Okay, so here is the very beginning of "The Airship Legacy". This Part I will probably be expanded a little bit. Enjoy! (also, FYI, "Airship President" has been submitted to the TL board.)
The Airship Legacy
The Legacy of the Hugo Eckener Presidency
PART I: TIME FOR SOME R&R
1954 was a busy time of year for Germany. With the Polish War finally over, it was time to settle down and create a peace with the now fraying Soviet Union. Delegates from the Ruling Council met with the German Foreign Minister and Chancellor, along with delegates from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and several from the German-occupied territories of the Soviet Union. The Russians new they were in a tight spot, and were willing to give concessions that many would have found unthinkable prior to Stalin’s death in 1953.
What ultimately occurred was the signing of the Treaty of Leningrad on August 19, 1954. The treaty ceeded all Soviet territory occupied by the Germans over to the locals, to be administered by the Germans no later than 1960. The Russians had to destory a third of their airplanes and battleships, and had to reduce their military to 75% of it’s current strength.
After this treaty was signed, the Confrence of Tallinn was held on October 1, 1954, with the leaders of all the occupied territories attending to discuss what to do with the lands formerly held by the Soviet Union. At the suggestion of the German Empress, one of the German delegates suggested that the three Baltic States, Belarussia, Northern Ukraine, and the Territory of Leningrad/Petrograd be unified as the “Imperial Baltic Federation”. Under the Proposal, each of the territories would have local autonomy, but would support a single “federal” government headed by a restored Russian Czar that would be limited by a consitution similar to that of Germany. They would have a common currency, common military, and common foreign policy, and free trade, but almost all other local issues would be handled by parliaments/councils of each territory. After much debate, the delegates signed the Tallin Accord, which set a date for a constitutional convention to start on January 2, 1955. It also created a regency council to pick the new Czar.
- Hammon, Dr. Andrew. Modern History of Germany. New York City, NY: Colombia Univiersity Press, 2001
GERMANS LAUNCH FIRST SATELILLITE
BERLIN, OCT 1- The German Science Ministry announced today that the Imperial Rocket Force at Peenamunde launched an A-8 Rocket that carried the first man-made satellite into space. The U.S. Army Air Corp confirmed that they received a repeating transmission from the satellite, and there have been sitings of the craft by the Navy. The American Rocket Agency in Huntsville, which was only formed five years ago, has stated that they are still years away from being able to match this feat of engineering. President Rogers has stated that he believes that America should put more empahsis on it’s rocket program. “Our country could benifite greatly from the use of space exploration, and it must be a priority of this government to see that America goes to space!”
The IRF has stated that it plans to send up more A-8 rockets with satelites soon, and that today the Kaiser extolled on the radio that “Today’s feat of rocketry and science is just the begninning of great things to come for the German Empire. It is the goal of Dr. von Braun and others at Peenamunde that within a decade, man will go to space, and hopefully to the Moon.” This speech was given to the Reichstag an hour after the launch, and was met with a thunderous applause from the delegates.
-“Gremans Launch First Satellite,” The New York Times, October 1, 1954.
NEW CZAR CHOSEN
PETROGRAD, FEB 3- The Russian Regency Council announced today that Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich has been selected by the council to become the new Czar of Russia and the greater Imperial Baltic Federation. A date for the coronation has not yet been set, but it is expected to occur sometime in mid summer here in the city of Petrograd. It is the hope of the Regency Coucnil that the Constitutiotnal Convention going on in Tallin will conclude before the new Czar is crowned. -“New Czar Chosen,” The Times (London), February 3, 1955.
ATOMIC POWER
BERLIN, APR 14- Scientists at Humboldt University have announced that they have been able to create a sustained atomic reaction at a research facility outside of the Imperial Capital. These researchers say that it is their hope to have these types of reactions more stable and better understood by 1960, and to focus on using these reactions as a source of untold energey to power the cities of the world. Discussion is also occuring about applying this new science to powering man-made craft, mainly naval vessels, although some have suggested using these types of reactions to power airships as well. The allure behind atomic energy is that it can provide huge amounts of power and can allow ships to stay at sea (or in the air) indefinitly, at least in theory. -“Atomic Power,” Popular Science, April 21, 1955.
ROGERS ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR ANOTHER RUN
WASHINGTON, MAY 19- President Rogers announced today that he will seek reelection to his third official term. Republicans are criticizing this move, saying that it breaks with long standing precedent that has been in place since George Washington. These are the same Republicans who claim that Rogers is already in a thrid term as President, since the President ended up serving out most of Cordell Hull’s second term following his untimely death in 1945 when Hull’s plane went missing in the Atlantic Ocean. The Republican’s themselves have not put forth a candidate yet, but one possibility now being discussed is Rogers’ own Secretary of State, Dwight D. Eisenhower.
-“Rogers Announces Plans for Another Run,” Washington Post, May 20, 1955.
IMPERIAL RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION APPROVED
TALLIN, JUNE 1- The Constitutional Convention for the so-called “Imperial Baltic Federation,” has today announced that they have approved a constitution for the new state, which is being forged from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarusia, North Ukraine, and North West Russia (also refferd to as Free Russia). The Constitution, which sets the restored Russian monarchy as the official Head of State, will function as a mix of the US and UK governments. The Central government will be a Parliamentary Monarchy, with a strong bicameral legislature called the Duma (which will contain a House of Nobels and a House of Commons). The Head of Government shall be the Prime Minister, elected from the members of the House of Commons. Each member state in the Federation will have a large degree of internal autonomy, and the national government shall handle defense, foreign policy, international trade, and economic issues. The new government system will take effect on August 1, 1955, the date that has recently been set as the Corontation Day for Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich, who is to become the new Czar of Russia. -“Imperial Russian Constitution Approved,” The Times (London), June 1, 1955
GERMANS TO GIFT KRONPRINZ WILHELM TO FREE RUSSIA
BERLIN, JUNE 17- The German Government today announced that the LZ-135 Kronprinz Wilhelm to the Free Russia as a gift to soon-to-be Czar Vladimir Kirillovich, who will be crowned on August 1. Right now, the ship, which served as the Imperial Air Yatch from 1942 until the completion of the LZ-168 Kaiser Wilhelm III last year, is now being refitted to serve as the Imperial Air Yatch of the new Russian Czar. The artwork is being redone, the furniture being changed and modernized, and the Lutheran and Orthodox chalpels are being converted into one large Orthodox Chaple for the Russian Imperial Family. The airship is due to be ready for the Coronation Ceremony in Petrograd, and Grand Duke Vladimir has stated that he intends to take an air-tour of the newly formed Imperial Baltic Federation aboad the LZ-135 sometime in September of this year.-“Germans to Gift Kronprinz Wilhelm to Free Russia,” The Times (London), June 17, 1955.