January 5, 1914.
The Berlin City Palace issued an official announcement.
Hildegard von Alsace-Lorraine was crowned Princess of Alsace-Lorraine.
Count Karlius Julius von Wedel, Governor of Alsace-Lorraine, resigned and was promoted to Prince.
Count Wedel's case is easy to understand.
He was unable to handle the affairs of Alsace-Lorraine, so he submitted his resignation.
As for being canonized as a prince, this is also a tradition that many countries have, where a person is given a title after retirement. In the military, retired officers are also promoted. For example, Germany has a tradition that retired officers with the rank of captain are all promoted to majors.
Because of the complicated relationship between titles in Germany, and the fact that Wedel already had the title of Count, and the title of Duke as the highest level required fiefdoms, it was impossible for William II to grant territory to Wedel, so the symbolic title of Prince was given to Count Wedel as an exception.
But.
In other people's eyes.
It was William II who created the title of Count Prince Wedel in order to give Hilde the rightful title of Princess.
It also made the young people and old nobles of the empire eager to make a move.
Hilde is beautiful in herself, and now that she has become the Princess of Alsace-Lorraine, it is almost equivalent to telling everyone that marrying Hilde means becoming the King of Alsace-Lorraine.
besides.
The empire's top leaders and capitalists also discovered something important.
Earl Weddle.
No.
Now it should be said that after Prince Wedel resigned, no new governor took office, which is almost equivalent to telling everyone that Hilde will directly interfere in the politics of Alsace-Lorraine.
This is not good news for Imperial Capital.
Prince Wedel also rose step by step from the bottom, from Hanover to the Austro-Prussian War, the Franco-Prussian War, and so on, and gradually integrated into the power system of the German Empire.
But Hilde is different.
Hilde did not belong to the imperial power system. Her power came from the power granted by William II.
There is almost no interest relationship with other people.
There are both advantages and disadvantages to doing this.
The bad thing is that Hilde's power comes entirely from a word from William II.
The advantage is that Hilde only needs to be responsible to William II and does not have to be manipulated by any faction.
That's equivalent to.
Others must pay the price to bring Hilde into the imperial power structure.
only.
Hilde didn't want to enter the imperial power system at all.
but.
For the claim of Alsace Lorraine.
It is still necessary for Hilde to interfere to a certain extent.
Alsace.
Strasbourg.
Rhine Palace.
The Zabern incident caused by Alsace-Lorraine now has two sides that need to be resolved. The first thing is the incident itself. Hilde did not interfere in this. After all, this is a military matter and is under the full authority of War Minister Falkenhayn.
As for the negotiations on internal interests in Alsace, they would naturally be handled by Hilde.
For example, the Chamber of Commerce held today at the Rhine Palace.
Except for Hilde who sat at the chief seat.
There was also a representative of the Empire's industry and commerce, the chairman of the Empire Employers' Federation, whom Hilde had met before.
Hugo Adolphe Eugene Victor Stinnes.
President of the Imperial Bank.
Rudolf Emil Albert Havenstein.
President of the German Metalworkers Association.
Alexander Schlick.
Secretary of State for Alsace-Lorraine.
Otto Perlmann.
Mayor Lorraine.
Nicholas Engel.
Alsace-Lorraine Capital Representative.
Eugen Dominique de Dietrich.
Hilde sat at the head.
The slender fingers supported the smooth chin, and even though the action seemed ungraceful, it was nothing compared to Hilde's beauty.
"I know you don't want to have a meeting with me, and you don't think you can discuss anything practical with me. So I'll just get straight to the point."
Hilde stood up.
"The problem with Alsace-Lorraine is that they are not adapted to the German big business model. Under this big business model, the people of Alsace-Lorraine feel exploited, so as the Princess of Alsace-Lorraine, I need to protect the interests of the people of Alsace-Lorraine. Of course, I don't want to change the laws, taxes, welfare policies and other measures. It's too troublesome, and you won't agree, so we need a simpler way."
No one answered, just waiting for Hilde to speak.
"Since Alsace-Lorraine is a small workshop model, we should provide a business model that belongs to the people of Alsace-Lorraine. Let the big entrepreneurs do the monopoly business, and the small workshops in Alsace-Lorraine will provide supporting production for you. Let them completely distinguish their own tracks. Steel and textiles are completely left to you, and the small workshops in Alsace-Lorraine will do some high-end clothing, metal processing, workshop materials, handicraft workshops, etc. Then Stinney
Mr. S, are you willing to give up this part of the interests and give them to the small workshops in Alsace Lorraine? "
"Yes, but the details need to be finalized."
As Chairman of the German Reich Employers' Association.
Stinnis did not refuse, which was equivalent to the large enterprises dividing up the bulk commodities such as steel, cotton, cloth and food among themselves.
The main trading market is the small part, while the smaller part is given to small workshops in Alsace and Lorraine, which is reasonable.
Hilde looked at Schlick, president of the German Metalworkers Association.
"Mr. Schlick, are you willing to provide technical support to the workers in Alsace-Lorraine?"
"Can."
Hilde finally set her sights on Havenstein, the president of the Imperial Bank.
"Then would the Imperial Bank be willing to provide a loan for Alsace-Lorraine?"
"Yes, but the specific matters of the loan will be handled by other banks."
Hilde clasped her hands together.
"Okay, the matter is settled. Please give me a nomination for governor within one month. I will return to Wuyou Palace."
Hilde's words confused everyone.
Originally, all the officials, capitalists, and union representatives present were ready to be exploited by Hilde. After all, how can a new official demonstrate his power if he doesn't make some changes upon taking office? Power needs to be demonstrated before it can be exercised.
But no one expected it.
Hilde actually had no intention of participating in the imperial power system.
Just like the power of civil servants and ministers in the UK.
Civil servants have executive power, while ministers have decision-making power. Civil servants can use their executive power, such as making policies extreme, to prove that the ministers' decisions are not good, thereby achieving the ability to control ministers. However, the law stipulates the power of ministers, which civil servants cannot resolve.
Now.
Hilde allowed them to nominate the governor with him, which was equivalent to giving up all decision-making power.
It seems that Hilde is really only interested in the title
of Princess of Alsace-Lorraine.
Or was it intentional to nominate them as governors in order to make them fight among themselves?
This sounds too ridiculous.