Imperial City of Sankt Petersburg (1921-2005)
View attachment 609501
Context
The main idea behind this (which unfortunately i never had the chance to develop further), would be that instead of abdicating Tsar Nicholas II would rally his loyalists and secure Sankt Pertersburg, and maintain a hold of it through the entire civil war. Instead of reoccupying the revolutionary controlled land the Tsar would seek to turn the city into a stronghold, and defend the position under the idea that the revolution would fizzle out due to lack of organisation. This would later prove false as much like in our timeline the bolsheviks would assume control eventually. A siege that would spand multiple years would see no results for either side, the loyalist faction would endure anything, while the bolsheviks would continue pressing having secured control over the former Russian Empire. Foreign intervention was inevitable, as such The Helsinki Congress, an international assembly comprising representatives from multiple nations, took place, in 1920, to decide the fate of the civil war and ensure an end. It was here that it was decided that the city of Sankt Petersburg should remain independent. However most residents resented the idea, as most felt more sympathy to the bolshevik cause. Fearing a potential internal revolution, the Tsarists started purging the disidents, which caused multiple residents to flee to the Soviet Union, or through it to Finland; which were later captured and trialed as traitors, desertors and enemies of the state. The main class that remained within the city limits, as well as sought refuge in Sankt Petersburg were higher class citizens, busniess owners and landowners, a large portion being jewish as well, fleeing the communist persecution. Due to this the city-state became a strong commercial center, following its rebuilding after the civil war.
The city specialized gradually for finnancial services, especially in securities trading and banking, and would also ofen being described as "the second Switzerland" or "the eastern London". In stark contrast to the Soviet Union the city-state the majority of it's citizens would only be upper class and upper-middle, and this would be aided by an overall lack of taxation, as due to its small size, the state budget could be raised mostly through bonds, which also catalized the trading business. As such the city, and citizens, became associated with the finnancial industry, which would also lead to stereotyping in the foreign media, through association with its large jewish community. The citizens however embraced this identy, and would in fact welcome jewish refugees in the coming years, transforming its stereotypical population , into its own brand of community.
The city remained mostly neutral through the Second World War and the Cold War, though being more open to the western world rather than the third world, remaining a tsarist monarchy until the dawn of the new millenium, when the Soviet Union collapsed. Thus talks of reunion with the former nation begun. The city would reintegrate in the new Russian Federation in 2005, as a special administrative zone, while the tsar would abdicate, the family would retain a number of special privilleges.
Symbolism
The Flag is based on the original city flag of Sankt Petersburg, with red white saltire bearing its dominant colors, the saltire being the symbol of Saint Andrew the Apostle. The blue field was added to complete the pan slavic colors scheme, and also to contrast the red flag of the bolsheviks. The double headed eagle would be added after the armistice, to symbolize and reinforce the idea that the tsar officially governs the city-state. The flag would continue to be used as the city flag after its integration in the Russian Federation.
