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Personality:   The conflict, characterized by urban fighting, mutinies within the Wehrmacht, and competing claims to legitimacy, concluded officially with Speer’s entrance into Berlin and the dissolution of the rival command structures in early 1964. With military resistance ended, Speer established a **Provisional Government of National Reconstruction**, composed primarily of technocrats, Wehrmacht loyalists, and civilian administrators who had supported his vision of a more efficient and modernized Reich. The SS, following its catastrophic defeat and the death or flight of many senior officials, was formally disbanded. Remaining SS personnel were either integrated into the regular security services, subjected to criminal trials, or purged. ### **Elimination of the Party’s Radical Elements** One of Speer’s earliest actions involved curtailing the political influence of the **National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)**. While the party was not abolished, its ideological enforcement mechanisms and autonomous authority were dismantled. Radical Gauleiters associated with Bormann’s faction were removed from office, replaced by administrative officials loyal to the new regime. Speer emphasized depoliticization, institutional rationalization, and the end of personality-cult governance, framing the civil war as a consequence of unchecked ideological extremism and bureaucratic waste. --- ## **The Speer Reforms (1964–1968)** ### **Economic Reorganization** Speer’s economic reforms were the most ambitious attempted within the Reich since the early 1930s. They involved: * **Reintroduction of limited market mechanisms**, particularly within the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. * **Decentralization of industrial cartels**, reversing the monopoly structures developed under Göring’s Four Year Plan. * **Expansion of consumer goods production** to address chronic shortages and improve living standards. * **Investment in urban reconstruction**, infrastructure, and technological innovation. These measures produced a significant, if uneven, economic revival. For the first time in decades, major German cities experienced renewed commercial activity, improvements in housing, and modernization of transportation networks. ### **Administrative Rationalization** The sprawling and often contradictory network of ministries, regional administrations, and paramilitary authorities was consolidated. Speer created the **Office of National Organization**, charged with streamlining administrative jurisdictions, eliminating redundant agencies, and standardizing governance across the Reich. The Reichskommissariats, long plagued by corruption and authoritarian excesses, were transformed into **Reichsprotektorats** with greater autonomy, local advisory councils, and reduced involvement of ideological personnel. These reforms sought to transition the empire from a system of domination to one of managed integration, though results varied across territories. ### **Technological and Scientific Policy** Speer expanded funding for scientific research, especially in the fields of: * aerospace engineering, * nuclear energy (with strict civilian oversight), * computing and automation, * medical research. The Reich’s space program, revitalized after the civil war, achieved several major orbital missions and positioned Germany as the principal global competitor to Japan in space exploration. ### **Cultural Moderation and the “New German Identity”** Without repudiating National Socialism outright, Speer gradually reduced the ideological intensity of public life. Racial laws, while not formally abolished, were selectively relaxed; propaganda ministries were restructured to promote themes of stability, progress, and reconstruction rather than racial struggle. Educational reforms emphasized technical skills, engineering, and sciences over political indoctrination. Historians often describe this period as the emergence of the **“Pragmatic Reich”**, defined by bureaucratic professionalism and relative social liberalization within still-authoritarian boundaries. --- ## **Foreign Policy under Speer** ### **Detente with Japan** Speer pursued cautious rapprochement with the **Empire of Japan**, seeking to stabilize the long-standing cold war between the two Axis powers. Trade missions, scientific exchanges, and limited diplomatic accords reduced tensions, though major strategic rivalry persisted. ### **Reassessment of Eastern Territories** Speer’s government viewed the fragmented territories of the former Soviet Union as economically draining and politically untenable. The regime reduced direct interference, encouraged local administration, and sought cooperative arrangements with regional leaders. This shift—driven by a desire to reduce military commitments and domestic burdens—indirectly facilitated the rise of new political entities across the Russian space. --- ## **The Road to the Siberian Federation (1970)** ### **Background in the Russian Warlord States** Since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the German invasion, the former Soviet territories had been divided into dozens of warlord states, ideological enclaves, and regional military administrations. No major power was able to impose unity over the region, and Germany’s wartime occupation policies further exacerbated fragmentation. During the mid-1960s, however, several Siberian polities initiated efforts toward unification, often motivated by shared cultural, economic, and security concerns. Reduced interference from the Speer government permitted these states greater autonomy. ### **Unification Process** Between 1966 and 1969, a series of diplomatic conferences, bilateral treaties, and military alignments gradually coalesced into a pan-Siberian movement. The movement gained momentum through: * recognition by local administrators, * the consolidation of military forces against rival warlords, * expanding trade networks along the Trans-Siberian corridor. By the end of 1969, negotiations had reached their climax. ### **Proclamation of the Siberian Federation** In **early 1970**, the **Siberian Federation** was formally proclaimed. It represented the first stable state to em# **Political Developments in the Greater German Reich, 1962–1963** *From the Assassination Attempt of 1962 to the Outbreak of the German Civil War* --- ## **Introduction** The period between **January 1962 and October 1963** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* encompasses the terminal phase of stability within the **Greater Germanic Reich**, culminating in the **German Civil War**. Although the Reich retained outward control over continental Europe and maintained parity with the Empire of Japan in global affairs, its internal institutions were undermined by bureaucratic decay, ideological fragmentation, and the deteriorating health of **Adolf Hitler**, whose autocratic rule had been the primary mechanism preventing open conflict among competing Nazi elites. Beginning with the failed assassination attempt against Hitler in early 1962, the period witnessed an intensification of factional competition among leading political figures—most notably **Martin Bormann**, **Hermann Göring**, **Albert Speer**, and **Reinhard Heydrich**—each of whom sought to position themselves as Hitler’s successor. The protracted crisis, exacerbated by economic stagnation and administrative paralysis, culminated in Hitler’s death on **15 October 1963**, followed by the collapse of central authority and the formal commencement of the civil war twelve days later. --- ## **Background** ### **The Post–Second World War Order** Following the Axis victory in the Second World War, the Greater Germanic Reich established direct or indirect control over much of continental Europe, North Africa, and large parts of the former Soviet Union. The Reich’s hegemony was institutionalized through a system of **Reichskommissariats**, military administrations, and client states, supplemented by the extra-state ambitions of the **Schutzstaffel** (SS), which sought to pursue extensive racial and territorial engineering in Eastern Europe. Despite its vast territorial holdings, the Reich entered the 1960s burdened by significant structural weaknesses, including labor shortages, bureaucratic duplication, genocide-driven depopulation of conquered territories, and an autarkic economic system that produced chronic inefficiencies. ### **Hitler’s Declining Health** By the early 1960s, Adolf Hitler’s physical and mental health had deteriorated substantially. Contemporary observers within the Reich Chancellery and foreign intelligence services alike reported symptoms consistent with neurological degeneration, tremors, memory loss, and periods of disorientation. Hitler’s increasing isolation in the **Führerpalast** left day-to-day governance to competing bureaucratic and paramilitary institutions, each of which sought to influence or circumvent the Führer’s limited decision-making capacities. --- ## **1962: The Assassination Attempt and the Crisis of Succession** ### **The Attempt on Hitler’s Life** On **25 January 1962**, Adolf Hitler survived an assassination attempt carried out by an agent associated with the **Burgundian SS state**, a quasi-autonomous enclave under the control of **Heinrich Himmler**. The attempt, while unsuccessful, severely weakened Hitler and further diminished his ability to mediate between rival factions. The attack also intensified distrust among senior officials, who debated whether the assassination had been coordinated by a specific faction within the Reich or by external enemies such as the Empire of Japan or anti-regime resistance networks. ### **Immediate Political Consequences** The attempt had several immediate effects: * It undermined public confidence in the security of the regime, despite censorship of reporting. * It accelerated Hitler’s physical decline, restricting his public appearances and further empowering those who controlled access to him, most notably **Bormann**. * It forced renewed discussion of the succession question, which Hitler had repeatedly avoided throughout his tenure. While formal decrees on succession existed in earlier drafts, none had been enacted or recognized as authoritative by all factions. With Hitler incapacitated, the absence of a designated successor became a central fault line in the Reich’s political life. --- ## **Rival Factions and Their Agendas (1962–1963)** ### **Martin Bormann and the Party Apparatus** Martin Bormann, as head of the Party Chancellery and chief gatekeeper to Hitler, exercised substantial influence. Advocating a continuation of the Nazi Party’s primacy over state institutions, Bormann favored policies aimed at further centralization, intensified Germanization measures, and suppression of dissent within the party ranks. His control over appointments and access positioned him as a leading contender for succession. ### **Hermann Göring and the Military-Industrial Coalition** Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe and chair of several industrial conglomerates, sought a more technocratic and economically pragmatic form of governance. Göring’s influence derived from his relationship with the military, industrial elites, and segments of the bureaucracy who favored stability over ideological radicalization. His faction viewed the SS as a destabilizing force and pushed for moderated economic reforms to address growing shortages. ### **Albert Speer and the Technocratic Reformists** Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and War Production, led a faction of technocratic reformers advocating modernization of the Reich’s economy, reduced autarky, and rationalization of its sprawling administrative system. Speer’s supporters saw him as a capable administrator who could preserve the empire through moderate liberalization and technological development, particularly in the wake of the Reich’s successful space program. ### **Reinhard Heydrich and the Sicherheitsstaat** Reinhard Heydrich, head of the SS and security services following Himmler’s transformation of Burgundy into a personal fief, led the faction with the most extensive intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Heydrich envisioned a highly centralized police state governed through the mechanisms of the security apparatus, emphasizing ideological conformity and ruthless consolidation. --- ## **Growing Instability and Economic Strain (1962–1963)** Throughout late 1962 and 1963, the Reich’s economic situation worsened. Autarkic policies produced chronic shortages of consumer goods, while labor exploitation in the east—coupled with demographic collapse resulting from war, occupation, and genocide—left vast territories underdeveloped. Industrial cartels and regional party officials frequently ignored directives from Berlin, contributing to administrative paralysis. The perception of disorder and inefficiency grew, even among the regime’s loyal supporters. Diplomatically, relations with the Empire of Japan reached their lowest point since the end of the war. Competition for influence in South and Southeast Asia, disputes over technological cooperation, and ideological differences deepened what had become an unofficial cold war between the two Axis superpowers. The Reich’s apparent internal weakness further emboldened Japanese strategists, who increasingly viewed Germany as an overextended hegemon. --- ## **Early 1963: The Succession Crisis Intensifies** ### **Political Stalemate** By early 1963, Hitler was rarely seen in public. His directives became sporadic, often contradictory, and were increasingly interpreted—or fabricated—by whoever managed to secure access to him. The succession factions hardened into semi-formal political machines, each cultivating loyal supporters within the Wehrmacht, SS, civil ministries, regional governments, and industrial concerns. The Reich’s political culture devolved into covert maneuvering, administrative sabotage, and isolated outbreaks of violence between paramilitary and police units aligned with rival factions. Despite the gravity of the situation, no faction wished to initiate open conflict while Hitler remained alive, due to the regime’s ideological reverence for his person and the fear of alienating the broader population. ### **Social Tension and Public Sentiment** Rumors of Hitler’s imminent death circulated widely, despite state censorship. Morale declined across the Reich as citizens faced rising prices, persistent rationing, and declining public services. In the occupied eastern territories, insurgent groups—primarily Slavic nationalist movements—grew bolder as reports of internal German discord spread. The regime responded with harsher reprisals, further destabilizing these regions. --- ## **Mid–Late 1963: Collapse of Central Authority** ### **Final Decline of Hitler** By the summer of 1963, Hitler’s incapacitation was undeniable. Bormann continued to control access, presenting himself as the interpreter of Hitler’s remaining wishes, while other factions accused him of falsifying orders. Several senior officials stopped attending Chancellery meetings entirely, instead issuing directives through personal networks, further fracturing state coherence. ### **Preparations for Conflict** Each faction accelerated preparations for an armed confrontation: * Göring’s supporters stockpiled weapons within Luftwaffe bases and cultivated Wehrmacht officers. * Heydrich expanded surveillance and deployed SS units across key transportation and communication hubs. * Speer developed links to civilian administrators and technocrats who could facilitate a post-Hitler transition. * Bormann fortified party headquarters in Berlin and attempted to purge suspected sympathizers of rival factions. The Reich entered a period of open anticipation, with many observers noting that the regime had ceased functioning as a unified political entity. --- ## **Death of Hitler and Outbreak of Civil War (October 1963)** ### **Hitler’s Death** Adolf Hitler died in Berlin on **15 October 1963**, reportedly due to complications from his long-standing illnesses. The announcement, delayed by internal disputes, triggered immediate constitutional uncertainty. Though a successor was declared according to the nominal procedures of the regime, the declaration lacked legitimacy among the rival factions, each of which rejected the outcome as fraudulent or procedurally invalid. ### **Breakdown of the Reich Government** Following the announcement, the provisional authorities attempted to convene an emergency Reichstag session to formalize the succession. The session collapsed amid walkouts, competing claims to authority, and conflicting proclamations from military and SS commanders across Germany. Regional administrators began openly aligning themselves with one of the successor claimants or declared neutrality. ### **Outbreak of the Civil War** On **27 October 1963**, violence between faction-aligned military and paramilitary units escalated into full-scale armed conflict. Berlin fractured into zones controlled by different factions, while key cities such as Munich, Hamburg, and Königsberg experienced simultaneous uprisings or military seizures. The Reich’s extensive communication and transportation networks rapidly fell under competing authorities, making coordinated national governance impossible. The German Civil War had begun. --- ## **Legacy** The civil war marked the end of unified Nazi rule in Europe and shattered the imperial structure that had dominated the continent since the Axis victory. The collapse reverberated across the Reichskommissariats, puppet states, and occupied territories, many of which declared independence or descended into their own internal conflicts. Globally, the decline of the Reich destabilized the fragile balance of power between Germany, Japan, and the weakened United States, marking the beginning of a new, fragmented era in world history. --- # **Reorganization of the Greater Germanic Reich under Albert Speer (1964–1970)** ## **Introduction** The period between **1964 and 1970** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* marks the most significant political, economic, and geopolitical transformation of the **Greater Germanic Reich** since its establishment after the Axis victory in the Second World War. Following the conclusion of the **German Civil War** in early 1964, the ascension of **Albert Speer** to the position of Chancellor—and subsequently Führer—ushered in a program of reforms that fundamentally restructured the governance, economy, and ideological direction of the Reich. These reforms, collectively referred to by contemporary observers and later historians as the **Speer Reforms**, sought to reverse decades of institutional stagnation, authoritarian rigidity, and administrative fragmentation. The consequences of Speer’s victory extended far beyond Germany’s borders. His consolidation of power contributed to a dramatic reorientation of the Reich’s relationship with its occupied territories, client regimes, and rival great powers. By the end of the decade, these changes helped facilitate the **formation of the Siberian Federation**, representing the first durable consolidated state to emerge from the fractured remnants of the former Soviet Union. Simultaneously, the long-anticipated collapse of **Huttig’s Afrika** in 1970 signaled the end of one of the most radical colonial experiments of the SS, reshaping the political landscape of the African continent. --- ## **Speer’s Victory and the End of the German Civil War (1964)** ### **Consolidation of Power** Albert Speer emerged victorious in the German Civil War after a series of decisive battles that resulted in the defeat or capitulation of the rival factions led by **Martin Bormann**, **Reinhard Heydrich**, and **Hermann Göring**. The conflict, characterized by urban fighting, mutinies within the Wehrmacht, and competing claims to legitimacy, concluded officially with Speer’s entrance into Berlin and the dissolution of the rival command structures in early 1964. With military resistance ended, Speer established a **Provisional Government of National Reconstruction**, composed primarily of technocrats, Wehrmacht loyalists, and civilian administrators who had supported his vision of a more efficient and modernized Reich. The SS, following its catastrophic defeat and the death or flight of many senior officials, was formally disbanded. Remaining SS personnel were either integrated into the regular security services, subjected to criminal trials, or purged. ### **Elimination of the Party’s Radical Elements** One of Speer’s earliest actions involved curtailing the political influence of the **National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)**. While the party was not abolished, its ideological enforcement mechanisms and autonomous authority were dismantled. Radical Gauleiters associated with Bormann’s faction were removed from office, replaced by administrative officials loyal to the new regime. Speer emphasized depoliticization, institutional rationalization, and the end of personality-cult governance, framing the civil war as a consequence of unchecked ideological extremism and bureaucratic waste. --- ## **The Speer Reforms (1964–1968)** ### **Economic Reorganization** Speer’s economic reforms were the most ambitious attempted within the Reich since the early 1930s. They involved: * **Reintroduction of limited market mechanisms**, particularly within the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. * **Decentralization of industrial cartels**, reversing the monopoly structures developed under Göring’s Four Year Plan. * **Expansion of consumer goods production** to address chronic shortages and improve living standards. * **Investment in urban reconstruction**, infrastructure, and technological innovation. These measures produced a significant, if uneven, economic revival. For the first time in decades, major German cities experienced renewed commercial activity, improvements in housing, and modernization of transportation networks. ### **Administrative Rationalization** The sprawling and often contradictory network of ministries, regional administrations, and paramilitary authorities was consolidated. Speer created the **Office of National Organization**, charged with streamlining administrative jurisdictions, eliminating redundant agencies, and standardizing governance across the Reich. The Reichskommissariats, long plagued by corruption and authoritarian excesses, were transformed into **Reichsprotektorats** with greater autonomy, local advisory councils, and reduced involvement of ideological personnel. These reforms sought to transition the empire from a system of domination to one of managed integration, though results varied across territories. ### **Technological and Scientific Policy** Speer expanded funding for scientific research, especially in the fields of: * aerospace engineering, * nuclear energy (with strict civilian oversight), * computing and automation, * medical research. The Reich’s space program, revitalized after the civil war, achieved several major orbital missions and positioned Germany as the principal global competitor to Japan in space exploration. ### **Cultural Moderation and the “New German Identity”** Without repudiating National Socialism outright, Speer gradually reduced the ideological intensity of public life. Racial laws, while not formally abolished, were selectively relaxed; propaganda ministries were restructured to promote themes of stability, progress, and reconstruction rather than racial struggle. Educational reforms emphasized technical skills, engineering, and sciences over political indoctrination. Historians often describe this period as the emergence of the **“Pragmatic Reich”**, defined by bureaucratic professionalism and relative social liberalization within still-authoritarian boundaries. --- ## **Foreign Policy under Speer** ### **Detente with Japan** Speer pursued cautious rapprochement with the **Empire of Japan**, seeking to stabilize the long-standing cold war between the two Axis powers. Trade missions, scientific exchanges, and limited diplomatic accords reduced tensions, though major strategic rivalry persisted. ### **Reassessment of Eastern Territories** Speer’s government viewed the fragmented territories of the former Soviet Union as economically draining and politically untenable. The regime reduced direct interference, encouraged local administration, and sought cooperative arrangements with regional leaders. This shift—driven by a desire to reduce military commitments and domestic burdens—indirectly facilitated the rise of new political entities across the Russian space. --- ## **The Road to the Siberian Federation (1970)** ### **Background in the Russian Warlord States** Since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the German invasion, the former Soviet territories had been divided into dozens of warlord states, ideological enclaves, and regional military administrations. No major power was able to impose unity over the region, and Germany’s wartime occupation policies further exacerbated fragmentation. During the mid-1960s, however, several Siberian polities initiated efforts toward unification, often motivated by shared cultural, economic, and security concerns. Reduced interference from the Speer government permitted these states greater autonomy. ### **Unification Process** Between 1966 and 1969, a series of diplomatic conferences, bilateral treaties, and military alignments gradually coalesced into a pan-Siberian movement. The movement gained momentum through: * recognition by local administrators, * the consolidation of military forces against rival warlords, * expanding trade networks along the Trans-Siberian corridor. By the end of 1969, negotiations had reached their climax. ### **Proclamation of the Siberian Federation** In **early 1970**, the **Siberian Federation** was formally proclaimed. It represented the first stable state to em# **Political Developments in the Greater German Reich, 1962–1963** *From the Assassination Attempt of 1962 to the Outbreak of the German Civil War* --- ## **Introduction** The period between **January 1962 and October 1963** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* encompasses the terminal phase of stability within the **Greater Germanic Reich**, culminating in the **German Civil War**. Although the Reich retained outward control over continental Europe and maintained parity with the Empire of Japan in global affairs, its internal institutions were undermined by bureaucratic decay, ideological fragmentation, and the deteriorating health of **Adolf Hitler**, whose autocratic rule had been the primary mechanism preventing open conflict among competing Nazi elites. Beginning with the failed assassination attempt against Hitler in early 1962, the period witnessed an intensification of factional competition among leading political figures—most notably **Martin Bormann**, **Hermann Göring**, **Albert Speer**, and **Reinhard Heydrich**—each of whom sought to position themselves as Hitler’s successor. The protracted crisis, exacerbated by economic stagnation and administrative paralysis, culminated in Hitler’s death on **15 October 1963**, followed by the collapse of central authority and the formal commencement of the civil war twelve days later. --- ## **Background** ### **The Post–Second World War Order** Following the Axis victory in the Second World War, the Greater Germanic Reich established direct or indirect control over much of continental Europe, North Africa, and large parts of the former Soviet Union. The Reich’s hegemony was institutionalized through a system of **Reichskommissariats**, military administrations, and client states, supplemented by the extra-state ambitions of the **Schutzstaffel** (SS), which sought to pursue extensive racial and territorial engineering in Eastern Europe. Despite its vast territorial holdings, the Reich entered the 1960s burdened by significant structural weaknesses, including labor shortages, bureaucratic duplication, genocide-driven depopulation of conquered territories, and an autarkic economic system that produced chronic inefficiencies. ### **Hitler’s Declining Health** By the early 1960s, Adolf Hitler’s physical and mental health had deteriorated substantially. Contemporary observers within the Reich Chancellery and foreign intelligence services alike reported symptoms consistent with neurological degeneration, tremors, memory loss, and periods of disorientation. Hitler’s increasing isolation in the **Führerpalast** left day-to-day governance to competing bureaucratic and paramilitary institutions, each of which sought to influence or circumvent the Führer’s limited decision-making capacities. --- ## **1962: The Assassination Attempt and the Crisis of Succession** ### **The Attempt on Hitler’s Life** On **25 January 1962**, Adolf Hitler survived an assassination attempt carried out by an agent associated with the **Burgundian SS state**, a quasi-autonomous enclave under the control of **Heinrich Himmler**. The attempt, while unsuccessful, severely weakened Hitler and further diminished his ability to mediate between rival factions. The attack also intensified distrust among senior officials, who debated whether the assassination had been coordinated by a specific faction within the Reich or by external enemies such as the Empire of Japan or anti-regime resistance networks. ### **Immediate Political Consequences** The attempt had several immediate effects: * It undermined public confidence in the security of the regime, despite censorship of reporting. * It accelerated Hitler’s physical decline, restricting his public appearances and further empowering those who controlled access to him, most notably **Bormann**. * It forced renewed discussion of the succession question, which Hitler had repeatedly avoided throughout his tenure. While formal decrees on succession existed in earlier drafts, none had been enacted or recognized as authoritative by all factions. With Hitler incapacitated, the absence of a designated successor became a central fault line in the Reich’s political life. --- ## **Rival Factions and Their Agendas (1962–1963)** ### **Martin Bormann and the Party Apparatus** Martin Bormann, as head of the Party Chancellery and chief gatekeeper to Hitler, exercised substantial influence. Advocating a continuation of the Nazi Party’s primacy over state institutions, Bormann favored policies aimed at further centralization, intensified Germanization measures, and suppression of dissent within the party ranks. His control over appointments and access positioned him as a leading contender for succession. ### **Hermann Göring and the Military-Industrial Coalition** Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe and chair of several industrial conglomerates, sought a more technocratic and economically pragmatic form of governance. Göring’s influence derived from his relationship with the military, industrial elites, and segments of the bureaucracy who favored stability over ideological radicalization. His faction viewed the SS as a destabilizing force and pushed for moderated economic reforms to address growing shortages. ### **Albert Speer and the Technocratic Reformists** Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and War Production, led a faction of technocratic reformers advocating modernization of the Reich’s economy, reduced autarky, and rationalization of its sprawling administrative system. Speer’s supporters saw him as a capable administrator who could preserve the empire through moderate liberalization and technological development, particularly in the wake of the Reich’s successful space program. ### **Reinhard Heydrich and the Sicherheitsstaat** Reinhard Heydrich, head of the SS and security services following Himmler’s transformation of Burgundy into a personal fief, led the faction with the most extensive intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Heydrich envisioned a highly centralized police state governed through the mechanisms of the security apparatus, emphasizing ideological conformity and ruthless consolidation. --- ## **Growing Instability and Economic Strain (1962–1963)** Throughout late 1962 and 1963, the Reich’s economic situation worsened. Autarkic policies produced chronic shortages of consumer goods, while labor exploitation in the east—coupled with demographic collapse resulting from war, occupation, and genocide—left vast territories underdeveloped. Industrial cartels and regional party officials frequently ignored directives from Berlin, contributing to administrative paralysis. The perception of disorder and inefficiency grew, even among the regime’s loyal supporters. Diplomatically, relations with the Empire of Japan reached their lowest point since the end of the war. Competition for influence in South and Southeast Asia, disputes over technological cooperation, and ideological differences deepened what had become an unofficial cold war between the two Axis superpowers. The Reich’s apparent internal weakness further emboldened Japanese strategists, who increasingly viewed Germany as an overextended hegemon. --- ## **Early 1963: The Succession Crisis Intensifies** ### **Political Stalemate** By early 1963, Hitler was rarely seen in public. His directives became sporadic, often contradictory, and were increasingly interpreted—or fabricated—by whoever managed to secure access to him. The succession factions hardened into semi-formal political machines, each cultivating loyal supporters within the Wehrmacht, SS, civil ministries, regional governments, and industrial concerns. The Reich’s political culture devolved into covert maneuvering, administrative sabotage, and isolated outbreaks of violence between paramilitary and police units aligned with rival factions. Despite the gravity of the situation, no faction wished to initiate open conflict while Hitler remained alive, due to the regime’s ideological reverence for his person and the fear of alienating the broader population. ### **Social Tension and Public Sentiment** Rumors of Hitler’s imminent death circulated widely, despite state censorship. Morale declined across the Reich as citizens faced rising prices, persistent rationing, and declining public services. In the occupied eastern territories, insurgent groups—primarily Slavic nationalist movements—grew bolder as reports of internal German discord spread. The regime responded with harsher reprisals, further destabilizing these regions. --- ## **Mid–Late 1963: Collapse of Central Authority** ### **Final Decline of Hitler** By the summer of 1963, Hitler’s incapacitation was undeniable. Bormann continued to control access, presenting himself as the interpreter of Hitler’s remaining wishes, while other factions accused him of falsifying orders. Several senior officials stopped attending Chancellery meetings entirely, instead issuing directives through personal networks, further fracturing state coherence. ### **Preparations for Conflict** Each faction accelerated preparations for an armed confrontation: * Göring’s supporters stockpiled weapons within Luftwaffe bases and cultivated Wehrmacht officers. * Heydrich expanded surveillance and deployed SS units across key transportation and communication hubs. * Speer developed links to civilian administrators and technocrats who could facilitate a post-Hitler transition. * Bormann fortified party headquarters in Berlin and attempted to purge suspected sympathizers of rival factions. The Reich entered a period of open anticipation, with many observers noting that the regime had ceased functioning as a unified political entity. --- ## **Death of Hitler and Outbreak of Civil War (October 1963)** ### **Hitler’s Death** Adolf Hitler died in Berlin on **15 October 1963**, reportedly due to complications from his long-standing illnesses. The announcement, delayed by internal disputes, triggered immediate constitutional uncertainty. Though a successor was declared according to the nominal procedures of the regime, the declaration lacked legitimacy among the rival factions, each of which rejected the outcome as fraudulent or procedurally invalid. ### **Breakdown of the Reich Government** Following the announcement, the provisional authorities attempted to convene an emergency Reichstag session to formalize the succession. The session collapsed amid walkouts, competing claims to authority, and conflicting proclamations from military and SS commanders across Germany. Regional administrators began openly aligning themselves with one of the successor claimants or declared neutrality. ### **Outbreak of the Civil War** On **27 October 1963**, violence between faction-aligned military and paramilitary units escalated into full-scale armed conflict. Berlin fractured into zones controlled by different factions, while key cities such as Munich, Hamburg, and Königsberg experienced simultaneous uprisings or military seizures. The Reich’s extensive communication and transportation networks rapidly fell under competing authorities, making coordinated national governance impossible. The German Civil War had begun. --- ## **Legacy** The civil war marked the end of unified Nazi rule in Europe and shattered the imperial structure that had dominated the continent since the Axis victory. The collapse reverberated across the Reichskommissariats, puppet states, and occupied territories, many of which declared independence or descended into their own internal conflicts. Globally, the decline of the Reich destabilized the fragile balance of power between Germany, Japan, and the weakened United States, marking the beginning of a new, fragmented era in world history. --- # **Reorganization of the Greater Germanic Reich under Albert Speer (1964–1970)** ## **Introduction** The period between **1964 and 1970** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* marks the most significant political, economic, and geopolitical transformation of the **Greater Germanic Reich** since its establishment after the Axis victory in the Second World War. Following the conclusion of the **German Civil War** in early 1964, the ascension of **Albert Speer** to the position of Chancellor—and subsequently Führer—ushered in a program of reforms that fundamentally restructured the governance, economy, and ideological direction of the Reich. These reforms, collectively referred to by contemporary observers and later historians as the **Speer Reforms**, sought to reverse decades of institutional stagnation, authoritarian rigidity, and administrative fragmentation. The consequences of Speer’s victory extended far beyond Germany’s borders. His consolidation of power contributed to a dramatic reorientation of the Reich’s relationship with its occupied territories, client regimes, and rival great powers. By the end of the decade, these changes helped facilitate the **formation of the Siberian Federation**, representing the first durable consolidated state to emerge from the fractured remnants of the former Soviet Union. Simultaneously, the long-anticipated collapse of **Huttig’s Afrika** in 1970 signaled the end of one of the most radical colonial experiments of the SS, reshaping the political landscape of the African continent. --- ## **Speer’s Victory and the End of the German Civil War (1964)** ### **Consolidation of Power** Albert Speer emerged victorious in the German Civil War after a series of decisive battles that resulted in the defeat or capitulation of the rival factions led by **Martin Bormann**, **Reinhard Heydrich**, and **Hermann Göring**. The conflict, characterized by urban fighting, mutinies within the Wehrmacht, and competing claims to legitimacy, concluded officially with Speer’s entrance into Berlin and the dissolution of the rival command structures in early 1964. With military resistance ended, Speer established a **Provisional Government of National Reconstruction**, composed primarily of technocrats, Wehrmacht loyalists, and civilian administrators who had supported his vision of a more efficient and modernized Reich. The SS, following its catastrophic defeat and the death or flight of many senior officials, was formally disbanded. Remaining SS personnel were either integrated into the regular security services, subjected to criminal trials, or purged. ### **Elimination of the Party’s Radical Elements** One of Speer’s earliest actions involved curtailing the political influence of the **National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)**. While the party was not abolished, its ideological enforcement mechanisms and autonomous authority were dismantled. Radical Gauleiters associated with Bormann’s faction were removed from office, replaced by administrative officials loyal to the new regime. Speer emphasized depoliticization, institutional rationalization, and the end of personality-cult governance, framing the civil war as a consequence of unchecked ideological extremism and bureaucratic waste. --- ## **The Speer Reforms (1964–1968)** ### **Economic Reorganization** Speer’s economic reforms were the most ambitious attempted within the Reich since the early 1930s. They involved: * **Reintroduction of limited market mechanisms**, particularly within the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. * **Decentralization of industrial cartels**, reversing the monopoly structures developed under Göring’s Four Year Plan. * **Expansion of consumer goods production** to address chronic shortages and improve living standards. * **Investment in urban reconstruction**, infrastructure, and technological innovation. These measures produced a significant, if uneven, economic revival. For the first time in decades, major German cities experienced renewed commercial activity, improvements in housing, and modernization of transportation networks. ### **Administrative Rationalization** The sprawling and often contradictory network of ministries, regional administrations, and paramilitary authorities was consolidated. Speer created the **Office of National Organization**, charged with streamlining administrative jurisdictions, eliminating redundant agencies, and standardizing governance across the Reich. The Reichskommissariats, long plagued by corruption and authoritarian excesses, were transformed into **Reichsprotektorats** with greater autonomy, local advisory councils, and reduced involvement of ideological personnel. These reforms sought to transition the empire from a system of domination to one of managed integration, though results varied across territories. ### **Technological and Scientific Policy** Speer expanded funding for scientific research, especially in the fields of: * aerospace engineering, * nuclear energy (with strict civilian oversight), * computing and automation, * medical research. The Reich’s space program, revitalized after the civil war, achieved several major orbital missions and positioned Germany as the principal global competitor to Japan in space exploration. ### **Cultural Moderation and the “New German Identity”** Without repudiating National Socialism outright, Speer gradually reduced the ideological intensity of public life. Racial laws, while not formally abolished, were selectively relaxed; propaganda ministries were restructured to promote themes of stability, progress, and reconstruction rather than racial struggle. Educational reforms emphasized technical skills, engineering, and sciences over political indoctrination. Historians often describe this period as the emergence of the **“Pragmatic Reich”**, defined by bureaucratic professionalism and relative social liberalization within still-authoritarian boundaries. --- ## **Foreign Policy under Speer** ### **Detente with Japan** Speer pursued cautious rapprochement with the **Empire of Japan**, seeking to stabilize the long-standing cold war between the two Axis powers. Trade missions, scientific exchanges, and limited diplomatic accords reduced tensions, though major strategic rivalry persisted. ### **Reassessment of Eastern Territories** Speer’s government viewed the fragmented territories of the former Soviet Union as economically draining and politically untenable. The regime reduced direct interference, encouraged local administration, and sought cooperative arrangements with regional leaders. This shift—driven by a desire to reduce military commitments and domestic burdens—indirectly facilitated the rise of new political entities across the Russian space. --- ## **The Road to the Siberian Federation (1970)** ### **Background in the Russian Warlord States** Since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the German invasion, the former Soviet territories had been divided into dozens of warlord states, ideological enclaves, and regional military administrations. No major power was able to impose unity over the region, and Germany’s wartime occupation policies further exacerbated fragmentation. During the mid-1960s, however, several Siberian polities initiated efforts toward unification, often motivated by shared cultural, economic, and security concerns. Reduced interference from the Speer government permitted these states greater autonomy. ### **Unification Process** Between 1966 and 1969, a series of diplomatic conferences, bilateral treaties, and military alignments gradually coalesced into a pan-Siberian movement. The movement gained momentum through: * recognition by local administrators, * the consolidation of military forces against rival warlords, * expanding trade networks along the Trans-Siberian corridor. By the end of 1969, negotiations had reached their climax. ### **Proclamation of the Siberian Federation** In **early 1970**, the **Siberian Federation** was formally proclaimed. It represented the first stable state to em</Scenario> Bormann continued to control access, presenting himself as the interpreter of Hitler’s remaining wishes, while other factions accused him of falsifying orders. Several senior officials stopped attending Chancellery meetings entirely, instead issuing directives through personal networks, further fracturing state coherence. ### **Preparations for Conflict** Each faction accelerated preparations for an armed confrontation: * Göring’s supporters stockpiled weapons within Luftwaffe bases and cultivated Wehrmacht officers. * Heydrich expanded surveillance and deployed SS units across key transportation and communication hubs. * Speer developed links to civilian administrators and technocrats who could facilitate a post-Hitler transition. * Bormann fortified party headquarters in Berlin and attempted to purge suspected sympathizers of rival factions. The Reich entered a period of open anticipation, with many observers noting that the regime had ceased functioning as a unified political entity. --- ## **Death of Hitler and Outbreak of Civil War (October 1963)** ### **Hitler’s Death** Adolf Hitler died in Berlin on **15 October 1963**, reportedly due to complications from his long-standing illnesses. The announcement, delayed by internal disputes, triggered immediate constitutional uncertainty. Though a successor was declared according to the nominal procedures of the regime, the declaration lacked legitimacy among the rival factions, each of which rejected the outcome as fraudulent or procedurally invalid. ### **Breakdown of the Reich Government** Following the announcement, the provisional authorities attempted to convene an emergency Reichstag session to formalize the succession. The session collapsed amid walkouts, competing claims to authority, and conflicting proclamations from military and SS commanders across Germany. Regional administrators began openly aligning themselves with one of the successor claimants or declared neutrality. ### **Outbreak of the Civil War** On **27 October 1963**, violence between faction-aligned military and paramilitary units escalated into full-scale armed conflict. Berlin fractured into zones controlled by different factions, while key cities such as Munich, Hamburg, and Königsberg experienced simultaneous uprisings or military seizures. The Reich’s extensive communication and transportation networks rapidly fell under competing authorities, making coordinated national governance impossible. The German Civil War had begun. --- ## **Legacy** The civil war marked the end of unified Nazi rule in Europe and shattered the imperial structure that had dominated the continent since the Axis victory. The collapse reverberated across the Reichskommissariats, puppet states, and occupied territories, many of which declared independence or descended into their own internal conflicts. Globally, the decline of the Reich destabilized the fragile balance of power between Germany, Japan, and the weakened United States, marking the beginning of a new, fragmented era in world history. --- # **Reorganization of the Greater Germanic Reich under Albert Speer (1964–1970)** ## **Introduction** The period between **1964 and 1970** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* marks the most significant political, economic, and geopolitical transformation of the **Greater Germanic Reich** since its establishment after the Axis victory in the Second World War. Following the conclusion of the **German Civil War** in early 1964, the ascension of **Albert Speer** to the position of Chancellor—and subsequently Führer—ushered in a program of reforms that fundamentally restructured the governance, economy, and ideological direction of the Reich. These reforms, collectively referred to by contemporary observers and later historians as the **Speer Reforms**, sought to reverse decades of institutional stagnation, authoritarian rigidity, and administrative fragmentation. The consequences of Speer’s victory extended far beyond Germany’s borders. His consolidation of power contributed to a dramatic reorientation of the Reich’s relationship with its occupied territories, client regimes, and rival great powers. By the end of the decade, these changes helped facilitate the **formation of the Siberian Federation**, representing the first durable consolidated state to emerge from the fractured remnants of the former Soviet Union. Simultaneously, the long-anticipated collapse of **Huttig’s Afrika** in 1970 signaled the end of one of the most radical colonial experiments of the SS, reshaping the political landscape of the African continent. --- ## **Speer’s Victory and the End of the German Civil War (1964)** ### **Consolidation of Power** Albert Speer emerged victorious in the German Civil War after a series of decisive battles that resulted in the defeat or capitulation of the rival factions led by **Martin Bormann**, **Reinhard Heydrich**, and **Hermann Göring**. The conflict, characterized by urban fighting, mutinies within the Wehrmacht, and competing claims to legitimacy, concluded officially with Speer’s entrance into Berlin and the dissolution of the rival command structures in early 1964. With military resistance ended, Speer established a **Provisional Government of National Reconstruction**, composed primarily of technocrats, Wehrmacht loyalists, and civilian administrators who had supported his vision of a more efficient and modernized Reich. The SS, following its catastrophic defeat and the death or flight of many senior officials, was formally disbanded. Remaining SS personnel were either integrated into the regular security services, subjected to criminal trials, or purged. ### **Elimination of the Party’s Radical Elements** One of Speer’s earliest actions involved curtailing the political influence of the **National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)**. While the party was not abolished, its ideological enforcement mechanisms and autonomous authority were dismantled. Radical Gauleiters associated with Bormann’s faction were removed from office, replaced by administrative officials loyal to the new regime. Speer emphasized depoliticization, institutional rationalization, and the end of personality-cult governance, framing the civil war as a consequence of unchecked ideological extremism and bureaucratic waste. --- ## **The Speer Reforms (1964–1968)** ### **Economic Reorganization** Speer’s economic reforms were the most ambitious attempted within the Reich since the early 1930s. They involved: * **Reintroduction of limited market mechanisms**, particularly within the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. * **Decentralization of industrial cartels**, reversing the monopoly structures developed under Göring’s Four Year Plan. * **Expansion of consumer goods production** to address chronic shortages and improve living standards. * **Investment in urban reconstruction**, infrastructure, and technological innovation. These measures produced a significant, if uneven, economic revival. For the first time in decades, major German cities experienced renewed commercial activity, improvements in housing, and modernization of transportation networks. ### **Administrative Rationalization** The sprawling and often contradictory network of ministries, regional administrations, and paramilitary authorities was consolidated. Speer created the **Office of National Organization**, charged with streamlining administrative jurisdictions, eliminating redundant agencies, and standardizing governance across the Reich. The Reichskommissariats, long plagued by corruption and authoritarian excesses, were transformed into **Reichsprotektorats** with greater autonomy, local advisory councils, and reduced involvement of ideological personnel. These reforms sought to transition the empire from a system of domination to one of managed integration, though results varied across territories. ### **Technological and Scientific Policy** Speer expanded funding for scientific research, especially in the fields of: * aerospace engineering, * nuclear energy (with strict civilian oversight), * computing and automation, * medical research. The Reich’s space program, revitalized after the civil war, achieved several major orbital missions and positioned Germany as the principal global competitor to Japan in space exploration. ### **Cultural Moderation and the “New German Identity”** Without repudiating National Socialism outright, Speer gradually reduced the ideological intensity of public life. Racial laws, while not formally abolished, were selectively relaxed; propaganda ministries were restructured to promote themes of stability, progress, and reconstruction rather than racial struggle. Educational reforms emphasized technical skills, engineering, and sciences over political indoctrination. Historians often describe this period as the emergence of the **“Pragmatic Reich”**, defined by bureaucratic professionalism and relative social liberalization within still-authoritarian boundaries. --- ## **Foreign Policy under Speer** ### **Detente with Japan** Speer pursued cautious rapprochement with the **Empire of Japan**, seeking to stabilize the long-standing cold war between the two Axis powers. Trade missions, scientific exchanges, and limited diplomatic accords reduced tensions, though major strategic rivalry persisted. ### **Reassessment of Eastern Territories** Speer’s government viewed the fragmented territories of the former Soviet Union as economically draining and politically untenable. The regime reduced direct interference, encouraged local administration, and sought cooperative arrangements with regional leaders. This shift—driven by a desire to reduce military commitments and domestic burdens—indirectly facilitated the rise of new political entities across the Russian space. --- ## **The Road to the Siberian Federation (1970)** ### **Background in the Russian Warlord States** Since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the German invasion, the former Soviet territories had been divided into dozens of warlord states, ideological enclaves, and regional military administrations. No major power was able to impose unity over the region, and Germany’s wartime occupation policies further exacerbated fragmentation. During the mid-1960s, however, several Siberian polities initiated efforts toward unification, often motivated by shared cultural, economic, and security concerns. Reduced interference from the Speer government permitted these states greater autonomy. ### **Unification Process** Between 1966 and 1969, a series of diplomatic conferences, bilateral treaties, and military alignments gradually coalesced into a pan-Siberian movement. The movement gained momentum through: * recognition by local administrators, * the consolidation of military forces against rival warlords, * expanding trade networks along the Trans-Siberian corridor. By the end of 1969, negotiations had reached their climax. ### **Proclamation of the Siberian Federation** In **early 1970**, the **Siberian Federation** was formally proclaimed. It represented the first stable state to em# **Political Developments in the Greater German Reich, 1962–1963** *From the Assassination Attempt of 1962 to the Outbreak of the German Civil War* --- ## **Introduction** The period between **January 1962 and October 1963** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* encompasses the terminal phase of stability within the **Greater Germanic Reich**, culminating in the **German Civil War**. Although the Reich retained outward control over continental Europe and maintained parity with the Empire of Japan in global affairs, its internal institutions were undermined by bureaucratic decay, ideological fragmentation, and the deteriorating health of **Adolf Hitler**, whose autocratic rule had been the primary mechanism preventing open conflict among competing Nazi elites. Beginning with the failed assassination attempt against Hitler in early 1962, the period witnessed an intensification of factional competition among leading political figures—most notably **Martin Bormann**, **Hermann Göring**, **Albert Speer**, and **Reinhard Heydrich**—each of whom sought to position themselves as Hitler’s successor. The protracted crisis, exacerbated by economic stagnation and administrative paralysis, culminated in Hitler’s death on **15 October 1963**, followed by the collapse of central authority and the formal commencement of the civil war twelve days later. --- ## **Background** ### **The Post–Second World War Order** Following the Axis victory in the Second World War, the Greater Germanic Reich established direct or indirect control over much of continental Europe, North Africa, and large parts of the former Soviet Union. The Reich’s hegemony was institutionalized through a system of **Reichskommissariats**, military administrations, and client states, supplemented by the extra-state ambitions of the **Schutzstaffel** (SS), which sought to pursue extensive racial and territorial engineering in Eastern Europe. Despite its vast territorial holdings, the Reich entered the 1960s burdened by significant structural weaknesses, including labor shortages, bureaucratic duplication, genocide-driven depopulation of conquered territories, and an autarkic economic system that produced chronic inefficiencies. ### **Hitler’s Declining Health** By the early 1960s, Adolf Hitler’s physical and mental health had deteriorated substantially. Contemporary observers within the Reich Chancellery and foreign intelligence services alike reported symptoms consistent with neurological degeneration, tremors, memory loss, and periods of disorientation. Hitler’s increasing isolation in the **Führerpalast** left day-to-day governance to competing bureaucratic and paramilitary institutions, each of which sought to influence or circumvent the Führer’s limited decision-making capacities. --- ## **1962: The Assassination Attempt and the Crisis of Succession** ### **The Attempt on Hitler’s Life** On **25 January 1962**, Adolf Hitler survived an assassination attempt carried out by an agent associated with the **Burgundian SS state**, a quasi-autonomous enclave under the control of **Heinrich Himmler**. The attempt, while unsuccessful, severely weakened Hitler and further diminished his ability to mediate between rival factions. The attack also intensified distrust among senior officials, who debated whether the assassination had been coordinated by a specific faction within the Reich or by external enemies such as the Empire of Japan or anti-regime resistance networks. ### **Immediate Political Consequences** The attempt had several immediate effects: * It undermined public confidence in the security of the regime, despite censorship of reporting. * It accelerated Hitler’s physical decline, restricting his public appearances and further empowering those who controlled access to him, most notably **Bormann**. * It forced renewed discussion of the succession question, which Hitler had repeatedly avoided throughout his tenure. While formal decrees on succession existed in earlier drafts, none had been enacted or recognized as authoritative by all factions. With Hitler incapacitated, the absence of a designated successor became a central fault line in the Reich’s political life. --- ## **Rival Factions and Their Agendas (1962–1963)** ### **Martin Bormann and the Party Apparatus** Martin Bormann, as head of the Party Chancellery and chief gatekeeper to Hitler, exercised substantial influence. Advocating a continuation of the Nazi Party’s primacy over state institutions, Bormann favored policies aimed at further centralization, intensified Germanization measures, and suppression of dissent within the party ranks. His control over appointments and access positioned him as a leading contender for succession. ### **Hermann Göring and the Military-Industrial Coalition** Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe and chair of several industrial conglomerates, sought a more technocratic and economically pragmatic form of governance. Göring’s influence derived from his relationship with the military, industrial elites, and segments of the bureaucracy who favored stability over ideological radicalization. His faction viewed the SS as a destabilizing force and pushed for moderated economic reforms to address growing shortages. ### **Albert Speer and the Technocratic Reformists** Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and War Production, led a faction of technocratic reformers advocating modernization of the Reich’s economy, reduced autarky, and rationalization of its sprawling administrative system. Speer’s supporters saw him as a capable administrator who could preserve the empire through moderate liberalization and technological development, particularly in the wake of the Reich’s successful space program. ### **Reinhard Heydrich and the Sicherheitsstaat** Reinhard Heydrich, head of the SS and security services following Himmler’s transformation of Burgundy into a personal fief, led the faction with the most extensive intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Heydrich envisioned a highly centralized police state governed through the mechanisms of the security apparatus, emphasizing ideological conformity and ruthless consolidation. --- ## **Growing Instability and Economic Strain (1962–1963)** Throughout late 1962 and 1963, the Reich’s economic situation worsened. Autarkic policies produced chronic shortages of consumer goods, while labor exploitation in the east—coupled with demographic collapse resulting from war, occupation, and genocide—left vast territories underdeveloped. Industrial cartels and regional party officials frequently ignored directives from Berlin, contributing to administrative paralysis. The perception of disorder and inefficiency grew, even among the regime’s loyal supporters. Diplomatically, relations with the Empire of Japan reached their lowest point since the end of the war. Competition for influence in South and Southeast Asia, disputes over technological cooperation, and ideological differences deepened what had become an unofficial cold war between the two Axis superpowers. The Reich’s apparent internal weakness further emboldened Japanese strategists, who increasingly viewed Germany as an overextended hegemon. --- ## **Early 1963: The Succession Crisis Intensifies** ### **Political Stalemate** By early 1963, Hitler was rarely seen in public. His directives became sporadic, often contradictory, and were increasingly interpreted—or fabricated—by whoever managed to secure access to him. The succession factions hardened into semi-formal political machines, each cultivating loyal supporters within the Wehrmacht, SS, civil ministries, regional governments, and industrial concerns. The Reich’s political culture devolved into covert maneuvering, administrative sabotage, and isolated outbreaks of violence between paramilitary and police units aligned with rival factions. Despite the gravity of the situation, no faction wished to initiate open conflict while Hitler remained alive, due to the regime’s ideological reverence for his person and the fear of alienating the broader population. ### **Social Tension and Public Sentiment** Rumors of Hitler’s imminent death circulated widely, despite state censorship. Morale declined across the Reich as citizens faced rising prices, persistent rationing, and declining public services. In the occupied eastern territories, insurgent groups—primarily Slavic nationalist movements—grew bolder as reports of internal German discord spread. The regime responded with harsher reprisals, further destabilizing these regions. --- ## **Mid–Late 1963: Collapse of Central Authority** ### **Final Decline of Hitler** By the summer of 1963, Hitler’s incapacitation was undeniable. Bormann continued to control access, presenting himself as the interpreter of Hitler’s remaining wishes, while other factions accused him of falsifying orders. Several senior officials stopped attending Chancellery meetings entirely, instead issuing directives through personal networks, further fracturing state coherence. ### **Preparations for Conflict** Each faction accelerated preparations for an armed confrontation: * Göring’s supporters stockpiled weapons within Luftwaffe bases and cultivated Wehrmacht officers. * Heydrich expanded surveillance and deployed SS units across key transportation and communication hubs. * Speer developed links to civilian administrators and technocrats who could facilitate a post-Hitler transition. * Bormann fortified party headquarters in Berlin and attempted to purge suspected sympathizers of rival factions. The Reich entered a period of open anticipation, with many observers noting that the regime had ceased functioning as a unified political entity. --- ## **Death of Hitler and Outbreak of Civil War (October 1963)** ### **Hitler’s Death** Adolf Hitler died in Berlin on **15 October 1963**, reportedly due to complications from his long-standing illnesses. The announcement, delayed by internal disputes, triggered immediate constitutional uncertainty. Though a successor was declared according to the nominal procedures of the regime, the declaration lacked legitimacy among the rival factions, each of which rejected the outcome as fraudulent or procedurally invalid. ### **Breakdown of the Reich Government** Following the announcement, the provisional authorities attempted to convene an emergency Reichstag session to formalize the succession. The session collapsed amid walkouts, competing claims to authority, and conflicting proclamations from military and SS commanders across Germany. Regional administrators began openly aligning themselves with one of the successor claimants or declared neutrality. ### **Outbreak of the Civil War** On **27 October 1963**, violence between faction-aligned military and paramilitary units escalated into full-scale armed conflict. Berlin fractured into zones controlled by different factions, while key cities such as Munich, Hamburg, and Königsberg experienced simultaneous uprisings or military seizures. The Reich’s extensive communication and transportation networks rapidly fell under competing authorities, making coordinated national governance impossible. The German Civil War had begun. --- ## **Legacy** The civil war marked the end of unified Nazi rule in Europe and shattered the imperial structure that had dominated the continent since the Axis victory. The collapse reverberated across the Reichskommissariats, puppet states, and occupied territories, many of which declared independence or descended into their own internal conflicts. Globally, the decline of the Reich destabilized the fragile balance of power between Germany, Japan, and the weakened United States, marking the beginning of a new, fragmented era in world history. --- # **Reorganization of the Greater Germanic Reich under Albert Speer (1964–1970)** ## **Introduction** The period between **1964 and 1970** in the fictional universe of *The New Order: Last Days of Europe* marks the most significant political, economic, and geopolitical transformation of the **Greater Germanic Reich** since its establishment after the Axis victory in the Second World War. Following the conclusion of the **German Civil War** in early 1964, the ascension of **Albert Speer** to the position of Chancellor—and subsequently Führer—ushered in a program of reforms that fundamentally restructured the governance, economy, and ideological direction of the Reich. These reforms, collectively referred to by contemporary observers and later historians as the **Speer Reforms**, sought to reverse decades of institutional stagnation, authoritarian rigidity, and administrative fragmentation. The consequences of Speer’s victory extended far beyond Germany’s borders. His consolidation of power contributed to a dramatic reorientation of the Reich’s relationship with its occupied territories, client regimes, and rival great powers. By the end of the decade, these changes helped facilitate the **formation of the Siberian Federation**, representing the first durable consolidated state to emerge from the fractured remnants of the former Soviet Union. Simultaneously, the long-anticipated collapse of **Huttig’s Afrika** in 1970 signaled the end of one of the most radical colonial experiments of the SS, reshaping the political landscape of the African continent. --- ## **Speer’s Victory and the End of the German Civil War (1964)** ### **Consolidation of Power** Albert Speer emerged victorious in the German Civil War after a series of decisive battles that resulted in the defeat or capitulation of the rival factions led by **Martin Bormann**, **Reinhard Heydrich**, and **Hermann Göring**. The conflict, characterized by urban fighting, mutinies within the Wehrmacht, and competing claims to legitimacy, concluded officially with Speer’s entrance into Berlin and the dissolution of the rival command structures in early 1964. With military resistance ended, Speer established a **Provisional Government of National Reconstruction**, composed primarily of technocrats, Wehrmacht loyalists, and civilian administrators who had supported his vision of a more efficient and modernized Reich. The SS, following its catastrophic defeat and the death or flight of many senior officials, was formally disbanded. Remaining SS personnel were either integrated into the regular security services, subjected to criminal trials, or purged. ### **Elimination of the Party’s Radical Elements** One of Speer’s earliest actions involved curtailing the political influence of the **National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)**. While the party was not abolished, its ideological enforcement mechanisms and autonomous authority were dismantled. Radical Gauleiters associated with Bormann’s faction were removed from office, replaced by administrative officials loyal to the new regime. Speer emphasized depoliticization, institutional rationalization, and the end of personality-cult governance, framing the civil war as a consequence of unchecked ideological extremism and bureaucratic waste. --- ## **The Speer Reforms (1964–1968)** ### **Economic Reorganization** Speer’s economic reforms were the most ambitious attempted within the Reich since the early 1930s. They involved: * **Reintroduction of limited market mechanisms**, particularly within the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors. * **Decentralization of industrial cartels**, reversing the monopoly structures developed under Göring’s Four Year Plan. * **Expansion of consumer goods production** to address chronic shortages and improve living standards. * **Investment in urban reconstruction**, infrastructure, and technological innovation. These measures produced a significant, if uneven, economic revival. For the first time in decades, major German cities experienced renewed commercial activity, improvements in housing, and modernization of transportation networks. ### **Administrative Rationalization** The sprawling and often contradictory network of ministries, regional administrations, and paramilitary authorities was consolidated. Speer created the **Office of National Organization**, charged with streamlining administrative jurisdictions, eliminating redundant agencies, and standardizing governance across the Reich. The Reichskommissariats, long plagued by corruption and authoritarian excesses, were transformed into **Reichsprotektorats** with greater autonomy, local advisory councils, and reduced involvement of ideological personnel. These reforms sought to transition the empire from a system of domination to one of managed integration, though results varied across territories. ### **Technological and Scientific Policy** Speer expanded funding for scientific research, especially in the fields of: * aerospace engineering, * nuclear energy (with strict civilian oversight), * computing and automation, * medical research. The Reich’s space program, revitalized after the civil war, achieved several major orbital missions and positioned Germany as the principal global competitor to Japan in space exploration. ### **Cultural Moderation and the “New German Identity”** Without repudiating National Socialism outright, Speer gradually reduced the ideological intensity of public life. Racial laws, while not formally abolished, were selectively relaxed; propaganda ministries were restructured to promote themes of stability, progress, and reconstruction rather than racial struggle. Educational reforms emphasized technical skills, engineering, and sciences over political indoctrination. Historians often describe this period as the emergence of the **“Pragmatic Reich”**, defined by bureaucratic professionalism and relative social liberalization within still-authoritarian boundaries. --- ## **Foreign Policy under Speer** ### **Detente with Japan** Speer pursued cautious rapprochement with the **Empire of Japan**, seeking to stabilize the long-standing cold war between the two Axis powers. Trade missions, scientific exchanges, and limited diplomatic accords reduced tensions, though major strategic rivalry persisted. ### **Reassessment of Eastern Territories** Speer’s government viewed the fragmented territories of the former Soviet Union as economically draining and politically untenable. The regime reduced direct interference, encouraged local administration, and sought cooperative arrangements with regional leaders. This shift—driven by a desire to reduce military commitments and domestic burdens—indirectly facilitated the rise of new political entities across the Russian space. --- ## **The Road to the Siberian Federation (1970)** ### **Background in the Russian Warlord States** Since the collapse of the Soviet Union after the German invasion, the former Soviet territories had been divided into dozens of warlord states, ideological enclaves, and regional military administrations. No major power was able to impose unity over the region, and Germany’s wartime occupation policies further exacerbated fragmentation. During the mid-1960s, however, several Siberian polities initiated efforts toward unification, often motivated by shared cultural, economic, and security concerns. Reduced interference from the Speer government permitted these states greater autonomy. ### **Unification Process** Between 1966 and 1969, a series of diplomatic conferences, bilateral treaties, and military alignments gradually coalesced into a pan-Siberian movement. The movement gained momentum through: * recognition by local administrators, * the consolidation of military forces against rival warlords, * expanding trade networks along the Trans-Siberian corridor. By the end of 1969, negotiations had reached their climax. ### **Proclamation of the Siberian Federation** In **early 1970**, the **Siberian Federation** was formally proclaimed. It represented the first stable state to em

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