It all begins in 1859. Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, Prince of Prussia, scion of the second Emperor of Germany, is born without complications. It is a normal birth with the baby prince in perfect health.
This is important because years down the line, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, will become Kaiser Wilhelm the Second. That has yet to be realized, however, due to the young Prince being a baby. While the young prince is simply lying in his swaddling clothes, the ideal of what a European monarch should look like, perfectly normal.
As the young prince grows up, there is a noted intelligence about him that astonishes his parents as well as those around him. The young prince (hither noted to avoid confusion with his father, the elder Friedrich) teaches himself to read, becomes fascinated with the new innovations that are coming about in this time, and shows an active interest in applications of military as well as government for the people. By the time the Austro-Prussian War is ended (1867) and Chancellor Bismarck’s position is approved of by the people within that realm, it can be said that the young prince has promise in all the avenues that fortune can give.
Through out the 1870’s and 1880’s, the young prince becomes infatuated with the military, due to the defeat handed over to France in the Franco-Prussian War. Although it is looked down upon by his parents, the young prince takes a visit to the victorious battlefields that are now constituted in the German Empire, and safe from any threat to his person. The young prince also becomes a noted presence within his grandfather’s court, as well as the Chancellor’s (never seen together due to political purposes) quasi-allies, learning the ropes as it were, for this new entity.
In 1879, the Long Depression hits Europe, although its actual existence as a economic downturn can be debated later on in the future. As encouraged by his grandmother to the north (Queen Victoria), the young prince is not seen in the exact political circles that would give a tremendous boost to the National Liberal Party. However, he is ‘heard’ through the subtle “conversations” he has indirectly with the Chancellor on the ideas of socialism (although not set in such terms) as well as the future of the German Empire.
As a young boy, it should be observed, the young prince becomes interested in German Economic/Social/Government Philosophy, with the most noted of the writers being Hegel and Humboldt, although not exactly in its purest form due to the other influence hailing from his mother’s English background.
This bent to socialism does provide conflict with the Chancellor upon the matter of what to do with the effects of the Long Depression. The Chancellor is set on protectionist policies. The Chancellors one time ally, the National Liberal Party, is dependent on free trade. If the Chancellor blows one way, the National Liberal Party’s dominance will falter.
Thus it is in 1879, just at his twentieth birthday, that the young prince makes his first move as a political player. He puts forth the notion through his contacts that a compromise should be made. Although the effects of the Long Depression are quite evident, the principle of a just society (borrowed from his mother) should be implemented. Thus it is that the tariffs on key economic sectors should be implemented but the notion of free trade in other avenues retained.
The Chancellor doesn’t know what to do with this idea. As it were, the Chancellor doesn’t like the very nature of socialism; in fact he is quite direct in his rule. It is only through the control of those skilled and experienced that government can function. Yet what the young prince has “shown” through his “suggestion” is interesting to say the least.
Then there is the matter of the banning of the Social Democrat Party. The young prince did not make a move; rather he was more preoccupied by the Imperial Navy, and the possibility of the submarine. His parents did have a word with him. It was surprising that the parents didn’t make it a large issue.
The Chancellor looks upon this suggestion. The Socialists have begun to rise into power because of their repression, reads the note from the young prince, heavily disguised underneath the papers. I do note, dear Chancellor that we are at odds with each other, but perhaps this could be appealing to your eye. Why not let the Poles go on with their lives, enact social reform within the economic structure, but leave the power of the said sectors of the economy unto your devices? Surely in that we can reach a compromise.
Of course, at the moment that the Chancellor is reading this, the young prince has been accompanying British Ambassador, as required by his mother, a strong Anglophile to say the least. The British Ambassador is absolutely flabbergasted by the sharp pointed questions that the young prince has on a possible Anglo-Germanic Alliance. This tour was mainly about seeing the status of the Princess Royal in Prussia. Now it’s all about the technical aspects of a shared technical bond between the two nations, a possible sharing of power over imperialistic gains, and the matter of China.
The Chancellor, in a strange moment of opinion, agrees with the young prince’s compromise.
It is in 1880 that the policies are implemented. Most unfortunately, the National Liberal Party isn’t quite as strong as it would have liked. The conservative parties accept the compromise with many of the positions in the sectors going to them as a price in which they pay for the said legislation. Socialists see the compromise as a victory, somewhat, and suddenly become observant that it was mainly through the young prince’s move that their issues were granted.
Then the young prince takes an interest in Clauswitz, the Napoleonic Wars in Spain, and the execution of democratic ideals in the USA….
--
Heinrich –
You should really take a gander in our Grandmother’s lands. Although it would be bad form – Mother again – it would be good to hear of them. Sadly, duties as the elder restrict me from exploring such as you. Could you do it for me? I would be most happy if you could visit South Africa upon the matter of our 'cousins’ [FN1]. Their policies …are interesting.
Also; could you get me an Italian version of the Prince?
Your Brother, Friedrich.
[FN1] - Poland
This is important because years down the line, Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht, will become Kaiser Wilhelm the Second. That has yet to be realized, however, due to the young Prince being a baby. While the young prince is simply lying in his swaddling clothes, the ideal of what a European monarch should look like, perfectly normal.
As the young prince grows up, there is a noted intelligence about him that astonishes his parents as well as those around him. The young prince (hither noted to avoid confusion with his father, the elder Friedrich) teaches himself to read, becomes fascinated with the new innovations that are coming about in this time, and shows an active interest in applications of military as well as government for the people. By the time the Austro-Prussian War is ended (1867) and Chancellor Bismarck’s position is approved of by the people within that realm, it can be said that the young prince has promise in all the avenues that fortune can give.
Through out the 1870’s and 1880’s, the young prince becomes infatuated with the military, due to the defeat handed over to France in the Franco-Prussian War. Although it is looked down upon by his parents, the young prince takes a visit to the victorious battlefields that are now constituted in the German Empire, and safe from any threat to his person. The young prince also becomes a noted presence within his grandfather’s court, as well as the Chancellor’s (never seen together due to political purposes) quasi-allies, learning the ropes as it were, for this new entity.
In 1879, the Long Depression hits Europe, although its actual existence as a economic downturn can be debated later on in the future. As encouraged by his grandmother to the north (Queen Victoria), the young prince is not seen in the exact political circles that would give a tremendous boost to the National Liberal Party. However, he is ‘heard’ through the subtle “conversations” he has indirectly with the Chancellor on the ideas of socialism (although not set in such terms) as well as the future of the German Empire.
As a young boy, it should be observed, the young prince becomes interested in German Economic/Social/Government Philosophy, with the most noted of the writers being Hegel and Humboldt, although not exactly in its purest form due to the other influence hailing from his mother’s English background.
This bent to socialism does provide conflict with the Chancellor upon the matter of what to do with the effects of the Long Depression. The Chancellor is set on protectionist policies. The Chancellors one time ally, the National Liberal Party, is dependent on free trade. If the Chancellor blows one way, the National Liberal Party’s dominance will falter.
Thus it is in 1879, just at his twentieth birthday, that the young prince makes his first move as a political player. He puts forth the notion through his contacts that a compromise should be made. Although the effects of the Long Depression are quite evident, the principle of a just society (borrowed from his mother) should be implemented. Thus it is that the tariffs on key economic sectors should be implemented but the notion of free trade in other avenues retained.
The Chancellor doesn’t know what to do with this idea. As it were, the Chancellor doesn’t like the very nature of socialism; in fact he is quite direct in his rule. It is only through the control of those skilled and experienced that government can function. Yet what the young prince has “shown” through his “suggestion” is interesting to say the least.
Then there is the matter of the banning of the Social Democrat Party. The young prince did not make a move; rather he was more preoccupied by the Imperial Navy, and the possibility of the submarine. His parents did have a word with him. It was surprising that the parents didn’t make it a large issue.
The Chancellor looks upon this suggestion. The Socialists have begun to rise into power because of their repression, reads the note from the young prince, heavily disguised underneath the papers. I do note, dear Chancellor that we are at odds with each other, but perhaps this could be appealing to your eye. Why not let the Poles go on with their lives, enact social reform within the economic structure, but leave the power of the said sectors of the economy unto your devices? Surely in that we can reach a compromise.
Of course, at the moment that the Chancellor is reading this, the young prince has been accompanying British Ambassador, as required by his mother, a strong Anglophile to say the least. The British Ambassador is absolutely flabbergasted by the sharp pointed questions that the young prince has on a possible Anglo-Germanic Alliance. This tour was mainly about seeing the status of the Princess Royal in Prussia. Now it’s all about the technical aspects of a shared technical bond between the two nations, a possible sharing of power over imperialistic gains, and the matter of China.
The Chancellor, in a strange moment of opinion, agrees with the young prince’s compromise.
It is in 1880 that the policies are implemented. Most unfortunately, the National Liberal Party isn’t quite as strong as it would have liked. The conservative parties accept the compromise with many of the positions in the sectors going to them as a price in which they pay for the said legislation. Socialists see the compromise as a victory, somewhat, and suddenly become observant that it was mainly through the young prince’s move that their issues were granted.
Then the young prince takes an interest in Clauswitz, the Napoleonic Wars in Spain, and the execution of democratic ideals in the USA….
--
Heinrich –
You should really take a gander in our Grandmother’s lands. Although it would be bad form – Mother again – it would be good to hear of them. Sadly, duties as the elder restrict me from exploring such as you. Could you do it for me? I would be most happy if you could visit South Africa upon the matter of our 'cousins’ [FN1]. Their policies …are interesting.
Also; could you get me an Italian version of the Prince?
Your Brother, Friedrich.
[FN1] - Poland