Return of the Savoia: an alternate Italy-Kaiserreich TL

Part one - Chapter five: The death of a dream

Outskirts of Rome, morning of 1st August 1919

The sun started to rise over the city of Rome, where the people after of night of terror and without the confort of a single light ( the illuminations were all shut down to not reveal easy targets to the Germans) was surprised the enemy didn’t launch yet the artillery bombardment. They didn’t know the enemy soldiers were surprised as well: they expected the upcoming orders to open the fire while instead their officers said to wait more because of new reserved orders of the high command. Many in fact saw strange and continue movements around the headquarters since the twilight of previous day, until the middle of the night; it was only know Hindenburg, the Kronprinz, and the most high officials as Richthofen had a long war council where often were heard high screams, who later were assigned to the general. Karl, who hadn’t an high rank as Heinz , wasn’t allowed to participate to the reunion so decided to wait outside. To the end, a cable was sent to Berlin and only a quarter of hour later the answer came. After only a minute, the council was ended and the officer went to execute the Kaiser’s decision. Karl looked to the main participant’s faces: Hindenburg was irritated, the Kronprinz serene, Heinz tired but relieved, and Richthofen quite happy. Because he was sure from his brother didn’t discover never, he pointed already over the Red Baron; and when knew the focus and the result of the council, the young aviator remained very surprised. He ran away saying: “Mein Gott! I must prepare, then!“ leaving a small smile from his superior.

Few hours later Karl was in his high uniform, just behind Richthofen: all the German high officials, with Hindenburg and the Kronprinz in front of all waited their upcoming guest. The Luddenbrock aviator envied his brother who was behind the general, Karl didn’t had a good view as well; impatient, he asked at low voice to Richthofen: “ When he will coming? I’m starting to be tired!” “ In any moment; you “Italiani” were always be so impatient. Now be silent.” The red Baron was serious, but his copilot understood he was joked. “ Yes, but when you give a hour is supposed you respect them! It’s very late, I…” Karl was stopped by a gesture of Richthofen. The guest was coming.

From Rome was coming towards them two limousines with the Italian flag, stopped in front of the waiting generals. From one of them exit the King of Italy, Umberto II of Savoia; with them were his mentor Agostino of Roccapetrata and the main officers who remained with their ruler instead to flee towards Napoli. Umberto was dressed as the commander in chief of his armies, with a ceremonial sword on his side. With a only gesture he stopped the other members of the Italian delegation, including Agostino. The count was worried, he promised to Umberto to remained immobile, but he hidden into his uniform a gun: if the Germans made something on him, he will shoot on the Kronprinz as revenge. The king was now in front of Hindenburg and the Kronprinz; he took his sword, bended up his kneel… and broke the sword on it into two pieces, which throw near the feet of the two men. Then, looking them in face, said in a calm voice: “ I, Umberto II of Savoia, King of Italy, Commander in chief of the army, offered the unconditional surrender of my country to the Central Powers. Also, I offered myself as your prisoner. I only request you to spare the city of Rome and to stop any operation from this moment, I already ordered to the Italian division and to the government to stop any hostility.”

For some interminable seconds all remained silent; then, Hindenburg slowly raise his arm over the sky so all they could see it.

The German soldiers screamed into joy, embraced each other and launched their hats in air, while the members of the Italian delegation bursted into tears also Agostino was inconsolably sad, in contrast to Umberto who was still calm when he was returning to him.

Italy had lost the war.

Over a hour later, the Germans already made a parade into the streets of the Eternal City, while the Germans permitted to Umberto, in sign of good will, to return for now in the Quirinale. In the face of the Romans were anger, tears, and infinite sadness.

Later the Kronprinz, the future Wilhelm III, wrote in his memories: “ That day I remained subjugated by the admirable portament of Umberto of Savoia: he was truly a great king in that moment. I didn’t never imagine that many years later he took his revenge against us, and that I hated him and all his successor forever with my forces.”
 
Part one - Chapter five: The death of a dream

Outskirts of Rome, morning of 1st August 1919

The sun started to rise over the city of Rome, where the people after of night of terror and without the confort of a single light ( the illuminations were all shut down to not reveal easy targets to the Germans) was surprised the enemy didn’t launch yet the artillery bombardment. They didn’t know the enemy soldiers were surprised as well: they expected the upcoming orders to open the fire while instead their officers said to wait more because of new reserved orders of the high command. Many in fact saw strange and continue movements around the headquarters since the twilight of previous day, until the middle of the night; it was only know Hindenburg, the Kronprinz, and the most high officials as Richthofen had a long war council where often were heard high screams, who later were assigned to the general. Karl, who hadn’t an high rank as Heinz , wasn’t allowed to participate to the reunion so decided to wait outside. To the end, a cable was sent to Berlin and only a quarter of hour later the answer came. After only a minute, the council was ended and the officer went to execute the Kaiser’s decision. Karl looked to the main participant’s faces: Hindenburg was irritated, the Kronprinz serene, Heinz tired but relieved, and Richthofen quite happy. Because he was sure from his brother didn’t discover never, he pointed already over the Red Baron; and when knew the focus and the result of the council, the young aviator remained very surprised. He ran away saying: “Mein Gott! I must prepare, then!“ leaving a small smile from his superior.

Few hours later Karl was in his high uniform, just behind Richthofen: all the German high officials, with Hindenburg and the Kronprinz in front of all waited their upcoming guest. The Luddenbrock aviator envied his brother who was behind the general, Karl didn’t had a good view as well; impatient, he asked at low voice to Richthofen: “ When he will coming? I’m starting to be tired!” “ In any moment; you “Italiani” were always be so impatient. Now be silent.” The red Baron was serious, but his copilot understood he was joked. “ Yes, but when you give a hour is supposed you respect them! It’s very late, I…” Karl was stopped by a gesture of Richthofen. The guest was coming.

From Rome was coming towards them two limousines with the Italian flag, stopped in front of the waiting generals. From one of them exit the King of Italy, Umberto II of Savoia; with them were his mentor Agostino of Roccapetrata and the main officers who remained with their ruler instead to flee towards Napoli. Umberto was dressed as the commander in chief of his armies, with a ceremonial sword on his side. With a only gesture he stopped the other members of the Italian delegation, including Agostino. The count was worried, he promised to Umberto to remained immobile, but he hidden into his uniform a gun: if the Germans made something on him, he will shoot on the Kronprinz as revenge. The king was now in front of Hindenburg and the Kronprinz; he took his sword, bended up his kneel… and broke the sword on it into two pieces, which throw near the feet of the two men. Then, looking them in face, said in a calm voice: “ I, Umberto II of Savoia, King of Italy, Commander in chief of the army, offered the unconditional surrender of my country to the Central Powers. Also, I offered myself as your prisoner. I only request you to spare the city of Rome and to stop any operation from this moment, I already ordered to the Italian division and to the government to stop any hostility.”

For some interminable seconds all remained silent; then, Hindenburg slowly raise his arm over the sky so all they could see it.

The German soldiers screamed into joy, embraced each other and launched their hats in air, while the members of the Italian delegation bursted into tears also Agostino was inconsolably sad, in contrast to Umberto who was still calm when he was returning to him.

Italy had lost the war.

Over a hour later, the Germans already made a parade into the streets of the Eternal City, while the Germans permitted to Umberto, in sign of good will, to return for now in the Quirinale. In the face of the Romans were anger, tears, and infinite sadness.

Later the Kronprinz, the future Wilhelm III, wrote in his memories: “ That day I remained subjugated by the admirable portament of Umberto of Savoia: he was truly a great king in that moment. I didn’t never imagine that many years later he took his revenge against us, and that I hated him and all his successor forever with my forces.”
Interesting TL.I subscribed.
 
Part One - Chapter six: the days of humiliation


Umberto was able to sent the orders to the remaining Italian divisions to stop any hostility and to surrender to the enemy without informing the government and his high command. Loyal to their ruler, in few hours almost all the soldiers in the southern front, and those who tried to defend the northern region deposed their weapons. In Napoli, after the coming of the shocking news, both the politicians and the high ranked generals tried to revoke the royal orders, but it was too late and however the soldiers were more willing to take orders to their king, who at least finished this inutile war; so, when some hours later German and Austrian diplomats came to talk with them, they had no choice that to recognize the surrender.


The surrender of Italy created consternation in the two main Entente nation still in war, Great Britain and France; the second was forced to sent troops to the south trying to halt the upcoming German assault to Provence, so weakening more the western front, when the first realized the war in Europe was lost and start to retreat its soldiers.


The Germans, after the Italian capitulation, started to build up its forces in Piemonte, while the control of the peninsula was gradually given to the Austrians: for them, the war was practically over because their border enemies were all defeated. Most of the Imperial divisions returned to home, while other were put in strategic points to quell local revolts and prevent eventual English amphibious assaults. The Italian army was progressively disarmed while some worker riots were broken with violence; even if Umberto asked to his subjects to remain calm, in Veneto the situation was very difficult because the people was angered to the massacre of St. Mark. At the start of September, the Germans were ready to launch the attack in Southern France: the French didn’t manage to hold a second front and soon Marseilles fallen. Worker strikes spreaded all across the country, the British finished their evacuation, and with the enemy at the gates of Paris the civilian government surrended the 4th of October.


The war in Europe was ended, even if Britain and its last allies, Japan and Portugal, decided however to continue the fight in the sea. The Central Powers meanwhile decided to open for the start of 1920 the peace talks with the other defeated countries: Italy, France, Belgium, Serbia, Romania, and Greece.


In the days of the occupation, Maria departed to Rome to follow the recitation school leaving Giovanni in Napoli, hoping to meet again soon; they didn’t know they didn’t see for many years…


In the peace talks, the Central Powers proposed harsh conditions to the defeated countries:


- Serbia lost Macedonia to Bulgaria and Montenegro to Austria-Hungary, and placing its sovereignty on the hands of the dual monarchy;
- Greece ceded its part of Macedonia and Salonika to Bulgaria, the Ionian Isles to Austria-Hungary and gave the control of Crete to Germany until the empire decided to relinquish it;
- Romania ceded Oltenia to Hungary and Costantia to Bulgaria and gave the control of the Ploesti oilfields to Germany, but in the reorganization of the Russian lands obtained the control of Moldavia;
- Belgium became a new puppet German state, the Kingdom of Flander-Wallonia, and ceded the lands east to the Meuse and Belgian Congo to Germany;
- Luxembourg became part of the German Empire;
- France ceded French Congo, Madagascar, and chunks of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany.


However, these terms were very reasonable respect to the humiliation Italy was going to have…


For a certain point, it was the Italian government to give to their main enemy, Austria-Hungary, a golden occasion. After the ceasefire, the high command and the civilian ministers returned to Rome, but instead to take their faults with honors, they accused Umberto II of high treason to made a “dishonorable peace without previously consulting the parliament”; the young king replied at tone it was the only reasonable choice for save Italy from total discussion, but soon understood they wanted make him the only responsible of the defeat. So in the end, the 20th of October 1919, after a exact year of reign, Umberto II abdicated from his throne; he hoped that at least it was sufficient to obtain lenient terms of peace from the Central powers. However, he didn’t went to exile but reached his possessions in Piemonte, in the possibility to serve again its country in the future.


The abdication shocked the common people who became even more confused when the government decided to not elect a new king but to wait until the sign of the peace treaty; Sonnino so wanted to regain some power to contract better the peace with the Austrians and Germans. However in Vienna they followed with attention the evolution of the Italian matters, because the Emperor Karl I wanted to resolve forever the threat of the peninsula forever, also because it seemed the Germans wanted to impose a lenient peace with Italy to make it once again an allied. The insperate solution came from one of his counselors, the priest Theodor Innitzer, who proposed a plan who received the complete approval of the Imperial government.


Innitzer was sent as the Imperial envoy to negotiate the peace with the Italians. The talks started the 7th of January 1920, and the Austrian priest obtained the right to talk. He said the expansionism of the Savoia brought Italy to the disaster, and it will happen again if the kingdom survived; so, for the better safe of the Italians… Italy must be split in pieces, and returning to a pre 1861 situation, while Austria-Hungary will annex Veneto.


The Italians delegates screamed in rage, and also the Germans didn’t believe in their ears; but Innitzer said that the Dual Monarchy didn’t want to divide the peninsula, but to reorganize it giving a new costitutional form: the new Italy will be a confederation of states, where when was possible the deposed Italian dynasties reclaimed their thrones. To give stability to the federation, the Pope ( In this case Benedict XIII) will be the Head of State, however his role will be symbolical ( even if devoted catholic, the Austrians didn’t want a too strong Church in Italy… they had other plans for the future of the country), a central government and a parliament will remain in use.


The plan Innitzer proposed for Italy was:


- In South Italy will be restored the Kingdom of Two Sicilies under the House of Bourbon;
- In Central Italy the Papal States will be restored;
- In Tuscany the legitimate Granduke, Josef Ferdinand of Habsurg-Lorraine, recover his rightful throne;
- Emilia was put under control of the house of Bourbon-Parma;
- For Lumbardy the Habsurg decided to not claim it but instead made it a Republic, the only one in the federation;
- For North-West Italy, the Savoia will reign over a restored Kingdom of Sardinia.


For that last state, it was offered to Umberto of Savoia to govern it, but the young refused; the King of Italy, even if deposed didn’t want to be an Austrian puppet neither to humiliate himself with a lesser title. So, Innitzer proposed the duke Emanuele Filiberto of Savoia-Aosta to rule Sardinia.


Soon Umberto understood he was a heavy interference for the Austrians and their supporters, so he decided to went to exile in Spain; with him will come his mother, her sisters and few loyal servants as Agostino of Roccapetrata.

The Austrians managed to impose their plan because the Germans were divided over that question and however recognized Italy into their sphere of influence, so in the end accepted the plan of Innitzer ; the Italians didn’t have other choice and however Sonnino thought the Liberal party will won the future elections for the Costitutional Assembly of the Federation.


Italy also will lose its colonial empire: Eritrea and Somalia went to Ethiopia, Libia will become a puppet state of the Ottomans who recovered also the Dodecanese.


Umberto and his family took a ship for Spain to the port of Genova the 3rd of March, few days before the peace treaty will be signed; the legend said someone heard him pronounce these words: “ One day, one day I will return no matter I must to wait.”


That day however it changed the life of all Italians forever…
 
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The spirits of Cavour, Mazzini and Garibaldi will now roll on their graves screaming vengeance against Cecco Beppe and his cohorts.
There will be an Hell to pay at the proper time
 
The spirits of Cavour, Mazzini and Garibaldi will now roll on their graves screaming vengeance against Cecco Beppe and his cohorts.
There will be an Hell to pay at the proper time

Surely, and for who knows the Kaiserreich TL the situation will go on the worse...:D
 
part one-chapter 7: setting the chess pieces

OOC: After months of inactivity, I decided to continue this TL, but using a different approach, leaving the previous narrative style for one more historical and condensed. I start from the previous chapter…

Part One - Chapter seven: setting the chess pieces (1920-1936)

In the same day Umberto of Savoia went in exile to Portugal, a radical left-wing revolt exploded in South Italy against the Austrian imposition to create a “Kingdom of Two Sicilies”, de facto splitting in two the Boot; Giovanni Esposito was one of the most active revolters, working behind the scenes. The Austrians couldn’t intervene for internal problems ( rebellions in different part of the empire), and neither Germany still involved in the war with Britain, the civil war in Russia, and above all of a similar revolt in France, which became the first “Syndacalist” nation. The politicians and the generals faithful to the Third Republic estabilished in Algiers a nation in exile, the “National France”. The German retired gradually from France, but seized Savoy, Nice and Corsica to reinforce the defensive positions of North Italy.

South Italy soon declared its independence, forming the Italian Syndacalist Republic, and forming an alliance with France. The German then convinced the Austria to abandon the previous plans over North Italy promoting a more united confederation of states, the ”Italian Federation”, under the symbolical presidence of the Pope but where the basis of a central government were safeguarded.

The Catholics founded a new party, the “Popular Party” (PP), which won greatly the first elections leaving behind the socialists ( naturally, Sydacalist parties were declared out-lawed). The success of the party was also aided by the efforts of a politician from Trentino, Alcide de Gasperi, who decided to become Italian citizen renouncing to a career in the Austrian Parliament. The majority of the PP , despite the loyalty to the Pope, however they wished more independence from Wien, which imposed its rule through Theodor Innitzer, now main counselor of the Pope, and the Granduke of Tuscany Josef von Osterreich, head of the armed forces.

In 1922 Benito Mussolini with its “Fasci di Combattimento” tried a coup of state, but failed and fled first to France and then to South Italy; but he left his wife Rachele and his daughter Edda in Milan. Of the conjurates, he retired on time Italo Balbo, convinced of the failure of the project by Francesco Baracca, who founded in Romagna with Enzo Ferrari the “Baracca-Ferrari”, car and plane producer and soon one of the most renewed industries of all Italy.

However, the Italian Federation reached in the years a certain stability and become one of the main markets of the “MittelEuropa” block, the alliance promoted by Germany which wanted North Italy to resist to the Syndacalist wave which probably invested the country for first. The North Italian economy was so revitalizated, also for many examples of personal initiatives, that the Federation was able to paid the war indemnities and the loans offered by the USA, demonstrating to be a valuable place for foreign investments. As for the USA, however, the inability for the other entente powers to pay their debts caused in 1929 the crash of its internal market, and damaging its internal stability. Meanwhile, the Italian army gradually recovered and modernized, while advisors came from the Reich. One of them was Karl Luddenbrock ( his mayor brother Heinz remained in Germany to make career in the army).

But the problem was still the persistent Austrian influence, above all in the Vatican where Innizter was the real ruler, creating apprehensions in the Italian prelates. One of these, the prince Eugenio Pacelli, not wanting to see Innitzer as Pope, decided to move in secret to push away the Austrians from Italy, deciding to restore the Savoia dynasty. Soon Pacelli make contacts with politicians of the PP ( de Gasperi in first line), high officers ( very few supported Josef von Osterreich, arrogant and with dreams to become new King of Italy), and nobles. One of this, the count Galeazzo Ciano, become soon one of the main plotters…

The affirmation of Syndacalism however didn’t stop the rise of Germany and its hegemony in these years: the Russian soviets in the end surrended, while Russia formed under Alexander Kerenski a republic (but it lose in the process Central Asia and the lands south of the Amur), and Britain in the end accepted a white peace with Germany. However, soon also Great Britain in 1925 was invested by the Syndacalist wave, forcing the Royal family to flee in Canada, giving birth to a new Kingdom in that nation, while the British Empire crumbed and the Indian Raj under revolts and Syndacalism advance was splitted in three parts.

The apogeum of Imperial Germany came in the early 30’s, when it personally intervened to restore order in the ravaged China, now essentially divided in a restored Qing Empire in the North and a South under an association of German enterprises, the AOG. But the West of the Middle country was still under control of varius warlords, the most dangerous was the Baron Urgen von Stenberg who ruled over Mongolia…

In the meanwhile, Umberto of Savoia when reached the legal age decided to leave Portugal for the more vital Madrid, making a brilliant life of society, and refusing to marry Maria Josè of Belgium ( who engaged later Amedeo of Savoia-Aosta, King of Sardinia). Madrid in these years was center of international intrigues, and the deposed king tried to make some contact with foreign powers to try to recover his throne, without success. But in the Summer of 1934 happened the event which ravaged forever his life: he met during a feast the Italian emigrated actress Maria Esposito, and fell in love towards her. Maria, feeling in guilt towards him for the assassination of his father by hand for his brother Giovanni, in a first moment refused to be involved in a relation with Umberto, but his determination conquered her; however, Maria didn’t reveal nothing to him, even if Umberto sometimes was upset looking her beautiful crimson eyes, not managing to connect where he already saw them.

In April of 1935, despite the opposition of his family, Umberto married Maria in Madrid; and few months later she was pregnant. These news reached also Italy, where in both North and South were largely appreciated by the population, and suggesting to Pacelli, Ciano and de Gasperi the times were mature for trying a restoration. Also, in the same period, the same Ciano met Edda Mussolini ( she used the surname of her mother, at that time), and married her. He discovered Edda was still in contact with his father, now one of the leaders of the Italian Syndacalist Republic, deciding to use this at his advantage later…

In the September of the same year, Umberto and Maria entered in contact with Ciano, who reached Madrid in incognito to propose to the former King if he wanted to promote a coup, with the help of Germany ( the count entered in contact with agents of the Reich, which wanted in the late 30’s to replace Austria in the Italian affairs) to remove the Austrians, restore the Monarchy and reunited Italy. Without hesitation, Umberto accepted…

The first phase of the plan started during the Autumn of the same 1935, where the “restorationists” initiated to promote unrests in all of Italy, requesting the return of Umberto of Savoia in Italy and more democracy. The soldiers, in many situations refused to attack the dissidents (who after all, claimed their reasons in the respect of the strict legality remained in the country), and many politicians of PP, leaded by de Gasperi, made their these requests. At this point, Pacelli was able to resolve the question suggesting to Pius XI, behind reassurations, to revoke the exile of Umberto of Savoia to calm down the population; Innitzer, believing in the good intentions of the Italian prelate, gave his approval.

The 6th January of 1936, day of Epiphany, Pius XI officially declared the end of the exile for Umberto of Savoia and his family.

OOC: The map below (start of 1936) is not mine, I edited one of ImmortalImpi…

PS: Essentially, for the rest the TL followed the general lines of Kaiserreich, if there is something not clear please ask to me...

kaiserreich 1936.png
 
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