Member
Chapatrap
Nation: The Danubian Federation / "Donauföderation"
Leader: Kaiser Franz Joseph Otto II
History: Austria-Hungary emerged from the Great War intact, but only in name. The Isonzo River ran red with the blood of untold Austro-Hungarians and Italians. The Hammer of the Brusilov Offensive nearly broke the entire empire. Only German intervention saved the crippled state. Despite success in the Balkans, the success in stalling the Italians, and the armistice with Russia... The K.u.K Armee was almost entirely run by their German neighbor in the North by 1920.
Though the fighting on the fronts had ended, the broken apparatus of the state was now all in the hands of Kaiser Karl I. Through very careful political manuvering and the granting of privledges to Croats, Bohemians, and Gallicians, The Empire was saved from imminnent collapse... for a short period. Reformed into the United States of Greater Austria. A confederated state. However in 1932, the Hungarian diet refused to acknowledge the rule of the Kaiser and the Imperial council. Tensions escalated very rapidly, and in 1934, the nation fell to civil war.
Though a minor conflict compared to the Great War, the age-old tensions had finally bursted through the old cracks and foundations. Through the next year, an uneasy alliance between Bohemians, Austrians, Croats, and Galliacians fought against Romanians, Hungarians, Serbians, and Bosnians in their attempts for full independence/reunifcation with their homelands. Due to constant infighting between the Hungarians and the Romanians, Romania itself eventually intervened in the war.
Securing Transylvania for itself, Romanaia was the first of the last blows that defeated the Hungarian Alliance. The Battle of Banat would be the final battle, with Austro-Bohemians forces defeated the final Bosnian force active in the field. The nation had barely survived, and it was proof the Karl and Archduke Otto that complete federalization was required. Other the course of the next decade, local governments were set up in provinces across the states. Reorganization of the "States" into "Principalities" was first. Each principality holding their own diet, with the combined diets each sending a two members to make up the lower house of the reformed Imperial Council. The Upper House being made of one elected politician, known as a "Prince."
Eventually, Kaiser Karl I died, and was succedeed by Archduke Otto. Crowning Himself as Kaiser Franz Joseph Otto II, he continued the project of his father, trying to unite the power of the Danube under a democratic Constituional Monarchy.
In 1949, the Kaiser proclaimed the United States of Greater Austria officialy defunct. The new Danubian Federation standing in it's place, a new empire where every culture had a voice had finally replaced Austria-Hungary... or so they say.
The Imperial Council is dominanted by Germans, who have outmanuevered their counterparts due to their relative inexpirence in politics. The "Transylvania Question" remains a hot button issue, with many romanians still within the Federation wishing reunification with Romania after they siezed most of Transylvania. Not to mention, the nation's constitution still gives the Kaiser final authority, capable to overuling the Council should he wish...
Recently, many of the Council have been stuck on deciding what to do about the succession crises. Otto has one child, a young daugher of a year old. Yet, succession laws currently prohibit a daughter so young from taking the throne.
Will the new federation survive it's current troubles? Has it only prolonged the lifespan of the dying wish of Austria-Hungary? Potential remains, but much trouble lies ahead for the young nation.