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Pov of Kaiser Wilhelm II
19-April-1920
We had survived the war, yet the price paid had been far too high for a catastrophe that should never have come to pass. Germany lay ravaged, unemployment was rising with alarming speed, the economy was collapsing around us, and the mark lost value with each passing day. The moment the controls imposed during the conflict were relaxed, everything we had sustained through discipline and sacrifice began to crumble.
The treaty had snatched from our lips the sweet fruits of victory that Germany had already begun to taste thanks to the new States of the east. And all because of that pair of commanders who had seized the direction of the country. We could have achieved peace in 1917 through an honorable compromise with the French and the British that would have brought the war to an end, but those men were convinced that an absolute victory still lay within their grasp.
This was the result of their obstinacy: a country exhausted, battered, and unable to provide work for its citizens. Some of the most important regions of the Empire were now at stake. Alsace-Lorraine might be lost, Posen and its surrounding territories were in danger of being handed over to Poland, and Schleswig could end up in foreign hands without us possessing many means to prevent it, given the conditions of the treaty.
Fortunately, the reparations imposed upon us had been moderate, and we could pay them using part of the indemnities we had managed to extract from the Russians and Italians. Yet that money could have been used to alleviate the vast economic chaos spreading throughout the country, to revive our factories, and to return millions of Germans to work.
With such a level of unemployment, it was hardly surprising that desperate and enraged citizens took to the streets. The Government was facing serious difficulties in containing the revolutionary attempts that were beginning to spread through the Empire. Some sailors had tried to rise up in their own barracks, encouraged by Bolshevik cells that sought to destroy the regime entirely and replace it with a new revolutionary order.
Thus, instead of concentrating all our efforts on reconstruction, allowing time to close the wounds, and enabling German capital to restore the civilian economy through the creation of new employment, we were forced to divert men and resources to contain riots and conspiracies.
We also had to find a way to save German agriculture. Our dependence on grain from Ukraine, Ruthenia, and the Baltic had caused a grave deterioration in our capacity to produce our own food. During the war, it had been easier to entrust that labor to the new eastern States than to persuade the German people to return to the fields, especially when the shortage of fertilizers, machinery, draft animals, and basic tools had transformed agricultural work into an exhausting, thankless, and poorly paid task.
Now that we no longer received the food shipments from Ukraine and the other eastern regions free of charge, shortages had sharply worsened. The Government was doing all it could to restore agricultural production, sending demobilized soldiers and unemployed workers to labor in the fields. Yet many refused to return to the life of underpaid day laborers.
I could not reproach them for it. A man who had fought for Germany for years should not return home only to discover that his fatherland offered him hunger, misery, and an unworthy wage.
I had pressed the great landowners to raise wages and improve the conditions of their workers. Many, however, refused, arguing that the economic crisis did not allow them to assume greater expenses. I understood their fears, for they too saw their properties and fortunes threatened, but the nobility could not expect to preserve its privileges while placing the entire burden of reconstruction upon the shoulders of peasants and workers.
Nor did I find myself in a particularly favorable position. The latest elections had concluded, and the pro-monarchist coalition had suffered a severe setback as a consequence of the war's outcome. We had lost much of our control over the Reichstag, making the approval of budgets more difficult, and now we had to confront numerous representatives openly hostile to the Government.
Those men intended to promote constitutional reforms designed to strip me of my prerogatives, remove me from the throne, and deprive me even of the last of my possessions.
And, to crown that endless succession of calamities, we had Karl in open rebellion in the east. I did not know what had happened to that young man, but he had decided that this was the most fitting moment to rise against Germany, precisely when we most needed to preserve the unity of the Army.
However much that pair of commanders had ruined our position, I could not publicly hold them responsible for everything that had occurred. To do so would have damaged the Army, one of the institutions upon which the legitimacy of the monarchy rested, and our situation did not allow us to add yet another enemy to a list that was already far too long.
We already had more than enough to contend with in certain sectors of the population attempting to impose radical changes and with a hostile Reichstag. The last thing we needed was to have the soldiers against us as well.
Karl had already spent several months directing his campaigns against the British. After refusing to recognize the peace treaty accepted by Germany, he had expelled the delegations of the League of Nations and ordered their capture.
The problem was that Great Britain, the United States, and France were exerting enormous pressure upon us to harden the punishments against our mutinous troops. They demanded that we refuse to trade with them, block their lines of communication, close the borders, and even collaborate militarily in Karl's capture.
But none of that was feasible. We already had sufficient problems trying to suppress internal rebellions and confronting the armed militias of the nationalists, who were also furious over the defeat.
As long as Karl kept the sale of food open, I could not afford to cut off the grain supply either. Germany was suffering from a shortage that would probably continue for several years, at least until our agriculture was once again capable of sustaining the population on its own. Moreover, Karl was absorbing many of the radical militias, whose members were marching eastward to fight the British.
I therefore found myself at a crossroads. Pressures arrived constantly from every direction, and it was impossible to resolve each of those crises without sufficient budgets and with the loyalty of our own forces growing increasingly uncertain.
''Your Majesty… I bring certain news that may be of interest to you regarding the events in the east'' Walter Nicolai said as he entered my office in the palace, approaching with steps so quiet they were almost imperceptible.
''Has there been some outcome after the addition of more than one hundred and fifty ships to the Baltic blockade?'' I asked, inclining my head slightly, fearing that his words would force us to seek food with still greater desperation.
''According to the information I have received from our sources in the east, a treaty has been signed that brings the conflict to an end. It appears that the British have begun proclaiming in their newspapers that they have achieved victory in the Baltic'' Walter replied, his voice resonating through the silent room.
''Then we shall have to send diplomats to establish commercial relations with the new States and ensure that we can continue importing grain and tractors. It will be necessary to negotiate with the country that has inherited the agricultural machinery factories of the Baltic Duchy, and to proceed in the same manner with Ruthenia and Ukraine. We must secure our grain shipments, or the people will go hungry while we attempt to stabilize German agriculture'' I said after sighing, resigned to the prospect of having to negotiate with governments that would probably not be especially favorable toward us.
''It is not exactly that, mein Kaiser. The British claim to have liberated Poland and Ukraine, yet they say nothing about Karl. My sources also assure me that his troops were celebrating on the very day the agreement was signed. That leads me to believe that both parties reached some form of compromise in which neither obtained everything it desired'' Walter explained, showing a certain discomfort as he spoke those words.
''What? Are you telling me that the British failed to fulfill all their objectives? What are our agents in the region reporting?'' I asked, confused by the news.
''I too harbor serious doubts, mein Kaiser. The agents we still retain there send reports of little value, or details too trivial to allow us to understand the situation. Furthermore, I have certain suspicions regarding some of my operatives, especially because of the leak of confidential information. Nevertheless, everything seems to indicate that Karl will remain our neighbor in the east and that he will retain control of Ruthenia as regent. Therefore, the Hohenzollern king under his guardianship will most likely remain upon the throne'' Walter replied, inclining his head slightly after presenting his conclusions.
''Waldemar… Very well, I suppose it is never unwise to improve our diplomatic relations with neighboring States, especially when we depend upon them to import food. Send diplomats regardless and attempt to negotiate more favorable conditions. Karl… I hope he has not forgotten the favors he received from us. We must also examine the possibility of Waldemar's return, although, now that his position seems secure, perhaps the most we can do is send him a new escort detachment'' I said, relieved to know that there had not been too profound an alteration of the regional balance.
''Yes. We shall also have to study the situation in Ukraine carefully, as it remains the principal food exporter in the region. However, I consider that matter to fall more properly within the purview of the diplomatic corps. We will attempt to reestablish our network of agents in that kingdom when the opportunity presents itself, and when our hands are not so occupied with everything occurring within the country'' the intelligence chief replied, remaining thoughtful.
While we spoke of those matters, one of the palace servants knocked softly at the door. After opening it, he inclined his head before speaking.
''Your Majesty, an envoy from the east has arrived by train. He claims to bear diplomatic credentials from the Baltic Duchy'' the servant said.
''Hum… let him pass. I suppose he may provide us with some answers'' I said while observing Walter, who positioned himself at my right to await the diplomat.
It did not take long for a man unfamiliar to me to appear, although he was surely part of the bureaucratic corps that had been sent to help establish the foundations of the Baltic State.
''Your Majesty, I thank you for granting me an audience with such promptness. I bring several messages from Herzog Karl. He asked me to deliver this letter to you personally, though I am entirely unaware of its contents'' he said while offering an envelope, which Walter received and placed upon my desk.
''The Herzog has instructed me to inform you that he must renegotiate numerous food export contracts signed with Germany in order to adjust their prices in accordance with one of the clauses of the treaty he has just concluded. As required by the British party, it is impossible for him to continue maintaining such reduced food prices'' the diplomat explained, standing upright.
''Indeed, that is unexpected, though understandable. I trust we shall be able to reach a profitable agreement when you meet with the diplomatic representative appointed to address this matter'' I replied, keeping my face impassive.
''I also bring a special request from the Herzog. He asks that administrative information be provided regarding a list of names I carry with me'' he said, displaying a briefcase of considerable size. ''They are soldiers who died fighting for the Duchy. The Herzog wishes to locate their families in order to pay them the wages still owed to their relatives and offer them a pension in recognition of their service. For this reason, he requests Your Majesty's cooperation as a gesture of goodwill between neighboring States'' he added, handing the briefcase to Walter.
''We shall do everything within our power to attend to that request'' I said while indicating to Walter that he should take the briefcase.
Walter took it and opened it with the utmost caution. Inside, he found only numerous documents filled with information about the soldiers.
''That said, I would also like to study the possibility of establishing a permanent embassy of the Duchy in Berlin'' the diplomat said.
''That matter must be examined later. Any issue related to it will have to be negotiated with the representative responsible for diplomatic relations, although that meeting will take place at another time. Is there anything else of which you must inform us?'' I asked while observing the diplomat closely.
''Nothing more, Your Majesty. I shall return to my quarters and wait there until that meeting is arranged'' the diplomat replied, inclining his head before withdrawing from the room.
Once he had left, I took the letter, opened it, and read a brief message, but one of extraordinary clarity.
''They are safe'' I said quietly after reading it.
''It is good to know'' Walter replied.
''Yes… At least it seems things may improve somewhat if we manage to preserve a degree of cooperation with the east'' I said, resting my forehead against my hand as I thought.
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