Chapter 51 The Beginning of the Revolution

Before reaching the Reichstag in the Tiergarten district, Hersmann already knew what was going on - the Berlin Revolution was about to begin!

It was a little after five in the morning, but the Kurfürstendamm was already crowded with people. There were countless men and women wearing ugly gray or black clothes, top hats or headscarves on their heads, and large masks on their faces. They poured out from every path leading to the Kurfürstendamm, as if trickling streams had merged into a large river. Red flags and placards led them, and some people shouted slogans as they moved forward.

"Stop the war immediately!"

"Sign a peace treaty without ceding territory or paying compensation!"

"Down with the emperor! Realize a republic!"

People shouted slogans that sounded very naive to Hessmann, and their eyes were full of excitement and expectations for the future. They certainly didn't know that in addition to Lorraine and Alsace agreed in the Fourteen Points, the Allies would take away Posen, West Prussia, part of East Prussia and Silesia, half of Schleswig, and some land would be ceded to Belgium. All German colonies would also be lost. In addition, the Germans also demanded that Germany pay 226 billion gold marks in compensation (more than 300 billion including interest, which was later halved with the mediation of the United States), and sent troops to occupy the Ruhr area and dismantle a large number of machinery and equipment...

What awaited these German proletarians who launched strikes in protest was long-term unemployment!

When the carriage that Hessmann and Schleicher were riding in approached the Brandenburg Gate, the crowd had completely blocked the wide road and the carriage could no longer move forward.

"Get off the car and walk!" Schleicher patted his pistol and gave Hersman a bitter smile, "At least the soldiers of the Berlin garrison have not joined in yet... So the protest is still peaceful, and we two reactionary officers will not be in any danger."

"When will the army participate?" Hersman asked.

"Their plan is to issue a call today, a general strike on the 7th and 8th, and to march the parade into the barracks on the 9th."

"Is there no way to stop it?" Hersman knew there was no way, but he couldn't help asking.

"His Majesty the Emperor may leave Berlin in the next two days and go to Spa in Belgium to mobilize troops." Schleicher shook his head and said, "Now it depends on whether the Allies are willing to make concessions... If there is no need for unconditional surrender, then the Emperor can mobilize the army."

"What if the Allies still don't make concessions?"

Schleicher showed a slightly cold smile, "Then they will definitely pay the price, and it won't be only the Hohenzollern and Habsburg dynasties that will lose the empire..."

His words were vague, but Hersman could understand them. The Tsar may be in trouble. William II would not take his newly "recognized" good brother Nicholas II away from Berlin. He wanted him to fall into the hands of pro-Russian revolutionaries in Berlin - if the Allies did not intend to spare the German Empire!

Unfortunately, Britain and France would rather give up the Tsar and Russia than spare Germany. It seems that Nicholas II is destined to have a bloody disaster. This is probably the so-called fate, right?

Thinking of fate, Hersman's mood became heavier. He took out his mask and put it on, and got off the carriage with Schleicher. The carriage was surrounded by working class people holding slogans and red flags. Seeing Hersman and Schleicher, two lieutenant colonels, get off the carriage, the reactions were different.

Some people shouted at Hessmann and Schleicher: "Reactionary officers, you are the sinners of Germany!"

But more people said: "Blue Max! That man with the Blue Max is a national hero!"

"Yes, they did not start the war. They were only lieutenant colonels. When the war started, they were captains at most. The people above them are criminals, and they are heroes!"

Finally, there are more people who are reasonable. Although they were tortured by the long war and instigated by the Spartacists, the masses in Berlin were Germans who had been brainwashed by militarist ideas for a long time. In their hearts, they still admired the heroes on the battlefield very much - Hessmann was only 30 years old (actually only 26, but he looked old with the rank of lieutenant colonel), he was already a lieutenant colonel and had the Blue Max, and he was obviously a great soldier.

Schleicher shouted at this time: "We are going to the Reichstag to meet Mr. Ebert of the Social Democratic Party. He has been elected as the Prime Minister, and we are his military adjutants!"

The "true face" of the Social Democratic Party has not been exposed yet, and the proletariat in Berlin still regards it as their own party. No one doubted Schleicher's shouting, because the news of Ebert's appointment as prime minister had already spread.

"Great! There will be an armistice."

"Now Germany is saved."

"Make way, let them pass."

The marchers did not make things difficult for Hersmann and Schleicher, and took the initiative to make way for them to quickly pass through the Brandenburg Gate where the crowds gathered. When passing through this huge building built to commemorate the victory, Hersmann found that someone was building a high platform for speeches. There were red flags all around, and banners with slogans were also put up. It read: Long live Soviet Germany!

...

The Reichstag is located in the Tiergarten district in the center of Berlin, next to the Berlin Royal Palace, which is still under the control of the German government. The emperor himself is still in the Berlin Royal Palace, and a loyal guard is protecting several nearby streets to prevent the marchers from approaching. However, Hersmann knows that these soldiers can't control this rioting city at all, and only God knows whether they will open fire at the critical moment.

Compared with here, the reactionary rule in Riga is many times more consolidated. With the efforts of Kesselring (codename "Artillery"), Halder (codename "Staff") and Miss Doctor. The agency has grown rapidly and can be said to be everywhere in Riga and the Courland Autonomous State. If Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg go there to make trouble, Hersmann can kill them with a phone call.

But even in Berlin, Hersmann is not without a way to get rid of Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. In the squad led by "Shadow" Stockhausen, there were four snipers recruited from the German troops stationed in the Baltic and Lithuania.

When Hersmann and Schleicher walked to the Reichstag, Karl Haushofer, who had retired from the army and served as the chairman of the Industrial Promotion Committee, and a middle-aged man who looked a little ugly, with a round face, small eyes, and a small tuft of toothbrush-like beard under his nose, were standing at the main entrance of the building. Hersmann recognized the middle-aged man as Dr. Yamal Schacht, the general manager of the German National Bank - this bank has been controlled by the Industrial Committee, but it still keeps the funds of the Hohenzollern Foundation, which has more than 20 gold marks (exchanged for 600 tons of gold given by the Soviet Union).

Seeing Hersmann and Schleicher, Haushofer and Schacht waved at them and asked them to hurry over.

"Major General, Doctor, how is the situation now?" Schleicher also joined the Industrial Promotion Committee not long ago - he represented the Officers' Union. This organization is part of the Army's "Free Corps Plan" and the Navy's "Rainbow Plan". The purpose is to unite German officers after the war, both active and retired.

Dr. Schacht shook his head: "No, it seems that Germany will become a Soviet country."

"What? Soviet Germany?" Hersman was surprised. History will not joke with him, right? Germany is going to become a Soviet. Should I join the party immediately?

"Yes!" Karl Haushofer nodded, "The Social Democratic Party and the Independent Social Democratic Party have just held an emergency meeting... They demanded the emperor and abdication, and they are also preparing to organize the Soviet."

——

Please collect and recommend