AHC: Independent Palatinate

Completely independent, ie neither French nor a part of Germany nor a part of an independent Bavaria?

AFAIK, the Rheinkreis went from about half a million in 1820 to nearly a million in 1920. That is not much, but then again, compared to Luxemburg it is.

Perhaps the other Wittelsbach branch, the Dukes in Bavaria (of Austrian Empress Elizabeth/Sisi fame) of Pfalz-Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen get the Rhenish Palatinate at an alt-Vienna. Then we need "just" a different course of the intragerman and Franco-German conflicts to have the Pfalz as another Luxemburg - a neutral bufferstate between France and Prussia, funnelling all fighting to the small border strip neart Saarbrücken.
 
Upper or Lower Palatinate ? Lower, best way would be to have the House of Simmern not die out. That would probably be large enough to stand up for itself. But I query the "not part of Germany". As in , not a member of the Confederation ? That would be a big ask, the rulers and people would certainly consider themselves German.
 
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