The Reichstag Fire Incident (3)
The Enabling Act had passed through parliament completely. From the moment it took effect, no new laws would need parliamentary approval. At the same time, the powers of the prime minister's cabinet were dramatically expanded until the state of emergency ended. With the Enabling Act in place, I had become the wielder of investigative, administrative, and legislative authority all in one.
"This is just the beginning."
But the Enabling Act wasn't merely for purging the communists plotting Germany's overthrow. It was nothing more than a tool to dismantle the other parties.
"The reason I called you all here today is simple."
Immediately after the Enabling Act passed, I urgently summoned the party executives. Now, I was poised to ascend to the pinnacle of Germany.
"To share with you what will happen next. From this point forward, DDRAP will be the only party left in all of Germany. The Enabling Act isn't aimed solely at the communists."
"My Führer, what do you mean?"
"A quick thinker like you, Hanfstaengl, must already know. That the Enabling Act's scope extends beyond just the Communist Party and the Social Democrats."
"...!"
That's right. It was essentially handing us a club. Now was the time to swing it.
First, as promised, I launched a massive purge of the Communist Party and the Social Democrats. As groundwork, I proposed the "Revised Anti-Subversive Special Law," which took immediate effect and provided the legal basis.
April 1, 1932. The Enabling Act passed.
April 3, 1932. Just two days later, the Revised Anti-Subversive Special Law went into effect.
April 11, 1932. Unable to withstand the pressure, the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) voluntarily disbanded and vanished into history.
April 19, 1932. We conducted sweeping arrests and suppression operations against the German Communist Party. During the action, Hermann Göring was slightly injured while operating with the Shock Troops.
In any case, things went smoothly, and by April 25, 1932, the German Communist Party was officially dissolved.
With the communist forces eliminated in one fell swoop, I didn't stop there.
"Your Excellency Hindenburg, the state of emergency is far from over."
"What do you mean, Prime Minister? Haven't you crushed the communists? End it now."
"Only I can declare the end of the national state of emergency while the Enabling Act remains in force. Please be patient just a little longer, Your Excellency."
Using the Enabling Act, I forcibly extended the scope of the national state of emergency, refusing to relinquish the power I held.
The next target was the German Center Party. Though a Catholic party with no apparent ties to communists, I branded them as defectors to Italy and launched arrest operations under the Revised Anti-Subversive Special Law.
May 9, 1932. The German Center Party declared its own dissolution and faded into history.
The State Party and the Bavarian People's Party, hand in hand, followed suit on May 16 of the same year.
Finally, I turned to the German People's Party— a pillar of the coalition cabinet and an ally in my first Falkenrain cabinet—claiming communists had infiltrated it. I initiated investigations, rummaging through every corner.
Only then did Hindenburg realize he'd been deceived and lodged a protest, but my power had already grown immensely.
"What is this? The Enabling Act... Depending on how it's used, it could enable complete cabinet dictatorship!"
"Your Excellency President, I regret to say it was you who pushed this bill through."
"You deceived me! How could you!?"
"Your Excellency, I will normalize Germany. Watch and see. Everything I'm doing is for purely patriotic reasons."
I brushed off Hindenburg's protests with one ear and continued ransacking the German People's Party.
Unable to endure, the German People's Party voted for self-dissolution on June 1, 1932, vanishing completely from history.
The Steel Helmets, linked to the German People's Party and the German Democratic Party, were not spared from this massive anti-subversive investigation either.
"The Steel Helmets won't go down like this! Long live the people! Long live Germany!"
"Arrest them all!"
A full-scale suppression operation targeted the Steel Helmets, a near-private militia. And so, they too faded into history.
In the process, I captured an interesting fellow.
"You rotten Jewish capitalist scum! You're the ones ruining Germany! You're ruining it!"
"My Führer, as you said, it's Ernst Röhm. Do you know him?"
"No. But I'll get to know him well from now on."
I had discovered Ernst Röhm in the chaos. In the original history, he should have been the SA leader, but due to his anti-Semitic leanings, he hadn't joined DDRAP and was instead hanging out with the Steel Helmets. The irony of history.
In the original timeline, he would have been purged during the Night of the Long Knives anyway.
"Execute him."
And so, Ernst Röhm vanished into history.
Beyond that, any groups opposing the Enabling Act or branded as anti-state were purged or exiled, turning Germany into DDRAP's unchallenged domain.
Finally...
"I hereby indefinitely postpone the end of the national state of emergency. It will continue until the economic crisis from the Great Depression subsides."
I resolved to hold on until Hindenburg died of old age.
After the massive party purges and seizure of power, I sprang back into action.
Using cabinet authority, I appointed Hjalmar Schacht—one of DDRAP's key executives—to the presidency of the Reichsbank.
With power secured, it was time to rack up achievements immediately. Otherwise, doubts about my leadership were inevitable.
As part of this, I cut back on inefficient welfare budgets, secured support from patriotic businessmen, issued government bonds, and launched public works projects.
Public works had existed before, but on a scale too small to invigorate the national economy—mere poor relief welfare.
But I saw it as an investment.
"Schacht, first, lower the interest rates on the German mark."
"My Führer, how low should I go?"
"I'll leave the calculations to you. You're the expert in this field, so lower rates to boost domestic investment, but act conservatively to avoid major economic damage."
"Understood."
I granted Hjalmar Schacht maximum authority, setting the stage for him to run wild for Germany's sake.
At the same time, I established a new "National Industrial Ministry" and appointed Dr. Fritz Haber as its head.
Now, Haber was scientist, engineer, and politician all in one.
"Dr. Falkenrain, I won't disappoint you. I'll do my utmost to save the German nation."
He was thrilled that his patriotism had finally been recognized. And indeed, he was highly capable in this area. The developer of the Haber-Bosch process, he was as brilliant as his mind suggested, quickly mastering industry and societal matters.
"We need a New Deal policy too."
September 13, 1932. I implemented the "New Deal policy" to normalize the German national economy.
Yes, the same name and content as that fellow Roosevelt's. Of course, in this loop, I was about a year ahead.
With the New Deal enacted, public civil engineering projects began nationwide. Autobahn construction kicked off across the country, dilapidated buildings were replaced, and railroads and ports were expanded.
Social infrastructure wouldn't yield economic effects for at least three years even if started now. That meant scraping by on accumulated treasury funds and new bond issues for the next three years.
Here, Hjalmar Schacht and Dr. Haber each delivered.
"It's a kind of promissory note. Please review the details, my Führer."
Schacht had finalized the concrete plan for issuing Mefo bills and brought it to me for approval.
Mefo bills involved fronting a paper company to issue notes used in place of cash. Where does the credit come from? The national central bank guarantees the paper company's credit. That creates credibility, and once issued widely, they function like currency.
Similar to government bonds but different. Unlike formal bonds, they don't appear on the books, so they could be used anywhere without issue.
"We'll use these notes to purchase armaments. We need to grow the domestic armaments industry too, Schacht."
"Leave it to me, my Führer."
"Ah, the exit strategy is still weak. Prepare Plans C and D, and think ahead about how to redeem the notes."
"Once the economy bulks up, we can pay them off then."
"I hope we don't end up repaying through war due to failure."
If Schacht brought the Mefo bills, Dr. Haber brought the foundational technology for coal liquefaction plants.
Haber had poured himself into research sleeplessly for Germany's economy, and this was the fruit.
The coal liquefaction technology, appearing years ahead of schedule, was revolutionary.
"Just as distilling wood yields charcoal, distilling coal yields coke. Refine the moisture and residues from this coke through secondary processing, react it with hydrogen and carbon monoxide to produce gas, condense and liquefy it, and you get this transparent liquid."
"How did you figure this out?"
"I tried everything. I'm not as brilliant as Dr. Einstein or Dr. Neumann, so trial and error suits me."
Its economics were still unclear, but the quality of the liquefied coal Haber produced was excellent. I named this liquid Senox.
Those in the know will recognize it—named after that substance that once stirred up noise in South Korea.
"It won't see widespread use now with oil prices high. But when global tensions rise and oil prices soar, its day will come. I'll continue supporting your research, Dr. Haber, so secure price competitiveness."
"Of course, Dr. Falkenrain."
As expected. Good thing I didn't go down the anti-Semitic path.