From what I remember (been a few decades) border guards in te USA are also heavely armed. Oh Wait, Henny is canadian, do they handle things differently there?
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Not to delve into chat topics, but someone like Henriette Lane is unlikely to ever encounter that aspect of the US Border Patrol along the US-Canadian Border despite living only a short distance from there her whole life. If she lived in Mexico or were Métis for example, it would be a very different story.
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Part 144, Chapter 2596
Chapter Two Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Six
24th December 1976
Richthofen Estate, Rural Silesia
The Holidays were always hectic. Kat liked having a full house as her odd extended family made their way home and the house in Tempelhof became crowded. Fortunately, it was only a temporary situation as they traveled out to the house belonging to Manfred von Richthofen the way they had many times in the past. The vast house which had been built and decorated to the tastes of Manfred the Elder decades earlier as if it were a giant hunting lodge, while it was normally considered a bit tacky, it lent itself to the Christmas season like few other places. Ilse had said that she had massive plans for long overdue renovation as soon as her father-in-law was out of the picture. However, it seemed like Manfred the Elder wasn’t showing any signs of that being relatively soon. Of course, he could catch a chill tomorrow and be gone by next week. Kat wasn’t whistling past the graveyard though. She had spent most of the day before with Aunt Marcella and she was worried. Marcella had been in frail health for a long time and Kat was starting to dread the ring of the phone, knowing what call could come at any time. Into this was the surprising development in the form of Johannes, Manny and Suse’s little boy who had been born a few weeks earlier. Manfred the Elder had been delighted that his first great grandchild would be born on the estate. Mathilda, who had gone out of her way to assist Suse Rosa in the days since, believed that all of life followed a circular pattern along the lines of the seasons. The idea that there was now a second Hans von Mischner was taking that to an absurd degree.
Having Tatiana, Malcolm, and Marie Alexandra home at the same time was a joy. Those of her girls who didn’t have families of their own were there as well. Making sense of Henni, the girl who had accompanied Marie home because she was trying to figure out her thing with Sabastian Schultz of all people was a bit difficult. Did she have any idea what she was getting into? While Sabastian wasn’t a brute like his Uncle Jost or an arrogant horse’s ass like Lenz, having far more in common with his father, Dietrich, he was still a member of the chaotic Schultz family. For all the good it did, Kat had warned Henni that as an outsider she should never, ever take a side in family conflicts that erupted regularly and sometimes lasted for years. There was also this business of Henni being a single mother and how that had not been a deal breaker for Sabastian. Of course, it wouldn’t be. Anyone who knew anything about the Schultz family knew that. If they were remotely picky about that sort of thing they would have died out centuries ago. Henni had been perfectly happy telling Kat all about her daughter Alice, even mentioning without prompting how radically that had altered her life. She also mentioned that she was finally getting back to where she wanted to be. To Kat’s surprise, Marie had been directly involved with helping her with that.
The issue for Kat was that her youngest daughter was difficult to understand. Things had been very difficult for Marie when she had been younger. Between the expectations of Suga and getting thrust into her role in the Imperial Court she had seldom had time for friends her own age. That wasn’t helped by there having been a consensus at the Gymnasia that Marie had attended that she was strange. Though she had done well academically, Marie had fallen behind socially even as she had embraced making constant and bewildering changes to her appearance.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mathilda Auer, the wild girl who was the ward of the Richthofen family was singing to the horses. This was as Niko was making sure that Zwei’s needs were taken care of after he had taken the horse out that morning. As Niko had discovered, Ingrid had learned more than just to sing the lyrics of the songs that Mathilda sang, she also understood the meaning of the words even if they were in Old High German. So, Ingrid laughing at a silly song that Niko found incomprehensible had become normal.
That was perfectly in keeping with what Mathilda and Ingrid had done a few days earlier on the Winter Solstice. They had arranged a massive bonfire and potluck with everyone in the local community invited. Everyone had thought that it was a fun party where they stood around singing Christmas carols and having a generally good time. For Mathilda it held a deeper hidden meaning which she had not bothered telling anyone about. Niko had figured it out as Mathilda had danced around with Ingrid and had a smile on her face. For them part of the fun was how they had involved everyone. It was also revealing in how Mathilda navigated a world that was far less than understanding.
In a couple hours, the Christmas feast would be served. A formal meal with all the stuffy trappings that would entail. As Henriette, Marie Alexandra’s friend had put it, “Welcome to the Nineteenth Century” when she had learned what the plan was. Niko was starting to suspect that it wasn’t an accident that Mathilda’s bonfire stood in direct contrast. It had certainly been a lot more fun.
Leaving the stables, Niko saw that the other guests were arriving. Uncle Stefan and Aunt Nizhoni were getting out of their car followed by their daughters, Elke, and Petra. Then he noticed that they had Monique with them, she smiled and waved when she saw Niko. Perhaps a stuffy formal dinner wouldn’t be all bad.
24th December 1976
Richthofen Estate, Rural Silesia
The Holidays were always hectic. Kat liked having a full house as her odd extended family made their way home and the house in Tempelhof became crowded. Fortunately, it was only a temporary situation as they traveled out to the house belonging to Manfred von Richthofen the way they had many times in the past. The vast house which had been built and decorated to the tastes of Manfred the Elder decades earlier as if it were a giant hunting lodge, while it was normally considered a bit tacky, it lent itself to the Christmas season like few other places. Ilse had said that she had massive plans for long overdue renovation as soon as her father-in-law was out of the picture. However, it seemed like Manfred the Elder wasn’t showing any signs of that being relatively soon. Of course, he could catch a chill tomorrow and be gone by next week. Kat wasn’t whistling past the graveyard though. She had spent most of the day before with Aunt Marcella and she was worried. Marcella had been in frail health for a long time and Kat was starting to dread the ring of the phone, knowing what call could come at any time. Into this was the surprising development in the form of Johannes, Manny and Suse’s little boy who had been born a few weeks earlier. Manfred the Elder had been delighted that his first great grandchild would be born on the estate. Mathilda, who had gone out of her way to assist Suse Rosa in the days since, believed that all of life followed a circular pattern along the lines of the seasons. The idea that there was now a second Hans von Mischner was taking that to an absurd degree.
Having Tatiana, Malcolm, and Marie Alexandra home at the same time was a joy. Those of her girls who didn’t have families of their own were there as well. Making sense of Henni, the girl who had accompanied Marie home because she was trying to figure out her thing with Sabastian Schultz of all people was a bit difficult. Did she have any idea what she was getting into? While Sabastian wasn’t a brute like his Uncle Jost or an arrogant horse’s ass like Lenz, having far more in common with his father, Dietrich, he was still a member of the chaotic Schultz family. For all the good it did, Kat had warned Henni that as an outsider she should never, ever take a side in family conflicts that erupted regularly and sometimes lasted for years. There was also this business of Henni being a single mother and how that had not been a deal breaker for Sabastian. Of course, it wouldn’t be. Anyone who knew anything about the Schultz family knew that. If they were remotely picky about that sort of thing they would have died out centuries ago. Henni had been perfectly happy telling Kat all about her daughter Alice, even mentioning without prompting how radically that had altered her life. She also mentioned that she was finally getting back to where she wanted to be. To Kat’s surprise, Marie had been directly involved with helping her with that.
The issue for Kat was that her youngest daughter was difficult to understand. Things had been very difficult for Marie when she had been younger. Between the expectations of Suga and getting thrust into her role in the Imperial Court she had seldom had time for friends her own age. That wasn’t helped by there having been a consensus at the Gymnasia that Marie had attended that she was strange. Though she had done well academically, Marie had fallen behind socially even as she had embraced making constant and bewildering changes to her appearance.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mathilda Auer, the wild girl who was the ward of the Richthofen family was singing to the horses. This was as Niko was making sure that Zwei’s needs were taken care of after he had taken the horse out that morning. As Niko had discovered, Ingrid had learned more than just to sing the lyrics of the songs that Mathilda sang, she also understood the meaning of the words even if they were in Old High German. So, Ingrid laughing at a silly song that Niko found incomprehensible had become normal.
That was perfectly in keeping with what Mathilda and Ingrid had done a few days earlier on the Winter Solstice. They had arranged a massive bonfire and potluck with everyone in the local community invited. Everyone had thought that it was a fun party where they stood around singing Christmas carols and having a generally good time. For Mathilda it held a deeper hidden meaning which she had not bothered telling anyone about. Niko had figured it out as Mathilda had danced around with Ingrid and had a smile on her face. For them part of the fun was how they had involved everyone. It was also revealing in how Mathilda navigated a world that was far less than understanding.
In a couple hours, the Christmas feast would be served. A formal meal with all the stuffy trappings that would entail. As Henriette, Marie Alexandra’s friend had put it, “Welcome to the Nineteenth Century” when she had learned what the plan was. Niko was starting to suspect that it wasn’t an accident that Mathilda’s bonfire stood in direct contrast. It had certainly been a lot more fun.
Leaving the stables, Niko saw that the other guests were arriving. Uncle Stefan and Aunt Nizhoni were getting out of their car followed by their daughters, Elke, and Petra. Then he noticed that they had Monique with them, she smiled and waved when she saw Niko. Perhaps a stuffy formal dinner wouldn’t be all bad.
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Mathilda Auer has been a godsend to the von Richthofen Family.
First, she has given Old Manfred a renewed interest in life, and has kept company with him, listening to all the old stories that others have heard over and over again.
Second, she has proven to be the best older sister to Ingrid, teaching her all the Old Songs that she knows, and has given her a love of nature that her mother Ilse wants Ingrid to have,
Third, she was invaluable help to Suse Rosa, and the new child, (who is now going to be watched like a hawk by so many interested parties).
Henriette and Sebastian are going to have to talk about how they see themselves in their future plans,
in the second timeline, Sebastian after his first visit to the Richthofen Estate, showed interest in becoming a Forrester, and is now enrolled at the University of Breslau, which is probably one of the best places to study Land and Estate Management in Germany ITTL.
Mama Schultz was probaly disappointed that Henriette didn't bring her daughter, Alice with her as that would have given Mama Schultz the opportunity to see what kind of mother Henriette is.
As for Marie Alexander, maybe the best thing for her is to do whatever she wants to do at any given time until she decides to move in a different direction.
Marie is so intelligent, talented, and competent that it is very easy for her to do as many things possible in life, and that makes it hard for her to just settle for one path to take.
Ironically, Jack Kennedy's suggestion that she studies law at Trinity College may be the best course of action for her to take as that will give her a certain level of training and flexibility to go from one thing to another.
First, she has given Old Manfred a renewed interest in life, and has kept company with him, listening to all the old stories that others have heard over and over again.
Second, she has proven to be the best older sister to Ingrid, teaching her all the Old Songs that she knows, and has given her a love of nature that her mother Ilse wants Ingrid to have,
Third, she was invaluable help to Suse Rosa, and the new child, (who is now going to be watched like a hawk by so many interested parties).
Henriette and Sebastian are going to have to talk about how they see themselves in their future plans,
in the second timeline, Sebastian after his first visit to the Richthofen Estate, showed interest in becoming a Forrester, and is now enrolled at the University of Breslau, which is probably one of the best places to study Land and Estate Management in Germany ITTL.
Mama Schultz was probaly disappointed that Henriette didn't bring her daughter, Alice with her as that would have given Mama Schultz the opportunity to see what kind of mother Henriette is.
As for Marie Alexander, maybe the best thing for her is to do whatever she wants to do at any given time until she decides to move in a different direction.
Marie is so intelligent, talented, and competent that it is very easy for her to do as many things possible in life, and that makes it hard for her to just settle for one path to take.
Ironically, Jack Kennedy's suggestion that she studies law at Trinity College may be the best course of action for her to take as that will give her a certain level of training and flexibility to go from one thing to another.
Part 144, Chapter 2597
Chapter Two Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Seven
25th December 1976
Richthofen Estate, Rural Silesia
Christmas Eve had been fun for Henriette. Everyone else had acted as if the formal meal yesterday afternoon was this big ordeal, for her though it was like being in a Historical Drama. That was until the meal had actually started and then things had gotten complicated.
To her astonishment, there had been dozens of dinner guests in the massive hall with the long table. She had also been fascinated as she watched the family dynamics play out. Opa von Richthofen, the family Patriarch, was not really being interested in formality with Helene and Hans, Manfred the Younger, Mathilda, as well as Ingrid following his lead. Albrecht and Ilse wanted to maintain decorum. So they had made sure that Nikolaus and Sabastian were kept very close at the same time they made sure that Sabastian’s sisters Anna and Gretchen were seated rather far apart. Dietrich, Sabastian’s father, had ended up seated right next Henriette with his wife Nancy right across the table. They had loads of questions for Henriette. It was at that time that it became noticeable that there seemed to be a lot more laughter one end of the table, just not the side that Henriette was on.
Marie Alexandra had sat with her family at the middle of the table. Henriette found Marie’s mother to be a bit terrifying. Tatiana and Malcolm seemed a bit odd to her, then she found out they were paternal twins, which made them even more so. Josefine, Sophie, and Angelica were introduced to Henriette as Marie’s sisters, but Marie had already told her the real story. That they were girls who Marie’s parents had taken in. There were several others apparently, but they had their own families, so they had not ventured to Silesia for Christmas.
The next evening, Henriette was still processing what she had seen and heard the night before as she was watching television with the others. Most of the other guests had gone home so it was family and close friends who were present. Tomorrow, Henriette was going to Wunsdorf-Zossen to meet the rest of the Schultz family, her understanding was that Helga Schultz-Kunkle was not to be underestimated. She had also been repeatedly advised to not take a side in the family disputes on separate occasions by Katherine, Nancy and Ilse. Exactly what sort of greeting she would receive and the feeling to tribulation was quite understandable.
Sabastian had joined Henriette on the couch, and it was noticeable that they were being watched closely. The television show was a bit bewildering to Henriette. It seemed to be a situation comedy centered around Sanitation Workers in the Berlin Metro. Beyond Henriette not entirely understanding the language, there were jokes about the interplay between the S-Bahn versus the U-Bahn or a random piece of paper on the ground that she didn’t understand but everyone else found hilarious.
As the show ended Manfred the Elder entered the room and he shooed Nikolaus out of the chair right in front of the television. The tenor of the room changed as the German National Anthem played, the Emperor appeared, and he began reading a prepared statement. Friedrich IV had always struck Henriette as looking more like a University Mathematics Professor than what many imagined when they pictured the Emperor of Germany. He talked at length about the events of the previous year and his hopes for the coming one. Then he mentioned what each of the members of his family was doing. Louis Ferdinand, the Emperor Emeritus, and his wife continued to be in good health, they were enjoying a quiet life with Friedrich’s two youngest sisters. His younger brother Michael and his wife Alberta were expecting a new addition to the family at any time. Kristina and her family were doing well, he congratulated his brother-in-law Benjamin von Hirsh on earning a Professorship in Astronomy. Louis Ferdinand Junior had gotten engaged to Princess Margaretta of Romania and had resigned from the German Navy as a result. Finally, Marie Cecilie and Victoria Augusta, the Queen of Galicia-Ruthenia and Princess Consort of Bavaria respectively had enjoyed a good year. Finally, the camera angle switched, Mirai Louise, Friedrich’s oldest daughter and current designated heir appeared on the screen sitting next to him.
Henriette sort of lost interest as the German Emperor and his eleven-year-old daughter talked, mostly Friedrich gently trying to draw her into the discussion. This part of the presentation was clearly unscripted and Mirai was a bundle of nerves and just nodded or shook her head to answer her father’s questions. Henriette guessed that Friedrich was trying to introduce Mirai to the public beyond the photographs that his Press Officers released.
“I told Freddy and Mirai that this was going to happen” Henriette heard Nancy say, “But she insisted that she was ready.”
Dietrich said something in reply, but in a low voice so Henriette couldn’t hear. Freddy?
“What does your mother do?” Henriette asked Sabastian in a whisper.
“Public relations for the Imperial Court” Sabastian replied as he took ahold of Henriette’s hand. It wasn’t particularly intimate, but with his parents distracted it was chance to do that with no one noticing.
“Does she know that that not everything has to be polished?” Henriette asked, “If anything this makes Mirai seem like a regular child, eh.”
“You tell my mother that” Sabastian said with a smile, “I dare you.”
25th December 1976
Richthofen Estate, Rural Silesia
Christmas Eve had been fun for Henriette. Everyone else had acted as if the formal meal yesterday afternoon was this big ordeal, for her though it was like being in a Historical Drama. That was until the meal had actually started and then things had gotten complicated.
To her astonishment, there had been dozens of dinner guests in the massive hall with the long table. She had also been fascinated as she watched the family dynamics play out. Opa von Richthofen, the family Patriarch, was not really being interested in formality with Helene and Hans, Manfred the Younger, Mathilda, as well as Ingrid following his lead. Albrecht and Ilse wanted to maintain decorum. So they had made sure that Nikolaus and Sabastian were kept very close at the same time they made sure that Sabastian’s sisters Anna and Gretchen were seated rather far apart. Dietrich, Sabastian’s father, had ended up seated right next Henriette with his wife Nancy right across the table. They had loads of questions for Henriette. It was at that time that it became noticeable that there seemed to be a lot more laughter one end of the table, just not the side that Henriette was on.
Marie Alexandra had sat with her family at the middle of the table. Henriette found Marie’s mother to be a bit terrifying. Tatiana and Malcolm seemed a bit odd to her, then she found out they were paternal twins, which made them even more so. Josefine, Sophie, and Angelica were introduced to Henriette as Marie’s sisters, but Marie had already told her the real story. That they were girls who Marie’s parents had taken in. There were several others apparently, but they had their own families, so they had not ventured to Silesia for Christmas.
The next evening, Henriette was still processing what she had seen and heard the night before as she was watching television with the others. Most of the other guests had gone home so it was family and close friends who were present. Tomorrow, Henriette was going to Wunsdorf-Zossen to meet the rest of the Schultz family, her understanding was that Helga Schultz-Kunkle was not to be underestimated. She had also been repeatedly advised to not take a side in the family disputes on separate occasions by Katherine, Nancy and Ilse. Exactly what sort of greeting she would receive and the feeling to tribulation was quite understandable.
Sabastian had joined Henriette on the couch, and it was noticeable that they were being watched closely. The television show was a bit bewildering to Henriette. It seemed to be a situation comedy centered around Sanitation Workers in the Berlin Metro. Beyond Henriette not entirely understanding the language, there were jokes about the interplay between the S-Bahn versus the U-Bahn or a random piece of paper on the ground that she didn’t understand but everyone else found hilarious.
As the show ended Manfred the Elder entered the room and he shooed Nikolaus out of the chair right in front of the television. The tenor of the room changed as the German National Anthem played, the Emperor appeared, and he began reading a prepared statement. Friedrich IV had always struck Henriette as looking more like a University Mathematics Professor than what many imagined when they pictured the Emperor of Germany. He talked at length about the events of the previous year and his hopes for the coming one. Then he mentioned what each of the members of his family was doing. Louis Ferdinand, the Emperor Emeritus, and his wife continued to be in good health, they were enjoying a quiet life with Friedrich’s two youngest sisters. His younger brother Michael and his wife Alberta were expecting a new addition to the family at any time. Kristina and her family were doing well, he congratulated his brother-in-law Benjamin von Hirsh on earning a Professorship in Astronomy. Louis Ferdinand Junior had gotten engaged to Princess Margaretta of Romania and had resigned from the German Navy as a result. Finally, Marie Cecilie and Victoria Augusta, the Queen of Galicia-Ruthenia and Princess Consort of Bavaria respectively had enjoyed a good year. Finally, the camera angle switched, Mirai Louise, Friedrich’s oldest daughter and current designated heir appeared on the screen sitting next to him.
Henriette sort of lost interest as the German Emperor and his eleven-year-old daughter talked, mostly Friedrich gently trying to draw her into the discussion. This part of the presentation was clearly unscripted and Mirai was a bundle of nerves and just nodded or shook her head to answer her father’s questions. Henriette guessed that Friedrich was trying to introduce Mirai to the public beyond the photographs that his Press Officers released.
“I told Freddy and Mirai that this was going to happen” Henriette heard Nancy say, “But she insisted that she was ready.”
Dietrich said something in reply, but in a low voice so Henriette couldn’t hear. Freddy?
“What does your mother do?” Henriette asked Sabastian in a whisper.
“Public relations for the Imperial Court” Sabastian replied as he took ahold of Henriette’s hand. It wasn’t particularly intimate, but with his parents distracted it was chance to do that with no one noticing.
“Does she know that that not everything has to be polished?” Henriette asked, “If anything this makes Mirai seem like a regular child, eh.”
“You tell my mother that” Sabastian said with a smile, “I dare you.”
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The problem for Henriette is that she is in a no-win situation in trying not to get in any Shultz Family drama.
An innocent question here, an innocuous comment there and she finds herself in the middle of things, catching fire from all sides as not taking a side is tantamount to taking a side.
It will be a baptism of fire for Henriette as she navigates the dynamics of the Schultz family, and she will find a surprising ally.
The upcoming Nuptials between Prince Louis Ferdinand and newly designated Crown Princesses Margareta is seen in Moscow as blow to the ambitions of Imperial Russia.
While the current Czar has a younger brother who is in the same age group as Margareta, there was no way in hell that the Laws of Succession would have been changed to allow Margareta to inherit the Crown if there was even a whiff of a possibility of a Russian Prince as the Consort.
It is kind of ironic ITTL that in the first timeline that the current King of Romania, Michael, was seen by Czar Grigory as a safe choice to marry Gia as a way to sideline her from being a threat to the legitimacy of him being the new Russian Czar, even though Gia had absolutely had no desire to challenge Grigory's right to the newly restored Crown of Russia, Gia is now making herself more known to be in opposition to the ambitions of The Second Imperial Russian Empire.
While the current Czar has a younger brother who is in the same age group as Margareta, there was no way in hell that the Laws of Succession would have been changed to allow Margareta to inherit the Crown if there was even a whiff of a possibility of a Russian Prince as the Consort.
It is kind of ironic ITTL that in the first timeline that the current King of Romania, Michael, was seen by Czar Grigory as a safe choice to marry Gia as a way to sideline her from being a threat to the legitimacy of him being the new Russian Czar, even though Gia had absolutely had no desire to challenge Grigory's right to the newly restored Crown of Russia, Gia is now making herself more known to be in opposition to the ambitions of The Second Imperial Russian Empire.
Part 144, Chapter 2598
Chapter Two Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Eight
26th December 1976
Bremerhaven
The day after Christmas and the car carrying Vizeadmiral Otto Kretschmer passed through the double gates of one of the most secure installations of the Kaiserliche Marine. The armed Marines with dogs were thorough in their quick search of the car before it was allowed through the inner gate. In the distance, Otto saw the conning tower of one of the missile boats that was provisioning ahead of months spent at sea was visible above the low buildings, its course and mission the most deeply held secrets. Even its scheduled time of departure was classified, though timed to coincide with there being no unfriendly eye looking down from orbit.
The Marines snapped to attention as Otto stepped out of his car and entered the building that housed the Headquarters of the Kaiserliche Marine’s Submarine Service. There had once been a time when the Marines would have been regarded as a necessary evil at best and kept away from places like this. That time had clearly passed. Otto had a meeting with Admiral Reinhard Hardegen commander of the both the surface and undersea Divisions as well as his direct Commanding Officer. It was obvious what the topic of discussion was going to be, Otto’s supposed retirement, which was not a subject that Otto was particularly eager to discuss.
It had been far simpler when Otto had been a Korvettenkapitän in command of SMS U-541 during the Pacific War. Back then his only problem had been Destroyers from the Japanese Navy relentlessly hunting him and harassment by American Destroyers, supposedly to keep him out of areas of their control, but mostly because they could. He had read Joseph Heller’s novel about the experience of the Enlisted Men in the US Army Airforce Units based on those islands during the war. Had the high stakes game of chicken really been the direct result of a clash of egos between Generals and Admirals exasperated by interservice rivalries? While there was no way that the United States really would have blundered into war for such stupid reasons, that would have been cold comfort to whoever was unlucky enough to get shot at under those circumstances.
In the years since, Otto had risen in rank, briefly commanding SMS U-1001, better known as SMS Bremen, the first Nuclear Attack Sub in the service of High Seas Fleet on her epic maiden voyage around the globe without ever surfacing. In the years since, Otto had overseen the U-Boat Flotillas as they had become the main instrument of strategic deterrence. The separation of roles between the missile boats and the attack boats that would hunt the missile boats of the enemy had been a key part of that. Then one day, Otto had woken up and realized that the age of retirement was rushing at him like an express train. It was absurd, he was Silent Otto Kretschmer, a legend in the Fleet and there was still so much work left to do. The prototype for the new Type XL Fast Attack Submarine was going to be launched in a few weeks and the eggheads at the Naval Research Lab in Kiel had developed a new guidance system that was showing considerable promise. The new sub pens in the Bremerhaven Shipyard had only just been completed, built to withstand everything short of a direct hit by a hydrogen bomb. Of course, Otto knew full well that in the event of a war, the pens would probably get hit by a dozen, but perhaps buying just enough time for the boats to escape to sea. There were countless other things as well. His office was a hive of activity as he and his staff worked to improve the Fleet and the facilities. In short, Otto knew that he was far too busy to consider retirement.
“Otto” Reinhard Hardegen said in greeting as Otto entered his office, like always the first thing that caught Otto’s eye was the plaque proclaiming Hardegen a Knight Commander of the Hanseatic League, a rare honor. “I’ve good news.”
Hardegen was all smiles, because of course he was. They had been rivals during the Pacific War, with Hardegen equaling Otto in tonnage sunk right until Otto had put a spread of fish into the side of the IJN Musashi, seventy-thousand tons in an instant. Earning a Red Eagle and becoming the leading U-Boat Ace of the War in a way which could never be equaled. Curiously, Otto had several Naval Ensigns from the IJN serve as his aides over the years. A U-Boat Captain sinking a warship like he had was seen as the most honorable of pursuits, a hunter taking on the most dangerous of game. Otto also knew that Hardegen was only a year younger than him, so it would be his head on the chopping block next. Served the bastard right.
“You are to be honored by the Emperor” Hardegen said, “Knight of Black Eagle and Ennoblement, I don’t think I need to tell you what that would mean for the whole of the Navy. Generalfeldmarschall Ritter von Wolvogle received that rare honor, and it was a huge boost to the Panzer Corps.”
Translation, they were sweetening the deal to make it easier to give him the boot. Hardegen was also making clear that this wasn’t just about Otto alone.
“Is that all?” Otto asked, “As you know I am extremely busy and…”
“There is also the hope that with your newfound stature you can sort out the latest trouble that the Irish have dredged up” Hardegen replied.
“What have the Irish done this time?” Otto asked, “I haven’t heard anything.”
“It hasn’t hit the papers yet, but it will” Hardegen said, “Irish divers have been exploring the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania and they found millions of rifle rounds and tons of explosives in the wreck.”
That was something which had been a sore point in their relations with the Americans for decades. The sinking of the Lusitania had been mentioned in the same breath as the later incident with the USS Des Moines. The presence of a huge quantity of munitions called that into question. The Lusitania may have been a legitimate target all along.
“Were the Irish able to get numbers on their find?” Otto asked.
“Enough to equip a Division, possibly two” Hardegen replied, “We are trying to get ahead of all this, and it all depends on how much longer the Irish will sit on this story.”
Otto knew that last part was crap. The Irish would never pass up an opportunity to screw over the British and he would be shocked if the story wasn’t already going to press at that very second.
26th December 1976
Bremerhaven
The day after Christmas and the car carrying Vizeadmiral Otto Kretschmer passed through the double gates of one of the most secure installations of the Kaiserliche Marine. The armed Marines with dogs were thorough in their quick search of the car before it was allowed through the inner gate. In the distance, Otto saw the conning tower of one of the missile boats that was provisioning ahead of months spent at sea was visible above the low buildings, its course and mission the most deeply held secrets. Even its scheduled time of departure was classified, though timed to coincide with there being no unfriendly eye looking down from orbit.
The Marines snapped to attention as Otto stepped out of his car and entered the building that housed the Headquarters of the Kaiserliche Marine’s Submarine Service. There had once been a time when the Marines would have been regarded as a necessary evil at best and kept away from places like this. That time had clearly passed. Otto had a meeting with Admiral Reinhard Hardegen commander of the both the surface and undersea Divisions as well as his direct Commanding Officer. It was obvious what the topic of discussion was going to be, Otto’s supposed retirement, which was not a subject that Otto was particularly eager to discuss.
It had been far simpler when Otto had been a Korvettenkapitän in command of SMS U-541 during the Pacific War. Back then his only problem had been Destroyers from the Japanese Navy relentlessly hunting him and harassment by American Destroyers, supposedly to keep him out of areas of their control, but mostly because they could. He had read Joseph Heller’s novel about the experience of the Enlisted Men in the US Army Airforce Units based on those islands during the war. Had the high stakes game of chicken really been the direct result of a clash of egos between Generals and Admirals exasperated by interservice rivalries? While there was no way that the United States really would have blundered into war for such stupid reasons, that would have been cold comfort to whoever was unlucky enough to get shot at under those circumstances.
In the years since, Otto had risen in rank, briefly commanding SMS U-1001, better known as SMS Bremen, the first Nuclear Attack Sub in the service of High Seas Fleet on her epic maiden voyage around the globe without ever surfacing. In the years since, Otto had overseen the U-Boat Flotillas as they had become the main instrument of strategic deterrence. The separation of roles between the missile boats and the attack boats that would hunt the missile boats of the enemy had been a key part of that. Then one day, Otto had woken up and realized that the age of retirement was rushing at him like an express train. It was absurd, he was Silent Otto Kretschmer, a legend in the Fleet and there was still so much work left to do. The prototype for the new Type XL Fast Attack Submarine was going to be launched in a few weeks and the eggheads at the Naval Research Lab in Kiel had developed a new guidance system that was showing considerable promise. The new sub pens in the Bremerhaven Shipyard had only just been completed, built to withstand everything short of a direct hit by a hydrogen bomb. Of course, Otto knew full well that in the event of a war, the pens would probably get hit by a dozen, but perhaps buying just enough time for the boats to escape to sea. There were countless other things as well. His office was a hive of activity as he and his staff worked to improve the Fleet and the facilities. In short, Otto knew that he was far too busy to consider retirement.
“Otto” Reinhard Hardegen said in greeting as Otto entered his office, like always the first thing that caught Otto’s eye was the plaque proclaiming Hardegen a Knight Commander of the Hanseatic League, a rare honor. “I’ve good news.”
Hardegen was all smiles, because of course he was. They had been rivals during the Pacific War, with Hardegen equaling Otto in tonnage sunk right until Otto had put a spread of fish into the side of the IJN Musashi, seventy-thousand tons in an instant. Earning a Red Eagle and becoming the leading U-Boat Ace of the War in a way which could never be equaled. Curiously, Otto had several Naval Ensigns from the IJN serve as his aides over the years. A U-Boat Captain sinking a warship like he had was seen as the most honorable of pursuits, a hunter taking on the most dangerous of game. Otto also knew that Hardegen was only a year younger than him, so it would be his head on the chopping block next. Served the bastard right.
“You are to be honored by the Emperor” Hardegen said, “Knight of Black Eagle and Ennoblement, I don’t think I need to tell you what that would mean for the whole of the Navy. Generalfeldmarschall Ritter von Wolvogle received that rare honor, and it was a huge boost to the Panzer Corps.”
Translation, they were sweetening the deal to make it easier to give him the boot. Hardegen was also making clear that this wasn’t just about Otto alone.
“Is that all?” Otto asked, “As you know I am extremely busy and…”
“There is also the hope that with your newfound stature you can sort out the latest trouble that the Irish have dredged up” Hardegen replied.
“What have the Irish done this time?” Otto asked, “I haven’t heard anything.”
“It hasn’t hit the papers yet, but it will” Hardegen said, “Irish divers have been exploring the wreckage of the RMS Lusitania and they found millions of rifle rounds and tons of explosives in the wreck.”
That was something which had been a sore point in their relations with the Americans for decades. The sinking of the Lusitania had been mentioned in the same breath as the later incident with the USS Des Moines. The presence of a huge quantity of munitions called that into question. The Lusitania may have been a legitimate target all along.
“Were the Irish able to get numbers on their find?” Otto asked.
“Enough to equip a Division, possibly two” Hardegen replied, “We are trying to get ahead of all this, and it all depends on how much longer the Irish will sit on this story.”
Otto knew that last part was crap. The Irish would never pass up an opportunity to screw over the British and he would be shocked if the story wasn’t already going to press at that very second.
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The RMS Lusitania was carrying an estimated 50 tons of filled 3-inch shells and 4.5 million rifle cartridges, much of that not actually listed on the cargo manifest and believed to be the cause of the large secondary explosion that tore the ship apart when she was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland in 1915. In OTL successive British Governments were able to keep much of that secret for almost a century, in fact denying that there were ever any munitions on the ship at all. It wasn't until private ventures started conducting dives on the wreck in 1982 that the story started to change. In TTL, that was exposed a bit sooner.
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One of my favorite parts of ITTL's Catch-22 is how Milo Mindbender was selling everything he could get his hand on at the USAAF base to the various militaries at war, especially to the Dutch.
Throughout the novel, Capt. Yossarian would notice things like the silk parachutes were missing and then the live bombs that would be carried on the "Neutrality Patrols" were replaced by sandbags.
Gerat novel, no wonder is taught IOTL and ITTL to aspiring officers around the world.
Edit: Corrected by Timeline's Creator
Throughout the novel, Capt. Yossarian would notice things like the silk parachutes were missing and then the live bombs that would be carried on the "Neutrality Patrols" were replaced by sandbags.
Gerat novel, no wonder is taught IOTL and ITTL to aspiring officers around the world.
Edit: Corrected by Timeline's Creator
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Funny to see a many-times great uncle turn up here (though given the actions of some of my other relatives OTL, it could have been a lot worse)! Though I take issue with him being described as a 'bastard', my grandfather remembers him as a very kind man!
Mind you, that is the what the guy who he is forcing out that door has to say. The prior time Reinhard Hardegen was mentioned he was aboard the Grindwal as they were off the Firth of Forth poking at the RNSS in 1972, which was apparently all in good fun.
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I know, just made me laugh!
Also, this may amuse you - as you may know Hardegen famously sailed into New York harbor, which coincidentally is the same city I was born in. A small coincidence, but a testament to how far the US and Germany came in the years after the war.
Wonder how will the Lusitania mess develop. It might put some steam on the American isolationist side, and worsen relationships with the British.
Related to that, something that I’ve noted for a while in the stories is that many side plots get brought up and we never hear of them again. The Crimea issue, whatever the fuck is going on between Turkey and Greece and some treaties going towards European integration, for example, were mentioned at some point and then dropped. Of course I get that it’s a story with a big scope that’s already far from the POD, and this remains a great story I’m always glad to read, but just wanted to drop this as constructive criticism.
Could also simply be that I’m impatient and Peabody has plans for all of these.
Related to that, something that I’ve noted for a while in the stories is that many side plots get brought up and we never hear of them again. The Crimea issue, whatever the fuck is going on between Turkey and Greece and some treaties going towards European integration, for example, were mentioned at some point and then dropped. Of course I get that it’s a story with a big scope that’s already far from the POD, and this remains a great story I’m always glad to read, but just wanted to drop this as constructive criticism.
Could also simply be that I’m impatient and Peabody has plans for all of these.
Luckily for the British, both IOTL and ITTL, the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, a British liner remember, in 1915 wasn't the casus belli that dragged the Yanks into WW1. Yes, it heightened tensions, but so had many other sinkings and atrocities, such as the introduction of poison gas. True, 128 American citizens had died, but many at the time held the view that, as they had chosen to travel on a British vessel during time of war, they were at least partly to blame for their fates. Then there was the time, also in 1915, that the German embassy's commercial attaché, Heinrich Albert, left his briefcase on a train in New York City, which contained documents detailing Germany's espionage and lobbying networks within the USA. That revelation went down like a tonne of bricks with the American public. But none of these were considered serious enough to declare war on the German Empire.
OTL, it was the 1917 Zimmermann Telegram and the resumption by Germany of unrestricted submarine warfare, which this time included targeting US-flagged shipping, that were the main casus belli for the United States. ITTL, it was the sinking of a USN warship, carrying an American ambassador on a diplomatic mission, by German surface warships off Ulster in the north of Ireland that triggered US entry into the war. So, while the Irish discovery of ammunition on the Lusitania might cause a few more ripples between US/UK relations, there shouldn't be more than that. Similarly, the above should, in theory, enable Vizeadmiral Otto Kretschmer (retired) to pour a little calming oil on the diplomatic waves between the US & the German Empire.
OTL, it was the 1917 Zimmermann Telegram and the resumption by Germany of unrestricted submarine warfare, which this time included targeting US-flagged shipping, that were the main casus belli for the United States. ITTL, it was the sinking of a USN warship, carrying an American ambassador on a diplomatic mission, by German surface warships off Ulster in the north of Ireland that triggered US entry into the war. So, while the Irish discovery of ammunition on the Lusitania might cause a few more ripples between US/UK relations, there shouldn't be more than that. Similarly, the above should, in theory, enable Vizeadmiral Otto Kretschmer (retired) to pour a little calming oil on the diplomatic waves between the US & the German Empire.
The best way for the Germans to handle the new revelations of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania is by the academic route.
We are entering the 60th Anniversary of the end of the ITTL WW I, and there are going to be a lot of symposiums on the very events that led, happened, and the results of the start, actions, and the end of the war.
A good way for Germany is to partner up with various academic institutions around the world and have a conference in New York City about the latest findings about the RMS Lusitania, and there is a number of survivors still alive at this time, they could be invited to talk about their experiences of the sinking, and there is also the fact that the passengers were warned by the German embassy by newspapers advertisements before the Lusitania left NYC that it was subjected to be sunk by the Germans in the War Zones.
The result is probably going to be is that "The British did what they needed to do by shipping ammunition by any available transport including passenger liners, and the Germans did what they needed to do by sinking anything that was shipping war materials in publicized war zones", and the only ones who are completely innocent in all of this are the children who were aboard the RMS Lusitania.
We are entering the 60th Anniversary of the end of the ITTL WW I, and there are going to be a lot of symposiums on the very events that led, happened, and the results of the start, actions, and the end of the war.
A good way for Germany is to partner up with various academic institutions around the world and have a conference in New York City about the latest findings about the RMS Lusitania, and there is a number of survivors still alive at this time, they could be invited to talk about their experiences of the sinking, and there is also the fact that the passengers were warned by the German embassy by newspapers advertisements before the Lusitania left NYC that it was subjected to be sunk by the Germans in the War Zones.
The result is probably going to be is that "The British did what they needed to do by shipping ammunition by any available transport including passenger liners, and the Germans did what they needed to do by sinking anything that was shipping war materials in publicized war zones", and the only ones who are completely innocent in all of this are the children who were aboard the RMS Lusitania.