1918 Bavarian News

[Kaiser Kirk]

January 1918

The Munich Messenger
January 7th

King Lugwig III threw open the gates to the Residenz  to welcome the public.  The occaision was of course his Majesties 73rd Birthday.  Much of the Residenz was open to the public, though not the private chambers or the Treasury.  The King attended both morning and evening services in the Allerheiligen-Hofkirche on the grounds. A banquet and ball were held that evening with many of the cities notables. After the festivities, the King retired down the road to his private estates at Leutstetten.

The Dresden Dispatch

January 15th

The Ordnance Survey released the first editions of their newest map series. Derived from aerial photography, the topograpic maps are reserved for military use. Planemetric  civilian maps are available, showing roads, railroads, canals, rivers and towns in the greatest of detail, allowing the traveller to more easily travel about the Kingdom. This first series of maps are from the areas first flown last spring, around Pirna on the Elbe, south of Dresden. This series will continue to the East. Maps are expected to be released to the public throughout the course of the year, eventually covering the entire Greater Kingdom.

[Kaiser Kirk]

February


February 10th, Cabinet Chambers

Present :
G. von Hertling, Prime Minister
E. Müller, Foreign Minister
Otto Ritter von Dandl , Treasury Minister.
Gustav Ritter von Kahr , War Minister
Georg Alexander von Mülle , Oberkommando der Marine



Prime Minister von Hertling: Gentlemen, several months ago I asked our Military to consider their future needs and present a future bill so that we could budget the matter appropriately.

E. Müller Excuse  my interruption, but shall we wait for the King?

von Hertling I did not think the King would wish to bother with such minutia. Undoubtedly he has some agrarian pursuit to keep himself busy. Now to continue,

I must say I am less than pleased with your efforts. The Heer is reporting a total bill of 161,000,000 GoldMarks(1) and the need for  90,000 tons of high quality steels.

I don't even understand this notation for "mobile fortress", some variant on the railroad artillery?

von Kahr Well, we just don't know quite what to call it. We have reports from other nations that field similar devices, and M.A.N. has a working pair of prototypes. A crawler tractor serves as the chassis for an armored casement, much like the old riverine ironclads. Terribly unreliable so far, but these fortress would then be mobile and could be used to hastily bolster a line under attack. They might even be useful offensively.

von Hertling Interesting. Still, for such a tentative concept, planning 50 for each army would seem exorbitant. This is typical of the other elements of the plan, little consolidation, and large quantities spread everywhere. That may be good for icing a cake, but poor for budgeting.

At our current rate of spending, presuming all excess funds were dedicated to the Heer, it would take nearly 13 years to finance this wish list. By which time I suppose everything would need to be upgraded again.

von Kahr Of course Minister, the long range budgetary design was such that the fortifications and upgrades to the Heer could be put in place, leaving continuing updates to reflect technical challenges to the future. I dare say we can't foresee what is even needed yet. >

von Hertling  Unless the public truly approves of extra taxes to fund concrete and steel, I will not be in office in thirteen year. We must constrain ourselves to a reasonable horizon. I am afraid that you must revise the list and lower your expectations. I would suggest disposing of the concept of building ten large forts and over 100km of fortified line, reducing the forecast size of the Luftstreitkräfte, and the sized of the siege artillery park. In short, identify the skeleton that is needed, such that folks six years from now merely worry about funding the ligaments and muscles.

von Kahr Yes Minister

As for the Marine, I question if this figure is even correct, as I can only summarize a decimal point dropped out.  You list a sum of 260 millions marks, and require first priority on our best steels for the next, and this is the one that really gets me, THIRTY years ?!?!  Please inform me that I am misunderstanding something.

von Mülle : Well Prime Minister, there seems to have been a miscommunication. Those are the correct figures, but reflect a, um, purely hypothetical fleet which would answer Bavaria's multiple needs and serve notice that we are a power with great reach.

 E. Müller With due regard, I don't believe there has been a call for our Kingdom to aspire to Great Power status. We are rather content in our mountains, and have the best beer and cheese  in the world. What more could one want?

von Dandl /b]Bratwurst

von Mülle : What?

 E. Müller I believe our esteemed Treasurer has correctly observed that bratwurst is needed to accompany the beer and cheese.

von Dandl /b] The point is I would much rather have beer and bratwurst than have our Kingdom considered a Great Power. Nothing but mischief comes of that, and it's very expensive.

Prime Minister : My dear Herr von Mülle, according to the projections you provide, which I note omitted the requested Coast Defenses, we need a navy of over 800,000 tons and over 100 ocean faring combatants to protect 70 kilometers of shallow coastal waters at the tip of the Adriatic, and a merchant marine only 1/16th the size(2) of the Navy you are proposing.

I would strongly suggest you put together a navy plan based on a dream of receiving no more than  $40 million Goldmarks over the next decade or so. Include coastal defenses while you are at  it.

von Dandl /b] 40 million goldmarks? From where am I expected to conjure this?

Prime Minister : From the surplus, or I can slash taxes.

von Dandl /b]  That surplus primarily goes to the Heer and infrastructure projects.

Prime Minister : and the purpose of these discussions are to find the best use for it.

von Mülle : Yes Prime Minister.

(1)Roughly $1 Navalism = 250,000 Goldmarks. This is close to using Springsharps 1918 dollar as a standin for goldmarks. $1 Navalism = 1,000tons = $0.274mil US 1918.
(2)I work under the presumption the Bavarian Merchant marine is tiny. Most goods tranship to Dutch and ESC hulls. OTL, Trieste was the prime Hapsburg port, and by 1913 Austrian Lloyd had a fleet of 62 ships comprising a total of 236,000 tons. The port has far less prominence for Bavaria and I would expect it to be at best ¼ the size, or 16 vessels at ~60,000 tons.

[Kaiser Kirk]

March

Ukraine, somewhere south of Dzialosyzn

Oberluetenant Gottfried von Berlichingen moved quietly along the Kommando's perimeter, satisfied his men were alert and could sound warning should the Ukrainians be spotted.

In front of him the muffled cracks of rifles could be heard, but muffled by the vegetation.  The glen was well chosen, nestled in the bottom of a vale, it's hillsides cloaked in trees. From the top of the hillock dominating  the vale, the glow of a distant village could be seen, less than 10km away, but the only direct path had a small bridge which provided an easily guarded chokepoint.

Peering round, he moved quietly towards the notch at the ridgecrest. Reaching it, he glared, vexed in the gloom, trying to discern which shape was that of his senior NCO. The Ghillie suited man remained still, doing him no favors, finally, he spotted the gleam of the Feldwebel's eyes, and stooped to sit near him.

"How are they doing?"

The  Feldwebel softly replied "Well as predicted those Poles didn't fancy the idea of taking lessons from a girl, but she laid a wager. Ten gold marks to whoever could beat her shot. Then she put 10 rounds in the bullseye. A real Annie Oakley.  They listened better then. Still don't like it. "

The Oberluetenant's eyebrows rose in surprise. " Well, apparently the High Command as fine an appraiser of woman as of men."

Feldwebel : "Sir, it still seems a bit odd to be here, training these people.  I know the orders came from Hauptmann Jastrzembski, but have you cleared this with High Command?"

The  Oberluetenant""We were delivered by Zeppelin, and not too long ago I was  among those hand selected to meet a Generalfeldmarschall who said the Nation would be counting on us in the future, and yon girl just happens to be General Hutiers new secretary.... what is your guess"

Feldwebel : "Secretary? She looks like peasent girl with a rifle right now"

The two men peered down into the glen, where the peasent girl patiently explained matters to the gruff polish men who had turned out for the night. Her flame red hair escaped her headscarf and fluttered in the light breeze, clearly marking her.

Oberluetenant : "True, curious choice sending a woman though, even if she is a crack shot. Sonja Perchta Lisowski she calls herself. Well spoken, speaks like a native, but she doesn't quite look Polish to me. "

Feldwebel : "Perhaps she's old Ukrainian royalty, descended from the Varangians in true line, recognizing the injustices inflicted on the people here, choosing to side with them to bring them back to freedom. "

<the Oberluetenant stares, then chuckles>

Oberluetenant : "You read far to many historical romances, don't you ? Since you have so much time,  I'll take this station, you make the rounds this time."


Cabinet Chambers , Munich
Present :
Lugwig III, the King
 G. von Hertling, Prime Minister
 E. Müller, Foreign Minister
Otto Ritter von Dandl , Treasury Minister.
Gustav Ritter von Kahr , War Minister
Georg Alexander von Mülle , Oberkommando der Marine

von Mülle : Gentlemen,
I was requested to prepare a report on the needs of our navy.
The traditional role of our navy has been a coastal defense force. There has been some ambition to field cruisers capable of savaging mercantile routes.

We acknowledge that we can not commit sufficient resources to make this war winning, but advised it simply to increase the risk factor in declaring war against our nation.

From a naval view, the Leipzig pact is problematic.  Dutch conflict with the UNK or GF could involve us into a war where our forces are isolated from support and may even have to have to contend with French and Italian forces.

I admit it is possible or likely this could be a faux front as the effort to capture the territory exceeds the damage its loss would inflict, nor are there particular strategic or national gains to be made.

This is not the case should a situation arise like 1917, and conflict occurs with the DKB. Despite the treaty, we can expect such a conflict would expand to include the Hapsburgs. The Trieste region is of strategic value to the Hapsburgs, and the Duchy of Friuli could be a viable toehold for the Prussians. This must be seen as more likely.

von DandlAgain, a situation which would be completely remedied, saving us untold amounts, if we declare Friuli and Trieste independent and send them on their way

von HertlingI have said before, and apparently will again, that it is not politically feasible to eject a member state from the Kingdom.

At this point the people of Friuli and Trieste have every bit as much right to expect the Greater Kingdom to defend them as the people of Passau or Basel or Lugwigshafen.

von HertlingI thought we expected to loose those in a war?

von Kahr We expect they may be overrun, yes, but we will not simply give them up and we fully intend on recapturing the smoldering rubble if it comes to it.

von DandlActually, I have a theory that post war reconstruction efforts can be a fiscal boon and...

Lugwig IIIPlease, don't share it.

von Mülle : The Leipzig pact brought us a further unforeseen problem, namely the need to be able to intervene in affairs in the Med simply to discourage opportunism. We embarked on this with the Ausbergs, but found them terribly limited. As a result, we were authorized to lay down an additional Breslau and move forward with the Luitpold class. These vessels will allow us to maintain a presence in the Med and deter raiders both directly and indirectly.

von Kahr I'd like to point out that the pact was necessary. Our military and population are less than France, the Hapsburgs, Ukraine or even the ESC. With France's implicit garuntee voided and the Hapsburgs allied with the Prussians, we had to rectify that. The ESC and Dutch are not just our natural trading partners, The Alps and Black Forest guard the west, Bohemia is ringed with mountains, and rivers guard the eastern flank, but the ESC border was indefensible.

von DandlI'd like to make a pitch to bring France into the Arnhem treaty.

von Kahr Are you nuts, the political capital lost with the Dutch simply proposing it would be high and the Dutch would simply veto the concept.

von DandlTrade treaties that expand our export market are good, or in terms the military types like you can understand, More trade is more money, that buy you more shiny guns to play with...

Lugwig III Gentlemen, I have geese that are better behaved. Let the Coast guardsman speak.  Continue.

von Mülle :   On behalf of the Navy, I thank you Sire. ...where was I ? <shuffles notes> Ah yes..Further, we expect these vessels are capable of operating in the Atlantic and Indian ocean as needed and so could serve as a raider group, or in the event of a European war, screening vessels for our allies.

Given the budgetary constraints set forth,
1. We need is coastal defenses with overlapping fields to contest amphibious landings and attacks on our ports. These should overlook minefields and be supported by torpedo bearing aircraft.  Fast, light torpedo attack craft to harass and disperse enemy forces can support nighttime fleet torpedo boat and cruiser attacks.  The TGB-2 series could be further developed to allow coastal raids on opposing infrastructure. A TGB-3 series of fast minelayers to guard our coast and patch fields.

von HertlingWhy not leave it lightly or undefended and invest in more troops to throw back  invaders anywhere?

von Mülle : Of the five Corps in the area, three are already pinned to defenses. To supply them we have only two railroads over the Alps which place a limit on resupply. Because the Alpine railroads can be inconstant in Winter, and between pressure from the East, and use of Trieste and Monofalcone as ports to unload, a Prussian & Hapsburg force would have reasonable chance of success with a winter landing. As such, increasing the cost and difficulty of making that landing is a form of fortification. May I continue?

von Kahr How did you get that report?

[b[Lugwig III [/b] I asked for his comments on the matter. Continue.

von Mülle :
2. The use of scattered large cruisers as raiders is of questionable efficiency.  If the use of cruisers as raiders is to be successful, a smaller and cheaper cruiser is needed, further support ships are needed and auxiliary cruisers are needed. This will allow a tiered approach over a larger area, possibly a seine net of lighter ships anchored by the heavy. Optimally, heavier cruisers would act as a squadron, providing distant support to the raiders. Should enemy forces disperse to hunt the raiders, they will become the hunted.  Scouting and support vessels are of import.

3. Radio towers. We have no means of distant fleet coordination. Radio towers in Konigsberg, Udine and in the Principality of Accra will aid in this. Further it will give an alternative means of communication within the Kingdom.

von DandlWell, finally an idea with merit and limited costs..

von Mülle :
4. As illustrated by the Rumanian sortie, we are generally incapable of opposing an escorted battleship, old or new, at any distance from our coast.

Our hypothetical cruiser-raiders will also be vulnerable to the many armored cruisers and battlecruisers which may hunt them, or pre-arcadias used as guardships. 

Granted, according to our ballistics estimates, very old armored cruisers and battleships will be vulnerable to the Luitpolds at certain ranges, but this is hardly the desired approach. 

As a result we postulate the construction of one or two fast small battleships. These would possess cruiser like speed, and armor sufficient to stop the guns of armored cruisers,  light battlecruisers and old battleships, while having guns sufficient to hole these ships in return. Unfortunately this will require large ships, possibly very large.  Our marine engineering limitations then would restrict the speed of such vessels.

As an alternative, we could simply build the same tonnage as a very slow but heavily armed battleship. For any options within this range, further research into turrets and naval rifles would be requisite.

von Kahr OR, we could just not build any of the above, investing in fortifications from behind which we can safeguard the nation, regardless of what happens in the Med!

von Mülle :
I agree impotence on the international stage is one option. However, in this manner we can contest the northern Adriatic, an raid the opposing supply line such that land based forces can more easily eject the seaborne forces.

von Hertling I see. Well, you have given us much to think on. I accept the argument that some sort of larger vessel or vessels may be necessary to provide for a range of options.  For the next meeting I'd like to see some notion of what these larger ships would require, and the technical reason behind them.

[Kaiser Kirk]

  April 1918
The Foreign Ministry has officially updated the status of the  New Swiss Civil War to "resolved" and backdated a year to March of 1917.  The defeated Royalists have accepted exile in the Empire of Italia.

May 1918
Father Karl Foltz of Palantine, a former missionary to Bahrat, has become well known for his passionate oratory against the outrages promulgated by the Thugees encountered there.   The Archbishop has appointed Father Foltz to travel the Greater Kingdom, both to conduct lectures on the challenges a godly man faces in missionary work, and to give guest sermons. 

June 1918
King Lugwig and Queen Maria Theresia have announced their intention to visit their estates in the Habsburg Empire, prior to traveling to Friuli, Italia and Iberia to visit their Grandchildren. The tour is expected to last two months, and shall include passage on the dispatch vessel Tern from Friuli on.

July 1918
The I Garde Jäger and Uhlan Kavallarie began wargames today in opposition to II Garde Jäger and the 5th Independent Brigade. Typical training occurs at the Heer's facilities at Fliede Valley,  Hesse-Darmstadt, but in this case the exercise will occur in the County of Katowice between Gross Strehlitz and Tarnowitz.

August 1918
Generalfeldmarschall Leopold and Archduchess Gisela deaparted today for a several month tour of the Hapsburg Empire and the Balkans, ending their stay with a visit to the ruins as Knossos.  The pair expect to pay their respects to numerous of the Archduchess's relatives. This will mark the first visit home for the Archduchess since the regretable instances involving her fathers loss of the Throne.


September 1918
The Foreign Ministry announces formal recognition of the new nation of NUS and the government of His Excellence Jorge Martinez y Garcia. The formal consul to Argentina will be entrusted to represent Bavarian interests in that nation.

Munich, Prince Franz and Princess Isabella announce the birth of their fourth child, the Princess Eleonore Marie of Bavaria , born September 11. The King and Queen are said to be pleased with the addition another grandchilde.

The traditional commencement of Oktoberfest, originally in celebration of the marriage of Lugwig I, occurs. Munich has braced for the expected 120,000 participents, of which nearly 10% can fit in the Bräurosl tent. Despite preparations, there are concerns of a bratwurst shortage.

October 1918
Oktoberfest ends, other nations are deeply envious. 

The Foreign Ministry announced a plan to establish a "Grand Ambassadors" for dealings in Asia to fulfill those functions for which the local conculates are unsuitable. The Grand Ambassador will be entrusted to negotiate on the governments behalf and shall be based in the Dutch city of Singapore.

The Foreign Ministry has not rejected the possibility of opening full Embassies in the Far East, but feels this is an adequate interim step to ensure an individual of sufficient authority is present in the region.
In recent years  trade and technical exchanges with the RRC has blossomed. Trade expansion and technical missions with Burma, the Netherlands East Indies and Japan are expected to grow. Further, there has been some anticipation by firms in the Greater Kingdom that improved relations with the DKB may create opportunities in the future, in particular there are many firms which were severed between the countries and would benefit from comparison of their relative innovations. 

November 1918
The Heer has declined comment regarding the Richmond talks.
It is unknown how the resolution of these talks will effect the rumors that the Navy is desirous of a battleship, but it is expected such rumors will continue.

December 1918
The Kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, Wurttemberg, the Grand Duchies of  Hesse-Darmstadt, and Baden, the Cantons of the Swiss and generally everyone parties for two weeks for Christmas and New Years.