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Timeline: 1962: The Apocalypse

OTL equivalent: Northern Germany.
Flag Coat of Arms
Flag Coat of Arms
Location of Federal Republic of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony

"Tod Nazis und Diktatoren! Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit!"


(""Death to Nazis and dictators! Unity and Justice and Freedom!"")

Anthem: "The third stanza of 'Lied der Deutschen' Das Lied der Deutschen"
Capital: Achim
Largest city: Hamburg,
Other cities: Wismar, Kiel, Bremen, Lübeck, Lüneburg, Emden, Plön, Itzehoe, Oldenburg, Heide and Bremerhaven
Language:
  official:
 
Low Saxon dialect German, Low German dialect and standardised German
  others: Frisian, Dutch, standard UK English, Turkish, standard USA English and Polish.
Religion: 75% Lutheran, 12% Calvinist, 7% Roman Catholic, 5% Atheist and 1% Sunni Islam.
Ethnic groups:
  main:
 
Saxons, Schleswig Angels and Germans.
  others: Frisians, Dutch, White American, Black American, English, Turkish and Polish.
Type of government: Federal state; semi-presidential style; parliamentary republic; multi-party system.
  government: Bundestag (Federal Diet)
Bundesrat
High Chancellor: Einar Joachim Nordheim
Prime Minister: Hildegard Magda Hime
Area: (claimed) km²
Population: 3,645,000 
Independence: 1964
Currency: Saxonmark and barter in rural places.
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
  summer: CEST (UTC+2)
Calling code: +49
Organizations: Saxon Alliance


Stats[]

The Federal Republic of Lower Saxony (German: Niedersachsen, Low German: Neddersassen) is a democratic nation north-western Germany.

The official name is- English: The Democratic Federal Republic of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Osnabrück; German: Das demokratische Föderale Republik Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein und Osnabrück.

Anthem[]

History[]

Doomsday 1962[]

  • The targets hit were at-

Also see- Warsaw Pact targets in Western Europe.

Jevern AFB, Bremenhaven docks and Emden docks were hit by a 1kt bomb, but luckily they did not explode and just broke up and spewed radiation like a dirty bomb. Sadly most West German and East German cities were not so lucky. Bremen Airport (German: Flughafen Bremen), Aachen and Cuxhaven got a 1x 1kt, MOD Osnabrück 2x 1kt (which did not explode).

There would mostly be a problem with the radioactive fall-out from other regions of western Europe that would cause much trouble.

Sadly most other West German and East German cities and the Rhineland was nuked in to oblivion!!!

After Doomsday[]

Hamburg Germany Jan 6

Hamburg in April 1963.

Refugee flows were enormous and Denmark gave what ever it could to those in Schleswig-Holstein, but more came and spilt over in to the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Lord Mayor of the city Emden declared martial law and closed the cities border as it became apparent that not much of Germany had survived beyond a zone around Kiel, Oldenburg and Bremen a few days later. The concerned of Bergermisters of Aurich, Hanover, Oldenburg, Plön, Hamburg, Bremenhaven and Bremen feared being swamped by refugees and also closed their borders and brought in tough new laws with in the week. Food riots and a E-coli out-brake hit Aurich, Hanover, Emden and Kiel a few weeks later.

Survival[]

The 1962-64 nuclear winter/summer event and the 1963 typhus and disenrty outbreak killed many, as did the radioactive fall-out. A major E.Coli 0157 outbreak also hit the ruined towns and cities of the former Rhineland in the fist few months after The 'Apocalypse'.

The nation of Lowere Saxony was founded by the Achim born Heer officer Feldwebel Hans Otto Wenger and his deputy Dr Friedrich Joachim Lornsen in 1964 after veriose Bergermisters banded to geather and apointed Feldwebel Hans Otto Wenger and his deputy Dr Friedrich Joachim Lornsen as the overall leadership during the period of martial law. Oldenburg , Hamburg, Bremenhaven and Bremen were safely under their Bergermisters' control by Early 1964 and were willing to help secure Lower Saxony's government. Similar difficulties would also hit the state of Schleswig-Holstein, which would also receive heavy aid supplies from Denmark from 1962 to 1965.

The rival bergermisters were quickly removed and the fledgling nation was under there loose control by mid-1965.

The near by County of Bentheim, Leer, Emsland, Aurich districts were flooded in the storm of 1968, of which the latter 2 remained flooded until Lower Saxony recained them from the swamps in 1980. On the coast, where they had been more prepared for seasonal flooding, rebuilding by the local villagers began almost immediately after the storm. In Emsland, though, it would be years before any organised settlement would rise once more.

Relations became closer with Osnabrück, Whilelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Vorpommern-Greifswald during their struggle to servive during the 1960's and early 1970's. 

First contact[]

First contact was made with the Denmark, Hanover, Wismar S.S.R., Osnabrück, Central Germany, Emden, Kleve and Frisian Republic in May 4th 1967. Fist contact with City state of Wilhelmshaven in 1969, Sussex in 1979 and Kingdom of Lille-Wallonia on January the 6th, 1982.

1971-1991[]

Oldenburg Bergstraße

The Bergstraße in Oldenburg.

Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Osnabrück Lender began to improve some there roads and fixed a few more bridges during the 1971-1975 "National rural transport reintegration plan".

A minor steam railway was set up between Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremen and Bremenhaven inn 1971 and would expand over the years.

Emden joined friendly Lower Saxony on May 8th, 1972 and was fully re-intergrated by May 6th 1975. Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982. Osnabrück Lender would remain largely autonomous in nature.

The other minor servivour states Bremen and Bremenhaven joined Lower Saxon state in 1976, Oldenburg, Hanover and Hamburg joining up in 1980. The university of Bremen was founded in 1981.

The aging, elctrifyed and in places manualy guarded or mined "Safety Fence" that still supposedly shealds Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Wilhelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Vorpommern-Greifswald from both the primative tribal areas, Neo-Nazi Vorpommern-Rügen and the remnat GDR was erected in 1979.

The Grube Haverlahwiese iron ore mine was reopened in 1985. The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival was founded by the German pianist Justus FrantzI n 1986 and recently one of the largest classical music festivals in Europe.

A costal border dispute flared in 1988-89, but was peacefuly resolved. It was agreed that Lower Saxony got the Großer Knechtsand sandbank, Hoher Knechtsand island and the Tertius sandbank, Wilhelmshaven got Neuwerk island and the Frisian Republic got Mellum island in 1989.

The celebration of the harbour's birthday (Hafengeburtstag) is on every year, during the first weekend of May, is one of Hamburg's biggest public events. It recommenced in 1989. Visitors come from all over Lower Saxony, Wismar S.S.R., the D.R.R., Kleve and Denmark. The 6 Tugboats perform "water ballets", with both an old galleon and 2 small new cruise boats are open for tours, and fireworks explode at night.

1992 to the Present day[]

The brewing industry was recreated on a national basis in 1992, by the nationalisation and corporate merger of the nation’s varicose local breweries that sprung up in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

On 2 June 1994 the new Lower Saxon constitution entered force, replacing the "Provisional Lower Saxon Constitution" of 1st May 1967. It enables referenda, plebiscites, establishes environmental protection and a federal structure of government as a fundamental state principle.

The export of Iron to Wismar S.S.R. in exchange or lignite began in 1999. The lignite is sadly low grade and very smoky and sulphurous.

Döner kebabs or döner kebaps have become rather popular since there introduction by Izmirie immigrants in 1999.

In 2004, the Port of Hamburg restarted ambitions for regaining its position as the region's largest deep-sea and as major commercial and trading centre.

The 2005 referendum in Danish held Upper Schleswig-Holstein resulted in a 22%/64% vote in favour of joining Denmark.

The 2005 Upper Schleswig-Holstein referendum results.
chosen result. % of the vote.
To Denmark 64%
To Lower Saxony 22%
Independence 5%
Abstained 7%
Spoiled and ruined papers 2%
Voter turnout 98%

Recent floods and blizzards[]

  1. The floods of April 2006 killed 12 in both Lower Saxony proper and 3 Slizwig-Hostine province, along with another 6 in the Wismar S.S.R.
  2. The rainstorm and floods of mid 2007 killed 6 in Kiel.
  3. the hurricane of mid 2009 killed 3 people in Osnabrück, 2 people in Oldenburg, 2 people in Bremerhaven and 1 person in Kiel.
  4. The winter of 2009-10 was the worst in 50 years killing 42 people.
  5. The rainstorms of early in the June of 2012 killed 1 person in Emden.
  6. The snowstorms of early in the August to December of 2012 killed 1 person in Emden and 1 person in Osnabrück, 2 Oldenburg in and 6 in Kiel.
  7. The rainstorms of early in the June of 2014 killed 1 person in Emden, Achim and Hamburg.

Former refugee camps[]

  • Hamburg
  • Achim
  • Hanover
  • Osnabrook
  • Wismar
  • It was reckoned, as of 2004, by the Europa Alliance, that about 42,400,000 died across West Germany out of a population of 55,545,000, as a result of the Soviet attack. The 13,145,000 survivors were mostly in rural places. 1,475,000 later died off due to their wounds, growing ill health, and in the environmental chaos that followed afterwards.
  • It was reckoned, as of 2004, by the Europa Alliance, EMPs (electro-magnetic pulses) from air-burst weapons destroyed some 70% of the electronic appliances and equipment s across the Northern Hemisphere.

Government and politics[]

DOSB 03

The pre-war tax office that is now the Federal Parliament building in Aurich.

The political system is mostly the same sort of federal state as in real life West Germany, but both High Chancellor and Bundestag elected every 5 years by the FPTP method.

The nation is run by a Federal Council who are elected each 5 years and open to all nationals over 17 who have resided in Lower Saxony for at least 18 months, with out committing a serious crimes like bank robbery and murder, are eligible to vote. Legal eligibility for candidacy is essentially the same, but candidates are to be over the age of 19 instead.

The elections are noted trough out Western  and Central Europe for there lack of sleeze, corruption and/or violence. Lower Saxony, like Denmark and the Republic of the Frisian Islands, is concidered to have one of the fairest and most democratic goverments in Europe.

Party 1984 (provisional) 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands CDU 36* 35* 33* 32* 27 28* 29*
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands SPD 20 24 25 27 30* 23 22
Die Grünen 0 0 0 0 0 1 4
Deutschnationale Volkspartei, DNVP 2 0 0 0 0 1 1
Freie Demokratische Partei FDP 11* 10* 9* 10* 12 8* 9*
Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands – Die Volksunion, NPD 4 5 6 8 7 10 8
Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED 0 0 0 1 1* 2 1
Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus Niedersachsen, PDSN 0 0 1 0 0 2 2
Partei Bibeltreuer Christen, PBC 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Freie Schleswig-Holstein Partei, FSHP 2* 2* 1* 1* 1 1* 1*
Deutsch-Hannoversche Partei, DHP 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
Freie Niedersachsen Partei, FNP 0 0 1* 0 0 1* 1*
Freie Hamburg Partei, FSH 0 0 1* 0 0 0 1*
Tierrechtspartei, TRP 0 0 0 0 1* 0 1
Christliche Wählergemeinschaft, CWG 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Liberale Demokratische Partei 0 1* 0 1* 0 1* 0
The Party of Osnabrück Lender 0 0 0 0 0 1* 1*
Independent members 0 0 1 0 0 1* 1*
Die Kommunistischen wahren Gläubigen von Wismar (DKWGW) 2 2 2 2 2 2 3
Total 78 79 80 80 84 84 88

Note that due to the nation's love of democratic values, neither the hard left nor the hard right are banned exsept for some radical minority Stalinist, Maoist, terrorist and Neo-Nazi groups. *= members of the ruling coalition.

Osnabrück autonomous region[]

Osnabrück Lender was a separate and democratic nation until 1983, when it became a devolved province of Lower Saxony.

The country was set up by the remnants of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), under Gen. Ian Lee Travis and his deputy Col. Collin McKay, in 1964 as an act of mutual protection from future Soviet and later tribal attacks. The remaining UK forces would rally remnant NATO forces in the county and town Osnabrück. As time passed infrastructure such as buildings and bridges were patched up as best as the could and the nation slowly expanded. Walloon and Danish help would get farming above subsistence level by 1982.

Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982 under the government of Greta Swartz.

The present governor is John Anthony Boyd. It has retained a large degree of home rule, as has Wismar and Schleswig-Holstein.

Wismar S.S.R. autonomous region[]

Wismar S.S.R. was a separate and semi-democratic socialist nation until 1985, when it became a devolved province of Lower Saxony. 

The country was set up by the remnants of the Soviet and Polish army forces stationed there in WW3, lead by the Soviet tank regiment commander, Ivan Antanov. The remaining local military and police forces would rally the remaining people in the name of Communism in the hope of saving whatever remained. fraught and crushed several Neo-Nazi and tribal attacks in it's coastal zone. Lack of resources and a local famine lead to many clashes with Schleswig-Holstein in the late 1960's.

Czech and Danish help would get farming above subsistence level by 1982. Wismar would make peace with Schleswig-Holstein in May,1972. They slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1978 and 1984 under the government of Yuri Kandinsky.

The present governor is Hans Dresdener.

Schleswig-Holstein autonomous region[]

Schleswig-Holstein was a separate and democratic nation until 1983, when it became a devolve province of Lower Saxony.

The country was set up by the remnants of the Lender's provincial government, under Ernst von Lebe, in 1963 as an act of mutual protection from future Soviet, Neo-Nazi and tribal attacks. The remaining local military and police forces would rally the remaining people in the parts that had not already fallen under the benevolent rule of Denmark. As time passed infrastructure such as buildings and bridges were patched up as best as the cold and the nation slowly expanded. Farming was fully recovered by 1969 with help from an always friendly Denmark.

Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982 under the government Audrey Balda.

The 2005 referendum in Danish held Upper Schleswig-Holstein resulted in a 22%/64% vote in favour of joining Denmark.

The present governor is Kyle Geisel.

Military[]

Doeberitzer heide

A shot of part of the electrifyed and in places guarded or mined "Safety Fence" that supposedly shealds Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Wilhelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Vorpommern-Greifswald from both the primitive tribal areas, Neo-Nazi Vorpommern-Rügen, totalitarian Central Germany and the remnant GDR!

Laivas Prezidentas Smetona

The combined mine sweeper/layer NSKMV Dachshund.

The military and police force were heavy trained up since 1974, and expanded from being merely a force of 600 improvised police, guards and volunteer townsfolk, to a trained military of some 12,000 men and a police force of some 5,000 men. The production of modern firearms recommenced in 1984.

Army[]

  1. 2x T15 Tank
  2. 2x FT-17 Tank
  3. 12x Chevrolet RD 4x2 (USA) - Truck
  4. 6x T17E1 Staghound (USA) - Armoured Car
  5. 5x AMC 35 Tank
  6. 1 Sikorsky HO4S (S-55) light cargo helicopter
  7. 5x The Renault R35 (an abbreviation of Char léger Modèle 1935 R or R-35) Tank
  8. 12x Leopard 1 Tank (5 are known to be in storage)
  1. 5x AEC Matador 4 x 4 medium artillery tractor.

Weapons[]

  1. Colt M911 (side arm)
  2. Thompson Sub-machine gun
  3. The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42)
  4. The French Darne machine gun.
  5. The M60 (formally named United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60)
  6. Mauser C96 (Construktion 96)
  7. The TT-30 (Russian: 7,62-мм самозарядный пистолет Токарева образца 1930 года, 7,62 mm Samozaryadnyj Pistolet Tokareva obraztsa 1930 goda, "7.62 mm Tokarev self-loading pistol model 1930")
  8. The FN Model 1903 (M1903, Browning No.2, FN Mle 1903 or FN Ml 1903), or
  9. Nagant M1895 Revolver
  10. Canon de 75 modèle 1897
  11. Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider
  12. The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7 cm FK 96 n.A.)
  13. Ordnance QF 18 pounder
  14. Ordnance QF 25 pounder
  15. BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun
  16. 82-PM 41 Medium Mortar
  17. PPSh-41 machine-gun
  18. Stokes mortar
  19. Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver
  20. The Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys commonly known as the "Boys Anti-tank Rifle" (or incorrectly "Boyes", nicknamed the "elephant gun")
  21. Austen submachine gun
  22. Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk I (1903)

Navy[]

There are 4 partole boats and 1 combined minelayer/sweeper.

Air force[]

There are only 3 Supermarine Mk XIV Spitfires, 3 Messerschmitt Bf-109s, 3 cargo planes and 4 light helicopters.

Economy[]

Like most other post-Doomsday European nations, most of the economy is weighted towards agricultural production though there is rapidly growing industrial aspects in urban regions, and is now well past the capability of nations like Lille-Wallonia. Lignite mining, peat digging, carpentry, forestry, agriculture and food processing are the principle industries.

The nation's good soils make good pasture land and harvests are always bountiful. The fishing industry is very productive due to the rich seas and the fishing fleet has been steady growing since 1995.

Exports from the carpentry and food processing industries are traded with the Frisian Islands, Wilhelmshaven, Denmark and Lille-Wallonia. Some Walloon coal and hand tools are imported.

Agriculture[]

Agriculture is an important industry in Lower Saxony which has rich soils. Some farm products produced are-corn, wheat, oats, hay, potatoes and cabbages. Livestock production includes- cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, and sheep. Potatoes are the leading crop grown in Lower Saxony.

Cattle[]

Schleswig-Holstein specialises in prominently friendly, sustainable and organic cattle and diary farming, some of which is exported to Wilhelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Denmark since 2009.

Mines[]

The Grube Haverlahwiese iron ore mine in Salzgitter area (the Salzgitter-ridge between the villages Salzgitter - Lichtenberg in the North, the South Steinlah, Gebhardshagen in the east and west Gustedt) mine was reopened in 1985 and is still one of the most productive in Europe.

Energy[]

Peat and lignite []

There are 7 peat-fired power stations in the area around Kiel. The biggest 3 stations have a capacity of (160 MW) and the other 4 have a capacity of (30 MW). A 90 MW lignite-fired power stations is just to the south of Oldenburg.

Wind and water power[]

There is a 300MW wind farm near Oldenburg. There are several other minor wind farms in Schleswig-Holstein and water driven machinery is common place.

Education[]

Compulsory schooling is from ages 4 to 18.

Transport[]

Horses are still popular in the nation, despite the resent, but short lived, outbreak of equine ethmoid hematoma.

A minor steam railway was set up between Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremen and Bremenhaven in 1971 and would expand over the years. It has been exspanding ever since 1992 and has joined Kiel (1975), Wismar (1976), Lübeck and Wilhelmshaven (1977), Osnabrück, Oldenburg and Achim (1978), Hanover (1982) and Emden (1984).

Media[]

Local newspapers were recommenced in Achim, Wismar, Hamburg, Emden, Osnabrück, Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremerhaven in 1987 on a monthly bais. Most of the other local papers were back in print by 1989 and a national edition began being printed in 1995. The Niedersächsische Tageszeitung, Schleswig-Holstein Tageszeitung, Hannoversche Tageszeitung and Osnabrück Journal are the top papers.

Norddeutscher Rundfunk (N.D.R.) (English:North German Broadcasting) recomenced national MW broadcasts from Hamburg, Achim and Bremen in 1992. A national FM service has operated from transmitters in Oldenburg, Bremen, Achim and Hamburg since 2005.

Local FM radio stations opened in Achim, Hamburg, Kiel, Bremen, Lübeck, Emden, Wismar, Osnabrück, Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremerhaven during the Millennium.

Radio/Television Lower Saxony's overseas LW and domestic and MW radio transmitions began at the Achim facility in 2009. High power SW broadcasts have produced on occasion since in German, French, Russian, Italian, English and Hungarian. Most of the output is focused around Christmass and V.E. day. 

Analogue regional TV broadcasts started in Hamburg, Oldenburg, Achim, Emden and Bremen during 2010.

The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag are part of the important and re-emergent media industry in Hamburg.

Healthcare[]

Lukimia and thyroid cancer are no longer major issues, and are markedly less than they were before 1985.

Sports[]

The national sport in Lower Saxony is football.

Culture[]

Arts[]

The works of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (10 November 1759 – 9 May 1805) are still popular in the nation.

Beer[]

Bremen and Slizewig-Holstein have a small, but growing beer and lager industry. Some has also been sold in the United Netherlands and Wismar S.S.R. since 2008.

Food[]

Fried plaice done Finkenwerder style are a popular dish in the nation.

Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival[]

The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival is a major classical music festival held every year in summer time all over the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany. The festival was founded by the German pianist Justus FrantzI n 1986 and is one of the largest classical music festivals in Europe. The concerts are in arrange in the cities of Lübeck, Kiel, Flensburg, Eutin or Plön, as well as in the countryside in castles, manors, old barns or little Brick Gothic style village churches. Lübeck Cathedral is most often host to it.

The Death Penalty[]

  • Murderers,
  • Neo-Nazis,
  • Sex predators, (like rapists, and child molesters),
  • Traitors and enemy spies are executed with the hangman’s rope.

The death penalty was scraped (except for enemy spies and Neo-Nazis) in 1972 and replaced with life without the possibility of parole.

Maps[]

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