The cause of the incident was actually very simple.
The general idea is that a Prussian lieutenant named Forstner insulted the Alsatians, which caused the people to protest.
In theory, a lieutenant-level trivial matter is not worth any interest at all.
However, with the instigation of two newspapers in the Alsace region, the public demanded severe punishment for Lieutenant Forstner. The Governor of Alsace-Lowe, Count Karl von Wedel, urged the regiment's commander Adolf von Reuter and commander Berthold von Deimling to transfer the lieutenant.
In the eyes of the army, it was just a trivial matter, and it was just a verbal insult to the Alsatians as Wackes, which was equivalent to a statement of regional discrimination. However, under pressure, they had to put Lieutenant Forstner in solitary confinement for six days.
The Alsatians still expressed their dissatisfaction.
Then.
The incident gradually escalated into a large-scale conflict between the Alsace region and the Prussian army. This is also a problem that has always existed in Germany.
The Prussian army had too much power.
It just so happened that the Alsace region was ceded from France during the Franco-Prussian War.
Normally, things like this would be over in a few days.
But until December 2nd.
Lieutenant Forstner was walking on the street and was mocked by the shoemaker Blank. In anger, Forstner stabbed Blank with a knife.
The situation escalated again.
It even triggered a demonstration of 3,000 people in Germany. The Socialist Party also began to attack Prime Minister Bethmann and demanded a vote of no confidence. The so-called no confidence vote is a vote by the parliament against the prime minister of the cabinet, which can force the prime minister to step down early during his term of office. This was also the first no confidence vote against the prime minister in the German Empire.
Regions such as Alsace and Lorraine also asked German Emperor Wilhelm II to intervene immediately to ensure that their residents were protected from military tyranny.
William II was very dissatisfied with this matter.
Because in William II's view, it was just a trivial matter. He even cursed the old British King Edward VII every day. If things continued to develop in this way, Germany and Britain would have fought long ago.
William II looked at Hilde,
"You knew that something was going to happen in Alsace-Lorraine?"
Hilde poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Everyone knows that something bad will happen there sooner or later."
"What do you think?*
"I think it's a good thing. The imperial army has too much power. If we don't discipline them, they will fly into the sky."
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"You told me before that the expansion of the empire requires iron and blood, and now you want me to weaken the army?" William II asked puzzledly.
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Hilde shook her head.
"A strong and disciplined army is the foundation of the empire's strength and prestige, but that does not mean giving the army more power. Including the conflict between the General Staff and the Ministry of War some time ago, the conflict between the army and the government and society has begun to increase day by day. You should stand on the side of Alsace-Lorraine at this time and show that the army is not just your army, but the people of Alsace-Lorraine are also your people."
"But the army is the cornerstone of the empire's strength and unity, and the guarantee of the empire's majesty. I cannot weaken the empire's authority." William II was a supporter of militarism.
"It's up to you then. It has nothing to do with me anyway."
Hilde sat opposite William II, holding the bone china cup with her slender fingers and crossing her legs. She had no intention of being polite in front of William II.
However, William II liked Hilde's rebellious look.
"You don't want Alsace-Lorraine anymore?"
"It's easy. If you want to solve the superficial problem, you just need to make me the Princess of Alsace-Lorraine. After all, the people of Alsace-Lorraine feel that they are discriminated against. Now William II has made his favorite Hilde the Princess of Alsace-Lorraine. What else do they want? If you don't want to deal with the army, you can also take the opportunity to deal with the Socialist Party. We can turn around and deal with the Socialist Party. Define this matter as a racial conflict in Germany, not a problem of Prussian military autocracy. And you have proved with practical actions that the great German Emperor William II loves the people of Alsace-Lorraine equally. The damn Socialist Party and the French have joined forces to try to provoke racial conflicts in the country and must be severely punished."
"Nothing to do with the French?"
"You don't think it really has anything to do with the French?"
William II was a little bit embarrassed.
"Why don't you tell me how you plan to solve the core problem of Alsace-Lorraine?"
"Prussia's military problem is a long-standing problem in the empire. It also exists in other places besides Alsace-Lorraine. The fact that Alsace-Lorraine has such a big problem shows that it has accumulated over decades. And most importantly, the so-called discrimination is just like that. The north and south of Germany also discriminate against each other, and Parisians and non-Parisians also discriminate against each other, so they don't have any big problems. The real discrimination in Alsace-Lorraine is that it violates their grassroots interests."
"Absolutely not. All regulations in Alsace-Lorraine are of the same standard as those in Prussia, and Alsace-Lorraine is also one of the best places in the empire's economy."
William II immediately retorted.
Alsace-Lorraine was not part of the German Empire as a state, but was directly under William II as a direct jurisdiction.
In order to ensure fairness, except for a few laws and regulations, the policies of Alsace-Lorraine were almost exactly the same as those of Prussia. That's why William II didn't think Alsace-Lorraine was a big deal. In his opinion, there was no discrimination against the people of Alsace-Lorraine.
"That's the problem."
Hilde squatted for a moment before continuing.
"Alsace-Lorraine came from France. In their view, the Empire's taxes will be heavier. Their original trade was linked to France. Now that they have been integrated into the Empire, trade with France will be affected by tariffs. In addition, the Empire's tax incentives are aimed at large companies and large landowners. Alsace-Lorraine inherited the French system. They are mainly small workshops, which caused the small workshops in Alsace-Lorraine to suffer in the competition with the Empire's big capital. The key is here. The Empire's policies have harmed the interests of many people in Alsace-Lorraine."
William II thought for a moment.
"How to solve it?"
What Hilde said is not without reason.
But things cannot be solved just by knowing them.
Don't the top leaders in Alsace-Lorraine and Berlin know this?
Of course they knew it, but they were unwilling to solve it because it would infringe on the interests of many people, such as the two capitalists who had just arrived in Hilde. If they wanted to give benefits to the people of Alsace-Lorraine, they would have to sacrifice the interests of other capitals in the empire.
Hilde tilted her head.
"If you ask anyone else, it might not work, but you're the right person to ask."
"Say it quickly."
"You must first give me the title of
Princess of Alsace-Lorraine, and I want the real power of Alsace-Lorraine."
"Can you guarantee you can solve it?