Oh Ebert, You Just Took A Bullet For The World

PROLOGUS
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Spartacus Legionnaires with the captured Freikorps equipment and armored car. This very division, however, will soon become the infamous Schadelgesicht(1) subdivision of the Mensi(2) agency.

The dream of a stable, and safe Germany died within its infancy. There, Frederich Ebert(POD) lies dead, bleeding, as a bullet strikes his head-ending the would-be saviour of Germany's life in a instant. It was a bullet from the Spartacists. Or even, the monarchists. Or even a plot from the Freikorps. Nobody knew the truth, but it is a fact, that this move effectively doomed Germany to come. The SPD is effectively decapitated, and its head will not grew again for a very long time, as not even brilliant minds like Gustav Stressemann could save Germany from the upcoming doom that is awaiting for them. The Spartacists's struggle towards a democratic, people's state-does not go in line with what the SPD hoped for, and with the right-wing sentiment flying around, Germany is effectively doomed, when Ebert is shot. The assassination itself were something that could act as a flashpoint, with words of the assassin's true identity or allegiance being a mystery of its own, fueling the upcoming bloody civil war looming ahead of them. Words, truly kill. Just like the bullet that hit Ebert. The bullet that changed the world forever. No one could keep Germany intact now. No one. Not even the spirit of anti-communism-or the proletarian struggle could unite Germany, for now. Shot in front of the SPD office, no one knew why Ebert must took the bullet for Germany. With no clear explanation, it is a declaration of war-for every sides, with every possible evidences points to all parties involved.

The hour of reckoning eventually came. Within a day, the rumour is spread-about the nature of the assassination. The Weimar Republic is effectively in shambles. With the Freikorps refusing to answer to the government, and the Spartacists gaining the upper hand, the hour of reckoning made its way clear-that Germany had met its demise, and on 9th January 1919, the German Civil War have effectively begun. A three-way battle between the Communists, the Freikorps and the Republic-with the world lamented on how Germany's fall mimics Russia wholefully. Truly, one could only say..

Oh Ebert, You Just Took A Bullet For The World
A Timeline by TheTimeRanger
 

NoMommsen

Donor
Well, I wonder how the Allies will see this mess.
The french will - most likely - frolic about : there's the reason to fully occupy the Rhineland, taking it completly under its own martial law, creating a "Ree Rheinland" state under its authority, backed by the french army, including the Ruhr-region, maybe even aiming at Hamburg (communist centre) to bring "peace" there.

I would assume in the middle run germany will be divided in 3 - 5 independant states, ruled frist by martial law, secured by allied (french) garrisons.

However - subscribed :D
 
The french will - most likely - frolic about : there's the reason to fully occupy the Rhineland, taking it completly under its own martial law, creating a "Ree Rheinland" state under its authority, backed by the french army, including the Ruhr-region, maybe even aiming at Hamburg (communist centre) to bring "peace" there.

I would assume in the middle run germany will be divided in 3 - 5 independant states, ruled frist by martial law, secured by allied (french) garrisons.

However - subscribed :D

Well, World War One just ending, and the French can't just go around and send armies into Germany, not after all that fighting and lost.

And would England and America let the French do that?
 

NoMommsen

Donor
Well, World War One just ending, and the French can't just go around and send armies into Germany, not after all that fighting and lost.
Some high ranking french militaries tried to push exactly that. In a way not without reason : the german army retreated, everywhere and falling apart, Rhein-border occupied and secured by themself, your arsenals filled up by american supplies ...

And would England and America let the French do that?
Exactly the question I am really curious how The TimeRanger will deal with.;)
 
Indeed, but the logistics needed to keep a force in Russia is not the same as the one needed in Germany.

Anyway, having the Great War so close, another military intervention wouldn't be quite supported at home, as the example of Russia proves.
 
Outside of Japan, Czechoslovakia and Greece, the numbers in Russia were puny - less than 20,000, I think. Comparable numbers in Germany would only do so much.
 
Free Socialist Republic of Germany/People's State of Germany
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The first flag of the Socialist Republic of Germany, before it was changed again on 1922-during the eve of the war.

It became more apparent that the Soviets abandoned them(1)-and the Soviets are also seen as the orchestrator of Ebert's death. Using the red flag-or even the Hammer and Sickle-could be seen as a treachery, and the last thing they could do is simply-plaster the red star-into the German Confederation flag, proving their allegiance and nationality. Immidiately afterwards, many unions, councils, began to spoke and declare allegiance for the Free Socialist Republic-following Liebknecht's declaration of war. However, Liebknecht knew, that the farthest they could go at this point is North Germany, with Rhineland, South Germany-and Ostpreussen out of the question, with the People's Army(2) even conteplating of surrendering Schleswig to Denmark-in order to appease the western powers. Accompanied with the flurry of strikes, and riots across Germany, Liebknecht used the momentum of the current state of disorientation of the Freikorps in order to wrestle and gain more territories, with most of the operations and battles the People's Army done was solely raids, in order to gain Freikorps's more advanced equipments. With the order of battle being drawn, between the three forces, Liebknecht only relied on his so-called perception of "People's determination", where he believed that playing a attrition war could finish the job. Chosen to became the leader of the Free Republic, Liebknecht had already made a controversial move, where he claimed, and ordered for a "Breakup of Germany"(3), believing that the tenets of "Divide and conquer" could benefit the proletarian struggle in the future. Liebknecht had also gone as far as appointing himself as the Chanchellor of the Republic, fearing that inter-factional quarrels could break the Republic from the inside.

Then, what Liebknecht had tought on his mind became the truth. Berlin fell easily to the Spartacists, yet, things had taken interresting turns, for the good, and for the worse. The Freikorps, and the right-wing elements of Germany began to make their way to the South, trying to coerce the king of Bavaria to return and proclaim a kingdom on the South(4), while the Prussian elites began to abandon all hope, and began to swallow their pride, as talks with the Polish government regarding of a Polish-backed Prussian state on Ostpreussen(5)-began to happen. As a cherry on top on the mess-that is Germany right now, the Entente began to make their overtures on Rheinland, seeking to carve their own puppet state in the region, leaving the remnants of the "Democratic" republic to move to Hannover-where their voice began to get irrelevant, as the Rhenish Republic in-mind of the Entente itself-had named themselves as the "German Republic", made as the Entente's last ditch on taming the Germans. However, this projected "German Republic" itself will still be based on Rheinland. However, despite all of these mishaps-occuring simultaneously on July 1919, Pommern and Mecklenburg began to spoke for the cause of the reds, with councils-formed by various succesful uprisings began to spoke the name of Liebknecht.
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Liebknecht, during a rally on Rostock, 7th September 1919

Such dreams began to made itself a reality for Germany. The Entente began to move itself to the Rheinland, while making amends with the Social Democrats-and the Progressives who fled to Hannover, with a proclamation of a "German Republic" based on Hannover-led by Payer(6)-obiviously supported by the Entente-is made on 18th August 1919. Shortly afterwards, with such moves being recgonized as a blatant violation of all the treaties existing regarding the German Empire's downfall after the first world war, Germany-is effectively known to be unexistent, with the Entente's German Republic being known as the "Legitimate" one. Just like what Liebknecht predicted, the Danes eventually grabbed Schleswig(7) three days later, the Poles made their way to Silesia on the day after, sparing what existing from Breslau-to its west alone as a message for the Germans. Finally, as a salt to the wound, the spit to the grave, the Freikorps-backed, the nationalist-leaning Bavarian Kingdom had broke free from Germany, further complicating any possible moves that the Spartacus will take next. As a bandwagon jumping-move is made by Liebknecht. There, he proclaimed the formation of the "People's State of Germany" on 1st October 1919, with Mecklenburg, Brandenburg and recently-joining Pommern being its major territories. However, with the hell happening on Russia(8), Liebknecht could focus on grabbing as much as territory he can, while avoiding any major battles against the Bavarians and the Rheinlanders-as he eventually realizes that his movement could not stand strong if it keeps on being solely based from a popular movement. He needs experience. Despite outnumbering his enemies, Liebknecht knew that the Spartacists is simply outclassed.

Not much had happened, with regular skirmishes, and the Bavarians gaining ground on Thuringia and Hessen, with crazier talks of a Austrian submission to the Bavarian Kingdom(9), which alarmed Liebknecht. Yet, but still, Liebknecht aimed to grab any territories as fast as he can, with his own target being the aqcuisition of Posen-and West Prussia on early 1920, something that might be a easy ride, yet, will become a hard challenge, as defending the Western and Southern corridor simultaneously from the Republican-Bavarian attacks began to take its toll on the Spartacist garrison, yet the Republicans, however, could be taken lightly, as the Entente began to focus on Russia, not in Germany-yet, it is still a hard challenge for the lone red eagle, in the end. By December, Liebknecht eventually gains a advantage, as the naval elements of the German Empire began to wore red-yet, things once again became more complicated, as on 12nd December 1919, the "Prussian State" is proclaimed-with Erich Ludendorff as its "Leiter", yet with the grand, pretext of irony on where the Prussian State itself are a mere puppet of the Poles, the very nation that the Prussians itself despised in the past. Truly, the path towards peace for the German people will be a hard and rocky road.

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(1).You think this Balkanized Germany is horrible? You do know i'm researching things regarding Siberian Independence, yes?
(2).The name of the Spartacist army ITTL.
(3).I get it. Kinda unrealistic, but Liebknecht's words is not a mere banter that he spoke during a meeting. He's actually going to pursue this first.
(4).Versailles is dead.
(5).Yes. Yes. A Millitary junta. Yes. Piludski is THAT level of ambitious.
(6).One shot. One opportunity. Seizing someone that is not a red. Someone who held power previously.
(7).MUAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.
(8).See point one and cry
(9).MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHbut didnt happen for now.​
 
Not much had happened, with regular skirmishes, and the Bavarians gaining ground on Thuringia and Hessen, with crazier talks of a Austrian submission to the Bavarian Kingdom(9)

Austria went through its own republican revolution after the war. They had no interest in submitting to another monarch so soon after becoming a republic.
 

NoMommsen

Donor
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
... uh, ah, ... we're still in 1919 ????

(dunno where to start ... )
1st : you seem to completly forget and cancel out, that there are still millions of soldiers, if seeking to come home mainly, but nonetheless in the bigger part still in "good order" following their officers.

"Berlin fell easily to the Spartacist" ... what are you dreaming of at night ? :rolleyes: with most of the Freikorps comming from the east (western Prussia, Posen) and north (landed at Stettin, Wismar Rostock) THROUGH the Berlin area and assembling in the north, esp. Mecklenburg. No way the reds could hold larger parts of northern germany, Hamburg area, maybe even Bremen and Wilhelmshaven area, but in Hannover area they would already start to get serious problems.

Ruhr-area could become a stronghold - until the french move it and bringing any socialist-revolutionary movement to an (bloody ?) end, then sweeping - probably aimed by the british through Westfalen to Hannover and esp. Hamburg.

(dunno where to continue ...)
With this state of affairs there would be no central goverment, taking the responsibility for the armistice - therefore armistice suspended -> "war" (a mere marching through) with entente restarts.

Soviet involvement : the Bolsheviks at that time really had other things to care about (remember : civil war all over russia ? ).

Seems to me not too thoroughly researched with a quite low "plausibility" index atm.
But I am keen to see your explanations for these course of events.:)
 
What strikes me the most is that, suddenly, the KPD has the structure and the followers needed to try such a revolution, that Liebknecht, who, compared with Rosa Luxembourg, was a virtual unknown after his time in prison, suddenly manages to win the simpathy of the workers.

I'm sorry, but Liebknecht was no Lenin.

And you have no army. Even the People's Naval Division remained neutral in January 1919.

By killing Ebert, you remove the last "restraint" of the Freikorps. And Ebert didn't stopped too much. Noske wold lead the Freikorps and the bloodbath would simply begin.
 
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