The Frankfurt Bombing Brief
The Frankfurt Bombing
My Lords, welcome to our briefing, I am Colonel Wolfram Alwin Freiherr von Cham. I serve as the Kaiser’s representative for the Evidenzbureau, and today I have prepared a number of topics for your consideration. Firstly, you must surely have heard about the scuffle in Frankfurt.
This previous sunday at approximately 11:30 pm, military police forces in Frankfurt successfully apprehended a pair of anarchists that have been linked to the growing radical Libération movement in the French Empire. Earlier that evening they had attempted to plant six separate explosive devices in and around Post E of the city’s Shield Generator network. City police had been informed about the plan around noon by an anonymous tip, and so were able to ensure that none of the devices were detonated, and thus there was no loss of civilian life. Unfortunately, the arrests were not as clean, resulting in the loss of five officers’ lives. Four of the suspects additionally died, two of which during the shootout, and the other two via cyanide capsules.
The two successfully captured have been identified as Erik Bruhn, 22, of Freudenberg, and Thea Glöckner, 19, of Büdingen. Both have Imperial citizenship, but neither possesses a criminal record. Bruhn was a member of the Frankfurt Landsturm during his mandatory service period, and has since been employed as a factory laborer. Glöckner is currently enrolled at the University of Frankfurt and has been focusing on philosophy and political science.
Our questioning of the two has produced several important points to note. Both were contacted by a presently unknown man who organized them with the other four into a cell. Their contact followed Bruhn’s firing at the Krupp Plant following his vocal support of recent unionization efforts, and Glöckner’s publication of a since redacted article in the University newspaper calling for radical action against the Empire’s governing institutions. None of the six knew each other before their organization, and following their initial meetings, their handler disappeared, only contacting them through written means from there on out.
The purpose of this cell was indistinct originally, the participants were simply told that it was a way for them to take power into their own hands. Eventually, through their meetings, it became clear that all members shared a belief in extreme left-wing ideology. Questioning failed to produce a complete list of previous actions that the group has undertaken, but we believe this group, or others like it, can be linked to the ongoing wave of attacks on government and military facilities.
This plan was initiated four weeks ago, three days before the resignation of Albert LeBrun. As previously stated, it is our belief that this cell and the others we suspect to be in existence are affiliated with the radical Libération movement. Their agents are recruiting dissatisfied Imperial citizens, poisoning their minds with ideology, and setting them loose to wreak havoc in our cities. We believe that the threat posed by these anarchists is dire, and so have prepared an overview of the organization they are taking marching orders from.
Les Lorrains and the Liberation Party
A radical offshoot of the French Worker’s International party, the Liberation Party is committed to the idea of the perpetual worldwide revolution. Founded in 1912, it has primarily spread in popularity through the newspaper, Les Lorrains. Les Lorrains was focused firstly on the plight of the “chained” workers of The Holy Roman Empire and the destruction of the old systems of power. Similar to the International, it advocates for global revolution and the establishment of national communes.
Where the Liberation Party differs from the more mainstream party is its views on the use of force to achieve its goals, seeing conflict as the primary method of spreading the revolution. Critics within the socialist movement have accused the party of being overly militaristic and authoritarian, with some even going so far as to call them “Red Fascists.” Several assassinations and bombings have been linked to the party’s affiliated paramilitary organization, the Falcem Populi, however, none of them have yet made it to court. We suspect that they are the true perpetrators of the late prime minister Leon Blum’s assassination, as a means to accelerate the pace of revolution.
The party has gained a significant amount of popularity over the past decade, with the rising tensions between ours and the French Empire. In 1935, their first member was elected to Parliament. As of today, their members comprise 22% of the French Empire’s parliament. Following the death of Leon Blum in March, they have seen an immense swelling in popularity, mostly due to the identity of the assassin feeding into their conspiracy theories, as well as the actions of former president Albert Lebrun. On April 8th Lebrun appointed former field marshal Philippe Pétain as the new prime minister. Petain, a strong supporter of the Emperor, was a deeply unpopular pick, especially to fill the shoes of the martyred Blum. His appointment was seen as an attempt by Emperor Napoleon V to personally direct politics once more, and was a severe mistake.
The Election and Charbonnier
As we’ve seen over the last month, our western neighbors have been engulfed in protests and riots. Political violence has become commonplace, with several more governmental officials having been murdered since Blum, seemingly in retaliation for his death. President Lebrun officially resigned on April 20th, in an attempt to quell the unrest. The speed at which he vacated his residence also suggests an element of self preservation. This departure was followed shortly afterwards by several other resignations, as many French politicians have decided that living in the capitol may be hazardous to their health.
Lebrun’s resignation has set in motion a new presidential election, to be held next month. The clear frontrunner at the moment is the Liberation Party’s own Auguste Charbonnier. Charbonnier is a vehement anti-Bonapartist and, from his policy goals, a hardline authoritarian communist. He is also outwardly, like many in his party, an extreme believer in the “L'Aiglon'' or “The Eaglet” conspiracy theory, and is therefore intensely anti-Imperial. His election is expected to worsen diplomatic ties to the French Empire.
L’Aiglon
The most common conspiracy theory peddled by Les Lorrains is the Eaglet. The name refers to Emperor Napoleon II, who took the throne in 1840, following the death of Napoleon I. The theory hinges on a supposed clause in the Privilegium maius - a Medieval document of the House von Habsburg - that grants sole rulership to the Kaiser of lands ruled by Habsburgs for one century or more. The actual theory is that, during the wedding of Napoleon I and Marie Louis von Habsburg, the priest involved performed an alternate rite, legally forming the marriage matrilineally. Therefore, their child, Napoleon II, nicknamed “the Eaglet” was actually born Franz Ulrich Maximilian von Habsburg.
Because of this, in the year 1940, the Kaiser will theoretically be given legal permission to invade and conquer the French lands and people. Subscribers to this theory believe that this would be to reinstitute absolute monarchy, and therefore further their oppression. A commonly held sentiment is also that Napoleon V is aware of this, and is colluding with our leaders for the restoration of his power, following France’s forced induction into our nation. He’s supposedly being aided in this by both his military, and the Church.
Conclusion
We expect that, per its current course, the country will be in another full-blown revolution before the end of the year. The previous “revolution” held in 1928 proved to be little more than political rearrangement. This coming event will bear more in common with the first revolution over a century ago. How much of this conflict spills over our borders is still up in the air, but with taking the proper steps we believe the situation can be largely mitigated. However, the presence of anarchist cells within our borders is highly alarming.
Even more alarming is that our ability to detect these threats is so deeply limited. Without the tip we received it is likely that the main bridge in Frankfurt would have been left undefended for months, possibly even up to a year. With the Kaiser’s fleet building activity taking up all of the large scale shield generator production, sourcing a replacement would have been extremely difficult. It is for this reason that we have come before the council to ask for extended powers to discover and root out these violent cells, before their cancer spreads and destroys something truly vital. When facing threats of this kind, already the mechanisms of our justice system serve to bind our hands, preventing us from striking until we are almost too late. My lords, the fate of the Empire itself is at stake, do not let our civilization burn over ideals of due process.
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