"Who are you! This is German territory! You can't just enter at will!" A member of the National Defense Force stared intently at the French officer standing before him, his rifle slung over his shoulder. Behind him lay the expanse of German territory, and the advancing French army showed no signs of halting. The French officer, hand resting on the pistol at his waist, wore a smug expression. "Move aside! We are here to collect the war reparations owed to France by Germany. Dare to obstruct us, and we will open fire!"
As he spoke, a dozen French soldiers behind him raised their rifles, their eyes fixed on the mere three German Wehrmachts stationed at the checkpoint in Luca. The German soldiers, though outnumbered, were resolute. They too raised their rifles, aiming directly at the French officer. "Sorry! Without orders, no army can cross into German territory!"
"Let us see who truly fears death! If you do not stand down, we will fire!" The French officer's voice rose, a slight tremor betraying his tension.
"Wow!" In response, the German soldiers made the crisp sound of cocking their guns. Bullets were chambered, ready to defend their homeland with their lives.
"Bell, bell, bell." At the nearby post in Luca, a telephone rang urgently. A German soldier, weapon in hand, hurried over and picked up the receiver. "This is border checkpoint number 76! The alarm has been triggered! We are holding our position! Yes, sir! The enemy has not advanced a single step into our territory! Yes, sir! We will comply immediately! Repeat, we are to stand down! I will execute the order immediately! Long live Greater Germany!"
Reluctantly, the soldier hung up the phone and walked back to his comrades at Luca, tears in his eyes. He then shouted the humiliating order: "Stand down!"
The French soldiers visibly relaxed. As they walked past the three German border guards, who remained standing upright, their footsteps were lighter. The faces of the German soldiers were streaked with tears, their eyes burning with resentment.
This scenario played out at several border checkpoints. The German Wehrmacht, weakened and outnumbered, did not resist the invading French forces. From top to bottom, the French were taken aback; their provocative move had not gone as smoothly as planned.
"Slap!" A fine glass shattered. In front of a flickering fireplace that cast twisted shadows, a middle-aged man of short stature stood fuming. "It's outrageous! They think they've won? If it weren't for the cowardice of our officers and politicians, we would never face such humiliation!"
"Calm down, Father," a young man lounged on the sofa, swirling a glass of wine nonchalantly. "Let them do what they want. It's not as if we're out of money."
A young lady, sitting opposite, glared at the young man and slammed her hand on the armrest. "Shut up! Your father is fighting for our family. Without his efforts, half of our villa would be closed off, and we'd be bankrupt, sleeping on the streets."
"The Krupp factory will not perish under my watch!" the man who had shattered the glass declared fiercely. "Butler! Prepare the car! Tomorrow, I will personally visit the factory!"
"Yes, Master Krupp!" the butler nodded and left the room.
It wasn't long before the butler returned, whispering to Gustav Krupp, "We have news from our contacts in the IDF! The IDF supports our passive resistance and is willing to compensate us for our losses."
"Good! With the support of the National Defense Forces, that's enough! The government should let Ebert face some hardships too. Not everyone can be manipulated and bullied by Gustav!" Krupp stated confidently. "The colonel named Akado who sent the plan is quite interesting. I will meet him when I get the chance. Arrange it."
"Yes, Master!" the butler responded respectfully.
March 22, 1923. Workers in the Ruhr Industrial Zone went on strike, and those who did not participate were passively laid off, halting the production of munitions for the French occupation forces. The constant black smoke that had plagued the Ruhr area for years disappeared as more than half of the chimneys no longer billowed smoke.
As the strike expanded, the workers, bolstered by secret promises from factory officials and strong support from the National Defense Forces, began sabotaging old industrial equipment, thwarting the French army's attempts to continue producing military supplies.
The French army, frustrated by these setbacks, launched a revengeful act, arresting numerous worker leaders and sentencing some to death. Far from deterring the patriotic German workers, these actions only spurred more widespread sabotage.
On Saturday, March 23, 1923, Easter, large-scale conflicts inevitably erupted. A team of French soldiers rushed into a warehouse at the Krupp factory, demanding to inspect the vehicles inside. This inspection, however, did not proceed as smoothly as anticipated.
As the French soldiers entered the gate of the Krupp factory warehouse, a worker spotted them and quickly ran to the anti-aircraft siren, sounding the alarm. "Woo...!" The harsh alarm echoed throughout the factory, signaling the intrusion.
"The French are here to steal again! Brothers, we must defend our labor! We can't let these vampires leave!" A middle-aged worker with a scarred face raised his large hammer and shouted sternly.
An elderly worker, wearing single-lens spectacles and suspenders, joined in, his voice old but firm. "We can't let these vampires leave!"
"Keep the French out!" More voices joined, echoing from all directions.
People swarmed from all sides, surrounding the French soldiers. Meanwhile, Gustav Krupp sat in his office nearby, calmly reading the newspaper, seemingly indifferent to the chaos erupting outside.
Terrified, the French soldiers scrambled to occupy a building, setting up a machine gun at the entrance in hopes of intimidating the encroaching crowd. However, their underestimation of the people's fury proved costly.
Several Krupp factory workers climbed onto the roof of the building occupied by the French and opened the steam valve of a pipe above, filling the building with scalding steam. Disoriented, the French soldiers began firing into the crowd, resulting in 13 innocent workers killed and at least 50 others injured.
Not far away, a German officer stood on a high tower, lowering his telescope. He turned to his adjutant. "Look at these French soldiers; this is their main force. Bicycles, horses... The National Defense Forces could easily defeat this unit with just one regiment! Give me two regiments, and I dare say we could obliterate them!"
His adjutant smirked, confidence brimming. "Major Guderian, you're too conservative! Following Colonel Akado's strategy, an armored regiment alone could wipe out this French force without suffering any casualties beyond ammunition!"
Guderian smiled. "If they can't pull off a trick here, I bet they'll be packing up and heading back to France in a few months!"
The infamous Bloody Saturday Easter tragedy quickly made headlines worldwide the next day. The United States and Britain sided with Germany, and the German Ebert government condemned France. The victims were hailed as martyrs nationwide, receiving substantial pensions from the German side and the Krupp factory, and were given honorable burials.
Krupp, dressed in a three-row buttoned suit and a feathered top hat, escorted the hearses of the deceased. The vehicles were adorned with flowers as people bid their farewells.
Although global public opinion favored Germany, France stubbornly persisted, trying Gustav Krupp, whom they deemed guilty. This move turned Krupp into a symbol and hero among the German populace, his short stature defying the French invaders.
France sentenced Gustav Krupp to 15 years in prison, a decision met with immediate global condemnation. The British ambassador tirelessly mediated between French factions. Under immense pressure, French Prime Minister Bengal faltered.
Ultimately, the French government, overwhelmed by public outcry, found a pretext for "Christmas amnesty" after Krupp had spent only six months in a cell—a cell that was never locked, allowing visits from friends and family at any time.
During Krupp's imprisonment, discussions began among the French about withdrawing troops from Germany's Ruhr industrial zone, marking a significant shift in the ongoing conflict.