Germany

Sacrum Romanum Imperium
Heiliges Römisches Reich
Holy Roman Empire

Languages:
Official:	Latin, German, Low Saxon
Others:	Bohemian, Batavian, Frisian, Riksmål
Empress:	Maria I
Cities:
Capital:	Fulda
Largest:	Berlin
Other:	Hamburg, Munich, Cologne
Independence:	from Roman Empire
Date:	800
Currency:	1 Reichsthaler=12 Kreuzer/Neugroschen=240 Pfennig
Organizations:	European Federation, Hansa

The Holy Roman Empire (HRE), which is normally called either Almein or Germany by the British, is a weakened agglomeration of German states, cities and regions (all called "Electorates", because they send "Electors" to the Diet which is a sort of legislature) reformed in the aftermath of GWII.

The Empire exists because it has existed for twelve centuries, and nobody has abolished it, not even Napoleon. It has a Kaiser (who also has a bunch of other titles, including "Comrade Weiblingen, Captain-General of the Red Army of Bavaria") and a court. Its prestige, like that of the American Presidency *here*, has varied from enormous to nil, and is rather at low ebb right now. It has had several high points over the last century: 1870, 1914, 1935 (all of which preceeded continuing chapters of the neverending Eurowar). The exceptions were Chancellor Bismark (who united a fragmented Empire before the GWI; and Field Marshall Adolf Hessler who ruled Germany from 1940-1949. Neither were Emperors, simply trusted officers who usurped their Emperors position.

Its constituents are the same as ever, except for those who have explicitly renounced allegiance (France, e.g.). I.e., HRE consists nowadays of all the German states [1] plus Luxembourg, the eastern third of Jervaine and formally Bohemia (since 1612 Electorate with mute vote). Each German state, or land, is an autonomous region that sends an elector to Berlin that meet as the Diet and elect new Kaisers. The Diet is not a proper parliament, for since the end of the GWII, Germany is a fragmented country in which each land is considered an independent country only loosely united within the Empire. Currently, the Kaiser's powers are largely those of a figurehead: they may cajole and urge the various lands to enact laws or agreements; but can no longer create law on their own. The military is also somewhat fragmented. Most lands have a militia, but only the larger electorates have actual armies: Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony (Prussia's army is technically a "defense force" as per the post-GWII treaties).

Imperial Government

Work in progress     Comments are welcomed on the talk page. This is not yet a proposal.

In the past, the HRE has gone from a centralized polity to a loosely-held semi-alliance of independent states and back again. Currently, the Empire functions more as a loose federation, akin in some ways to Romania or the Republic of Two Crowns.

Election of the Emperor

As stipulated by the Treaty of Copenhagen, the heads of state (or their plenipotentiaries) would elect a new Emperor upon the death or abdication of the previous holder of the title. The election would be by majority vote, subject to certain restrictions:

• The Emperor may be a bearer of a noble title or the head of state of a republic within the Empire. This may include a non-ruling house or a title in pretense, and it may include the HoS of an autonomous region, e.g. in Thuringia.
• If the Emperor is a republican HoS, a new election must be called when his term of office expires.
• A new Emperor may not come from the same house or state as his predecessor, or his predecessor's predecessor. [Admittedly, this is similar to Henua law, but it makes sense since it would prevent one state, or a coalition of two states, from monopolizing the Imperial throne.]
• Anyone holding a noble title or political office outside the Empire is disqualified. [This keeps the Scandinavian Archking/queen from being eligible.]

Imperial Diet/Conclave of Electors

The 23 members (or their plenipotentiaries) of the Imperial Diet are officially called Electors because of their duty to choose the new Holy Roman Emperor. The Diet convenes under certain circumstances:

• Within thirty days of the Emperor calling for such a convening (which he cannot do until at least thirty days have elapsed since the Diet adjourned sine di.
• The death, disablement, resignation/abdication, or disqualification of the Emperor or Chancellor requires an Electoral Convention within ten days.
• At least once every four years.
• Within sixty days of the membership of the Diet changing by five, through death, disablement, resignation/abdication, end-of-office or disqualification.
• Within thirty days of seven Electors publicly proclaiming a petition to the Emperor to convene the Electors.
• The Chancellor also has the right to petition for a convention, but this is in no way mandatory. It is usually granted, however.

Chancellor and Council of State

The virtual head of government of the HRE is the Chancellor who is elected by the Electors from among any adult citizen of the Empire. Technically, this person's title is "President Minister" but virtually everyone refers to this person as the Chancellor.

Ce corps qui s'appelait et qui s'appelle encore le saint empire
romain n'était en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire.

— Voltaire

The Council of State functions as a cabinet, heading the various imperial ministries and departments. Each member-state nominates a "slate" of cabinet nominees--one for each post available. The Chancellor can pick and choose, but only from among those candidates. While either the Chancellor or the Cabinet make the day-to-day decisions for the Imperial government, all major decisions are subject to review, advise and consent from the Diet. This would be far more acrimonious save that the actual responsibility of the Chancellor and Council amounts mostly to coordination between member-states on things like highways, jurisdictional disputes, joint ventures, etc. The lagtime between the implementation of a policy by the Council and its formal approval or disavowel by the Diet means there is a chance to see if an idea works before making it "official."

Capital

The HRE still operates on the ancient principle that the capital is where the Emperor resides, rather than on the modern one that the Emperor must reside in the capital. So in principle, any Emperor could change the capital at any time; however, that is not the same as dragging the Reichskanzlerei with them, which has different pieces in different cities by tradition (*everything* to do with the HRE is a matter of tradition, it seems). (JC, 15536) As a result, it cannot be said that the HRE has any one specific capital, with various government offices in various different member states. Since 1965, the capital has been Fulda in the People's State of Hesse, where Emperor Stephan I first established his court.

Economics

The Deutscher Bund is the main commercial competition to the Hansa and the Baltic League, although they have trade agreements between them as well. It is a sort of commercial union originating in central and southern Germany, while the Hansa is northern German and Baltic in nature.

[1] The States Constituting the Holy Roman Empire:

• Kingdom of Wuerttemberg (Koenigreich Wuerttemberg)
• Grand Duchy of Baden (Grossherzogtum Baden)
• Free Hansa City of Bremen (Freie Hansestadt Bremen)
• Duchy of Brunswick (Herzogtum Braunschweig)
• Free and Hanseatic City of Hamborg (Freie & Hansestadt Hamburg)
• Kingdon of Hannover (Koenigreich Hannover)
• People's State of Hesse (Volkstaat Hessen) *NOT communist!*
• Principality of Lippe (Fuerstentum Lippe)
• Free Hanseatic City of Luebeck (Freie Hansestadt Luebeck)
• State of Mecklenburg (Staat Mecklenburg)
• Duchy of Oldenburg (Herzogtum Oldenburg) *part of the Scandinavian Realm
• Duchy of Premaria (Herzogtum Preimern)
• Kingdom of Prussia (Koenigreich Preussen)
• Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz)
• Kingdom of Saxony (Koenigreich Sachsen)
• Duchy of Anhalt (Herzogtum Anhalt)
• State of Thuringia (Staat Thueringen)
• Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont
• Holstein (Herzogtum Holstein) *part of Schleswig-Holstein, the Scandinavian Realm
• Soviet Republic of Bavaria

Map of the Holy Roman Empire