Dundorf

The Dundorfisches Kaiserreich (DKR) is a both a country and a nation-state in north-central Artania. Dundorf is the home and protector of the Dundorfian language (Dundorfische) and ethnic group (Volksdundorfischer).

Geography
"Legalize whaling? We're landlocked."

- Karl Lahm, politician.

Reichsstaaten
Dundorf is a federal country divided into five smaller political units called Reichsstaaten:

Dunlake

Chontaloia

Grozvic

Julstoch

Oderveld

History
"We want to protect the eternal foundation of our life: our national identity and its inherent strengths and values ... Farmers, burghers, and workers must once and for all become one Dundorfian people."

- Franz Wagener circa 1817, the "Grandfather of Dundorf", author of "Der Alldundorfe Bewegung"

Early History
The modern Dundorfian language and ethnic group are thought to have developed from a single nomadic tribe in northern Artania known as the Durvin. This tribe, along with numerous other tribes in the region, eventually developed a sedentary lifestyle and built a strong, yet decentralized, civilization.

The first Dundorfian culture began to spread throughout northern Artania before filling the vaccuum in the south created by the exit of other tribes and ethnic groups from the invasion of the Tokundian peoples, the descendants of modern Deltaria. Here, it is firmly believed, the first Dundorfians settled amongst the mountains, forests, and valleys of modern Dundorf.

Around 320 BC, a small number of ethnic Dundorfian tribes with newly acquired Tokundian weapon technology, culture and social influences expanded by migration and raid into modern Kirlawa and Rutania becoming permanent fixtures in these nations that has lasted to this day.

By 801 AD, a small number of Dundorfians had slowly overrun all of the rich kingdoms of modern-day Ichredön (Ikradon) and had grafted themselves at the top of the existing social and political power structure. Mainland Ichredön was effectively under ethnic Dundorfian rule but curiously remained under ethnic Ichredön administration. As expected, during the next four centuries of occupation Dundorfians slowly adopted elements of Ichredön civilization in a more-or-less a la carte fashion, often changing ideas or technologies to fit their culture; the most prominent of which was the adoption of Catholic Christianity.

One of the adaptations from Ichredön society was governmental centralization. Traditional decentralization ended in 1057 with the creation of the Adel-Bündnis (Confederation of the Nobility). The Confederation was developed to better control the newly acquired Ichredön lands and to more adequately defend the areas under ethnic Dundorfian control.

Confederation Era
The first King elected was Manfred II von Eschenbach, Großherzog von Grozvic as Manfred I, König von Dundorf Reich und Ichredön(r. 1059-1064). The King held little real power but helped unify the Reich, organized defense, negotiated with foreign dignitaries and helped resolve disputes between the kingdom's nobility. Despite the advent of a King the Reich remained a strong adherrent of feudalism. Local autonomy was paramount on most matters of society, state and local nobility retained nearly all of their previous powers.

Loss of Ichredön
In 1272 Ikradonous returned again from the colonies with a small but powerful vanguard army and led the Ichredönen people in a general rebellion. On 26 February 1275, at the battle of Festung-Felsen (Fortress Felsen) Ikradonous defeated a Ritterdundorfe (Dundorfian Knights) army led by Graf Peter Sebastien von Rommel. Von Rommel's defeat not only relinquished ethnic Dundorfian control of Ichredön but it also caused the fall of the House von Burchardinger when King Hans Otto III was killed in a rearguard action at the river Ode a week later, leaving no surviving male heirs. Most ethnic Dundorfians settlers in Ichredön fled but those that stayed were the ancestors of the Dundorfian ethnic minority residing within the borders of Ichredön today.

From 1279 to 1519 the King and Großartiger Rat (Grand Council) ruled the Dundorf Reich with varying degrees of loosening centralized control. In 1519, the tranquility of almost 200 years was shattered when a Dunlaker merchant named Gert von Tossel (Duntrekker: Van Tassel) and his family returned from Luthori with a new faith: Calvinism. By 1718 around 88% of the populace had been baptized Protestant.

Calvinism and Unification
In 1719 a new Grand Council of Dundorf was called for the first time since 1278. The Council met for the same reason as the previous one: to form a confederation and elect a new monarch. In a break from the old confederation that had lasted for centuries, the nobles of this council chose to change the names of the institutions created.

On 1 January 1736 the first Kaiser-elect was the 29 year-old Friedrich Wilhelm II von Klings, Prinz von Julstoch who was crowned Christian I, Kaiser von Dundorf Reich. He and the Imperiale Landtag (Imperial Diet) would serve as the confederation government, although most power still remianed in the hands of the local nobility.

In 1813, a series of pamphlets were published professing the new ideas of nationalism, that would soon excite both the common and elite population of Dundorf. These pamphlets sparked a fierce debate in all circles regarding possible unification.

Unification Crises
On 21 June 1831 the ally voted to agree on unification. The issue was brought before Kaiser Christian VI that very day who quickly agreed to the legislation and signed it at 4:12 pm in the afternoon. Unification was now a reality.

Many nobles felt circumvented and betrayed by unification. Several powerful nobles rejected unification and rebelled against in what came to be known as Trennungskrise (Breakaway Crisis). The newly created Reichsarmee fought the rebelling nobles and defeated them in 1834.

Simultaneously a new constitution was created that spawned a new problem: the Kaiser Krise (Kaiser Crisis). On 3 September 1834 Kaiser Christian VI rejected the constitution because he wanted more power. The situation was finally difused when Christian VI abdicated his throne and Friedrich Wilhelm IV von Hohenstauffen was elected and crowned Kaiser Wilhelm I von Dundorf Reich on 15 September 1834.

Government
"It may be that the Kaiser reigns over Dundorf, my dear sir, but the Reichstag rules it."

- Friedrich Wilhelm IV von Hohenstauffen, Dundorfian statesmen and past Kaiser.

Reichstag
The parliament of Dundorf is the 750-seat Reichstag elected from throughout the country through the Reichsstaaten.

Elections
Latest Election Results:

Reichsstaaten Assemblies
Chontalioa

Governing Party: Royalistische Partei Dundorfs

Dunlake

Governing Party: Die Grüne Partei

Grozvic

Governing Party: Nationalsozialistische Volkspartei

Julstoch

Governing Party: Royalistische Partei Dundorfs

Oderveld

Governing Party: Nationalistische Partei Dundorf

Law
"... the previous judicial question shall be considered as ordered on the concurrent resolution and amendments thereto to final adoption without intervening motion except amendments offered by the chairman to achieve judicial consistency. The concurrent resolution shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question of its adoption."

- Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch Section 142; sub-section 14.51

Armed Forces
"The enemy will surely attack at dawn. Do not let him catch you asleep."

- Generalleutnant Christian Gerhard von Rommel

The Bundeswehr (Federal Armed Forces) is the name of the united military of Dundorf. The current mission of the Bundeswehr is to preserve the borders of the Bundesrepublik Dundorf and to protect its interests abroad. The modern Bundeswehr is made of three branches: the Heer (Army), the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and the Kommando Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command).

Economy
"[Julstoch Metallwerks is] a great city with its own streets, its own police force, fire department and traffic laws. There are 150 kilometres of rail, 60 different factory buildings, 8,500 machine tools, seven electrical stations, 140 kilometres of underground cable and 46 overhead."

- Ernst Schultz, Dundorfian industrialist.

Demographics
"We shall slaughter [the Dunners] and eat their livers."

- Attributed to a Catholic peasant

Culture
"It was amazing to see the people of Dundorf dressed in their traditional attire, and dancing to traditional music. Young and old celebrated the Tag der Dundorfen Einheit festival and I felt, at that moment, that I was Dundorfian as well."

- Jean-Baptiste de Lully, Kanjorien Foreign Minister.