Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [IW] Non-Nazi Germany-Dominant World?

Blind Mapmaker · 03-02-2012, 12:31 PM

The problem with a late divergence post-WWI is that a lot of the uglier facets of German identity have already surfaced: Modern Anti-Semitism started in the 1870s in Berlin, Apartheid-like laws were first introduced in German Namibia, the coupling of militarism and ant culture was strengthened in the 1914 Manifesto of the 93 and of course Prussian reactionaries would be on top after the war. There would have been some reforms (universal suffrage in Prussia was promised), but it's kind of hard to justify sweeping changes in such a situation.

The Hansa solution is a more likely scenario, but, as mentioned, it is runs the risk of looking rather non-German without an extra push into the direction of our timeline.

Personally I would diverge in the late 15th century. If something happened to Isabella I of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon the Spanish kingdoms would remain separate for a longer time and Charles V would not become Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. That would keep Austria weaker and the Reformation more interesting. It would preclude heavy-handed crushing of the Protestant opposition and necessitate a more open dialogue.

The following centuries could see the Empire grow into a real Confederation (maybe after a Swiss model) with Imperial cities as important seats of learning and trade. The Swiss and the Dutch might stay inside the Empire and strengthen it. The main problem would be how to neutralise the French, but by making the French Wars of Religion much worse that could be achieved. At the same time the German model of tolerance might have even greater influence. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was already on that way in our timeline and here they might be more heavily influenced by German thought. The end result might be a smaller-scaled more federated Europe. The largest danger in the later centuries would probably be a strong Russia, but without Austria and Prussia waiting to dismember it the Commonwealth could maybe defeat them and open up Eastern Europe for German influence.

Of course, this approach also makes a lot of optimistic assumptions, but it's pretty neat to think of non-Prussian dominant German culture.

03-02-2012, 12:31 PM	#10
Blind Mapmaker Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mannheim, Baden	Re: [IW] Non-Nazi Germany-Dominant World? The problem with a late divergence post-WWI is that a lot of the uglier facets of German identity have already surfaced: Modern Anti-Semitism started in the 1870s in Berlin, Apartheid-like laws were first introduced in German Namibia, the coupling of militarism and ant culture was strengthened in the 1914 Manifesto of the 93 and of course Prussian reactionaries would be on top after the war. There would have been some reforms (universal suffrage in Prussia was promised), but it's kind of hard to justify sweeping changes in such a situation. The Hansa solution is a more likely scenario, but, as mentioned, it is runs the risk of looking rather non-German without an extra push into the direction of our timeline. Personally I would diverge in the late 15th century. If something happened to Isabella I of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon the Spanish kingdoms would remain separate for a longer time and Charles V would not become Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. That would keep Austria weaker and the Reformation more interesting. It would preclude heavy-handed crushing of the Protestant opposition and necessitate a more open dialogue. The following centuries could see the Empire grow into a real Confederation (maybe after a Swiss model) with Imperial cities as important seats of learning and trade. The Swiss and the Dutch might stay inside the Empire and strengthen it. The main problem would be how to neutralise the French, but by making the French Wars of Religion much worse that could be achieved. At the same time the German model of tolerance might have even greater influence. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was already on that way in our timeline and here they might be more heavily influenced by German thought. The end result might be a smaller-scaled more federated Europe. The largest danger in the later centuries would probably be a strong Russia, but without Austria and Prussia waiting to dismember it the Commonwealth could maybe defeat them and open up Eastern Europe for German influence. Of course, this approach also makes a lot of optimistic assumptions, but it's pretty neat to think of non-Prussian dominant German culture.