but you're still free to pick wherever. I'd love to see some custom characters though!

[Kingpoleon]

I would like to play Artur Mahraun, the leader of the Wandervogel, with hundreds of thousands of followers.

[KaiserDave]

I would like to play Artur Mahraun, the leader of the Wandervogel, with hundreds of thousands of followers.

Love it!

[Kingpoleon]

Wikimedia Commons

Custom Character Application

Character Name: Artur Mahraun, German State Party leader
Character Age: 41(b. December 30, 1890)
Character Gender: Male
Character Appearance:
Character Party (if military, provide their ideological sympathies): German State Party
Character Traits (keep it balanced and interesting):
Character Bio:
Mahraun was born to a city councilman in Kassel, Prussia. He served in World War One with some distinction, after the war founding a semi-militant group dedicated to nature and the outdoors, to German culture. Mahraun is unusual on many levels: he has gathered support from rural farmers and urban workers by combining a certain German nationalism with a degree of liberalism. Nearly 300,000 loyal followers, and many more admirers, have backed him for years. Rejecting revolution, as advocated by others, he has advocated reconciliation with France, the British, and Poland. Many overseas have called him “The last hope of the German people,” and perhaps the last true alternative to Hitler or Thalmann. He is certainly the only other figure with a significant following.

He has proposed recently a compromise, to reinstate Wilhelm II as Kaiser and to restore the other kings and dukes under him as constitutional figures. Mahraun has been an unhesitating opponent of Hitler since 1923, and he has recently allied himself with the German Democratic Party to form the German State Party. Whether he will be made its leader, and whether he can ever hope to succeed electorally remains to be seen.*
Other Character Info: A leader of the Wandervogel movement, sometimes called the German Scouting movement. Mahraun has reached out, to everyday Germans, to church leaders and military members, to everyone from labor workers to Jewish capitalists. If a broad coalition can coalesce around him, his followers and their admirers in the military may soon rule Germany.

*Mahraun is a historical, little known figure. If he is the leader of the German State Party now, let me know and I will fix that.

[KaiserDave]

Wikimedia Commons

Custom Character Application

Character Name: Artur Mahraun, German State Party leader
Character Age: 41(b. December 30, 1890)
Character Gender: Male
Character Appearance:
Character Party (if military, provide their ideological sympathies): German State Party
Character Traits (keep it balanced and interesting):
Character Bio:
Mahraun was born to a city councilman in Kassel, Prussia. He served in World War One with some distinction, after the war founding a semi-militant group dedicated to nature and the outdoors, to German culture. Mahraun is unusual on many levels: he has gathered support from rural farmers and urban workers by combining a certain German nationalism with a degree of liberalism. Nearly 300,000 loyal followers, and many more admirers, have backed him for years. Rejecting revolution, as advocated by others, he has advocated reconciliation with France, the British, and Poland. Many overseas have called him “The last hope of the German people,” and perhaps the last true alternative to Hitler or Thalmann. He is certainly the only other figure with a significant following.

He has proposed recently a compromise, to reinstate Wilhelm II as Kaiser and to restore the other kings and dukes under him as constitutional figures. Mahraun has been an unhesitating opponent of Hitler since 1923, and he has recently allied himself with the German Democratic Party to form the German State Party. Whether he will be made its leader, and whether he can ever hope to succeed electorally remains to be seen.*
Other Character Info: A leader of the Wandervogel movement, sometimes called the German Scouting movement. Mahraun has reached out, to everyday Germans, to church leaders and military members, to everyone from labor workers to Jewish capitalists. If a broad coalition can coalesce around him, his followers and their admirers in the military may soon rule Germany.

*Mahraun is a historical, little known figure. If he is the leader of the German State Party now, let me know and I will fix that.

I’m not sure if he’s the leader but he was historically a member thus I put him there for organizations sake

[KaiserDave]

A reminder that this game is always open to new players, and we're specifically looking for players on the German right. Preferably the NSDAP, DNVP, or Zentrum.

[RGM2609]

Wikimedia Commons

Custom Character Application

Character Name: Alfred Hugenberg
Character Age: 67
Character Gender: Male
Character Appearance:
Character Party (if military, provide their ideological sympathies): DNVP
Character Traits (keep it balanced and interesting): He is a wealthy media proprietor with nationalist views to the point of being a fanatical. He is very ambitious and willing to do anything to gather more power, but he might overestimate himself and his skills, leading to failure.
Character Bio: Hugenberg entered the Prussian finance ministry in 1903. In 1909 he became chairman of Krupp, a title he held until 1918. In 1916, he started building a business empire of his own, including the media propaganda machine. After the fall of the Empire, he joined the DNVP as the leader of its rightist wing. He launched relentless attacks towards leftists and the promoters of the Treaty of Versailles, demanding for Germany to get out of it. After he became the leader of the party, he started doing coalitions with NSDAP, hoping to use them for his own purposes.
Other Character Info: Hugenberg hopes to gather up as much power as possible and reverse the decline of the DNVP by mobilizing around him the more moderate of fascists, the nationalists, the right wing conservatives, the anticommunists, the reactionary monarchists, the patriotic populists and the antisemites.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Rosa Luxemburg please, in case she's not available because she died in 1920...

Character Name: Walter Hirzgebau
Character Age: 48
Character Gender: Male
Character Appearance: Jewish-typical man
Character Party (if military, provide their ideological sympathies): German Communist Party
Character Traits (keep it balanced and interesting):
Character Bio: Jewish communist. Great sympathizer of Vladimir Lenin, names him and Eugene V. Debs as his two biggest idols. Holds contacts with Norman Thomas in the USA. Born in Berlin, lives in Berlin. Opponent of NSDAP, but even a bigger opponent of the center-right parties and the "traitors" of SDP. Believes in a world revolution. Supports French and Spanish communists.
Other Character Info:

[KaiserDave]

Walter is granted! As Rosa is deceased

Also, If your character isn’t original you do not need to post an original character application