They would not be Hans Schmidt, they would be Hanna Schmidt and her cousins from Berlin and other areas of Germany who wanted a change of scenery and decided to get a job out here in the country. They would also have some Older Russian ladies start as the Cooks in the school cafeteria.
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Usually no school cafeteria's in Gundschulen. Kids are expected to eat their lunch at home, and only have a limited amount of afternoon classes at all.
And therefore usually it's a case to just pick the closest one, unless they do things seriously different just over the border.
What is seen as the far more important choice is getting into a Gymnasium after one finishes primary school, not stay with the next closest Hauptschule.
And actually, speaking of closest one - Balderschwang got more development compared to OTL so it's not out of question to have a very small Grundschule there - otherwise I'd expect to see Nina more likely in Fischen (close) or Sonthofen (the next closest bigger town), not in Immelstadt.
I was researching something else and I stumbled across this. An Imperial German Naval Aviator's badge, dated from 1915. ITTL there is no reason why Albrecht von Richthofen would not have one as it would likely still be in use.
Part 138, Chapter 2379
Chapter Two Thousand Three Hundred Seventy-Nine
15th June 1975
Balderschwang, Bavaria
Sitting in a recliner, Ben was staring up at the ceiling trying to sort through the events of the prior week as he heard Nina bashing on a toy piano in the next room. It had certainly been eventful.
Ben had not liked getting caught up in King Albrecht’s pissing match with what was seen as Federal or Imperial authority. Kiki had told him that while he needed to be more careful in future, he also needed to placate the Bavarian King who was a key patron of the Argelander Observatory. She had spoken with her brother and apparently Freddy understood the balancing act that Ben needed to do.
Then Albrecht had come through on the medal that he had promised, he had put Ben’s name forward to the Advisory Committee that would award the Maximilian Order for Science and Art. That Committee was composed of the President of the Bavarian Landtag, as well as the Presidents of the Universities around Munich, and the appointed Scientific Advisors to the Bavarian Government. Ben understood what even getting nominated for that award meant. He had taken the job as Director of the Argelander Observatory because it was a major steppingstone towards becoming a Professor of Astronomy. A Maximilian Order would basically assure his future in that regard, but it would make him more beholden to Albrecht.
Kiki told him to take the medal and be gracious about it. Ben more than met the criteria to receive it. Eventually, they were going to go back to Berlin and antagonizing Albrecht of Bavaria was not in their interest in the meantime. Besides, he was an old man and wouldn’t live forever. Once he was gone, Franz would take his spot on the throne and their lives would be a bit less complicated. Ben accepted that. He had gotten along well with his brother-in-law when Kiki’s younger sister came to visit.
Finally, there was the upcoming regional conference. Ben and Kiki were going to be present in different capacities. He had found himself with the mayors and council members of all the various towns, villages, and municipalities at every level in Oberallgäu wanting to talk with him about what was going to be said. He had pointed out repeatedly that his position as Graf was largely ceremonial and as elected officials they were where the real power in the region lay. They tended to act like Ben said something silly when he said that.
“Do you remember Richard and Lucia in California?” Kiki asked as she was sorting through the letters that she received over the prior week, the ones that Steffi Bader, her Personal Secretary, had deemed relevant anyway. Steffi spent a lot of time sorting through the letters, weeding out the scam artists, beggars, perverts, and cranks. And that was after the Postal Inspectors removed anything truly objectionable.
“We were at their wedding” Ben replied.
“Yes” Kiki replied, “It says here that they had a baby, a little girl…”
Kiki paused.
“And?” Ben asked.
“They named her Kristina Concepción, with a K which is a bit odd in America” Kiki replied, “Because I got Ritchie that armored vest a few years ago and it probably saved him from serious injury.”
If Ben had to guess, that was a bit of understatement by either Kiki or Ritchie Valenzuela. If the flak vest in question had taken hits from a bullet or shrapnel then it had likely saved his life. You didn’t just name your child after someone.
“It is nice that they appreciate what you have done for them” Ben said.
Kiki didn’t respond to that as she went back to her letters. He figured that there were dozens of invitations to various social functions and requests for personal appearances. How the public had never found out about Kiki’s normally introverted nature was a mystery to Ben. It seemed like they only saw her as she was in the midst of a crisis or making a public statement as necessitated by her title or career. At that point she had little choice but to rise to the occasion. Being at home on a quiet Sunday afternoon with him and the children was actually what she preferred.
“It says here that we may have already won” Kiki said looking at a gaudy letter.
“I think Steffi missed one” Ben replied as Kiki dropped the letter into a wastepaper basket.
“This one is from my cousin excusing my absence from the Summer procession of the Order of Saint John and the reception afterwards because we will be attending Ria’s wedding” Kiki said reading the letter.
Ben snorted at that while trying not to laugh. Kiki’s cousin had probably sent out dozens of letters like that, mostly to save face, because most of the members of the Order of Saint John were going to be in Galicia that day. The lure of free food and drink in Krakow trumped religiously motivated grandstanding it seemed.
“Are there any letters from Hospital Administrators in there” Ben asked, “I know that they always love you to invite you to their events. Gawk at the Princess and sponsor a new wing or department.”
Kiki sighed and gave him a look, as much as those sort of invitations annoyed her, she liked him making fun of them even less. She believed in the mission of most hospitals. Unfortunately that mission was a rather expensive one and they typically took money from wherever they could get it. It was one of the few times where Kiki didn’t object to using her title to advance a cause.
15th June 1975
Balderschwang, Bavaria
Sitting in a recliner, Ben was staring up at the ceiling trying to sort through the events of the prior week as he heard Nina bashing on a toy piano in the next room. It had certainly been eventful.
Ben had not liked getting caught up in King Albrecht’s pissing match with what was seen as Federal or Imperial authority. Kiki had told him that while he needed to be more careful in future, he also needed to placate the Bavarian King who was a key patron of the Argelander Observatory. She had spoken with her brother and apparently Freddy understood the balancing act that Ben needed to do.
Then Albrecht had come through on the medal that he had promised, he had put Ben’s name forward to the Advisory Committee that would award the Maximilian Order for Science and Art. That Committee was composed of the President of the Bavarian Landtag, as well as the Presidents of the Universities around Munich, and the appointed Scientific Advisors to the Bavarian Government. Ben understood what even getting nominated for that award meant. He had taken the job as Director of the Argelander Observatory because it was a major steppingstone towards becoming a Professor of Astronomy. A Maximilian Order would basically assure his future in that regard, but it would make him more beholden to Albrecht.
Kiki told him to take the medal and be gracious about it. Ben more than met the criteria to receive it. Eventually, they were going to go back to Berlin and antagonizing Albrecht of Bavaria was not in their interest in the meantime. Besides, he was an old man and wouldn’t live forever. Once he was gone, Franz would take his spot on the throne and their lives would be a bit less complicated. Ben accepted that. He had gotten along well with his brother-in-law when Kiki’s younger sister came to visit.
Finally, there was the upcoming regional conference. Ben and Kiki were going to be present in different capacities. He had found himself with the mayors and council members of all the various towns, villages, and municipalities at every level in Oberallgäu wanting to talk with him about what was going to be said. He had pointed out repeatedly that his position as Graf was largely ceremonial and as elected officials they were where the real power in the region lay. They tended to act like Ben said something silly when he said that.
“Do you remember Richard and Lucia in California?” Kiki asked as she was sorting through the letters that she received over the prior week, the ones that Steffi Bader, her Personal Secretary, had deemed relevant anyway. Steffi spent a lot of time sorting through the letters, weeding out the scam artists, beggars, perverts, and cranks. And that was after the Postal Inspectors removed anything truly objectionable.
“We were at their wedding” Ben replied.
“Yes” Kiki replied, “It says here that they had a baby, a little girl…”
Kiki paused.
“And?” Ben asked.
“They named her Kristina Concepción, with a K which is a bit odd in America” Kiki replied, “Because I got Ritchie that armored vest a few years ago and it probably saved him from serious injury.”
If Ben had to guess, that was a bit of understatement by either Kiki or Ritchie Valenzuela. If the flak vest in question had taken hits from a bullet or shrapnel then it had likely saved his life. You didn’t just name your child after someone.
“It is nice that they appreciate what you have done for them” Ben said.
Kiki didn’t respond to that as she went back to her letters. He figured that there were dozens of invitations to various social functions and requests for personal appearances. How the public had never found out about Kiki’s normally introverted nature was a mystery to Ben. It seemed like they only saw her as she was in the midst of a crisis or making a public statement as necessitated by her title or career. At that point she had little choice but to rise to the occasion. Being at home on a quiet Sunday afternoon with him and the children was actually what she preferred.
“It says here that we may have already won” Kiki said looking at a gaudy letter.
“I think Steffi missed one” Ben replied as Kiki dropped the letter into a wastepaper basket.
“This one is from my cousin excusing my absence from the Summer procession of the Order of Saint John and the reception afterwards because we will be attending Ria’s wedding” Kiki said reading the letter.
Ben snorted at that while trying not to laugh. Kiki’s cousin had probably sent out dozens of letters like that, mostly to save face, because most of the members of the Order of Saint John were going to be in Galicia that day. The lure of free food and drink in Krakow trumped religiously motivated grandstanding it seemed.
“Are there any letters from Hospital Administrators in there” Ben asked, “I know that they always love you to invite you to their events. Gawk at the Princess and sponsor a new wing or department.”
Kiki sighed and gave him a look, as much as those sort of invitations annoyed her, she liked him making fun of them even less. She believed in the mission of most hospitals. Unfortunately that mission was a rather expensive one and they typically took money from wherever they could get it. It was one of the few times where Kiki didn’t object to using her title to advance a cause.
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I love these "slice of life" updates.
As an advanced request, could we have a series of "Christmas Day" updates please?
Picking up on different characters around the SL&H world and their Christmas days.
Emil & Maria Von Holtz
Gia
Reier
Parker and Siggi(?)
Some of the people on the fringes these days.
Assuming that they don't become central to the plot all of a sudden for something else?
Ben makes fun of them because he gets the same invites. People wanting to see the famous war hero/raumsfahrer and willing to donate/pay through the nose for the privilege.
I have always felt that Ben was more of a natural at the public relations part of the job then Kiki was, which is probably one of the reasons he was chosen to be part of the space program, IOTL part of the NASA astronaut selection process was the ability to handle the public relations part of the job.
Royal Weddings are a way for monarchies to show how they want to present themselves to the world.
This wedding is going to be the biggest spotlight on The Kingdom of Galicia-Ruthenia since The War of Independence and Queen Marie Cecilia wants to show that her country is far different then any other country in Europe starting with her choice for her consort.
Royal Weddings are a way for monarchies to show how they want to present themselves to the world.
This wedding is going to be the biggest spotlight on The Kingdom of Galicia-Ruthenia since The War of Independence and Queen Marie Cecilia wants to show that her country is far different then any other country in Europe starting with her choice for her consort.
Part 138, Chapter 2380
Chapter Two Thousand Three Hundred Eighty
19th June 1975
Jassel, Galicia-Ruthenia
“Then Poppa said that we needed to not do that in the future” Nele, the five-year-old daughter of Olaf “Olli” Bauer, said with entirely too much enthusiasm as she concluded telling Freddy all about the mishap that had occurred on her father’s farm a few weeks earlier. One which had resulted in a hole in the roof of the barn, punishment for Nele, and a stern talking to by her father about playing with dangerous things. It was clear to Freddy with Nele reminding him a bit of Mirai when she had been that age, that she had learned absolutely nothing from the experience except to perhaps not to get caught next time.
“Our guest is not interested in that Nele” Nele’s mother, who confusingly had the same name said nervously as she handed Freddy the glass of water that she had promised when he had entered their kitchen to wait for her husband to return.
Nele’s mother knew exactly who he was and Nele herself didn’t care. She was actually extremely close to Freddy’s sister Ria and was apparently excited about the role she was going to play in the Ria’s wedding in a couple days. The Photographer who was along today had delighted in how little Nele had told Freddy her story across the kitchen table.
The diversion to Olli Bauer’s farm had been decided some time earlier at the suggestion of Nancy Jenson in the Press Office. People often thought that all of Galicia-Ruthenia was Krakow and Lwów. Both were University cities and Ria delighted in the intellectual churn, going far as to make sure that debate had strong constitutional safeguards within her Kingdom. The trouble was that this often was presented on the Television News in the form of raucous student protest and industrial action. At the same time, the Universities were starting to gain a reputation in certain fields that would probably pay dividends in future.
In the meantime, this had given Galicia-Ruthenia a reputation of being a place of barely contained chaos. A peaceful, well-ordered farm in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains owned by the Marshal of Galicia was perfect to showcase the other side of the region. Not that Olli Bauer himself didn’t present his own problems. Freddy was aware of Bauer’s past, the part that the public had been told and what remained secret. Namely that he had been working indirectly for the Heer through his friend Kurt Knispel the entire time he had been leading the Galician Freikorps. They had lucked out due to Bauer being both competent and loyal, Freddy could think of a lot of ways in which an operation like that could have gone wrong. If someone more ambitious and with less in the way of scruples had been in that position, there might have been serious consequences. He had made sure that the relevant people in the Heer and the Intelligence Agencies understood his opinion on the matter. This was Chess, but Freddy had needed to ask; Didn’t any they ever think past the next move?
The brought his thoughts around to Ria’s wedding.
Most of the public had believed the rumors that Ria was a lesbian. Having her hair cut short, preference for practical clothing, and her direct manner had all seemed to buttress that belief. Then she announced that she was getting married to Lars Vangsgaard which had been met with disbelief and had created a number of headaches. The Danes were understandably upset by this because his father was the self-styled Grand Duke of the Island of Bornholm. He had declared it independent during the Second World War. They were worried that this was an indirect way of recognizing that independence. The old Junkers thought that she was making a mockery of them with this move. Freddy knew that Ria had thought that through, and that she thought that hereditary titles were a load of manure. She had told him as much. What was anyone’s title really based on when it came right down to it? By criticizing Ria, the Junkers would be calling their own position into question. That was not a question whose answers they would like.
“Sorry to keep you waiting Sir” A man who Freddy understood was Olli Bauer said as he entered the kitchen. “I had some business to attend to that couldn’t be left for later.”
The file had said that Olli had been a career soldier, mostly enlisted or as a Warrant Officer, only taking the Commissioned rank of Major at the end to increase his pension. Becoming a farmer had been a dream of his and receiving a substantial amount of land in a depopulated part of the Empire as a part of his retirement.
The Polish War had changed all of that.
Through an unforeseen and odd set of circumstances he had found himself leading a Division of Freikorps even as he insisted that he was still just a Major. When the Poles had attempted to put down what they saw as a rebellion in Southern Poland, he had used every trick he knew to bleed the Poles white as they had blundered south. Though badly outnumbered, he had managed to hold Krakow until elements of the 2nd and 3rd Army Groups along with the Bohemian Army had arrived. Olli Bauer wasn’t a large man, in keeping with how he had started as a Loader in a Panzer before moving to the Commander’s cupola later.
“I understand completely” Freddy said as he stood up from his chair, “I was just having your daughter telling me about her experiments in the barn.”
“I see” Olli said, clearly trying not to react to that. “Are you ready for the tour, Sir?”
“Why yes” Freddy replied, “Just lead the way.”
The two men from the First Foot standing by the door who had heard Nele’s story were amused by that exchange. Her experiment must have been far more dangerous than she had let on.
19th June 1975
Jassel, Galicia-Ruthenia
“Then Poppa said that we needed to not do that in the future” Nele, the five-year-old daughter of Olaf “Olli” Bauer, said with entirely too much enthusiasm as she concluded telling Freddy all about the mishap that had occurred on her father’s farm a few weeks earlier. One which had resulted in a hole in the roof of the barn, punishment for Nele, and a stern talking to by her father about playing with dangerous things. It was clear to Freddy with Nele reminding him a bit of Mirai when she had been that age, that she had learned absolutely nothing from the experience except to perhaps not to get caught next time.
“Our guest is not interested in that Nele” Nele’s mother, who confusingly had the same name said nervously as she handed Freddy the glass of water that she had promised when he had entered their kitchen to wait for her husband to return.
Nele’s mother knew exactly who he was and Nele herself didn’t care. She was actually extremely close to Freddy’s sister Ria and was apparently excited about the role she was going to play in the Ria’s wedding in a couple days. The Photographer who was along today had delighted in how little Nele had told Freddy her story across the kitchen table.
The diversion to Olli Bauer’s farm had been decided some time earlier at the suggestion of Nancy Jenson in the Press Office. People often thought that all of Galicia-Ruthenia was Krakow and Lwów. Both were University cities and Ria delighted in the intellectual churn, going far as to make sure that debate had strong constitutional safeguards within her Kingdom. The trouble was that this often was presented on the Television News in the form of raucous student protest and industrial action. At the same time, the Universities were starting to gain a reputation in certain fields that would probably pay dividends in future.
In the meantime, this had given Galicia-Ruthenia a reputation of being a place of barely contained chaos. A peaceful, well-ordered farm in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains owned by the Marshal of Galicia was perfect to showcase the other side of the region. Not that Olli Bauer himself didn’t present his own problems. Freddy was aware of Bauer’s past, the part that the public had been told and what remained secret. Namely that he had been working indirectly for the Heer through his friend Kurt Knispel the entire time he had been leading the Galician Freikorps. They had lucked out due to Bauer being both competent and loyal, Freddy could think of a lot of ways in which an operation like that could have gone wrong. If someone more ambitious and with less in the way of scruples had been in that position, there might have been serious consequences. He had made sure that the relevant people in the Heer and the Intelligence Agencies understood his opinion on the matter. This was Chess, but Freddy had needed to ask; Didn’t any they ever think past the next move?
The brought his thoughts around to Ria’s wedding.
Most of the public had believed the rumors that Ria was a lesbian. Having her hair cut short, preference for practical clothing, and her direct manner had all seemed to buttress that belief. Then she announced that she was getting married to Lars Vangsgaard which had been met with disbelief and had created a number of headaches. The Danes were understandably upset by this because his father was the self-styled Grand Duke of the Island of Bornholm. He had declared it independent during the Second World War. They were worried that this was an indirect way of recognizing that independence. The old Junkers thought that she was making a mockery of them with this move. Freddy knew that Ria had thought that through, and that she thought that hereditary titles were a load of manure. She had told him as much. What was anyone’s title really based on when it came right down to it? By criticizing Ria, the Junkers would be calling their own position into question. That was not a question whose answers they would like.
“Sorry to keep you waiting Sir” A man who Freddy understood was Olli Bauer said as he entered the kitchen. “I had some business to attend to that couldn’t be left for later.”
The file had said that Olli had been a career soldier, mostly enlisted or as a Warrant Officer, only taking the Commissioned rank of Major at the end to increase his pension. Becoming a farmer had been a dream of his and receiving a substantial amount of land in a depopulated part of the Empire as a part of his retirement.
The Polish War had changed all of that.
Through an unforeseen and odd set of circumstances he had found himself leading a Division of Freikorps even as he insisted that he was still just a Major. When the Poles had attempted to put down what they saw as a rebellion in Southern Poland, he had used every trick he knew to bleed the Poles white as they had blundered south. Though badly outnumbered, he had managed to hold Krakow until elements of the 2nd and 3rd Army Groups along with the Bohemian Army had arrived. Olli Bauer wasn’t a large man, in keeping with how he had started as a Loader in a Panzer before moving to the Commander’s cupola later.
“I understand completely” Freddy said as he stood up from his chair, “I was just having your daughter telling me about her experiments in the barn.”
“I see” Olli said, clearly trying not to react to that. “Are you ready for the tour, Sir?”
“Why yes” Freddy replied, “Just lead the way.”
The two men from the First Foot standing by the door who had heard Nele’s story were amused by that exchange. Her experiment must have been far more dangerous than she had let on.
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Reminiscent of earlier in the tale and the recruitment by Schulz the Elder of the Werewolves - particularly the soldier (I recall it was Karl Weise) that managed to blow the windows out of the barracks block with some flour and a detonator of sorts... Also, I wonder if Suse Rosa v. Wovogle-Knispel could pay a visit to the farm of her Dad's crewmate? Perhaps Nele could do with a role model with a goal to work towards - perhaps with the gift of a set of Panzerwaffe coveralls?
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