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Reading about some interesting and lesser known Nazis, made me think about a "smarter/more intellectual Nazi party". The age old trope of smarter Nazis. I can't promise that I will ever do a full timeline but there is some thought behind this. The premise basically is: The Nazis actually seize the political opportunities that subjugating Europe offered them, instead of being violent thugs. They still believe in "might makes right" but they actually allow cooperation and are looking at the long term instead of short-term looting. The whole Nazi movement is more "intellectual" and most leading Nazis were smart middle managers IOTL.

This vignette is supposed to show that the "smart" Nazis are just as evil. I often have the feeling that members here tend to underestimate the danger that the Nazis posed by only looking at economic realities. The Nazis (and Fascists in general) however had a lot of momentum, and their ultimate failure imho was more political than military. They managed to antagonize most of the world and managed to encourage wide scale resistance in an initially complacent Europe. The Protectorate political structure is a product of the evil "divide and impera" strategies that the Nazis used in the Concentration Camps.

Obviously I am not trying to glorify the Nazis and I am not trying to glorify the "Madagascar option". This is the same evil that caused the Shoa IOTL but with more diabolic intellect. This vignette is supposed to serve as a window in a frightening and evil world:


Protectorate of Zion:

Motto:
מסורת, מולדת, חופש
(Tradition, Homeland, Freedom)

Official Languages:
Hebrew, German, Yiddish

Only around 20% of the population are able to speak and write fluent Hebrew. Further 12% have mastered rudimentary Hebrew. This is a result of the underfunded and restricted educational system, most Children only receive a rudimentary education, higher education is restricted to the privileged Children of Council members. Hebrew serves as a lingua franca for the administrative class. Some Jews however learn Hebrew in their religious communities.

In the day to day communication most Jewish Citizens resort to their native languages, forming close knit groups based on their former nationality.

German was mandated as an official language by the German authorities on the Island. This allows the SD to easily control the inner workings of the Jewish administration (all documents have to be written in Hebrew and German) and facilitated the rise of German Jews to the top positions of the administration.

Capital and largest city:
New Jerusalem

Ethnic Groups:
There is not enough independent data to give reliable estimates. Successive German administrations have blocked any attempt to conduct a census.

Jews from various European countries and their descendants are most likely the vast majority of inhabitants by now. Most Natives were resettled to other British Colonies according to the Stockholm treaties, however some Native groups have remained on the Island. The relationship between the Jewish and Native inhabitants is strained due to the precarious economic situation. Violent clashes are common and German authorities are doing little to calm the situation.

Government:
Autonomous Protectorate of the Greater German Reich

The Protectorate has no independent foreign policy, trade, foreign matters and external security is completely controlled by the Greater German Reich.

Internally the Protectorate enjoys de jure autonomy. In practice, German authorities are heavily influencing internal matters of the Protectorate on a regular basis. Often Plague outbreaks are used as a justification for German actions violating the conditions of the Stockholm treaties.

The Elder Council is the central and nominally autonomous ruling body of the Protectorate. Despite the name it isn't an assembly of the eldest Citizens, instead it consists of selected German Jews and their Children. They have reached their position by cooperating with the Germans. The only guarantee to retain the privileges that a Council membership brings, is unconditional cooperation.

Beyond the Elder Council are the District Councils and the Municipal Councils. The membership here is more diverse, German Jews are still the majority but other "Western" Jews are represented too. The subordinate Councils also enjoy some privileges, albeit not to the same degree as the Elder Council.

Area:
Total: 587,041 km2 (226,658 sq mi)
Water: 5,501 km2 (2,124 sq mi)
Water (%): 0.9%

Population:

Estimates vary and are generally considered unreliable. Most experts assume that the population is somewhere between 2,5-4 million. High infant mortality, the bad economic situation, food insecurity and a weak and underdeveloped medical system are causing low growth rates.

Economy:
The economy is a hybrid of bureaucratic socialism and colonial exploitation. Nominally all means of production are owned by the state, however in practice the administrators are the de facto owners of workshops and plantations.

Under the commercial treaties that the Elder Council signed, the Protectorate isn't allowed to enter any trade agreements. Instead all goods the Protectorate wants to export are sold to the "Madagaskar Kolonialwaren Aktiengesellschaft" for Import Credit. The height of the Import Credit is supposed to be equal to the value of the export goods, however the prices are determined by the Aktiengesellschaft and are far below world market prices.

This leads to an underdeveloped economy, completely dependent on the Greater German Reich. Large plantations are producing cash crops, while workshops are producing necessary goods for internal consumption. The imports are distributed by the Council, naturally this leads to widespread corruption and a layered society with a huge wealth divide.

Housing is still a problem despite the two decade building effort. The large scale resettlement where concluded in 1954 and the housing situation is much better than in the initial chaos. Significant parts of the population are still forced to live in tents or makeshift shelters though. Importing building materials often has a low priority. The Import Credit is not sufficient for fully developing the Protectorate. Luxury goods, food (most agriculture on the Island is focused on cash crops) and agricultural machines are deemed more important by the Councils.

Sometimes the German authorities allow international development aid in times of good relations. This is mostly organized by various Jewish American Organizations. This aid is distributed by the Councils, so it is reasonable to assume that a lot is lost due to corruption.

Health:
The Protectorate suffers under regular Plague outbreaks. The medical system is hardly equipped to handle these and they often develop into local epidemics. Other sicknesses like Typhus, Cholera and Smallpox are also common.

Access to clean water is not guaranteed and malnutrition is widespread.

Tourism:
Access to the Island is highly restricted. The German authorities sometimes allow Reporters in for propaganda tours, showing "peaceful and harmonic life". Investigative Journalists and Human Rights activists trying to help Jews to flee, often try to infiltrate the Island. This is rarely successful and has often created diplomatic incidents.

Famous Journalist David Halberstram managed to infiltrate the Island in 1963, his "Island of Suffering" articles were among the first genuine accounts of life in the Protectorate.

Security:
The "Jüdische Ordnungspolizei" (Jewish Security Police) is the internal security organ of the Councils. It is hated by the Jewish population and viewed as collaborators, just like the ruling Councils. Most leading members are former criminals with a violent streak, leading to frequent atrocities.

The Ordnungspolizei has around 75000 members and is equipped with older models of German infantry weapons. In times of crisis German military authorities often assume direct command. Members don't have to participate in the hard labor that most other citizens are assigned to do, and they enjoy economic privileges.

The Greater German Reich has stationed military troops from various serves branches on the Island. Among the most notorious is the 36th SS division Dirlewanger, a SS division compromised of violent criminals from all over Europe. This Division has committed countless atrocities in various so called police actions.

Encyclopedia of England, 1964
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