Alternate History Merkels Operation Walküre - Story Only

[Tyr Anazasi]

Runway, Amsterdam-Schiphol, September 6th 1944, 12:15

A Me 262 landed after its ferry flight from the factory. The pilot (U) was greeted by the group commander, Major Walter Nowotny (WN).

U: Hauptmann Uhse reports fit for duty, Herr Major!

WN: Excellent, Hauptmann. This was your first flight with this jet, wasn´t it?

U: No, sir. I already had two other planes ferried over here, but now I got my orders to report here for duty, as well.

WN: I see. Hmm. Did you engage with the enemy yet?

U: Not with this plane, no. But I was involved in some fights while flying the Bf 109 or the Fw 190.

WN: And?

U: Well, I was never shot down. Obviously.

WN: Wanna add another one to your ledger?

U: Jawoll!

WN: "Excellent. What do you think about this baby? The major nodded towards the Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow).

U: It is an excellent plane. I really enjoy flying it, especially as I only flew piston engined planes before.

WN: I hear a ‘but’ hidden in that sentence.

U: Well, erm, yes. It´s no Eurofighter… The major had to laugh.

WN: I guess you´re right. Personally, I´d like to give every of ours such a beauty, but we have only a few and they are all needed elsewhere by pilots trained to fly them. We´d all need new training courses in order to be able to fly then and by then the war would probably be over already. Laughs. Besides, the production of the Eurofighter can only resume after several factories are built, which will last at least until next year.

U: Yes, sir. I know, sir, but a soldier can dream.

WN: Don't be so formal, Hauptmann, after all we're all pilots; here to supplement the UT planes. The Me 262 is the best plane we can produce currently, but I still think it will have a rather short career though, as it will be replaced as soon as the other planes currently being designed and built are ready. You see, this is still the Me 262 A-1a model, which engines are better but still, they´re only the Jumo 004 motors. The Me 262 B variant will be an all-day fighter with RADAR, HUD, Jumo 029 engines (GE J-49) with afterburners and the ability to carry AIM-9 Li Sidewinder missiles. And two BK-27 guns. They say, with some more modifications, Mach 1 could be achieved. I don´t know if that´s true…

In this moment, the alarm bells began to ring. Since the end of the 2nd battle of Britain no Allied plane had crossed the Channel, but apparently it was happening now.

WN: Hauptmann, do you have enough fuel?

U: Yes, sir!

WN: Then up into the air!


Thirty minutes later they were in the air. A group of Mosquitos had been discovered trying to attack the Phlipps factories in Eindhoven. And there they were, Hauptmann Uhse thought, and they noticed us. And while other planes may have had problems catching up with the enemy planes, the Me 262 certainly had none: A Mosquito only about 100 meters away. The four Mk 108 guns started shooting and soon the Hauptmann could see the result: The Mosquito went down with black smoke. Her first kill. When 16 of the 24 enemy planes had been shot down, they started to retreat.

Uhse and her fellow pilots followed the Mosquitos over the Channel now, but they were not allowed to enter British air space, so they would need to turn around soon. But then they were suddenly engaged by enemy jet fighters. Interesting, Hauptmann Uhse thought, Gloster Meteors. It was the only jet the Allies could field. One plane was in a good position behind the Hauptmann. A fast reaction was needed. The Me 262 could ascend much faster and higher than a Meteor. And indeed the enemy Meteor could not follow the Me 262 as Uhse ascended higher and higher: A turn to the right into the sun – and then a fast attack on the jet below. The Mk 108s fired again and the Gloster Meteor exploded.

But the Hauptmann had made a mistake. Behind the plane shot down was another Meteor. A first salvo barely missed the Me 262, yet a second never came. It looked like the guns had jammed. Only a second later another Me 262 appeared and fired the guns at the Meteor, which went down, leaving behind a black trail. After losing 6 Meteors, including another one for Uhse, for a badly damaged Me 262 the British planes retreated. As the fuel was low the Germans did the very same. And now the Hauptmann could recognize the plane that had saved her: It was the machine of the Major himself. He could now claim his 256th kill. But the kill of Hauptmann Beate Uhse was a special one: It was the first kill of a jet by another jet pilot, being her third. For the time being she was the best DT jet fighter pilot.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Moscow, Kremlin, September 6th 1944, 22:30:

Ever since Minsk had surrendered and the order to retreat had been given, Stalin (JS) hadn’t spoken. No one dared to disturb him as rumours floated around that a servant doing so had been shot by the man himself. Finally, at noon on September 6th he ordered Lawrenti Beria (LB), Wjatscheslaw Molotow (WM) and Marshal Alexander Wassilewski (AW) to meet him in the Kremlin at 22:30. When Stalin entered the conference room, the first thing he saw was Beria and Wassilewski arguing.

LB: ...that's why I want to see his head on a plate.

AW: How dare you! He acted to save the armies under his command. If he hadn’t done what he did, we would have already lost the war.

LB: He shot one of my officers! I want his head...

JS: Lawrenti, stop it. Your man was an idiot who was unwilling to adapt to the new circumstances. The retreat was the only possibility left.

LB: Josef, you can't be serious! He has shot one of my political officers. Even worse, a general, and he will remain untouched?

JS: Yes, at least for the time being. So keep your fingers off him.

LB: (after breathing) Yes, woschd.

JS: I know that some of you think that I shouldn’t have excused myself from the running of this war for so long – don’t deny it - but I needed time to ponder the situation. Obviously, we have severely underestimated the Germans, who have won a great victory against us. How bad are the numbers?

AW: About two million dead, missing or PoW...

JS: Two million?

AW: Yes.

JS: Can we at least replace them?

AW: Yes, we can even though our pool of recruits is nearly empty. Once, maybe twice if we thin out our garrisons.

JS: Do it. Our forces retreat towards the Dnjepr river?

AW: Yes, that should give us some space and time. When the rain period´s going to set in the ground will be muddy for months and when winter comes we can start another offensive. However, we also suffered great losses of war material: Many factories are not working at 100%, so we will run into problems of arming all soldiers in the future. As of now, we still have enough material left to arm most forces, but we have no reserves left. If we lose so much equipment again, we can't prepare for a counter offensive or even a second offensive in summer.

JS: I see. Wjatscheslaw, tell the Yankees we need new equipment, soon. Otherwise we can't continue the war.

AW: Woschd, there’s another problem, too: The Germans have destroyed several key railway junctions. We can't repair them all in time, at least not in the extent we needed them. There is only one way open: Murmansk. And that one smells like a trap.

JS: That's not my problem. How many ships do the Germans have stationed in Norway?

LB: Not many, only the Tirpitz. The other ships are conducting intensive manoeuvres in the Baltic.

JS: There you have it: The Allies can still deliver us the goods without problems.

WM: I already got notice that the US would send us forces to help us here.

JS: NO! NEVER! I will never allow any capitalist forces to operate from Russian soil! Thank them for the offer, but give them a firm ‘No’.

WM: I will see what I can do.

JS: Again: Their material support is absolutely necessary for us! Make it clear to them!

WM: Understood.

LB: And if they fail to deliver?

JS: Then we need another solution. (Short moment of silence) So how's the morale of the soldiers?

LB: So far, they are only shocked, not discontented. They obey the orders and will continue to do so. They fear the NKWD still more than they fear the Germans, which can change though, after another defeat...

JS: So, either we win the next battle or we face another revolution?

LB: Yes.

JS: And what's the situation with our Allies?

LB: It seems, Roosevelt is quite happy with current order of affairs, and he still thinks he can invade next year, which means that weakening us until the US forces can swoop in is a good idea in his eyes. Churchill has become a despondent drunk, a puppet of Washington.

JS: That's exactly why I don't want to have foreign forces here.

LB: And the Chinese have suffered yet another defeat at the hands of the Japanese.

JS: China is not our problem. As long as the Japanese don’t attack us...

LB: They can't, they don´t have enough forces for a two fronts war.

JS: Then everything is said. You know your orders.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Gerdauen air field. Army and Luftwaffe preparing for Operation Tannenberg.

http://www.aircraftaces.com/photos/bf-109-3.jpg

Bf 109 G en route to attack Münster air raid bombers. The Swastikas could not have been repainted yet. May 31st, 1944.

http://www.aircraftaces.com/photos/fw-190-1.jpg

FW 190-A in air combat over Münster, May 31st, 1944.

http://www.aircraftaces.com/photos/me-262-2.jpg

Me 262 A-1d at Schiphol, August 1st 1944.


http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/a/53/22/1158250982.jpg

Test flight Me 262 A-1d from Manching air base, July 1944 with GE J85 engines.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Me 262 A-1d with 2 J-85 engines:

- Much more reliable engines
- Much shorter take off (2.000 m)
- > 1.050 km top speed
- > 1.600 km range
- 4 MK 108 guns (as production of MK 213 C guns has not yet started in numbers
- 24 55 mm R4M or 76 Hydra 70 rockets
- Planned: introduction of AIM 9 LI missiles (8)
- originally planned: Introduction of RADAR, but reserved for C variant all weather fighter
- if needed: 2 250 kg bombs (role as bomber only theoretical)

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Moscow, Kremlin, September 6th 1944, 22:30:

Ever since Minsk had surrendered and the order to retreat had been given, Stalin (JS) hadn’t spoken. No one dared to disturb him as rumours floated around that a servant doing so had been shot by the man himself. Finally, at noon on September 6th he ordered Lawrenti Beria (LB), Wjatscheslaw Molotow (WM) and Marshal Alexander Wassilewski (AW) to meet him in the Kremlin at 22:30. When Stalin entered the conference room, the first thing he saw was Beria and Wassilewski arguing.

LB: ...that's why I want to see his head on a plate.

AW: How dare you! He acted to save the armies under his command. If he hadn’t done what he did, we would have already lost the war.

LB: He shot one of my officers! I want his head...

JS: Lawrenti, stop it. Your man was an idiot who was unwilling to adapt to the new circumstances. The retreat was the only possibility left.

LB: Josef, you can't be serious! He has shot one of my political officers. Even worse, a general, and he will remain untouched?

JS: Yes, at least for the time being. So keep your fingers off him.

LB: (after breathing) Yes, woschd.

JS: I know that some of you think that I shouldn’t have excused myself from the running of this war for so long – don’t deny it - but I needed time to ponder the situation. Obviously, we have severely underestimated the Germans, who have won a great victory against us. How bad are the numbers?

AW: About two million dead, missing or PoW...

JS: Two million?

AW: Yes.

JS: Can we at least replace them?

AW: Yes, we can even though our pool of recruits is nearly empty. Once, maybe twice if we thin out our garrisons.

JS: Do it. Our forces retreat towards the Dnjepr river?

AW: Yes, that should give us some space and time. When the rain period´s going to set in the ground will be muddy for months and when winter comes we can start another offensive. However, we also suffered great losses of war material: Many factories are not working at 100%, so we will run into problems of arming all soldiers in the future. As of now, we still have enough material left to arm most forces, but we have no reserves left. If we lose so much equipment again, we can't prepare for a counter offensive or even a second offensive in summer.

JS: I see. Wjatscheslaw, tell the Yankees we need new equipment, soon. Otherwise we can't continue the war.

AW: Woschd, there’s another problem, too: The Germans have destroyed several key railway junctions. We can't repair them all in time, at least not in the extent we needed them. There is only one way open: Murmansk. And that one smells like a trap.

JS: That's not my problem. How many ships do the Germans have stationed in Norway?

LB: Not many, only the Tirpitz. The other ships are conducting intensive manoeuvres in the Baltic.

JS: There you have it: The Allies can still deliver us the goods without problems.

WM: I already got notice that the US would send us forces to help us here.

JS: NO! NEVER! I will never allow any capitalist forces to operate from Russian soil! Thank them for the offer, but give them a firm ‘No’.

WM: I will see what I can do.

JS: Again: Their material support is absolutely necessary for us! Make it clear to them!

WM: Understood.

LB: And if they fail to deliver?

JS: Then we need another solution. (Short moment of silence) So how's the morale of the soldiers?

LB: So far, they are only shocked, not discontented. They obey the orders and will continue to do so. They fear the NKWD still more than they fear the Germans, which can change though, after another defeat...

JS: So, either we win the next battle or we face another revolution?

LB: Yes.

JS: And what's the situation with our Allies?

LB: It seems, Roosevelt is quite happy with current order of affairs, and he still thinks he can invade next year, which means that weakening us until the US forces can swoop in is a good idea in his eyes. Churchill has become a despondent drunk, a puppet of Washington.

JS: That's exactly why I don't want to have foreign forces here.

LB: And the Chinese have suffered yet another defeat at the hands of the Japanese.

JS: China is not our problem. As long as the Japanese don’t attack us...

LB: They can't, they don´t have enough forces for a two fronts war.

JS: Then everything is said. You know your orders.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Iași, September 7th 1944

From: Generalmajor Martin Unrein, commander 14th Panzerdivision

To: Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, Stabsstelle Ordensverleihungen

I recommend Hauptmann Herbert Zimmermann for the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross, as he played a vital part in the reconquest of Iași on September 4th. Hauptmann Zimmermann also received the first batch of PzKw V Ausf. F on September 1st.

(Thanks to cortz#9)

Data: Panzerkampfwagen V Ausführung F, 8,8 cm gun, Leopard I copula and TOW ATGM launcher, 800 hp MTU multi fuel engine

On September 2nd the Soviet forces started their retreat. The Army Group South was still preparing for an offensive and was surprised by the Soviets’ action. Without receiving new orders prior, Hauptmann Zimmermann used his company to conduct an armed reconnaissance. His 19 Panther crossed the front, having had no problems to break through, engaging about two dozen IS-II heavy tanks a while later. However, as they were detected earlier they ran into the fire of the Panther tanks. A single volley of TOW missiles meant the end of most tanks, with the few survivors being greeted with cannon fire either disabling or outright destroying them.

Zimmermann then gave the order to continue, now followed by German infantry of several units choosing to follow them. They found the enemy retreating in good order but the Soviets were indeed surprised to suddenly see German tanks directly behind them. The attack of Hauptmann Zimmermann led to confusion. He could simply steamroll the enemy as they were unable to build up a proper defence. About 100 enemy soldiers were killed and 900 captured. Soon after the force reached the outskirts of Iași. There, the enemy had built up good defence positions, but the lack of soldiers meant that many of them were understaffed or even unmanned, which meant that there were enough weak points for the German force to break through the line and attack the railway station of the city, catching several trains loaded with tanks that were ready to depart when he arrived. One of Zimmermann's Panther was damaged in the fight though, two men were slightly wounded. The other Soviet soldiers at the station surrendered soon after.

With Leutnant Vassili Stern as interpreter Zimmermann drove his tank alone through the streets with a white flag to negotiate the surrender of the city. Soon after he reached the Soviet commander of the city, who surrendered. He was said, they were only the first, more German forces were expected to arrive soon. Also an air strike was planned. Zimmermann would give the commander a single chance to avoid more bloodshed. This worked, as the commander surrendered at once.

During his actions, Zimmermann with his 19 tanks and about 250 infantry soldiers captured 12.500 Soviet men, 128 tanks, 600 guns and 8 trains with 15 locomotives. One infantry soldier was killed, three others wounded. One locomotive, 24 IS-2 and 2 T-34 tanks were destroyed, about 250 enemy soldiers killed. At 16:00 the city was secured by following forces.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

German Panzer Projects, Autumn 1944







Panzerkampfwagen V Panther, Ausführung F

OOC:

cortz#9 said: ↑

Panther V Ausf. F with 8.8 gun and Leopard-I cupola with modern optics, remote controlled MG, smoke grenade launchers and floodlight over the mantlet. I used the 10-cylinder, 800 HP MTU multi fuel engine instead of the Lprd-II's 1,000 HP engine because I think it would be to big for the Panther's frame and require more time to reconfigure than it would to use the 800 engine and time is of the essence in Tyr's TL. I believe the 800 MTU is still in production since its still being used in vehicles like the Flakpanzer Gepard.

The suspension is a reconfigured Leopard-I suspension, one road wheel has been removed for a better fit and has been made front wheel drive so as not to have reconfigure the Panther's hull as would be required if it remained a rear wheel drive vehicle. I also removed the hull MG gunner's position since this tank would also be using a modern radio and now the driver's position has been moved to the front, this was a last minute idea and I will do a front view pic of the tank when I get a chance.

I think Tyr's hybrid Germany could produce this tank without wasting too much time and would be able to deal with any enemy medium tanks it would encounter in late 1944 to early 45 but I was thinking of adding a T.O.W. rocket launcher to the turret for dealing with enemy heavy tanks.




E-50 Project, soon to be Panzerkampfwagen VIII Löwe, Ausf. A



OOC:

cortz#9 said: ↑

E-50 Leopard-1 hybrid with MTU MB 873 Ka-501 V-12 turbo diesel engine. Basically this tank is really just an up armoured Leopard-1 with the more powerful Leopard-2's engine.
According to what I've been able to gather about the E-50, it was to have been produced using all the lessons the Germans had learned during the war and was to be a much simpler and easier to produce tank than any other AFV built before.
This design would have mated the war era German preparations made to produce the E-50 with modern German technology, of all the hybrid WWII with post WWII AFV designs I've done, this one makes the most sense IMO.



Flakpanzer Coelian, 37 mm guns


Flakpanzer Ostwind II with BK-27 guns


Kanonenjagdpanzer-IV with 8.8 KwK 43 L/71

Pzkw. VI C Tiger III: Tiger II with 105 mm Rheinmetall gun and 1.500 hp Diesel engine.

E-75 Project: To replace Tiger III with 128 mm gun.

(Thanks to Cortz#9!)

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Washington D.C., White House, Oval Office, September 9th 1944, 09:45

Roosevelt (FDR) was sitting in his wheel chair behind his desk. Cordell Hull, secretary of state, enters the office.

CH: Mr. President, we received urgent news from Moscow. Stalin is demanding additional supplies from us.

FDR: He does? Not very surprising. Indeed, it had to be expected after his latest failures against the Germans. I had hoped to avoid this situation, though.

CH: Sir?

FDR: Stalin is our most important ally. One can trust – at least when it comes to seeing Germany brought down. If he needs our help, we will give him everything he needs.

CH: Sir, I beg to differ. He isn't trustworthy at all!

FDR: No. He is a close friend of mine and he is completely trustworthy! He shall get everything he needs!

CH: He is threatening us to leave the Alliance, if we don't deliver. That’s not the behaviour of a ‘true’ friend.

FDR: Pah, that's only show! He´s quite fond of doing that; he´s a Russian after all.

CH (mutters): Georgian, sir.

FDR: It´s east of Germany, so it´s Russian. Let me see his list... Ah... Yes. Well, he can get all that, but not now. We need about two months before we send the first batch.

CH: He says, the German fleet is not ready, so it might be prudent to act fast.

FDR: No, it´s just not possible to start now. And we can still use the ports in Persia and Wladiwostok.

CH: No, sir. According to my sources the German bombers did heavy damage to the railway junctions, which the Russians won't be able to repair any time soon. Only Murmansk is still open and that smells like a trap.

FDR: Well, I think if we could send in our fleet, we will destroy the Germans. It will cost us some ships, true, but in the end our numerical superiority will cast the battle in our favour. And it might be a trap, but it may also show the Germans don't have that many super weapons left.

CH: We should be careful. If the Germans close this route as well...

FDR: Stalin won't make peace with Germany, especially after all the things the Germans did to his country. He won't allow a new super power right next to his door.

CH: There might be a coup against him if the war continues like this.

FDR: Nonsense. There definitely will be a coup if he surrenders, though.

Both stay silent for a while, pondering this.

CH: There is another urgent topic we need to discuss: The papers are full of a so called ‘Morgenthau Plan’. Apparently, all information about it came straight from the Germans. Why wasn’t I informed of this?

FDR: Damn. Well, I should have known that it wouldn’t stay secret. It is a plan made up by Mr. Morgenthau and it´s only in the earliest stage of its inception, that’s why only I know about it. It´s a post-war strategic paper about how we should handle the demilitarization, denazification and democratization of a defeated Germany. Now that it´s out in the open, I can give you a copy.

CH: So, it does exist? Merkel didn't lie?

FDR: No, not this time. However, she was wrong on one account. We altered the plan slightly: Now, we will not allow any industry in Germany at all.

CH: That's crazy! That goes against everything America stands for! You´d damn a whole country into poverty.

FDR: Too many people here and in England hold the view that the German people as a whole are not responsible for what has taken place – that only a few Nazis are responsible. That unfortunately is not based on facts: The German people must have it driven home to them that their whole nation has been engaged in a lawless conspiracy against modern civilization and that they´re were all part of it.

CH: And how shall 150 million Germans be feed?

FDR: Officially, there are only about 75 millions Germans. And who cares about them? Definitely not the American voter, to whom we answer to.

CH: This is an atrocity!

FDR: It really isn't. Germany is and always has been a problem for the other powers. We need to take everything that they would require in order to challenge us again off.

CH: This is madness. That´s as vile as what the Nazis did!

FDR: Do, what you want to do. However, it will be my policy.

CH: Then I can't be part of your government anymore.

FDR: Well, if it's so...

CH: Good bye, Mr. President!

After a huge uproar in the public, President FDR was forced to shelf the Morgenthau Plan after all. He cast all the blame on Morgenthau, turning him into a persona non grata amongst certain fractions of political Washington. The man kept his office though. A new plan was made, JCS 1067.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Hamburg, Hotel Elysée, September 10th 1944, 11:45

Bruce Willis sat in a quiet corner of the brasserie. He could see the people walking by on the Rothenbaumchaussee and the old building of the university. There were fewer cars on the streets now, he noticed, and there were far more people wearing uniforms. For him everything still had a dreamlike quality to it. A nightmare, perhaps. He wasn't sure. His home had somehow been transported to the shores of Lake Constance. Emma and his children were still with him, so he was somehow luckier than many others. But, still…he saw himself as an US citizen. He was an American, damn! And now he was in his mother's country, the country of his birth. A close ally of the USA…It had been, at least. But sadly, these were no normal days.

Bruce hated to be on the other side. However, he couldn't fathom what stupidity drove Roosevelt; he knew the man was no friend of Germany, but even he should have seen the writing on the wall by now. He should make peace, damn. But the more time passed by, Bruce thought, the more bad blood would be cause between the two countries.

And then there was also the fact, that this US wasn’t the country he knew and loved, as difficult as it was: These were the United States of 70 years ago with all their faults: Race segregation, racism and misogyny. Was this country truly his country? Yesterday he had seen a black soldier celebrating his promotion with others in a bar, even a few "downtimers" having been there with him. Some others had shown their disdain, but had not acted on it, and to be honest, such people were everywhere, he had to confess. Right now, such a thing would have been impossible in the US.

He felt like he was torn apart by the two identities wrestling within his heart, which made it especially difficult to read the screenplay in front of him. Deep in his thoughts he did not notice Wolfgang Petersen entering the room until the man spoke up

WP: Hi, Bruce.

BW: Hi.

WP: Did you read the script, already?

BW: Yes, I did.

WP: And are you interested in developing it further?

BW: Yes, I am. But somehow...

WP: Yes?

BW: Somehow, this just feels so wrong. So very wrong. Like this shit. It is... Shit. I can't really explain. It is like coming home and see it totally different. And I wasn't home at all! Normally I would not make a movie now, but I need the distraction.

WP: But...

BW: John McClane feels the very same way. He would never, intentionally, do anything against the US. Then he somehow finds himself on the opposite side after the Event. And he´s forced to witness all the things in his country, which he thought they´d left behind decades ago. And now... Well, he has to rethink his position.

But it also divides his family: His daughter wants to intervene, even if it means working with the Germans. John and John Jr. are absolutely against this: They think she should stay home and wait it all out and go back later. They are Americans at all. My family and I had similar discussions: I talked with Rumer about it. She thinks similar. It´s just painful to read something that hits so close to home.


WP: We offered Rumer the role of Lucy McClane.

BW (laughing): Yes, that´d definitely fit. John is feeling exactly how I feel. And then there´s Lucy accepting the job offer from the German defence minister. Who plays her, by the way?

WP: Sandra Bullock.

BW: I don't think she looks like Mrs. von der Leyen, like, at all.

WP: She is named Helga von Schröder in the movie.

BW (continues reading the script): So, both fly to Turkey for secret talks with Allied ambassadors. However, their plane has some engine troubles and flies too low, making it possible for it be hit by the flak of some Greek communistic partisan commander...

WP: Played by Leonardo di Caprio...

BW: ...who then keeps them hostage after the belly landing of the plane. John and his son then ask for permission to take part in the rescue of the hostages. The Colonel Hausen tasked with this...

WP: We offered Christoph Waltz this role, but he has yet to reply. (sighs)

BW: …is completely against this. But the general...

WP: Heinrich George.

BW: ...forces him to accept. He also tells them that the US already contacted the partisan commander and demanded that Lucy would be extradited to them in order for her to be tried for treachery. So, John joins a group of KSK-soldiers...

WP: Till Schweiger, Wotan Wilke-Möhring, Fahri Yardim and some others...

BW: ...who then are ambushed on their way. Only John and his son continue after the enemy is beaten back. They are able to liberate the German minister, but in the last minute this Greek escapes, with Lucy as hostage. So, they follow him. The Greek takes an MTB and tries to get away with Lucy. John and Jack take another MTB and follow him. John can disable the other MTB and in the fight the Greek is killed by John. Unfortunately for them the US destroyer collecting them appeared and forces them either to surrender, and face a tribunal, or to attack the ship on their own. To make it worse, it is the ship John's uncle served in WWII. Nevertheless, John decides to fight and launches the torpedoes. The destroyer detonates, but not before severely damaging the MTB and wounding John. He needs help, and he needs it soon. A German U-boat then appears to bring them back home.

WP: And? What do you say?

BW: Wow. That's really Hollywood style.

WP: So, you don't like it?

BW: I didn't say that. I like it. Yes... Yes, I think, I´m gonna accept this role.

WP: Awesome! Now, what dishes are around here so that we can celebrate this milestone? I´m starving!

BW: Well, they told me all dishes here are good. But they don't have the very best dish there is.

WP: And what would that be?

BW: Lobster from Maine.

Both laughed. It would be nearly 16:00 when they would part ways.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Marineplanquadrat AM43, Atlantic Ocean, NE off Ireland, U-2511, October 5th 1944, 09:11

For the German Navy the use of submarines had dramatically declined after the Event: Most of the Type VII and IX boats had already been put out of service before and of the six modern boats only four were operational. Two more had been introduced soon after, but in the end that meant that only two boats could patrol while two others were being repaired/resupplied while the last two were on the way to the hunting grounds or on their way to their home bases.

They may be able sink 12 ships, and mostly did, per patrol, but that was literally only a drop in the ocean compared to the damage the air force dealt, although they, too, were low in numbers. However, with so many Type XXI and XXIII boats repurposed and soon ready for service again a new U-boat offensive could soon be started.

To Korvettenkapitän Adalbert Schnee, commander of U-2511, such thoughts were far from his mind at the moment. Xb-Dienst had detected the arrival of another British special convoy, consisting of least two troop transports and one escort carrier, with a P-3C Orion having detected the convoy as well. The plane had no bombs to drop left, but could send them data about the ships positions, but as of now they remained out of sight, but soon they would be forced to either leave or fight as some fighters had taken off from the carrier. No one wanted to have the Allies warned. So it fell to Adalbert to intercept the convoy. And even though Schnee was a veteran, having sunk 23 ships with nearly 96.000 grt he wasn't sure he could succeed this time: With 28 knots the ships were sailing very fast and to his knowledge no ship sailing that fast had ever been destroyed by submarine torpedoes.

Adalbert knew though, that Fenski's U-410 had sunk the HMS Penelope which had been going at 26 kn. It had been a lucky hit and luck was exactly what he needed right now. Not only because of the heavy escort but also because his own boat could "only" reach 17 kn. Thus, he needed to be in a good position to fire. He needed to ambush the enemy, not straight up chase them. So here he waited: The next moments would be decisive, showing whether he was in range for his eels or not. His boat carried 23 torpedoes: A variant of the G7e, but they had been upgraded. 8.000 m range with 45 kn and an acoustic warhead, which was so sophisticated, that the Allied Boxer system would not be useful at all. And he had sensors so he needed no visual contact.

He was a veteran of the Happy Days. Long gone. Now he was needed again below the ocean to test the new boats. He had conducted attacks like a submersible torpedo boat, mostly at night. Now this was a true submarine he was commanding. And that was the future.

"Herr Kap'tän, we have visuals!" his XO reported.

"And where are they?" he asked.

"It seems they had changed the course slightly. We are not in range. We could make it, but we would need to run at full speed. I would strongly advise against it, though, it makes us easier to detect.”

‘Verdammte Scheiße!’ he thought.

"Wait, wait! They´ve changed the course again. We are now in range of two of the three transports."

"Give in the data and fire three eels on each target!"

"Jawoll!"

Soon after six T-12 torpedoes were travelling through the water, fired from a greater distance and depth than usual. The maximum range of the torpedoes was 15.000 m, but only with 30 kn. Adalbert could not hope to hit the fast running ships with such a low speed. So, he had to fire from the closer range of nearly 8.000 m. Five minutes later the torpedo tubes were reloaded.

"Two ships were hit, sir. One has stopped, the other one continues on, but with lower speed." his XO reported.

"Periscope depth!" he ordered. He had to see, what was going on!

"Depth charges in the water!" He was notified. But the escorts were too far away: They threw the depth charges blindly.

"Fine. There is the enemy. Oh, Lord! It seems we hit the Queen Mary! And there the Queen Elizabeth is! The Queen Mary lies there listing, but the Queen Elizabeth is continuing, but with slow speed. Target Queen Elizabeth. 10 kn. Course 90°. Distance 5.500 m. 12°. Torpedoes 1 to 3 ready?"

"Ready!"

"Fire!... Next target. Distance 5.000 m. Dead ahead. No speed. Torpedoes 4 to 6 ready?"

"Torpedoes ready!"

"Fire!"

All six eels were in the water. His crew was still loading the tubes when the explosions could be heard. He saw the eels hitting. HMTS Queen Mary was hit by all 3 coups de grâce. She soon capsized. HMTS Queen Elizabeth was hit by two eels and lay also dead in the water with heavy listing. Soon after three coups de grâce would sink her as well. Schnee had aimed very well. The acoustic devices were not needed this time

"Herr Kap'tän. New contact. 4.000 m at 280°."

"I can see it. An escort carrier. New target. Escort carrier. Torpedoes 4 to 6. Distance 3.500 m. 330°. Speed 15 kn. Fire."

Soon after USS Princeton was hit by two eels. The third struck HMS Bickerton, a British frigate. Both ships had to scuttled later. But Schnee was already continuing his patrol. He had evaded the escorts undetected. He had sunk two warships, a light carrier and a frigate, as well as two great troop transports. 6.301 men had perished.

Eventually Schnee would reach Brest on October 31st after spending the last eel.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Pola, German Naval HQ, September 15th 1944

From: Fregattenkapitän Herbert Max Schultz, Commander 3rd Schnellbootflotilla

To: Marinegruppenkommando Süd

Action Report

This night the six operational boats of the flotilla, S-30, S-33, S-36, S-57, S-58 and S-60 were patrolling the area of Pola to the north of Lissa. Communistic partisans are still active in that area, despite all countermeasures. It is assumed that they receive material support from the Allies. After the fall of Ancona we now have to face new threats in the from "dog boats" of the type Fairmile D. These motor launches are built to fight the S-Boats. They are better equipped than our Type 1939 boats and faster.

This night we found several smaller boats with resupplies for the Partisans. 77 Partisans, 6 British soldiers and 26 civilians were captured, as were six smaller yachts and one small tanker. On the way back to Pola our ships were attacked near Premuda island by six of the Fairmile D MTBs. They engaged us directly. We wouldn’t have had a chance against them with only our single 2 cm gun, if there hadn’t been a MILAN operator on board.

The first attacker in range was hit by a MILAN missile, which destroyed the boat. However, this did not stop the others from engaging anyway. S-33 and S-57 were damaged in the subsequent fight, but so were two enemy crafts as well. The third was then hit by a second MILAN missile and sank quickly. The enemy boats retreated at first but then returned, damaging S-58 and S-60 while also further damaging S-57. One of the enemy boats was severely hit by our artillery fire and soon began to sink. And when another one fell victim to a MILAN they retreated fast. We further took eight British sailors as PoW.

S-57 needs extensive repairs and will likely not return until the end of the year. S-33 requires only minor repairs and will be operational within two weeks, as will S-58. S-60 will need longer repairs of up to a month. Currently we only have S-30 and S-36 ready.

The MILAN missiles were the key to this victory. However, only 3 out of 12 missiles fired hit due to the rough sea. Nonetheless I am strongly recommending the use of these missiles on S-Boats.

Signed Schultz

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Letters from Germany, October 1944


Dear Guilia,

when we were released this June we were promised to get paid reparations for the time being. And we got an offer: If we were to continue working, we would receive huge sums. Carissima, I chose to accept this offer so that one day I may offer you a comfortable life. Once I return I will have earned so much money we can marry. It will be enough for a new little house and furniture. I am longing for you. Please, don't worry. I am fine and I hope that we'll see us as soon as possible. Hopefully this war won´t last any longer.

In eternal love,

Luigi


................................................................................


Dear father,

I am fine here in Dresden. Ever since the day we were released my life hasn’t changed much, except for the money I get paid now. The Germans I met were in no way bad; I heard much worse stories, though. I chose to work here and I even got the offer for an apprenticeship. I´m working in a carpenter's shop, as I did before. My boss is very nice and, as I already wrote, is treating me very well.

The more I write, the more I want to just stop and never write the next sentences: But father, I won't come home. My boss has a daughter, his only child since her brother died at Stalingrad who should have taken over the shop. We fell in love; actually, we are together since 1942, but we kept it secret. Nonetheless, my boss found out and yet he has no problems with us being together and even offered me that I could take over his shop once he retires. There was a lot of bureaucracy involved, but in the end he managed it: In two years, once Friederike turns 18, we want to marry. I know, you hate every German and I can't even condemn you for that. However, I won't come home.

I love you and mom, so much. I wish you´d allow us to visit you in Poland someday. However, I know, that this isn't possible for the foreseeable future. Don't worry, I have no problems with that. Hopefully you´ll accept my choice one day.

Your Krzystof


................................................................................


Dear Josephine,

I finally got all the papers for you to come and live with me. Unfortunately, I have to return to the front, but once you arrive home I can get special leave in order to marry you. I know, it´s not easy for you to leave Orléans, but the animosity of your neighbours and family members make it dangerous for you to stay there. A special passport will be sent to you by the German authorities. I have added some money for the train to Mannheim. My parents will collect you from the train, if you send them the date and time. I can't wait to see you and our unborn child in safety. I don't want to think what could happen, if you stay.

I love you,

Siegfried


.................................................................................



Dear father,

we were released from this slavery. However, as a so called ‘enemy civilian’ I am still imprisoned, only that they call it internment instead. It is better than the camp I´ve been in before but I still can't come home. But better here than working for the Germans again. Many do so, nonetheless. Traitors. We need to deal with them later, at home. I would want to write you more, but I fear, it would only cause trouble I don't want to deal with right now.

Your

Alexeij Wladimirowitsch Bogadin


................................................................................


Staatsanwaltschaft Hamburg, Gorch-Fock-Wall 15, 20355 Hamburg


Herrn

Pavel Iwanowitsch Spiridonow

Untersuchungshaftanstalt Hamburg C189

Holstenglacis 3

20355 Hamburg



Dear Mr. Spridonow,

please take notice of the charges against you attached to this letter.

Best regards,


Stein

Justizangestellte


Anklageschrift

Geschäftszeichen 3201 Js 448/44

Mr. Pavel Iwanowitsch Spiridonow,

Soviet citizen

soldier, prisoner of war

born in Perm 21.05.1919

married

currently UHA

in this case temporarily arrested on October 3rd and in detention because of a warrant issued on October 4th

next review of bail according to § 121 Abs. 1 StPO 3rd on April 1945

is to be charged

in Hamburg on October 3rd 1944

for the attempt of damaging or destroying war material, in this case a war ship,

by

placing several gas bottles in the bow of the heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee in order to damage or destroy said vessel currently under repair at Blohm & Voss yard through the explosion of said gas bottles.

Crime accusable according to § 16 Abs. 1, 3 Nr. 3, 5 KrStGB.

...

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Berlin, Bundeskanzleramt, October 4th 1944, 09:15

Chancellor Merkel was working at her desk when Peter Altmaier entered the room.

AM: Hello Peter, come in. Shuffles with the papers on der desk. Did you read the latest BILD?

PA: Yes, I did. Do you want to change your narrative?

AM: No, not yet at least. But I think I may have to at the end of the year.

PA: I think you're right. The steps they´re demanding will only prolong the war.

AM: Indeed. There are people who want me to build up some kind of White Russian force to fight the Communists. And to be honest, I wished I could...

PA: Well, if we only fought Stalin...

AM: Nods. That's the problem. We have to remember that we´re still at war with the Western Allies as well. I'd like to take Stalin out like we did with Hitler, however, he is an ever clever person, who was very careful in his actions. I still think we can force him into accepting some kind of deal. His cautiousness will be the key. The alternative would be the continuation of the war for which we lack resources in the long run. We can enhance the DT equipment, but our UT equipment will be very limited. Other resources are even more crucial, like oil. Our tanks are useless without oil. We need to end this war as fast as we can.

PA: And how do you think we can manage that?

AM: Stalin isn’t stupid – far from it – he has lost over two million men in the last few weeks alone, which he won't be able to replace that easily. He, too, must see this and if he doesn’t…Then we have to fight in the hope that we´ll win against the Soviets decisively until next summer. Otherwise our oil reserves will have been used up by then. What we are able to produce is not sufficient to keep Germany running. Even with reserves and new production we will hit severe shortages in early summer next year at latest.

PA: That's why you´re still willing to ‘deal with the Devil’?

AM: Yes. And, well, if he insists on continuing the war then we will fully support a government in exile and Free Russian troops. Hopefully our winter offensive will be strong enough to strike deep into Soviet territory so that our summer offensive will be able to take the Baku oil fields. That should be enough to finish Stalin off once and for all.

PA: Sounds like a good plan.

AM: I hope it won´t come to that, it´s a dangerous plan, after all. We would risk much, especially as most of our forces would then be fighting in the East, which may enable the Allies to finally push through on the Western front.

PA: We couldn’t deal them a blow hard enough to force them into an armistice because even now we need our forces for the East.

AM: Exactly. Because of that I am ordering our air force in the West to conduct a special operation. Perhaps it will be enough to severely damage Mr. Roosevelt in his election campaign.

PA: Well, all our material about his scandals were published everywhere but in the USA itself. Admiral Canaris thinks Mr. Hoover is responsible for that.

AM: Likely. But that is indeed not really all that important. We're allied to Japan. We can't throw them under the bus, especially as they´re taking care of their more…extremist elements.

PA: You don't hear much about that, but several high ranking officers were arrested, some others committed seppuku. There´s talk about a trial in Tokyo after the war.

AM: We will also have one, in Nuremberg.

PA: Should I start contacting the Soviet opposition then?

AM: Not yet. We´ll wait until the US election is done.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Dumberton Oaks, Washington D.C., September 2nd 1944, 08:30:

Sir Alexander Cardogan (CA), British Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Andrei Gromyko (GR), Soviet Ambassador to the United States were sitting at the conference table. They were discussing the newest developments when Edward Stettinus Jr. (ST), US under-secretary of state, entered the room.

ST: Gentlemen, it seems the rumours are true. The Germans have indeed done it: They have founded the UN they´re always babbling on about!

CA: What?

GR: A surprising step indeed. I did not see that coming.

ST: Neither did we.

CA: How could that happen without our knowledge!

GR: Well, we don't know what our secret services know but haven´t told us because they deemed it not important enough. At least I can say I am surprised. No one informed me about it.

ST: Me neither. Either our secret services were also surprised or they didn't inform me.

CA: And what exactly has happened?

ST: The German chancellor Merkel founded the UN in Königsberg, not only with her Axis allies but with several neutral states as well. As far as we know it´s also Sweden, Turkey and Spain. But I heard about others considering to join as well.

GR: Do they have already a Charta?

ST: Yes, they have and they also signed it. A copy was given to our embassies in Switzerland and Sweden. Another copy could we were able to obtained in Spain. I think it was sent to your embassies there as well.

CA: Possible. If it was then the ministers would be discussing it already.

GR: Likely. However, I'd like to see it in person.

ST: We will send you one later. However, I could take a look and it seems they are copying our ideas.

CA: Well, then our solutions wouldn’t have been that bad.

ST: So it seems. There will be a general assembly, a security council, a secretary and an International Court.

GR: That does sound familiar.

ST: They have not only copied our suggestions but also implented interesting new ones: As far as we know the General Assembly is nearly the same as what we had planned. I would even say it is identical, except for the USSR only having one vote.

GR: We won't accept that. Not only Russia, but also the Ukraine and Belorussia have to be accepted as states, so the USSR requires three voices.

(CA shakes his head)

CA: And the security council?

ST: It is very similar as well. But they have two additional states as permanent members.

CA: I bet it´s Germany and Japan?

ST: Spot on! Interestingly, they have also a seat for China. But we don’t know which China it´s supposed to be for. Manchukuo? China?

GR: Manchukuo, of course. And do they also have the ability to veto any decisions?

ST: Yes, they do. But the General Assembly can overrule it, provided two permanent members or 2/3rd of the member states support it.

GR: We can´t accept that, even if Japan and Germany weren´t permanent members of the Security Council.

CA: And I guess every institution will have its seat in Germany?

ST: Erm, no, quite the opposite: The General Assembly would be New York and the International Court of Justice in Den Haag.

CA: Interesting. Such a move is very cunning. I guess the Germans did everything to undermine our attempts here. If we continue we need to be more liberal than the Germans.

GR: No, we need to force the nations to follow us.

ST: That won't work. Many nations would not accept that.

CA: We can't accept the German version.

ST: Indeed, we can't. But what can we do?

GR: I guess we should continue. At least, until we get further instructions.

ST: Alright. Where did we stop yesterday?

GR: The question about the veto right of the permanent members.

CA: Yes. Erm, I would like to postpone this meeting until we get a copy of the German charta.

ST: Yes, that seems prudent.

GR: While I see no great sense in it, as we can solve our problems alone, I am not against a later meeting though.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Santiago de Chile, September 4th 1944, 9:00

The declaration of war by the Republic of Chile against Germany, Japan and the other states referred to as "Axis powers" on September 9th was soon followed by a massive public backlash. For Juan Antonio Ríos Morales such a development had been foreseeable as the calls for war had become more subdued after the Event. Only economic pressure by the United States, which were in dire need of a diplomatic victory on the international stage, had even led to Chile´s declaration of war.

The US applied the same pressure on Argentina. Only mere hours after the Chilean declaration of war the Minister for Work, General Juan Perón, was removed by Edelmiro Farrel, the leader of the military. It was quite ironic, Farrel supposed as he knew that few years down the line, Perón would succeed him anyway. However, this move was not without consequences: Within a few days a majority of the workers had started to strike and demanded the release of the general. This was supported by the pro-German factions within administration and military, who still were very influential. Due to the new Königsberg Charta of the United Nations the democratic politicians in Argentina supported this move as well. In the end Farrel was forced to release Perón and was forced to hold elections on November 12th, where Perón, who just had married his sweetheart Evita, achieved a landslide victory with 59%.

The first move of newly sworn-in President Perón was the signing of the chart of the UN. For Chile, but also Brazil, that didn't bode well, especially as Uruguay reopened diplomatic ties to Germany and Japan.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Princeton, September 6th 1944, 15:28:

Albert Einstein sat in his room in the university. He didn’t feel very well and the work on his theories hadn’t progressed as much as he would have liked. He was torn out of his mood when his secretary knocked at the door. A messenger from the embassy of the Vatican was waiting outside, she was telling him. Einstein was stunned. What could the Vatican possibly want from him? Much to his surprise, though, the young priest awaiting him only handed him a letter and a small package. The letter from the German government was instantly thrown into the trash can. The package he opened.

‘Ah, it´s from Max! How did he manage to send me this, though?’ he asked himself. The first thing he did was reading the letter that was atop whatever device he had sent.

My dear Albert,

There´s so much I have to tell you; however, you might not even believe me. The apparatus I enclosed has a recording stored, which can explain everything. Please start the device (it´s called a tablet) by pressing the button on the left side, with which you can also switch it off again later. Then enter the name of your sailing boat here at Caputh by touching the screen. And finally you need to touch the icon named ‘Nachricht von Max’.

I hope it will explain many of the question you undoubtedly must have. You might have even more, but I can't explain everything right now.

Best Regards,

Max Planck

Einstein regarded the device for the first time. It was thin – even thinner than his notebook – sleek and black. Futuristic, indeed. It´s surface was smooth and its front dominated by a piece of glass that covered it completely.

He pressed the only button on the side like Max had explained. The screen on the front lit up; the device now asking for a password.

Passwort: Tümmler.

There was a soft ping then the screen changed and a new interface with several icons appeared. Eintein was completely astonished. How could something like this be even possible? Might the claims of this new German government even be true? His thoughts were interrupted when his gaze caught the icon Max had mentioned. He touched it: The screen faded to black and Einstein was already afraid that he had somehow managed to break the device, but then Max Planck's face appeared.

"Hello Albert, my dear friend.

The most important thing I have to tell you is that everything what the German government told about the Event is the complete truth. It really has happened: Somehow the Germany of 70 years in the future was transported into our time. And I can tell you, that there´s even some more to it than, well, a ‘simple’ time voyage."

Einstein was stunned. He had dismissed everything the Germans said as rubbish. It was simply impossible. Impossible. It had to be!

"If you still think it´s impossible…" Max continued.

‘Yes, I do." Einstein interjected mentally.

"…Then, please do enlighten me how a device such as you´re holding in your hands right now can even exist otherwise as our own technology is decades away from it?"

Einstein had to concede that point. Still…time travel did sound very far-fetched.

"Yet it is possible. And no, I´m not reading your thoughts.” Planck laughed. “I just know you well enough, I guess. Here, for example, you have a list of all chemical elements that will be found until 2014, a computer device you can compute large numbers on your own and some articles. As long as the war drags on I can´t give you anything more concrete, as the German government doesn't want to give the enemies more knowledge that they can use for the atomic bomb. Yes, we know about it and the difficulties the scientists are having."

Einstein had heard about some problems with the program but he had never been an important enough part of it that he would be notified about any problems.

"For now, the last thing I can tell you is that you have an aneurysm in your stomach which will eventually lead to your death in about 10 years. We might be able to treat it if you came to Germany."

Einstein was aghast: An aneurysm!? Possible. He would need to visit a doctor in the next few days to have an expert check it.

"I really wish I could talk to you more, but everything else I want to say I´m not allowed to. Wait, there´s something! You should abandon your current line of work. It´ll lead nowhere. Bye and maybe we´ll see each other soon?"

Einstein did not know what to say. He tried a few of the programs on this tablet, such as the calculator; Easy. Even the biggest sums he could add or distract. Or... And then the other functions he learned when reading the manual. His first selfie, happening accidentally, looked good. Well, he looked like a fool, but it was a success. He took several other pictures. And he read 200 articles of several magazines that were stored on the device as well, but only the ones about physics and history.

It was very late when Einstein could finally tear himself away from the tablet. He just wanted to go home but then his gaze fell on his trash can where the unopened letter stared innocently at him. Frowning, Einstein pulled it out of the bin and opened it:

Prof. Einstein,

We are happy to inform you that your rights to your real estates and other assets which were unrightfully seized by the Nazi regime have been restored. Furthermore, a reparation sum of 250.000 Euros has been transferred to an account at the Bundesbank. You can access the money at any time; however, be warned that the Allies do not accept Euro as means of payment. Enclosed is the deed to the account and a list containing all assets that have been seized and their estimated monetary worth. In case you want to challenge these estimates, please forward your claim to the ‘Federal Ministry for Finances, Department: Reparation Claims’. Unfortunately, the location of your boat ‘Tümmler’ is still unknown.

Sincerly,

Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble,

Federal Minister for Finances

That night Albert did not sleep very well as there was too much to think about.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Internet, Autumn 1944:

The Internet had been massively hit by the Event: As servers were located outside the affected area, connection to them and the data they had been hosting was lost immediately. Some of it could be rebuilt from the back-ups, but most of it would be lost forever. However, soon more and more websites went back online as the infrastructure recovered, this time mostly sites of German corporations and government agencies. Among the websites that need a little bit more time to be reinstalled was YouTube as the firm had to be reinstalled by the 2. Treuhand, because most of its supporting staff and its mother corporation Alphabet and its shareholders didn’t exist anymore.

As it is with human nature, soon after it wen online, the first videos depicturing the on-goings in the current war were posted. Some of them looked like Hollywood movies, polished and flawless, while others were nothing more than shaky videos taken by smartphones. There was the invasion attempt at Boulogne where the viewer could watch small boats making their way towards the coast. The roar of guns could in the background. Then the first missiles impacting. But this wasn’t some fancy Hollywood movie, though, this was reality, where you could watch actual people suffering and dying.

The really gory videos didn’t make it on the platform at all, either flagged automatically or by the censors working behind the curtains. The ones where you could see the end result war wrought upon humanity: the dead soldiers of the Allies, or worse the ones that weren’t so lucky and were still alive; trashing, screaming, crying and begging in their mother tongues to be released from the pain. A soldier that was trying to keep his bowels from falling out of the deep gash in his stomach. A soldier running around with his own arm. A female Bundeswehr soldier who shot a French soldier – dying and crying to be killed – straight in the head.

Another video that YouTube was too slow to catch was showing the liberation of Auschwitz. Officially local Wehrmacht forces had liberated the KZ without any help from UT forces. The pictures that went viral did tell another story, though. A few days after the video had appeared the government admitted to its authenticity.

The video showed a Panther with infantry support driving towards the gate of the KZ. Suddenly some of the guards started to fire and a Wehrmacht soldier got down. The others immediately dived behind cover. Now the other guards were firing as well. The Wehrmacht soldiers now returned the fire. The listener could then hear a shot very close and then a man was falling from a guard’s turret, landing on the ground with a sickening crush. The other turret was destroyed by the Panther.

Fade to black and another scene starts, showing a soldier covering behind the Panther in his hands a modern assault rifle. He runs into another position, taking cover again. Then he fires on a group of SS-men covering behind a wall, managing to hit one of them with his salvos. The soldier gives orders to a soldier with a Panzerschreck, who fires his rocket on the position the SS men were hiding. A bog explosion filled the screen then the soldier rose and advanced. After taking cover again, the Panther is advancing destroying another resistance nest. The soldier takes cover behind the tank again and gives fire support to a group of Wehrmacht soldiers advancing. When he passes the point where the men that had been hit by the Panzerschreck had been hiding, there was a split-second where the video showed the corpse of the SS-men, the wall they had been hiding behind splintering into thousands of shards that had turned into deathly projectiles.

Soon after the SS-men were surrendering. According to the official sources, Göth, Mengele and some others had died in the initial fight, but this was now exposed as creative use of the truth: They had survived the taking of Auschwitz. But now that the facility had been secured, the soldier ordered several men to place Mengele and cohorts in front of a wall. Wehrmacht soldiers stood there and shot them. As the faces of the men were completely pixelated it was not possible to identify any of them. Because of this there were never any official inquiries, much to the dismay of the far right, though. Ironically it was Fritz Bauer, who started the only serious attempt at solving the case while also persecuting the other crimes committed in Auschwitz. But he, too, eventually dismissed the case as there was no solid proff.

At the end of the movie the names of three German soldiers that had died while liberating the KZ were shown:

Gefr. Gerhard Obermair, 1918-1944

UOff. Heinz Wolski, 1919-1944

Gefr. Hans Hansen, 1921-1944

In the end of 1944 the group PirateLeaks confessed to publishing those videos. Their motive had been to show the horror of the war and the true story of Auschwitz. It wouldn’t be the last time the group leaked classified material.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Near Sagan, Lower Silesia, September 15th 1944, 14:38

Perhaps for the very first time in her life, Peggy Knobloch was working hard. Ever since she could remember her family had been poor. However, she had long ago decided that she wouldn’t be content with continuing to live this way; no, she would be something better. And because of that she tried to begin a new life, but as she had learned something properly she didn’t make it very far. After some time, she fell into a crowd of boys and girls, who came from "better" homes but had decided to leave it all behind for something ‘better’ and ‘purer’. They called it the ‘Autonomous way’. They were on the far-left side of the political spectrum, yet Peggy didn’t really buy their Marxism, Leninism, Maoism or what else -ism, she only cared for the family she had found with these people. She had found something like a home. Throwing stones during some protest marches was fun, but she never really saw the need for it.

Then the Event occurred. And someone – Peggy assumed it had been Peter – got the idea to burn some trucks to show the capitalist oppressors that even in this new world they shouldn’t feel save, which they did: The Bundeswehr was only a tool to keep the proletariat in check, anyway. But they had been caught, and Peggy, although she had only supported her friends by being present, was sentenced to three years prison. It wasn't her first sentence, but with the war happening in the background it was made harder. Then she decided to work for two years in a so called Baueinheit to build roads and so on. She thought that this would be preferable to just sit around in a prison cell. Additionally, she would be released much earlier.

"Üffes, please help me with that rock,"she asked another inmate. She still didn't get his name was Yves and pronounced Ief. He was also from the left scene and she had seen him at some "Bambule" in the early days of the Event, but the police acted much harsher. They had even stormed the Rote Flora in Hamburg ending its yearlong occupation, resulting in five deaths, including one police officer.

And while the left radical resistance died down shortly after as many were either too shocked or acted too soon for a real campaign, the Nazis were hiding for the time being. As far as Peggy was aware, the Nazis were split into two groups: One group thinking that for now war had to be won and afterwards they would then proceed getting power by popular vote when the population saw that theirs was the way to go in these uncertain times. Then there was the second group unable to even form a more coherent strategy than simply burning down offices of the Left or ganging up on foreigners in groups. Much to the relief of everyone, a real Nazi terror organization with assassinations of politicians had not yet developed. However, two attempts to form such groups had already been busted by the authorities.

For Peggy chances were good she would get a place in a program and receive professional training after the war, when the program was to end.

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Hindenburg Barracks, Munster, October 2nd 1944, 18:55

General Dwight D. Eisenhower sat on the couch in his room in the barracks. Since he had been captured during the ill-fated invasion at Boulogne the Germans had treated him well enough. Today they had shown him the new panzer designs here at Munster. Even the German Minister for Defence had sought to talk to him and tomorrow he would even meet Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. He had not believed this story about time traveling Germans at first, but now he certainly did. How could the US even hope to defeat such a behemoth? He was torn out of his thoughts when someone knocked on the door. When he beckoned the other person to come in, he saw that it was George S. Patton:

IKE: Come in, George.

PAT: Hello, Ike. I need to talk with you.

IKE: You look angry.

PAT: That´s because I am angry. Aren’t you? Our superiors lied to us. They simply let us die! I...

IKE makes some hand gestures, indicating that someone might be listening in on their talk.

PAT: Pah, let them listen, I don’t care! Let them hear what I want to say. Or better let the whole world hear! It's, like the Germans say, scheißegal, if they hear it or not. Our politicians are idiots or criminals or both. I can't believe they sent us out into this mess, even when they knew it better.

IKE: Apparently, they didn’t believe the tales of time travel. We didn’t either.

PAT: Yeah, but they had access to much more intel. And although you might have had a point at the beginning, they´re still carrying on with this idiocrasy. Our boys don't have a chance. Not a single chance.

IKE (sighs): Yes, you're right. From the start, we had no real chance at winning. I recapitulated all the possibilities we had. The Germans were alarmed and knew of all our plans. Either Normandy, like it was planned, or Boulogne. We chose the latter, because we knew that the Germans knew of the plans for the Normandy. I was against it from the start, because I didn’t believe that Boulogne could succeed. The fact that we succeed at Normandy in the alternative timeline is a huge surprise. Anyway, I was ordered to attack, so I did.

PAT: So did I. So, we both did. And what happened?

IKE: I was allowed to take a look at the German defence plans. They knew every single detail of our plan – hell, they had whole books about it with the original orders! – and we walked right into their trap. It would have been wiser to wait.

PAT: Yeah, I saw those plans as well. We had no chance at all. But now they know about the truth. And still they don't change their tactics.

IKE, (thoughtfully): Yes. They don't adapt.

PAT: And the problem is, we don't have a chance. Look at those tanks: This Leopard 2 tank can drive and fire simultaneously. Sometimes one shot can take out two tanks. A single shell! Look at this photograph: Two Russian T-34 destroyed with a single shell! Or this: Two Shermans in a row and a single shot. Both Shermans can only be used as scrap metal now. And this new SPG, tank howitzer 2000. One of them can replace a whole battery! Or these guided missiles. A...

IKE: I know. But that is not the worst. They are upgrading their DT equipment as well. Look at the new Tiger III, new motor, 10,5 cm gun. Or the Panther F with the 8,8 cm gun. These tanks are superior to everything we have. And they are not from the future. The M-4 is hopelessly outclassed.

PAT: It was a big mistake not to build the M-26

IKE: Indeed. However, even that would not change much.

PAT: You´re right. The M-26 is inferior to everything the Germans produce. And designing and producing a new model would take years. Time we simply do not have.

IKE: They have an advantage of 70 years! Everything we develop in the foreseeable future is not adequate.

PAT: Why don’t the politicians just make peace and call it a day? It is really...

IKE: Yes, I think so. They see the very evil in Germany and want to fight it to the bitter end. They want to destroy Germany, now even more so, as the Germans possesses technological marvels they all desire. Hell, if I could steal a Leopard for our boys, I´d do it in a heartbeat. They think they can't afford to let Germany win the war, because it would only become stronger than ever before.

PAT: They have to see the Germans can't be beaten!

IKE: Really? I doubt it. The Germans do have an Achilles heel. They lack the resources for prolonged warfare. We can outproduce them. And we have more men.

PAT: Yes, true. But the Germans could replace the entire Eastern Army. And I strongly belief the Soviets are in dire straits after the last losses. They can't afford them. Another defeat like this...

IKE: I agree. Either we help them or they make peace.

PAT: Do you think Stalin will accept help?

IKE: No. And it would be better to get rid of him as fast as possible.

PAT: Yes. I totally agree.

IKE: I don't see the Germans are a danger for us. They are democrats and they don’t care about the Far East or America.

PAT: That could change, though. And democratic nation or not, there are too many people in the US who want to destroy Germany.

IKE: Any attempt we make to change that is likely counterproductive. We would lose all of our credibility, especially since we´re stuck here and can't defend ourselves.

PAT: I will nonetheless send a letter to these idiots and tell them my opinion. They are killing our men for nothing! They could get a good deal from the German government but with every day they continue it will only get worse.

IKE: They´ll try to drag your reputation through the mud.

PAT: I'm George S. Patton. I'm a general and not a son of bitch like this Roosevelt. Or such a Jew like Morgenthau. But you! You could become a politician. I would support you.

IKE: Let´s not be hasty here.

PAT: We´re gonna be ‘guests’ here for quite a while still, so there is no hurry. These damn politicians. They could have destroyed Stalin back in 1945 in the original timeline. Churchill was ready. We were ready. We could have launched this operation Unthinkable. We...

Someone was knocking on the door. A German Hauptmann entered the room: “Sirs, the dinner is ready. If you're so kind to follow me?”

 

[Tyr Anazasi]

Peenemünde, October 3rd 1944, 11:48:

Wernher von Braun stood in the command bunker situated near the rocketry testing ground. On June 20th an Aggregat 4 rocket had reached 175 km height and therefore had been the first man-made object in space. Since the Event much had happened: At first he had been arrested, but he had been released shortly after, in equal parts because he knew how to work people to his advantage and also because – as it turned out – he was deemed necessary for the German rocketry and space programs. Indeed, he had been appointed as head of the German Space program of the DLR with. Prof. Oberth as his advisor. And although they had to learn much first, they learned quickly. Many German firms had been producing integral parts for space agencies all over the world before the Event, including engines and such. Those developments hadn’t grinded to halt; no, instead new line-ups of rockets were to be made public soon.

But today von Braun wanted to test technology. As the Aggregat 4 was available in large numbers and cheap to produce, they were used in many of his tests, including today. The mission was to send a small satellite into orbit. It would be nothing else but a satellite with a sender to send signals to all radio operators on Earth. With that step, the German government hoped to once again show their technological advancement to the world and to impress the population of neutral and enemy states in the hope of shortening the war.

The countdown started. Zehn...Neun...Acht...Sieben...Sechs...Fünf...Vier...Drei...Zwei...Eins...Zündung.

The rocket launched into the air. Only a little while later the rocket had reached her destination and launched the 15 kg satellite ‘Hündchen’ (small dog).

Soon von Braun was notified by Oberpfaffenhofen that the launch had been a success. For about two weeks the satellite would send signals to Earth before it would burn to scraps when it re-entered atmosphere. Von Braun knew very well that this was only a small step compared to what was still to come. And he also knew his work was only funded because the German government wanted to develop an ICBM while using their civilian satellites as smokescreen to hide it from their own citizens. Hidden like the fact that also several dozen Aggregat 4 were secretly prepared to launch chemical weapons once the WAllies would use WMD. As a first step to retaliate. Such an attack would be nearly as deadly as a nuclear attack.

To Von Braun all that didn't matter much. He wanted to fly to the Moon, spread humanity all over the solar system and if London had to be reduced to a wasteland to make that happen, then so be it.