Federal Republic of Lower Saxony (1962: The Apocalypse)

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The Republic of Lower Saxony (German: Niedersachsen, Low German: Neddersassen) is a democratic nation north-western Germany.

The offical name is- English: The Democratic Federal Republic of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Osnabrück; German: Das demokratische Föderale Republik Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein und Osnabrück.

Doomsday 1962
Also see- Warsaw Pact targets in Western Europe.
 * The targets hit were at-

Jevern AFB, Bremenhaven docks and Emden docks were hit by a 1kt bomb, but luckily they did not explode and just broke up and spewed radiation like a dirty bomb. Sadly most West German and East German cities were not so lucky. Bremen Airport (German: Flughafen Bremen), Aachen and Cuxhaven got a 1x 1kt, MOD Osnabrück 2x 1kt (which did not explode).

There would mostly be a problem with the radioactive fall-out from other regions of western Europe that would cause much trouble.

Sadly most other West German and East German cities and the Rhineland was nuked in to oblivion!!!

After Doomsday


Refugee flows were enormous and Denmark gave what ever it could to those in Schleswig-Holstein, but more came and spilt over in to the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Lord Mayor of the city Emden declared martial law and closed the cities border as it became apparent that not much of Germany had survived beyond Oldenburg and Bremen a few days later. The cut of Bergermisters of Aurich, Hanover, Oldenburg, Plön, Hamburg, Bremenhaven and Bremen feared being swamped by refugees and also closed their borders and brought in tough new laws with in the week.

Survival
The 1962-64 nuclear winter/summer event and the 1963 typhus and disenrty outbreak killed many, as did the radioactive fall-out. A major E.Coli 0157 outbreak also hit the ruined towns and cities of the former Rhineland in the fist few months after The 'Apocalypse'.

The nation of Lowere Saxony was founded by the Achim born Heer officer Feldwebel Hans Otto Wenger and his deputy Dr Friedrich Joachim Lornsen in 1964 after veriose Bergermisters banded to geather and apointed Feldwebel Hans Otto Wenger and his deputy Dr Friedrich Joachim Lornsen as the overall leadership during the period of martial law. Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremenhaven and Bremen were safely under their Bergermisters' control by Early 1964 and were willing to help secure Lower Saxony's government. Similar difficulties would also hit the state of Schleswig-Holstein, which would also receive heavy aid supplies from Denmark from 1962 to 1965.

The rival bergermisters were quickly removed and the fledgling nation was under there loose control by mid-1965.

The near by County of Bentheim, Leer, Emsland, Aurich districts were flooded in the storm of 1968, of which the latter 2 remained flooded until Lower Saxony recained them from the swamps in 1980. On the coast, where they had been more prepared for seasonal flooding, rebuilding by the local villagers began almost immediately after the storm. In Emsland, though, it would be years before any organised settlement would rise once more.

Relations became closer with Osnabrück, Whilelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and  Vorpommern-Greifswald during their struggle to servive during the 1960's and early 1970's.

First contact
First contact was made with the Denmark, Hanover, Wismar S.S.R., Osnabrück, Central Germany,  Emden,  Kleve and  Frisian Republic in May 4th 1967. Fist contact with City state of Wilhelmshaven in 1969, Sussex in 1979 and  Kingdom of Lille-Wallonia on January the 6th, 1982.

1971-1991
Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Osnabrück Lender began to improve some there roads and fixed a few more bridges during the 1971-1975 "National rural transport reintegration plan".

A minor steam railway was set up between Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremen and Bremenhaven inn 1971 and would expand over the years.

Emden joined friendly Lower Saxony on May 8th, 1972 and was fully re-intergrated by May 6th 1975. Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982. Osnabrück Lender would remain largely autonomous in nature.

The other minor servivour states Bremen and Bremenhaven joined Lower Saxon state in 1976, Oldenburg, Hanover and Hamburg joining up in 1980. The university of Bremen was founded in 1981.

The aging, elctrifyed and in places manualy guarded or mined "Safety Fence" that still supposedly shealds Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Wilhelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Vorpommern-Greifswald from both the primative tribal areas, Neo-Nazi Vorpommern-Rügen and the  remnat GDR was erected in 1979.

The Grube Haverlahwiese iron ore mine was reopened in 1985. The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival was founded by the German pianist Justus FrantzI n 1986 and recently one of the largest classical music festivals in Europe.

A costal border dispute flared in 1988-89, but was peacefuly resolved. It was agreed that Lower Saxony got the Großer Knechtsand sandbank, Hoher Knechtsand island and the Tertius sandbank, Wilhelmshaven got Neuwerk island and the Frisian Republic got Mellum island in 1989.

The celebration of the harbour's birthday (Hafengeburtstag) is on every year, during the first weekend of May, is one of Hamburg's biggest public events. It recommenced in 1989. Visitors come from all over Lower Saxony, Wismar S.S.R., the D.R.R., Kleve and Denmark. The 6 Tugboats perform "water ballets", with both an old galleon and 2 small new cruise boats are open for tours, and fireworks explode at night.

1992 to the Present day
The brewing industry was recreated on a national basis in 1992, by the nationalisation and corporate merger of the nation’s varicose local breweries that sprung up in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

On 2 June 1994 the new Lower Saxon constitution entered force, replacing the "Provisional Lower Saxon Constitution" of 1st May 1967. It enables referenda, plebiscites, establishes environmental protection and a federal structure of government as a fundamental state principle.

The export of Iron to Wismar S.S.R. in exchange or lignite began in 1999. The lignite is sadly low grade and very smoky and sulphurous.

In 2004, the Port of Hamburg restarted ambitions for regaining its position as the region's largest deep-sea and as major commercial and trading centre.

The 2005 referendum in Danish held Upper Schleswig-Holstein resulted in a 22%/64% vote in favour of joining Denmark.

Recent floods and blizzards

 * 1) The floods of April 2006 killed 12 in both Lower Saxony proper and 3 Slizwig-Hostine province, along with another 6 in the Wismar S.S.R.
 * 2) The rainstorm and floods of mid 2007 killed 6 in Kiel.
 * 3) the hurricain of mid 2009 killed 3 people in Osnabrück, 2 people in Oldenburg, 2 people in Bremerhaven and 1 person in Kiel.
 * 4) The winter of 2009-10 was the worst in 50 years killing 42 people.
 * 5) The rainstorms of early in the June of 2012 killed 1 person in Emden.

Government and politics


The political system is mostly the same sort of federal state as in real life West Germany, but both High Chancellor and Bundestag elected every 5 years by the FPTP method.

The nation is run by a Federal Council who are elected each 5 years and open to all nationals over 17 who have resided in Lower Saxony for at least 18 months, with out committing a serious crimes like bank robbery and murder, are eligible to vote. Legal eligibility for candidacy is essentially the same, but candidates are to be over the age of 19 instead.

The elections are noted trough out Western  and Central Europe for there lack of sleeze, corruption and/or violence. Lower Saxony, like Denmark and the Republic of the Frisian Islands, is concidered to have one of the fairest and most democratic goverments in Europe.

Note that due to the nation's love of democratic values, neither the hard left nor the hard right are banned exsept for some radical minority Stalinist, Maoist, terrorist and Neo-Nazi groups. *= members of the ruling coalition.

Osnabrück autonomous region
Osnabrück Lender was a separate and democratic nation until 1983, when it became a devolved province of Lower Saxony.

The country was set up by the remnants of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), under Gen. Ian Lee Travis and his deputy Col. Collin McKay, in 1964 as an act of mutual protection from future Soviet and later tribal attacks. The remaining UK forces would rally remnant NATO forces in the county and town Osnabrück. As time passed infrastructure such as buildings and bridges were patched up as best as the could and the nation slowly expanded. Walloon and Danish help would get farming above subsistence level by 1982.

Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982 under the government Greta Swartz.

The present governor is John Anthony Boyd. It has retained a large degree of home rule, as has Schleswig-Holstein.

Schleswig-Holstein autonomous region
Schleswig-Holstein was a separate and democratic nation until 1983, when it became a devolve province of Lower Saxony.

The country was set up by the remnants of the Lender's provincial government, under Ernst von Lebe, in 1963 as an act of mutual protection from future Soviet, Neo-Nazi and tribal attacks. The remaining local military and police forces would rally the remaining people in the parts that had not already fallen under the benevolent rule of Denmark. As time passed infrastructure such as buildings and bridges were patched up as best as the cold and the nation slowly expanded. Farming was fully recovered by 1969 with help from an always friendly Denmark.

Both Osnabrück Lender and Schleswig-Holstein would slowly hand power over to Lower Saxony between 1977 and 1982 under the government Audrey Balda.

The present governor is Kyle Geisel. It has retained a large degree of home rule, as has Osnabrück.

The 2005 referendum in Danish held Upper Schleswig-Holstein resulted in a 22%/64% vote in favour of joining Denmark.

Military


The military and police force were heavy trained up since 1974, and expanded from being merely a force of 600 improvised police, guards and volunteer townsfolk, to a trained military of some 12,000 men and a police force of some 5,000 men. The production of modern firearms recommenced in 1984.

Army

 * 1) 2x T15 Tank
 * 2) 2x FT-17 Tank
 * 3) 12x Chevrolet RD 4x2 (USA) - Truck
 * 4) 6x T17E1 Staghound (USA) - Armoured Car
 * 5) 5x AMC 35 Tank
 * 6) 1 Sikorsky HO4S (S-55) light cargo helicopter
 * 7) 5x The Renault R35 (an abbreviation of Char léger Modèle 1935 R or R-35) Tank
 * 8) 12x Leopard 1 Tank (5 are known to be in storage)


 * 1) 5x AEC Matador 4 x 4 medium artillery tractor.

Weapons

 * 1) Colt M911 (side arm)
 * 2) Thompson Sub-machine gun
 * 3) The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42)
 * 4) The French Darne machine gun.
 * 5) The M60 (formally named United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60)
 * 6) Mauser C96 (Construktion 96)
 * 7) The TT-30 (Russian: 7,62-мм самозарядный пистолет Токарева образца 1930 года, 7,62 mm Samozaryadnyj Pistolet Tokareva obraztsa 1930 goda, "7.62 mm Tokarev self-loading pistol model 1930")
 * 8) The FN Model 1903 (M1903, Browning No.2, FN Mle 1903 or FN Ml 1903), or
 * 9) Nagant M1895 Revolver
 * 10) Canon de 75 modèle 1897
 * 11) Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider
 * 12) The 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art (7.7 cm FK 96 n.A.)
 * 13) Ordnance QF 18 pounder
 * 14) Ordnance QF 25 pounder
 * 15) BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun
 * 16) 82-PM 41 Medium Mortar
 * 17) PPSh-41 machine-gun
 * 18) Stokes mortar
 * 19) Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver
 * 20) The Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys commonly known as the "Boys Anti-tank Rifle" (or incorrectly "Boyes", nicknamed the "elephant gun")
 * 21) Austen submachine gun
 * 22) Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk I (1903)

Navy
There are 4 partole boats and 1 combined minelayer/sweeper.

Air force
There are only 3 Supermarine Mk XIV Spitfires, 3 Messerschmitt Bf-109s, 3 cargo planes and 4 light helicopters.

Economy
Like most other post-Doomsday European nations, most of the economy is weighted towards agricultural production though there is rapidly growing industrial aspects in urban regions, and is now well past the capability of nations like Lille-Wallonia. Lignite mining, peat digging, carpentry, forestry, agriculture and food processing are the principle industries.

The nation's good soils make good pasture land and harvests are always bountiful. The fishing industry is very productive due to the rich seas and the fishing fleet has been steady growing since 1995.

Exports from the carpentry and food processing industries are traded with the Frisian Islands, Wilhelmshaven, Denmark and Lille-Wallonia. Some Walloon coal and hand tools are imported.

Agriculture
Agriculture is an important industry in Lower Saxony which has rich soils. Some farm products produced are-corn, wheat, oats, hay, potatoes and cabbages. Livestock production includes- cattle, pigs, goats, poultry, and sheep. Potatoes are the leading crop grown in Lower Saxony.

Cattle
Schleswig-Holstein specialises in prominently friendly, sustainable and organic cattle and diary farming, some of which is exported to Wilhelmshaven, Wismar S.S.R. and Denmark since 2009.

Mines
The Grube Haverlahwiese iron ore mine in Salzgitter area (the Salzgitter-ridge between the villages Salzgitter - Lichtenberg in the North, the South Steinlah, Gebhardshagen in the east and west Gustedt) mine was reopened in 1985 and is still one of the most productive in Europe.

Peat and lignite
There are 7 peat-fired power stations in the area around Kiel. The biggest 3 stations have a capacity of (160 MW) and the other 4 have a capacity of (30 MW). A 90 MW lignite-fired power stations is just to the south of Oldenburg.

Wind and water power
There is a 300MW wind farm near Oldenburg. There are several other minor wind farms in Schleswig-Holstein and water driven machinery is common place.

Education
Compulsory schooling is from ages 4 to 18.

Transport
Horses are still popular in the nation, despite the resent, but short lived, outbreak of equine ethmoid hematoma.

A minor steam railway was set up between Oldenburg, Hamburg, Bremen and Bremenhaven in 1971 and would expand over the years. It has been exspanding ever since 1992 and has joined Kiel (1975), Wismar (1976), Lübeck and Wilhelmshaven (1977), Osnabrück, Oldenburg and Achim (1978), Hanover (1982) and Emden (1984).

Media
Most of the local papers were back in print by 1989 and a national edition was being printed in 1995. The Niedersächsische Tageszeitung, Schleswig-Holstein Tageszeitung, Hannoversche Tageszeitung and Osnabrück Journal are the top papers.

Norddeutscher Rundfunk (N.D.R.) (English:North German Broadcasting) recomenced national MW broadcasts from Hamburg, Achim and Bremen in 1992. A national FM service has operated from transmitters in Oldenburg, Bremen, Achim and Hamburg since 2005.

Local FM radio stations opened in Achim, Hamburg, Kiel, Bremen, Lübeck, Emden, Osnabrück, Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremerhaven during the Millennium.

Radio/Television Lower Saxony's overseas LW and domestic and MW radio transmitions began at the Achim facility in 2009.

Analogue regional TV broadcasts started in Hamburg, Oldenburg, Achim, Emden and Bremen during 2010.

The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag are part of the important and re-emergent media industry in Hamburg.

Healthcare
Lukimia and thyroid cancer are no longer major issues, and are markedly less than they were before 1985.

Sports
The national sport in Lower Saxony is football.

Arts
The works of Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (10 November 1759 – 9 May 1805) are still popular in the nation.

Beer
Bremen and Slizewig-Holstein have a small, but growing beer and lager industry. Some has also been sold in the United Netherlands and Wismar S.S.R. since 2008.

Food
Fried plaice done Finkenwerder style are a popular dish in the nation.

Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival
The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival is a major classical music festival held every year in summer time all over the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany. The festival was founded by the German pianist Justus FrantzI n 1986 and is one of the largest classical music festivals in Europe. The concerts are in arrange in the cities of Lübeck, Kiel, Flensburg, Eutin or Plön, as well as in the countryside in castles, manors, old barns or little Brick Gothic style village churches. Lübeck Cathedral is most often host to it.

The Death Penalty

 * Murderers,
 * Neo-Nazis,
 * Sex predators, (like rapists, and child molesters),
 * Traitors and enemy spies are executed with the hangman’s rope.

The death penalty was scraped (except for enemy spies and Neo-Nazis) in 1972 and replaced with life without the possibility of parole.