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Die Republik - Online Edition - News from the Republic of Ostmark

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FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1994, FIRST QUARTER GDP GROWTH IS ESTIMATED AT +0.9%
Long considered a failed state by economic analysts and buried under the ruins of a default, Ostmark is slowly reemerging from a catastrophic decade.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) - Macroeconomic data released today by the Ministry of Industry and Economic Development leaves no doubts: the economic stagnation that engulfed Ostmark's economy since the catastrophic default in 2014 has been officialy declared "over" and replaced by an "astonishing first quarter projection, estimated at 0.9% growth of the national Gross Domestic Product in the first three months of 2021" making it the "best first quarter since 1994". Since the mid 90's Ostmark's economy has been characterized by prolonged stagnation, followed by inconsistent and sporadic growth followed by recessions which culminated with the default of the national economy between 2013 and 2014.

Considered by analysts as the "most catastrophic and irreversible collapse of a national economy in modern history" and studied by economics students all over Europe for its peculiarities, Ostmark's default has left permanent scars in society, culture and politics, opening deep fractures in the socio-political tissue, eventually leading up to the rise of Horst Grasser and the National-Syndicalist People's Party in late 2018.

"Ostmark's 2014 default is by all accounts the most devastating, the most catastrophic economic crisis in modern history" says economist and analyst Rupert Baumer "It not only resulted in an economic recession characterized by typical effects such as unemployment and and industrial crisis, but also in the collapse of the political, social and cultural institutions of the nation." he continued "Even emergency services were literally unable to respond due to a shortage of fuel, and personnel basically working for no pay, because money had lost its value with hyperinflation engulfing the internal market, with the Central Bankunable to print new currency. It's almost as if Ostmark lived a near-death experience, and somehow managed to survive, paying a very high price in the short and long term"

"The consequences of the default are still visible today in society and culture"
continued Herr Baumer "Frugality and recycling in Ostmark is a very important virtue and value not for a mere 'green' stance of the government or the population, but due to a collective memory that recalls times in which simple meals, medicines and new clothes were not granted commodities, but luxuries only a few could actually afford. Today's data confirm a modest 0.9 growth in the first quarter. It might not sound too good if compared to other economies in the region, but for a nation like Ostmark, with it troubled history, this growth represents a true miracle that i think will be studied by future generations of economists and analysts, including myself of course. Hopefully, the trend will continue for 2021 and 2022" he concluded.
 

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PANIC ON THE AUTOBAHN AS BEER TRUCK ROLLS OVER NEAR LUDWIGSTADT
The driver, uninjured, delivered over thirty barrels of beer with his bare hands to resupply the local Freikorpsfest.

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By Heinrich Obenaus

LUDWGISTADT AM SEE (Ostmark) - Earlier this morning a truck loaded with over three thousand liters of Ostmarkian beer coming from Wilhelmstadt has been involved in an accident on the Autobahn while on its way to resupply Ludwigstad am See's Freikorpsfest. Alerted by authorities, the Mayor rushed to the scene to verify the integrity of the load. Thankfully at least one thousand liters of beer have been recovered by the fire brigade and were quickly delivered to the Freikorpsfest, escorted by a motorcycle of the Staatspolizei "Oh, and the driver is ok by the way, he just ran off with a beer barrel" added Mayor Hans Rutter.

The driver, a 23 years old man from Wien, heroically crawled out of the truck's cabin with little or no injures "It's just a scratch" said the man infront of the cameras of Ostmarkischen Fernsehen "I've lost control of the steering wheel, i think the road was slippery in that spot" said the driver "But I must go, i have a mission to complete" he concluded before rushing away from the area, holding a beer barrel over his head. Reports from eyewitnesses confirm that the young man delivered, over the morning, over thirty barrels of beer using his bare hands, before he collapsed infront of the building where the annual Freikorpsfest will be hosted, and was then rescued by an ambulance dispatched by the the local hospital.

"I will find out that driver's name and make him an honorary citizen of Ludwgistadt am See. These heroic acts give us hope during such troubled times. We hope he will show up at the Freikorpsfest as soon as he recovers, where he will be offered an unlimited ammount of the same beer he almost died for" added the Mayor of Ludwigstadt am See during a press conference at the city hall.
 

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Smirk of a random Eiffellandian: "So 'thankfully the beer was rescued, and oh, by the way, the driver is OK'. Priorities, priorities."

Another random Eiffellandian: "Well, this is a bit tougher than running 42 km after having won the battle of Marathon."

OOC: :lol::lol::banana::dance:
 

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LUDWIGSTADT AM SEE CELEBRATES FREIKORPSFEST 2021
"All's well that ends well" said Mayor Rutter.


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By Heinrich Obenaus

LUDWIGSTADT AM SEE (Ostmark) - Despite initial difficulties caused by an accident on the Autobahn which threatened to cut the supply of beer, the mountain community of Ludwigstadt am See opened the annual Free Corps Festival with the traditional Freikorps Parade. The Freikorps, an ancient Ostmarkian tradition, appeared in the mid 15th century and consisted of volunteers who formed the bulk of the local militia, in times when mountain communities were too isolated and cut from the rest of the Duchy, and later Kingdom of Ostmark to expect any reinforcement in case of attack. The Freikorps also preserved their traditions in a span of almost six centuries, but also kept pace with military technological and tactical advancements, becoming an efficient and professional military force of veteran line infantry batallions, or Freikorpsgrenadier Bataillonen, in the mid 18th century.

Traditionally, after having served in a foreign war, the Freikorps returned to Ostmark and celebrated with a non-stop three days festival, usually held in their hometowns, during which Freikorps mercenaries challenged each other in shooting competitions, which are still held up to this day, albeit with bb guns. Today the Free Corps are cultural associations that aim to preserve ancient Ostmarkian traditions and promote local culture. After the traditional "welcome home parade", the members of the Freikorp and the citizenry, aswell as thousands of tourists, march in column to the Freikorpshall where they spend the next three days drinking beer and eating wurstels.
 
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25 INJURED AND 1457 INTOXICATED IN LUDWIGSTADT AS FREIKORPSFEST COMES TO AN END
"This is an astonishing success" said Mayor Hans Rutter after a 10 hours alcohol-induced coma.

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By Heinrich Obenaus

LUDWIGSTADT AM SEE (Ostmark) - Ludwigstadt's Mayor Hans Rutter has no doubts "The Ludwigstadt am See Freikorpsfest 2021 is an astonishing, unprecedented success. We beat last year's record of 18 injured and 985 intoxications" said Herr Rutter infront of Ludwigstadt am See's hospital. According to eyewitnesses the mayor collapsed approximately at 4AM this morning after almost ten liters of beer, and was transported by an ambulance to the local emergency room, where the medical personnel performed a gastric lavage.

At least 25 people have been injured in the three days traditional festival of the mountain community "Official data released this morning confirm that 13 people tripped over during the parade, 8 fell off a table in the festival hall, 4 lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground, including Mayor Hans Rutter. 1457 have been diagnosed alcohol intoxication, but none of them required hospitalization. None of the injuries reported were serious, and all patients have been sent home this morning. And, most importantly, over twenty thousand liters of beer have been consumed. All these numbers confirm that Ludwigstadt am See's Freikorpsfest 2021 has been a success." said a spokesperson of Ludwigstadt's city hall during a press conference.
 

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Random Eiffellandian: "The Ostmarkers definitely overclass us in the amount of alcohol they drink. This reduces even Carnival and the Oktoberfest to an afternoon party of teetotalers."
 

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NATIONALRAT APPROVES ESTABLISHMENT OF 'LIBERATION DAY'
MPs chant "Never Again!" as National Assembly commemorates the victims of the National-Syndicalist dictatorship and approves the establishment of the Jahrestag der Befreiung.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) -
This morning the National Assembly has approved the establishment of the Jahrestag der Befreiung, Anniversary of Liberation, with 64 yes and 25 no. The anniversary will be annually celebrated on the 18th of December, the day of the fall of the People's Republic of Ostmark and the National-Syndicalist dictatorship. In an emotional speech, Kanzler Walter Eidman has addressed the MPs of the National Assembly and called on young generations of ostmarkian men and women to be "active defenders of democracy and freedom against authoritarian and populist demagogues".


TRANSCRIPT OF THE SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE CHANCELLOR
OF THE REPUBLIC, HERR WALTER EIDMAN
TO THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF OSTMARK

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"Honourable Deputies of the National Assembly,
Fellow Citizens,

We have gathered here today to vote on the approval of the establishment of the Jahrestag der Befreiung, or Liberation Day. That day was the 18th of December, 2020. It was in that day our people freed itself from the chains of oppression. It is a day that we shall commemorate for as long as this Republic will be, for the future generations must never - ever - forget the suffering and the pain that we have endured during the National-Syndicalist dictatorship, and the terror and the violence perpetrated by the thugs of the State Security Service.

Thousands have been arrested. Hundreds have been killed. Many, many others have been tortured, blackmailed, threatened. Almost six million have been oppressed. All of us, in one way or another, have been directly or indirectly targeted by the National-Syndicalist over-pervasive and omni-present apparatus of power and surveillance, in what many have described as the most totalitarian, repressive and tyrannical regime Europe has ever seen.

All our freedoms, all our rights and our hopes for a better future, had been demolished by the hand of a dictator, Horst Paul Grasser, who promised us quick and fast solutions but instead turned this nation into a dynastical realm, suppressing all the freedoms and rights we had taken for granted. Our Republic had perished under the yoke of totalitarism before we could realise it and react accordingly.

Only the bravery of our citizens, who gathered infront of this building on the 18th of December 2020, has forced the regime to rethink of its actions and, by the will of the people, dissolve the People's Republic of Ostmark and the legacy of suffering and oppression it represented. We pay homage to the heroes of the 18th of December, to which our entire nation owe its freedom.

Never again shall Ostmark be oppressed, never again shall our nation be deprived of its freedom!
Never again shall this nation give up its democratic ideals!


NEVER AGAIN! WHATEVER THE COST MAY BE!"


*Chancellor Eidman is interrupted by enthusiastic cheering and applauses*
 

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"ALTE KAMERADEN", A BOOK BY FRANZ GRUBER
In the book "Alte Kameraden: A 600 Years Old Friendship", writer and historian Franz Gruber recalls the six centuries old friendship between Ostmark and Eiffelland.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) - A few nations can claim to be the "oldest friends" in Europe. But Ostmark and @Eiffelland surely can according to ostmarkian writer and historian Franz Gruber who described and recalled, in his new book "Alte Kameraden" ("Old Comrades"), the history of the special friendship and bond between Ostmark and Eiffelland since the mid 15th century up to our days. In his book Professor Gruber says that while it is true that the two countries followed different paths at some point in history, it is also true that Ostmarkians and Eiffellanders have a common ethnic and cultural ancestry, to be found in the thick forests of northern Germania, where ancient tribes lived and thrived for centuries and that the statement "Zwei Flaggen, Ein Volk" ("Two Flags, One People), which is widely used today both in Ostmark and Eiffelland to describe the ancient bond between the two countries, actually does have an historical basis.

For centuries the two countries engaged in trade and mutually influenced each other in the fields of culture, science, politics and laws. Both countries were monarchies up to 1959, when King Ludwig IV of Ostmark was forced to abdicate by a republican revolution "Which surprisingly hadn't damaged the relations between the two countries at all" said Professor Gruber "In fact, the newborn Republican government continued to maintain a friendly and cooperative stance towards the Kingdom of Eiffelland, and viceversa, considered by the new political elites as a key partner. Undoubtely, the centuries old friendship allowed the two countries to live in peace and coexist for such a long time, even after the One Day War in 1871". Speaking of the One Day War, Gruber recalled the "Extreme pragmatism and rationality displayed by the Ostmarkian and Eiffellander Kings. Rather than protracting the conflict both parties immediatly agreed to a ceasefire and signed a peace treaty that laid the foundations for future cooperation and coexistence. After the Battle of Tuchersfeld, the medical corps of both armies assisted the injured, irrespectively of the uniform they were wearing, putting on display an unprecedented show of compassion and solidarity at the time." he added.


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"Alte Kameraden" is also an Ostmarkian military march composed in 1881 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Peace Treaty of Tuchersfeld. After the battle, both armies quartered in the nearby villages and fraternised by drinking beer and other liquors and exchanged goods and presents, forcing the Feldjaegers to restore order and discipline in many occasions.

Gruber then revealed exclusive insights about the sometimes troubled relationship between the two Germanian nations during the regime of the Grasser siblings "Even during the years of National-Syndicalism, when the two countries were opposed in almost every aspect pertaining to politics, society, economy and ideology, it was only when Ostmark was almost dragged into a conflict against Eiffelland that Horst Grasser started to question the Volksrepublik's membership in the socialis bloc. In one of his diaries Grasser said, and i quote: 'There isn't a single chance Ostmarkians will accept or understand a war against Eiffelland. Not now, not in a thousand years. I will not let it happen, whatever the cost may be'".

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In the evening of the 18th of December, 2020, Interim Volkskanzler Ludwig Bohmer dissolved the National-Syndicalist State on the eve of nationwide protests. During that night, Ostmarkians and Eiffellanders security forces spontaneously fraternized and crossed the borders of their respective nations. In the picture, an Eiffellander police officer (left) helps an Ostmarkian soldier of the Border Troops of the People's Defense Force (right) to step over the border to meet his relatives after almost two years, who were waiting for him on the other side.
Shortly after the fall of National-Syndicalism in December 2020, the last People's Chancellor Ludwig Bohmer ordered the dismantling of the so-called 'Grasser Curtain', a thick and nation-encircling wall of concrete fortifications and barbed wire. It was during those days that Ostmarkians and Eiffellanders, as two old sisters meeting each other after a very long time, rediscovered their historical bond. As thousands of Ostmarkians crossed the border to meet friends and relatives, thousands of Eiffellanders were waiting on the other side, cheering and welcoming the fall of the dictatorship and the rebirth of democracy in the small north-eastern german nation. Fraternization between Ostmarkian and Eiffellander military and security forces personnel, while officially forbidden by both governments, became so common and widespread on the border that such behavior were eventually welcomed, encouraged and accepted as a positive sign of reconciliation and positivity.

Ostmarkian and Eiffellander soldiers aswell as common citizens cooperated for weeks in the demolition and removal of thousands of tons of concrete from walls and sentry towers, metaphorically removing a border that has only existed on geographical maps, but rarely in the hearts and souls of the people who live in these nations. With the fall of the 'Grasser Curtain', the two countries reaffirmed their desire to uphold their ancient friendship, which represents an unicum in European history, and cooperate to face the challenges of the present and the future.


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Social Democratic Party's Walter Eidman, who would later become the first democratically elected Chancellor of Ostmark since the fall of the regime, delivered his famous speech "Volkskanzler Bohmer, you can't keep us apart. You must tear down that wall!" and asked People's Chancellor Bohmer to order the dismantling of border fortifications between Ostmark and Eiffelland. Volksrepublikplatz, Wien. 18th December, 2020.

With its troubled history, the Republic of Ostmark has always lived in the shadow of the Kingdom of Eiffelland and, probably, it still does. Despite the objective economic, political and military predominance over its small north-eastern neighbor, Eiffelland has somehow always managed to 'take care' and 'be aware' of the events over the border and never overreacted, even when Ostmarkians seemed to be lost, hopeless, and incapable of choosing a path or managing the dramatic events that have occured in the past decade, almost as if the Eiffellanders knew deep down their hearts that despite the animosity of their sometimes troubled neighbors, the latter would never forget their old comrades. Zwei Flaggen, Ein Volk.

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MARCHA ORIENTALIS: THE BIRTH OF A NATION
Franz Gruber has published the second volume of his serie on the history of Ostmark. "Marcha Orientalis: the Birth of a Nation" is a book about the history of the early Ostmarkians who carved their own realm in the hostile lands of the north-east.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) - It is unclear who the first settlers of Ostmark were and where they came from. However it is speculated, after decades of researches, that the first germanian inhabitants of Ostmark hardly resembled the typical stereotype of the peaceful peasants and farmers seeking for opportunities and new life in unhabitated lands rich with unexploited pastures and fertile soil. "It's quite the opposite" says writer and historian Franz Gruber, author of Marcha Orientalis: the Birth of a Nation and famous for his best-seller Alte Kameraden: a 600 Years Old Friendship. "The first 'bulk' of Ostmarkians were most likely soldiers of fortune, adventurers, and knights led by lesser nobles or mercenary captains who had left the Kingdom of Eiffelland in the late 14th century to find riches and fortune in the hostile lands of the north-east, inhabited at the time by slavic pagan tribes. And they were not peaceful at all".

The knights, riding powerful horses and wearing strong and refined armor plates, soon clashed with the slavic pagan tribes, but the technological and military superiority of Germanian knights, crossbowmen and men-at-arms crushed the disorganized and divided slavic populations in the region and forced them to migrate en masse to the east, beyond the mountains. After that, when a relative peace was achieved, thousands of farmers, peasants, traders, shepards and artisans flocked into Ostmark from Eiffelland but also from western Germania, from Frankia for example, to settle in the 'new realm' that slowly took shape and form.

As lesser-nobles and knights settled in the region each one of them eventually had taken control of the local administration and defense without any real liege to be subservient to, thus 'empowering' themselves with titles such as Counts, Lords or Burgermeisters. It was a rush to occupy as much land as possible in the shortest time and hope to be able to defend it afterwards. The slavs quite often raided the lose germanian domains, but have never retaken any land back. Raiding was indeed more profitable as german lords often struggled to defend the goods and riches coming in from Germania. Worse than the slavic incursions was the aggressive expansionism displayed by some lords at the expenses of other less-powerful lords.

The most prominent and powerful lord, at least according to historical sources available today, was a self-styled Count named Rodoald. Rodoald was neither a prominent noble nor the retainer or captain of arms. We do not know much about his early life, other than the fact he disposed of a large sum of money. Large enough to pay and feed a sizeable army for his time at least, and this suggests he either came from a wealthy Eiffellander family or retained some sort of lesser-noble title, probably a barony. The reason why we have almost no informations on his backgrounds is to be found in the fact he was a rather unpleasant character to be around and hardly a ruler to be proud of in the centuries to come, despite the success of his endeavors to carve a realm of his own.

We know that he ruled over a medium-sized castle and its sorrounding land. He also ruled over a number of villages such as Wien, a fishing and trading town that served as the main settlement which in the future will evolve in the capital city of the modern Ostmarkian state. In 1456, when Rodoald had acquired enough wealth, horses, swords, spears and supplies to launch his military campaigns at the expenses of neighboring lords and laid a claim on all the sorrounding lands. He waged a relentless and extremely aggressive war against those who refused to submit to his rule, eventually unifying all the losen counties, baronies and fiefs in the region, shaping most of the modern state borders. From that moment onward, Rodoald became known Rodoald von Wien, Duke of the Eastern March, in old German: the Östermark.

The historical archives of the Von Wien family, Kings of Ostmark from 1599 to 1959, still identify Duke Rodoald as the forefather of the Ostmarkian royal family. But he wasn't as sophisticated as the likes of Frederick I von Wien, King of Ostmark from the late 17th to the mid 18th century who is still considered as the true and only 'father of the fatherland', in Ostmark, and abroad as gentleman, an excellent poet, a painter and a very skilled musician. Duke Rodoald von Wien had never lost its uncharming traits of warlord and pillager, very different from the enlightened ostmarkian rulers of the 18th century up to 1959.

Rodoald had little or no interest in diplomacy, arts or science. When he wanted something, usually on the other side of the mountain valleys between Ostmark and Tarusa, he waited for spring season, gathered his knights and raiders and launched military campaigns in slavic land, sacking, pillaging, burning, stealing and killing everyone who stood on his path. This is one of the reasons why Ostmark, with its almost 300 years old liberal tradition, tends to confine Duke Rodoald to historical archives and books.

He is barely mentioned in school books, where Ostmarkian rulers have always been portrayed as educated, well-mannered gentlemen, even after the end of the monarchy in 1959. Rodoald then made one last attempt to cross the mountains and further extend the borders of his Duchy around year 1473, but was halted by a slavic army that confronted him and dealt him a crushing defeat, from which Rodoald himself barely made it out alive and forcing the Ostmarkian Duke and his knights to retreat all the way back to Wien.


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It was the end of the "Eastern Push", and the beginning of the consolidation of power that would eventually pave the way, in the year 1599, for the crowning of Duke Rodoald IV by the Pope, as the first King of Ostmark, who picked Ludovicus as his new name, and has been remembered since then as Ludovicus Rex, King Ludwig I.
 
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INTERVIEW WITH WALLIAN MINISTERPRÄSIDENT ANDREYEV
Frederick Andreyev, Ministerpräsident of the Autonome Provinz Wallien, on the Zaran Question.

By Henrich Obenaus

Heinrich Obenaus: Good morning Herr Andreyev, thank you for accepting this interview.

Frederick Andreyev: Your welcome.

Heinrich Obenaus: As you know there are separatist upheavals in Pannonia, more specifically in Zara where a part of the population is endorsing the self-proclaimed 'Council of Gonzaga', aswell as the Zaran Liberation Army which has been recently involved in deadly terrorist attacks. As the highest civil authority in an area inhabited by a cultural and linguistic minority, in a predominantly german nation, what is your opinion on the events in Pannonia and how could that reflect on the relationship between Ostmarkians and Wallians?

Frederick Andreyev: Thank you for asking me this question. But let me correct your last statement first: I am an Ostmarkian and so are the 35.000 ethnic slavics who live in the Autonomous Province of Wallia. Indeed my last name suggests a slavic ancestry, but my first name is Frederick. That said, if there is resentment by part of the Zaran population against the central authority, it is likely that there is an issue that has been left unattended for too long.

Heinrich Obenaus: Do you think the Zaran question will affect the relationship between Wallia and the central government in Wien?

Frederick Andreyev: I don't really see how the events in Pannonia could influence the internal politics of Ostmark, there is no such thing as a 'Wallian Question' and as an Autonomous Province, Wallia already enjoys a great deal of self-governing authority and decisional power on its politics and budget.

Heinrich Obenaus: What is your opinion on Prime Minister Kovacs?

Frederick Andreyev: I don't have an opinion, nor i really want to express an opinion on a foreign head of government.

Heinrich Obenaus: Let me rephrase the question: do you support the actions of Prime Minister Kovacs to deal with the Zaran Question?

Frederick Andreyev: I am not in the position to express an opinion nor i want to express an opinion on the internal affairs of a foreign sovereign nation. The Foreign Office of the Republic of Ostmark probably has an opinion, but that is completely detached from my role as Minister President of the Autonomous Province of Wallia.

Heinrich Obenaus: Do you think Chancellor Eidman should intervene and attempt to mediate between the parties, forming a common diplomatic front with the Kingdom of Eiffelland and the Second Republic of Remion?

Frederick Andreyev: Ostmark has only recently transitioned from a central-planned economy and a single-party dictatorship to a free market economy and a representative democracy. That alone should dictate our priorities, which should be inner-oriented, rather than feel this urge to stick our nose in another country's internal affairs. As far as i am concerned, even tho i cannot speak for Chancellor Eidman, the Zaran Question is a Pannonian internal issue and i wouldn't agree with an 'interventionist' diplomatic stance. But that's just my opinion.

Heinrich Obenaus: How do you think Horst Grasser would have handled this situation?

Frederick Andreyev: Probably by screaming on the phone with his foreign counterparts. War brings only chaos, terror and destruction and no real winners emerge from modern conflicts fought with modern weapons. That said, i did not support him back then and i surely do not support what's left of his ideology today.

Heinrich Obenaus: Thank you for your time Ministerpräsident.

Frederick Andreyev: It's been a pleasure.
 
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SUDINSEL PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES "DEEPLY CONCERNED" BY EXPONENTIAL INCREASE OF THIRD DEGREE SUNBURNS
Ministerprasident Rogerio Möller-Da Silva exhorts tourists to "Apply SPF50 lotions and avoid exposure in hottest hours of the day, or you will regret it".


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By Heinrich Obenaus

FESTUNG-FORTALEZA (Sudinsel-Isla del Sur) - There is an unusual activity infront of Hospital Civil de Festung-Fortaleza. Paramedic crews rushed in and out of the local Emergency Room as ambulance sirens in the distance preannounced another busy morning for the medical staff, in what provincial authorities have described as "A pandemic of irresponsibility". Interviewed by Die Republik, Ministerprasident of the Autonome Provinz Sudinsel-Comunidade Autonoma do Isla del Sur Rogerio Möller-Da Silva has expressed "Deep concern" for the exponential increase of third degree subnurns "as a consequence of irresponsible exposition to sunlight, without the use of lotions with a proper SPF".

As we peak into the emergency room we see dozens of tourists, the majority being mainland Ostmarkians who, for the first time in two years, rushed to the remote Autonomous Province of Sudinsel to enjoy the warm (probably too warm) sun in one of the beautiful white beaches of Isla del Sur "This is looks like a meeting of the National Lobsters Association" says with a sarcastic vein Doctor Hans Mayer.

"The positive aspect is that tourism is booming" continued Doctor Mayer "Specially since the end of the regime, but the downside is that thousands of tourists are simply underestimating the consequences of exposure under sunlight after noon, in the early hours of the afternoon" he said "There is no 'quick way' for the perfect tan. It has to be very gradual, and the use of SPF50 lotions is a must if you don't want to suffer like a witch on fire during the inquisition" he continued "The risks of developing a third degree sunburn is extremely high, specially for Ostmarkians who are usually pale and have a skin phototype that hardly glows bronze, and often glows red.. just like lobsters" he concluded.

Provincial authorities are sponsoring an aggressive campaign to inform tourists and residents on the dangers of sunburns and exposure during the hottest hours of the day, and exhorted tourists to avoid direct exposure to sunlight between 12AM and 4PM and, in all cases, to use the proper SPF50 lotion to lower the risks of developing a serious sunburn.
 

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We want to point at the fact that sunburn is not the only problem with too extensive exposure to sunburn. Accelerated skin aging and skin cancer are longer-term effects. Especially menalomata are very villaineous killers.
 

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SÜDINSEL, A THAUMANTIC PARADISE
Sudinsel residents confused over recent events in mainland Ostmark as life on the remote paradise-island continues with little or no awareness.

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EDITORIAL
By Alexander Besselman

SUDINSEL-ISLA DEL SUR (Ostmark) - When i asked Angela about her opinion on Horst Grasser and the recent events in mainland Ostmark, the visibly confused 86 years old woman replied without the slightest hesitation "I don't drink beer, sorry". During the interview with Angela i've tried my best to cope with a debilitating jet-lag after the 12 hours flight from Wien to Festung-Fortaleza International Airport in Sudinsel, on the side other of the globe. With much surprise it seems only a few of the residents of this island have memories of the National-Syndicalist regime. In fact, nothing has ever changed here, at least in the political and the economic system. As a Special Economic Zone, with little or no taxation, Sudinsel's economy continued to prosper thanks to the influx of tourists from mainland Ostmark and Germania.

Famous for its relaxed lifestyle, its stunning environment and clean and white beaches, Isla del Sur ranks amongst the top 15 tourist destinations of Europe. Life here is cheap, slow, and there is an abundance of fish, fruits, and the air is always clean. Pollution has rarely been an issue thanks to the environment-friendly development and economic policies enforced by provincial authorities who vowed to defend the natural beauties of Sudinsel against savage urbanization after the 1980s "We like our island as it is" says Rogerio Möller-Da Silva, Ministerprasident of the Comunidade Ultramarina Autonoma do Isla del Sur (Oversea Autonomous Province of Sudinsel) "Our life is simple here and rarely we have been touched by the events in Wien. Of course, as a politician, i've always followed the events in mainland Ostmark, but National-Syndicalism has never really influenced or affected our lifestyle. Being in a Special Economic Zone, and an Oversea Autonomous Province, our administration barely gets in touch with the central government. It's almost as we live in a world of our own, and we like it just like that" said Möller-Da Silva with a note of complacency.

Sudinsel's population barely reaches 40.000 residents, but during the peak of tourist season it multiplies up to almost 200.000 "And this causes many issues pertaining to public order and safety, as you can imagine" continued Ministerprasident Möller-Da Silva "Our locally-produced Tequila and Rum make Ostmarkian beer taste like water, and when an airplane loaded with young fellas from the continents, eager to have fun and enjoy our exotic beverages, lands here at Fortaleza, troubles are guaranteed. Thankfully our police force has been properly trained to de-escalate potentially violent situations. Our administration is always working to ensure a safe and pleasant vacation for everbody, trying to offer the best for young people looking for fun, but also for families that are looking for a more relaxed experience".


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Sudinsel ranks amongst the places with the highest numbers of night clubs per capita, with almost 20 night-life related commercial activities per 1000 inhabitants. With an extremely wide array of choices, there's enough offer to satisfy all music tastes and styles.

In Sudinsel there are tens of Hotels, B&Bs, Tourist Villages, residences, villas and bungalows where hundreds of thousands of tourists spend an average of 10 days every year. There are countless restaurants, pubs, night clubs and cinemas, theatres, surfing clubs and a plethora of attractions, with Fort Frederick being the most iconic one and one of the best-preserved fortresses of the colonial era, from which the provincial capital, Festung-Fortaleza (Fortress), draws its name.

The Ostmarkians landed on Sudinsel in 1742, during the reign of King Frederick I, in an attempt to carve out a colonial domain in the region. Limited by the extremely high costs, the Kingdom of Ostmark then quickly abandoned its colonization efforts, limiting its presence on the small and remote island. Initially, Sudinsel prospered thanks to the proficuous sugar, coffee and bananas trades with mainland Ostmark, and became a popular tourist location soon after the end of the monarchy in 1959, with the birth of civil aviation. It is estimated that 3 residents out of 4 have germanian ancestry "My great-great-grandfather was a sailor of the Royal Navy of Ostmark" says with pride Ministerprasident Möller-Da Silva "And he married a woman, who was not native of Sudinsel but came from the continent, from Corrientes, Marina da Silva. Hence why my last name Möller-Da Silva. It is our custom here to use both the Father's and Mother's last name. Regardless," continued the Ministerprasident "We hope to be able to catch the new wind of change in Ostmark and try to make the best out of it. Everyone is welcome here. We are a very diverse community, with many cultures and languages, and we make no differences or discriminations. We look at Germania and the recent events, and we hope they will get the chance to visit our paradise island to take a break from the frenetic and sometimes troubled life on the continents".
 
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OSTMARK TO SEND THIRTY URBAN PLANNING EXPERTS TO JOSEPANIA
Chancellor Eidman has offered technical expertise for the construction of affordable housing projects in the Collectivist Archipelago of Saint Joseph.

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By Alexander Besselman

WIEN (Ostmark) - During a press conference at the Palast der Republik in Wien, Chancellor of the Republic Walter Eidman has reaffirmed its committment to support President Konstantinos in his effort to tackle the plague of homelessness and provide affordable houses for the citizens of the Collectivist Archipelago of Saint Joseph "As stated in the public diplomatic link released yesterday by the Foreign Office, the Republic of Ostmark will send a team of thirty experts, currently employed by the Technisches Hilfswerk, to @Josepania and offer their technical expertise for the construction of affordable housing projects modeled after the residential areas built in the outskirts of Wien between October 2018 and March 2019".

"The team of the Technical Relief Agency," continued the Kanzler "Will be composed of 5 architects, 5 urban planners, 3 electrical engineers, 2 hydraulic engineers, 3 surveyors and 12 senior foremen with proven and documented past experiences. All the personnel has contributed directly or indirectly to the construction of the residential districts in the northern outskirts of Wien, which have been proven successful to provide affordable houses for the poor and the homeless".

"The Republic of Ostmark," he added "Will not distinguish itself in the export of tanks or light weapons, tools built and manufactured to kill and cause more suffering. Instead Ostmark will export solidarity and solutions to improve the quality of life of the workers and their families wherever they are. Even, and this is definately the case, on the other side of the world." he concluded.
 
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OTTO VON WILHELMSTADT SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS IN PRISON
The former Generalfeldmarschall, leader of the December Putsch, found guilty of high treason.

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Former Volkskanzler Horst Paul Grasser (Left), with Generalfeldmarschall Otto von Wilhelmstad (Right), November 2018.
By Heinrich Obenaus

WIEN (Ostmark) - After 48 hours in the Jury Room to pass judgement, the judges of Wien's Military Tribunal have sentenced former Volkswehr Generalfeldmaschall Otto Von Wilhelmstadt to 26 years in prison. Von Wilhelmstadt was charged of High Treason by the Military Tribunal following the failed putsch aganist former Volkskanzler Ludwig Bohmer, the last Head of State of the People's Republic of Ostmark and General Secretary of the National-Syndikalistische Volkspartei.

In the morning of December 15th 2020, Von Wilhelmstad led a group of disheartened non-commissioned officers against the Interim Government presided by former Volkskanzler Ludwig Bohmer in an attempt to block the democratic reforms promoted and implemented by the latter after the dissolution of the National-Syndicalist People's Party, which at the time had been reformed into the National-Demokratische Volkspartei.

Despite the initial support by large segments of the armed forces, the reluctance of the Volkspolizei and the Volksmarine to take part to the Coup d'Etat had quickly evolved into an open conflict in some key locations in Wien, such as the Television Building, the headquarter of the State Security Service, and the Palace of the People's Republic where coupist elements of the Volkswehr found themselves sorrounded by the Special Weapons and Tactics teams of the People's Police and the People's Navy, later supported by an entire regiment of reservists of the People's Defense Force.

The night of the 18th of December, three days after the beginning of the putsch, hundreds of thousands of citizens had gathered in Volksrepubilkplatz to show their support for People's Chancellor Ludwig Bohmer, asking for decisive reforms, and put an end to the stagnant nomenklatura of the National-Syndicalist regime. Surrounded and outnumbered, Von Wilhelmstad raised the white flag on the top of the Palast der Volksrepublik in Wien at about 8:14PM and then turned himself to Volkspolizei SWAT units deployed infront of the Palace of the People's Republic. After the liberation of Volkskanzler Bohmer the People's Assembly approved an emergency motion on the dissolution of the National-Syndicalist State, putting the word end on the legacy of the regime of the Grasser siblings and marking the fall of the Volksrepublik Ostmark.
 

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*Kanzler Walter Eidman fades in on the screen. He is sitting behind his desk at the Palast der Republik in Wien.*

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"Dear Citizens,

With the conviction of Otto Von Wilhelmstadt and other personalities involved in the December Putsch, the Republic of Ostmark has written the word end on the process of transition from the National-Syndicalist dictatorship to a fully implemented democracy. By securing to justice those who attempted to curb the legitimate democratic aspirations of the Ostmarkian people our nation has completely reemerged from years of obscurantism, of totalitarism and uncertainty, and reaffirmed is liberal and democratic spirit in a world where our constitutional rights, which are firmly anchored to the principle of individual freedom, are neither common nor granted.

Even tho our nation has never excelled in the economic and the military field, even after the suffering we have endured during the Days of Sorrow and despite the brutal repression and violence perpetrated by the regime against anyone who dared to express dissent, our nation has risen from the ashes of ruin and recollected itself very quickly. Today, my fellow Citizens, our Republic shines amongst the free and democratic nations of Europe as a beacon of hope in a world where neither peace, nor friendship between peoples and nations, seem to be a solid guarantee of stability.

Our recent and ancient history is rich of examples of how our people has endured and survived extremely challenging obstacles to the full realisation of its democratic aspirations, but only with a display of unity and solidarity we will find the necessary courage to overcome the challenges of the present and the future. This, fellow Ostmarkians, is our true strenght. It is a strenght that we hope will be found also in the rest of Germania, where recent upheavals have triggered extremely dangerous mechanisms and chains of events that could potentially result in a tragedy of a scale not many governments seem to comprehend yet.

I appeal the governments of Europe to take a step back, to rethink of their actions, to evaluate the consequences in the sole interest of the happiness, the well being, and the dignity, the right to live a honourable life, for the workers and their families, for all the people who have been caught in the disputes and the confrontations. Violence cannot be the solution and violence cannot become a pretext to generate more violence. It is necessary, and vital, that peoples and nations set their differences and past rivalries aside, so that the peoples of the world will renew their faith in the destiny of Europe."


*Kanzler Walter Eidman fades off the screen*

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COAST GUARD BOOTSMANN FOUND DEAD IN SUDINSEL
Karl Fischer, 39, one year ago was the man in charge of the rescue operations during the dramatic hours that followed the sinking of Cruise Liner Fridericus Rex.

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By Heinrich Obenaus

FESTUNG-FORTALEZA (Ostmark) - A 39 years old Bootsmann of the Küstenwache has been found dead by the Staatspolizei in Festung-Fortaleza, Sudinsel. The Staatspolizei discovered the body of the young Coast Guard NCO after a report received by a vessel which had previously lost contact with Sudinsel coast guard station. "A natural death, probably caused by an underlying cardiac disease" is the supected cause of death as stated by the coroners who performed an autopsy on his body. The name of the Bootsman was Karl Fischer and he became famous in Ostmark and abroad after the tragedy of the Fridericus Rex, a cruise liner that sank under mysterious circumstances on the night between the 9th and the 10th of May 2020, causing 1547 deaths and making it the deadliest naval disaster in history.

During that night, at 2:03AM, when Fischer was on duty, he received the SOS from Fridericus Rex and promptly launched a Mayday on International Channel 16. During the dramatic hours that followed the sinking of Fridericus Rex, Fischer coordinated the activities of the rescue vessels of the People's Coast Guard, ferry boat Ludovicus Rex, tuna longliner Annika II, container ship OOCL Icarus and a military frigate Meppen of the Eiffellander Royal Navy. The shipwreck has never been found, with almost 800 bodies never recovered, prompting many conspirationist theories to appear over the internet and in Ostmark.

"Some of these theories are simply ridiculous. Someone even believed that Fridericus Rex had disappeared into another dimension. A recurrent, underlying dimension inherently linked between the past and the present." said Kapitän Geralt Bohmer, chief officer at Sudinsel Coast Guard headquarter "We have never discovered what caused the sinking of the Fridericus Rex. We used all available resources at the time to try and locate the shipwreck, unfortunately to no avail. It is a tragedy that caused the death of 1547 individuals, who will be forever remembered in the naval history of Ostmark and Europe" he concluded.
 

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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Die Republik.
DIE VOLKSREPUBLIK, UNSERE REPUBLIK

Yes, sometimes i still miss the People's Republic of Ostmark.

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EDITORIAL
By Heinrich Obenaus


WIEN (Ostmark) -
I don't miss the concentration camps in which dissidents were swiftly confined. I don't miss the State Security Service.. but yes, sometimes i still miss the Volksrepublik and what it represented. It was Our Republic, Unsere Republik, from its birth to its death. With all its flaws National-Syndicalism had restored hope in the future for millions of hopeless Ostmarkians, including me. Our struggle was a struggle for social justice, against exploitation, against the inequalities of the capitalist system.

I miss the spirit of camaraderie, the collective efforts to bring about the material and moral progress of our society, the desire of an entire nation and its people to reemerge from a devastating economic default, the genuine aspirations of emancipation of millions of workers, of poor, of hopeless men and women who gathered around a flag and an ideal for the first time in a very long time, and said: No more. No more hunger, no more cold, no more poverty, no more exploitation. We didn't own much, but what we owned we shared with our neighbors, our friends, our relatives. We accomodated strangers in our homes without fear. "Nobody will be left behind!" was out motto. We donated part of our groceries for the local food banks. We helped one another as brothers and sisters. That's what i miss the most. In our society there were no differences, no privileges and no discriminations.

"The Days of Sorrow are over!" we used to say, aware that the only alternative was a return to a free market capitalist system in which rules enabled the rich to exploit and oppress the poor. We meant no harm with our ideology, and we were not seeking to export it or influence other nations with it. We wanted to change the world simply by showing the world that an alternative was possible.

We were moved only by a genuine desire to free our people from the chains of the debt, the austerity measures imposed by the government of Franz Kohler, the endemic poverty and unemployment that had transformed our beautiful homeland in a wasteland of desperation and discomfort. Can we be blamed for that? No, nobody can judge us. Nobody can understand how much we suffered, and most importantly: how much we were pushed to the limit.

The People's Republic, our Republic, was a dream. A beautiful dream, which unfortunately transformed into a nightmare. But i will remember the good part of that dream, and hope deep down my heart that one day our nation will rediscover the collective memory of the two years in which we Ostmarkians were all equally entitled to happiness, and joy. I will never forget the time when the Days of Sorrow were over.
 
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