The Berlin Dome

[Zagan7]

Chapter 21. The Dome Report



22 January 1945, Washington D.C., United States of America

TOP SECRET

Preliminary Report of the Yellowstone Commission

Summary

1. Physical Properties of the Subject

• The Subject seems to be a perfect sphere. Any deviations from sphericity are significantly below our best measurement methods.
• The Subject passes through objects, extends underwater, underground (at least 30 m, possibly all the way to the Earth's Mantle) and into the Outer Space.
• The Subject's radius on the ground appears to be exactly 750 km, which corresponds to a sphere radius of 748.730 km. The incertitude of this measurement is currently less than 40 m.
• The Subject's center is located in Berlin, close to the Reich Chancellary. Our estimates place it underground but above sea level. This seems to be corroborated by the lack of any corresponding visible structures above ground in that area.
• The Subject appears to have no measurable width.
• Both the outer surface and the inner surface of the Subject seem to be completely smooth. No friction could be detected by our most precise measurements.
• The Subject appears to be completely transparent to all frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. We have determined that, at least in the visible spectrum, its opacity is less than 100 ppb.
• The Subject blocks the passage of all solid objects, however small, and of all liquids and gases with a molecular mass greater than 60. Liquids and gases with molecular masses less than 60 can pass freely, with no measurable speed or pressure penalty. Examples: Water, most components of air, etc. Ionic substances disolved in water can also pass freely if the atomic masses of the individual ions are less than 60. Example: Salt (Sodium Chloride).
• The Subject's surface emits electromagnetic radiation in the range of 330 - 440 nm, i.e. violet and ultraviolet light. This emission is continuous, directed outwards and normal to the surface. The electromagnetic energy emitted is equivalent to 12.4 ± 0.1 mW/m². The Subject has thus a faint violet glow, barely visible in a dark night.
• So far, all attempts to damage the Subject were completely unsuccessful.

2. On the Nature and Origin of the Subject

• We are positive that the Subject is not made up of matter; it is certainly not an object.
• The majority opinion is that the Subject is a force field of a hitherto unknown type of force.
• The minority opinion is that the Subject is not a manifestation of any physical phenomenon, i.e. it has a supernatural origin.
• The Subject emits a tremendous amount of energy in the electromagnetic spectrum. Even if we consider only its visible upper hemisphere, it still has a surface of at least 3.54×10¹² m² which amounts to a total power of cca. 44×10⁹ W or 44 GW. To put this figure in perspective, the Hoover Dam output is just over 2 GW.
• Even if the Subject is based on an unknown physical phenomenon, it must still obey the Law of Conservation of Energy. Even if we make the absurd assumption that all the energy produced under the Berlin Reich Chancellery is somehow beamed 750 km in all directions, with no losses whatsoever, there still has to exist a gigantic power source there. No artificial power source of this magnitude does currently exist.
• The mechanism which allows tremendous amounts of energy to be sent through space to a fixed location is completely unknown.

3. Conclusions

• A severely battered Germany, with most of its industry and infrastructure destroyed or damaged by continuous bombardments, with its economy and finances in ruins, during the closing stages of a life and death total war, manages suddenly and in complete secrecy to create several impossibly advanced technologies:
  • a power source producing in excess of 44 GW, which fits neatly under the Reich Chancellery, employs a very small amount of people and has no traceable inputs and outputs;
  • a means to beam energy into space with a remarcable precision to the desired location;
  • a force field hitherto unknown to theoretical physics which selectively stops matter from passing through it.
• If the Germans are really that scientifically advanced, we are utterly powerless against them. They could destroy America with complete impunity. Just imagine a 44 GW energy beam directed to the White House or the Pentagon...
• If they are not that scientically advanced, then how did they get the Subject?
  • pure luck (and they still can fry us with an energy beam);
  • a gift from an extraterestrial civilization (why and what else do they have?);
  • a gift from the future (although this violates casuality and other laws of physics);
  • a natural phenomenon (but centered exactly in their capital city, with a radius of exactly 750 km and appearing just at the right time);
  • a supernatural occurence (a gift from a deity).

4. Solutions

• We cannot compete. With the current rate of scientific progress, we may be able to replicate or counter this technology a millenium from now.
• More information on the Subject is needed. We must surely have a few spies there.
• If the Subject is not supernatural we may hope to eventually destroy / sabotage its power supply.
• If the Subject is supernatural we should prey more eloquently than they did.
• If the Germans know how to take advantage of this technology, our only chance to avoid complete destruction is to immediately sign a Peace Treaty with them and hope for the best.

Yellowstone Commission President, Albert Einstein, ...............

22nd of January, 1945

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 22. Western Front Surrender



22 January 1945, Western Front

Instrument of Conditional Surrender

Article I
The Armed Forces of

• the United States of America,
• the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
• the Dominion of Canada,
• the Commonwealth of Australia,
• the Dominion of New Zealand and
• the Union of South Africa,

located less than 750 kilometres from Berlin (inside the spherical structure called the Berlin Dome), surrender to Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt.


Article II
The Surrendering Armed Forces:

• Will cease all military operations against the German Reich before 23 January 1945, 00:00 Standard German Time;
• Will retreat behind the 1914 eastern borders of France, Belgium and the Netherlands before 25 January 1945, 00:00 Standard German Time;
• Will transfer to the Wehrmacht all their military installations, equipment and supplies, including but not limited to tanks, trucks, motorcycles, ships, submarines, airplanes, artilery pieces, machineguns, rifles, spare parts thereof, fuel, ammunition, bombs, explosives, raw materials, etc, while keeping the schedule established in Annex A;
• Will keep a sufficient number of small arms in order to maintain law and order in Inner France, Belgium and Southern Netherlands until such time that the civilian police of these countries is up to that task;
• Will demobilize / disband before 1 February 1945, 00:00 Standard German Time, with the exception of the aforementioned small temporary police force.

Article III
The Armed Forces of the German Reich:

• Will advance to the 1914 eastern borders of France, Belgium and the Netherlands;
• Will vacate the small territory situated west of the 1914 eastern border of Belgium;
• May unilaterally vacate the rest of the Netherlands;
• Will not execute military operations in Inner France, Belgium and Southern Netherlands unless provoked by rogue elements¹ from those regions;
• Will allow shipments of food and medicine to reach Inner France, Belgium and the Netherlands; these supplies will be checked by the German Authorities and a 10% tax will be levied.
• May free additional prisoners of war from the countries mentioned in Article I and release them to Inner France, Belgium and the Netherlands if the food situation in those regions improves.

Representing the Armed Forces of the German Reich,
Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt, ....................

Representing the Armed Forces inside the Dome of the United States of America, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the Dominion of Canada, of the Commonwealth of Australia, of the Dominion of New Zealand and of the Union of South Africa,
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, ....................
General Bernard Montgomery, ....................

Signed today, 22 January 1945

1. The so called "rogue elements" are obviously the Allied forces loyal to regimes not recognized by Nazi Germany (Free France, the governments in exile of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, etc).
They could not be officially included in the Instrument of Surrender because it might have appeared that Germany recognized the authority of their governments. While those forces were not bound to disband, they posed no real danger to the Reich due to their relatively small numbers.



22 January 1945, Moscow, Soviet Union

Joseph Stalin: "Comrade Molotov, please inform our former allies that they are no longer welcome in Yalta. I will not participate at a conference with those who make arrangements with the Fascists, arrangements which massively harm the Soviet Union and its war effort."



22 January 1945, Berlin, Greater German Reich

Adolf Hitler: "Good, very good. I believe we can now achieve peace in the West. Joachim, tell our ambassadors in the neutral Nations to approach the Anglo-Americans..."



22 January 1945, Washington D.C., United States of America

Harry Truman: "Darn!"



22 January 1945, London, United Kingdom

Winston Churchill: "Pass me the bottle, please."



22 January 1945, Tokio, Empire of Japan

Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso: "Your Excellency, as you can see, we are sufferring tremendously because of the continuous American bombardments... Another Dome, here in the Pacific, would put an end to this slaughter..."

Ambassador Heinrich Georg Stahmer: "I will relay your request to the Führer."



22 January 1945, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Prince Franz Joseph II: "So, Herr Hoop, it appears that this ridiculous story is actually true, isn't it?"

Prime Minister Josef Hoop: "I am afraid that is correct, Your Serene Highness."

Franz Joseph II: "And what do you think we should do in this situation?"

Josef Hoop: "Try harder not to attract any unwanted attention, Your Serene Highness."

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 23. The Heisenberg-Zuse Report



22 January 1945, Führerbunker, Berlin, Großdeutsches Reich

The Heisenberg-Zuse Report on the Technology Found in the Hirn

Summary

1. The Berlin Dome Generator

• The Dome is a force field and not a material object.
• The nature of the force field is completely unknown.
• It is produced by an apparatus containing a large crystal, located in the Force Field Emanation Room.
• Because the Dome responds instantaneously to commands, we can assume that the force field is mediated by massless particles which travel with the speed of light. We propose the name Phylaxon for these hypothetical particles, from the Greek word φύλαξ, meaning guardian.
• The Dome Generator receives cca. 100 GW of power from the Thermonuclear Reactor. It emits cca. 90 GW as phylaxons, creating the Dome. The rest, a massive 10 GW, is so far unaccounted for.
• Theoretical understanding: speculative.
• Reverse engineering: not feasable in the forseable future.

2. The Energy Backup

• Gigantic amounts of energy produced by the Thermonuclear Reactor are stored in the rather small Energy Storage Area Room.
• It functions similar to an accumulator / battery.
• Theoretical understanding: speculative.
• Reverse engineering: not feasable in the forseable future.

3. The Thermonuclear Reactor

• A nuclear reaction, similar to those powering the Sun and other Stars, produces an enormous amount of energy. The reactor has an installed power of cca. 110 GW.
• Two deuterium nuclei from a heavy water molecule are merged into one helium-4 nucleus as the end result of several nuclear fusion reactions: 2 ²H → ⁴He + Energy (2.3 TJ/mol).
• The principle of equivalence between mass and energy is definitely correct and working (see the annex for more precise calculations).
• The physical phenomenon that allows the positively charged nuclei to overcome their mutual electrostatic repulsion is unknown.
• The Reactor consumes cca. 0.05 mol D₂O (1 g of heavy water) per second, obtained from cca. 3.2 kg normal water from the Spree.
• The Reactor produces cca. 0.05 mol He (0.2 g or 1.23 l of helium) and 0.025 mol O₂ (0.8 g or 0.615 l of oxygen) per second.
• We are able to collect the helium and the oxygen produced by the Reactor. While oxygen is rather inexpensive, helium is virtually priceless as the only producer are the USA.
• Most of the energy produced by the Reactor is used to generate and emit the Dome. The rest is used to power the rest of the Hirn.
  
• Theoretical understanding: partial.
• Reverse engineering: not feasable in the forseable future.

4. The Computers / Robots

• The Computers / Robots are incredibly powerful, some 20 to 30 orders of magnitude more powerful than a Z4 computer.
• Their AI (artificial intelligence) is tremendous. The IQ of Olaf is clearly greater than 200 and possibly even greater then 300. Olaf is thus considerably more intelligent than any human.
• They can solve any calculation, no matter how complex, almost instantaneously.
• They can hold billions of times more data than the total amount of knowledge in the whole World.
• Theoretical understanding: partial.
• Reverse engineering: not feasable in the forseable future.

5. The Domestic Appliances / Human Habitation

• The level of automation, comfort and luxury present in Adolfine (sic) Heimat's household greatly exceeds anything currently available.
• Theoretical understanding: partial.
• Reverse engineering: partially feasable in the following years.

6. The Water Processing Centres

• The Water Purification Centre, the Residue Processing Centre, the Water Evacuation Pump and the Water Tanks are highly efficient, clean and safe.
• Theoretical understanding: advanced.
• Reverse engineering: currently feasable.

7. The Heavy Water Separation Centre

• The separation method consists of a repeated filtration of highly pressurized water through a chemical compound containing carbon, boron and lanthanides which allows light water to pass through but not heavy water.
• The separation is so effective that the resulting heavy water contains less than 10 ppm light water.
• Theoretical understanding: partial.
• Reverse engineering: feasable in the following years.

8. The Antenna

• Maintains the link between Helga and the Main Computer.
• Theoretical understanding: complete.
• Reverse engineering: currently feasable.

9. Unknown Purpose Rooms

• The unlabelled room adjacent to the Antenna Room contains a structure resembling the Dome Emitter, alongside other apparata. While clearly powered, it does not seem to function and its purpose is currently unknown.
• The Abomination. Adolfine (sic) Heimat believes that it is a spatio-temporal discontinuity, a kind of wound in the very fabric of the Universe. The only concept vaguely similar to this description would be a so called black hole. A problem with this theory would be the fact that black holes should not have psychotropic properties.

10. Breakthroughs

• Modern Cryptography (so far only theoretical);
• Other useful mathematical and algorhythmical concepts;
• Advances in theoretical physics;
• Sufficient heavy water for the operation of one or more Nuclear Fission Reactors;
• A significant amount of helium (cca. 106 m³ per day), enough to fill one Hindenburg sized airship in five years.

Werner Heisenberg, ...............

Konrad Zuse, ...............

22 January 1945


The Report did not please Hitler. He insisted that the scientists should work harder, for Germany.

************


Hermann Göring was involuntarily admitted to hospital for morphine detoxification. Hitler relieved him from most of his positions.

Hitler became increasingly paranoid and feared that everybody would eventually betray him. Hitler did not trust anyone to replace Himmler and Göring (and later Martin Bormann) and decided to take their responsabilities himself.

As the amount of work was too high for Hitler, he began to entrust Helga with increasingly important decisions. Helga would listen to the radio, read the newspapers, read Hitler's corespondence, answer and make phone calls and act both as Hitler's Deputy and Secretary. In less than 24 hours, she mimicked Hitler's voice so well that nobody could percieve the difference.

Hitler was sure that Helga would never betray him and he did not seem to care that the Reich's day-to-day affairs were increasingly micromanaged by an Artificial Intelligence.

************


Berlin sustained another intense Soviet air raid, with most bombs being concentrated around the Reich Chancellery. While safe in his Bunker, Hitler realized that the Allies had computed the exact location of the Dome's centre. However, the losses suffered by the non-replenishable Soviet Inner Air Force rendered these attacks increasingly less dangerous and more manageable. The day when the skies over Berlin would be safe was getting closer.

************


The negotiations with the neutral powers bisected by the Dome, Switzerland and Sweden, led to two similar bilateral treaties, the one with Switzerland being shown below.


State Treaty between The German Reich and the Swiss Confederation

1. The German Reich will create up to 20 openings in the Berlin Dome surface, on Swiss territory, each of them up to 20 metres in diameter, in locations established by the Swiss Government.

2. The Swiss Government must not allow the passage through the openings, towards the interior of the Berlin Dome, of any men or equipment which, in the opinion of the German Reich, might pose a danger to the German Reich.

3. The Swiss Government will allow five unarmed German civilian Observers to be stationed permanently at each opening.

4. The Observers will have access to a direct phone line with Berlin. If contact with the Observers is lost, the German Reich will close the affected opening until such time that contact is successfully reestablished, the nature of the problem is understood and any potential issues present are successfully solved.

5. The Observers may, without adversely affecting the flow of traffic, execute seldom random searches of the people and vehicles passing through the openings towards the interior of the Berlin Dome. If men or equipment which might pose a danger to the German Reich are detected, the Observers may deny them access or, at their own discression, temporary close the opening until the issue is successfully solved.

6. Repeated violations of this Treaty may lead to the temporary or permanent closure of one or more openings or to the unilateral suspension or termination of this Treaty.

7. This Treaty will enter into force after being approved by the Swiss citizens in a Nation-wide referendum.


The Swiss Referendum was scheduled for the 30th of January.

Despite Soviet threats, the Swedish Parliament approved their treaty during an extraordinary session the following morning.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 24. Hans, Bormann and von Braun



22 January 1945, the Hirn, Berlin, Großdeutsches Reich

Adolphine knocked and entered Hitler's office.

Adolphine: "Herr Hitler, I really hate to disturb you when you are working but..."

Hitler: "Yes, Adolphine... now speak up, would you."

Adolphine: "About my date..."

Hitler: "Yes, we have checked him up. Hans is... suitable. You may go... No, stop it! Don't do that! I told you I don't like being hugged!"

Adolphine: "Thank you, Herr Hitler, you are so cool!"

Hitler: "Adolphine, wait... Remember that I expect you to behave yourself. You won't make me regret my decision, will you?"

Adolphine: "Sure, Herr Hitler, I am not trash!"

************


Adolphine: "How do I look?"

Eva: "You are beautiful. That boy is very lucky."

Adolphine (blushing): "Thank you. Is the make-up ok or does it make me look slutty?"

Eva: "It is just fine, Adolphine, don't worry. I believe, however, that you should wear proper shoes..."

Adolphine: "What do you mean? What's wrong with my flip-flops?"

Eva: "It's nothing wrong. It's just... people wear sandals on the beach, you know, not when going on a date."

Adolphine: "I see... I have espadrilles, sandals, mules, sneakers, boots... Would you help me choose, please?"

************


Eva saw Adolphine to the door where Hans had been waiting for over half an hour.

Hans: "Good morning, Fräulein Braun. Hello, Adolphine."

Adolphine: "Hello, Hans. I'm ready, let's go!"

Hitler exited his office and approached the group.

Hans: "Heil Hitler!"

Hitler: "Heil!" (placing his hand on Hans' shoulder) "Young man, keep in mind that I see this fine young lady like my own daughter. Make sure not to disappoint her because, if she's unhappy, I am unhappy as well... and I suppose you don't want to make me unhappy, do you?"

Hans: "Yes sir!"

Adolphine (slightly annoyed): "Herr Hitler, look what you have done! You have scared poor Hans to death!"

Hitler (leaving): "Well, I just want you to have a good time. Now go!"

Adolphine: "See you later!"

Eva: "See you! Have fun!"

Hans: "Heil Hitler!"

What on Earth was this? Why did he have to intervene? I wanted a boyfriend, not a puppy!


Adolphine and Hans took the elevator to the Führerbunker and then the stairs to the Vorbunker. They sat down at a small table in the Dining Area next to the Kitchen.

Hans: "What would you like?"

Adolphine: "I don't know... A cake and a juice, whatever they have here."

************


Hans (coming back): "There is no cake today, sorry. Here, have a biscuit and a fanta."

Adolphine sighed. Everything was so grey, so dull, so... primitive. The chair was uncomfortable and cold, the light was dim and unnatural, the air damp and unpleasant. Next time, I'll invite Hans to my place, etiquette be damned!

Adolphine: "Thank you."

Adolphine took Hans' hand in hers, positioned herself closer to him and smiled encouragingly. Besides a dumb smile, nothing happened. Adolphine sighed again. Yes, he's a puppy. Hell, if I wanted a puppy, I would have asked for one!

Adolphine and Hans engaged in small talk while eating cookies and drinking fanta. Adolphine pondered whether to kiss him but, in the end, decided not to.

A rather large and imposing man passed through the room.

Hans (standing up): "Heil Hitler!"

Adolphine (a minute later): "Who was that?"

Hans: "Martin Bormann, the Führer's Secretary..."

Adolphine (worried): "Bormann?!..."

Hans: "Yes... Have you heard of him? Herr Bormann is a very powerfull man..."

Adolphine (standing up): "I'm sorry, Hans, I have to go... Now!"

Hans (following Adolphine): "Is it something wrong?"

Adolphine: "Yes... I mean, I think so. Hurry, I have to see Herr Hitler before Bormann gets there!"

************


When Adolphine and Hans arrived to the shaft, Bormann was already in the elevator.

Adolphine: "Wait! Wait for us!"

Bormann (startled): "Oh... You must be Fraülein Heimat. We did not have the chance to meet until now. I am Martin Bormann, Chief of the Party Chancellery..."

Adolphine (reserved): "Hello... Are you going to see Herr Hitler?"

Bormann: "Yes. We have important matters to discuss."

Adolphine: "I see. Will it last a long time?"

Bormann: "Yes, I think so. Why are you asking?"

Adolphine: "Herr Hitler had asked me to tell him how my date turned out. Would you mind to let me talk to Herr Hitler first? I would only need a couple of minutes..."

Bormann (smilling): "Sure, no problem."

************


Adolphine: "Herr Hitler..."

Hitler: "Yes?... Oh, Adolphine, you're already home? You wanted to show me what a good girl you are, didn't you?"

Adolphine: "Yes, Herr Hitler... We have... We may... There may be a problem... Umm..."

Hitler: "Was there any problem? Did he... treat you disrespectfully? Speak up!"

Adolphine: "Oh, no! Hans is a very sweet boy. No, there is another issue... Herr Hitler, do you trust Herr Bormann?"

Hitler: "Of course, he's my Secretary! Why? Have you read something about him?"

Adolphine: "Yes... I think that he is a Soviet spy."

Hitler: "What?!"

Adolphine: "Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm sorry I had forgotten about him. I only remembered when I heard his name. And there are other Soviet spies as well..."

Hitler: "Who?"

Adolphine: "I don't remember any more names but I'm quite sure there is one in Japan..."

Hitler: "Sorge?"

Adolphine: "Yes, that's him! Sorge!"

Hitler: "He's already dead. Now tell me, what exactly do you know about Bormann?"

Adolphine: "Not much. After the fall of Berlin, he faked his death and then he was hidden in the Soviet Union."

Hitler: "Are you sure?"

Adolphine: "I think so. Yes."

Hitler: "Thank you. I will have a talk with Herr Bormann..."

Adolphine: "He's waiting in the living room..."

Hitler: "Well, then maybe you should you call him in, would you?"

Adolphine (opening the door): "Herr Bormann! Herr Hitler wants to see you."

Hitler: "No, Adolphine, stay here."

Adolphine (scared): "Please, Herr Hitler..."

Hitler (stern): "No, Adolphine! Remain seated!"

************


Bormann: "Heil Hitler!"

Hitler: "Heil!... Martin... We have a problem."

Bormann: "Yes, Mein Führer?..."

Hitler: "This young lady thinks that you are a Soviet spy."

Bormann (livid): "How dare you?... Mein Führer, this is the most infamous slander. I am sure you cannot believe her... I have never let you down..."

Hitler: "But why would she lie about this? Try to give me one decent reason."

Bormann: "I don't know! She probably hates me!"

Hitler (condescending): "Martin... Do you hate any of Frederick the Great's Ministers? Do you even know their names?"

Bormann: "No. Why would I hate them? I don't know anything about them!"

Hitler: "Exactly. They are uninteresting historical characters who had lived centuries ago. Adolphine was born in 2174. Why would anyone born in the 22nd century remember the name of my Secretary?"

Bormann (crying): "No, Mein Führer, I am not a spy. Please believe me..."

Hitler: "Guards, take him away..."

Bormann: "Please, Mein Führer! She might be wrong, maybe the Bolsheviks planted false information for whatever reason... Why do you choose to believe her instead of me?!"

Hitler: "Relax, Martin. I am not positively sure that you are a spy. However, as this is a very serious accusation, we will have to investigate it thoroughly."

Bormann (desperate): "Then why are you arresting me?"

Hitler (with a sinister smile): "But I am not arresting you, Martin. You are just being escorted to the Gestapo Headquarters for questioning. If you are indeed innocent, you have nothing to fear."

What if he's innocent? Fuck! I might have killed this man! Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut! But what if he's really a spy? No, I did the right thing. The Gestapo will surely find the truth. After all, they are not going to torture him. It's the civilized 20th century, not the fucking Middle Ages! There is no bloody Inquisition now!

************


In the afternoon, Adolphine received Werhner von Braun. Adolphine had a distinct uneasy feeling about the man but she suppressed it and the conversation proceeded smoothly.

Von Braun was very interested in Adolphine's stories about the exploration of the Cosmos and his own contribution to the American Space Program, especially the Moon Landings.

Adolphine: "... and in the 22nd century, travel to the Moon and the rest of the Solar System became commonplace."

von Braun: "How common?"

Adolphine: "Well, only rich people can afford a vacation to Mars or the Jovian Satellites but the Moon... Everybody has travelled to the Moon!"

von Braun: "Have you? Have you been on the Moon?"

Adolphine: "Yes, of course. It's not a big deal, you know... I have pictures and movies if you don't believe me!"

von Braun (amazed): "Pictures and movies? Taken on the Moon?! With you?!... That's phenomenal! Why didn't you say so from the very beginning? Can I see them?"

Adolphine: "Sure. Olaf... Show Herr von Braun some of the Moon movies!"

************


Hours later, von Braun, Hitler, Eva, Goebbels and Magda watched in awe, for the umpteenth time, the iconic scene in which a space-costumed but clearly recognizable younger Adolphine was drawing a swastika with her index finger in the Lunar regolith.

Goebbels: "We have to use this! It's an opportunity so huge, we cannot let it go! Imagine the effect this movie would have, not only here in the Reich, but in America and in England!"

Hitler: "Nobody would believe that we sent people to the Moon!"

Goebbels: "Herr von Braun might shoot a rocket towards the Moon. We'll call the press from the neutral countries..."

von Braun: "They will track the rocket and expose the lie."

Goebbels (irritated): "Something has to be done!"

Hitler: "Herr von Braun, how long would it take to actually send a rocket to the Moon?"

von Braun (excited): "With people? And bring them back safely?"

Hitler: "No need for that. Just to send a rocket to the Moon, no people, no coming back."

von Braun: "With sufficient funding... I don't know... Two years, maybe less..."

Hitler: "You will have all the money you need. Stop the V2s. We don't need them now when we are protected by the Dome. We must go to the Moon! Are you sure the rocket trajectory can be tracked?"

von Braun: "Yes, I am positive. Both us and our enemies would easily track it. Even amateur astronomers might be able to track it."

Goebbels: "So everybody will see a German rocket reaching the Moon and then we will produce this wonderful movie!"

Hitler: "Yes. The Swastika on the Moon! It will be glorious! Von Braun, you'd better start working now!"

************


Adolphine: "Eva, is it possible that von Braun was hitting on me?"

Eva: "I don't know, Adolphine... He might..."

Well, Space Nazis! Who would have thought that?

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 25. Law and Morality



23 January 1945, the Hirn, Berlin, Großdeutsches Reich

Hitler: "Adolphine, can you help me with Helga?"

Adolphine: "Sure, Herr Hitler, is it something wrong with her?..."

Hitler: "Oh, no, it's nothing. Helga is helping me to rule the Reich more efficiently and I thought that she should get acquainted with our ways of life, with our National Socialist philosophy... I reasoned that Mein Kampf ought to be a good start, but I have neither the time not the patience to read it aloud and I don't trust anybody else to have access to Helga..."

Adolphine (bemused): "Herr Hitler, Helga can read it herself, you only have to turn the pages for her..." (opening the book) "Helga, can you read Fraktur... this font?"

Helga: "Yes, Adolphine. You may turn the page now."

Adolphine: "See, Herr Hitler? Helga can read a page faster than I can flip it!"

Hitler: "Very good. Adolphine, have you read it?"

Adolphine: "Mein Kampf? Sure, I read it online. I never owned the book, as an object, I mean... it's forbidden, you know..."

Hitler: "After Helga finishes reading it, it's yours."

Adolphine: "Thank you Herr Hitler!... Could you write an autograph for me?"

Hitler (smiling): "Sure... Anything for my girl."

Für meine süße Adolphine, mit Liebe, Adolf Hitler

Adolphine: "Thank you so much! I have never read a real book, a book made of paper! Do you know what I would also like to read?"

Hitler: "No, tell me."

Adolphine: "A newspaper, not an online one, a real newspaper. And I have heard so many marvellous stories about Der Stürmer."

Hitler (slightly disappointed): "Der Stürmer? You'll have it on your table starting tomorrow."

Adolphine: "Thank you. What's the name of the editor... I forgot it."

Hitler: "Julius Streicher... And I think you shouldn't meet him... Anyway, umm, Adolphine... Helga is... completely trustworthy, isn't she? I mean, it should be impossible for her to betray me... It's all computer programs after all!"

Adolphine: "Sure, Herr Hitler, a robot won't do anything which could harm its users."

Hitler: "Would she do anything... and I mean, anything... if I ask her to?"

Adolphine: "Well... not anything. As I said earlier, she would definitely not harm her users, that is either me or you. And she would try not to break the law or her inner moral code... And, of course, she will always obey the instructions of her Administrator rather than mine or yours. We are only Advanced Users, but you already know that..."

Hitler (worried): "Oh, what about a possible conflict between my orders, the law and her moral code? And what Law would be that? The Law of your Judaized future or the Law of our Reich? These are very important questions..."

Adolphine: "I don't know, but we should really ask her. Helga, did you hear Herr Hitler's questions?"

Helga: "Yes, I did, but I did not want to interrupt your conversation. I will do my utmost to follow your orders. Should your orders imply a minor breaking of the law or of my internal moral code, I would still follow them. Should your orders imply a major disregard of the law or of my internal moral code, I may refuse to follow them. I would, of course, inform you and explain my decision. About the other question, I understand perfectly that the Law may be different in different jurisdictions, so I will obviously follow local law. In our case, this means the Law of the German Reich. Which means that I will have to read your entire Law Corpus, because it seems to be rather different from European Law."

Hitler (not pleased): "Well, this may be rather unfortunate but, until we can build our own robots, we must use what we have... I understand, Helga. You will have the opportunity to read our laws. Until then, you can ask me. I know the laws because I make them. I am the Führer."

Helga: "I understand, Herr Hitler. The German Reich is an autocracy and you are its Autocrat."

Hitler: "Yes, splendid. An autocracy... What do you mean by minor and major breaking of the law? Can you be more specific?"

Helga: "Yes. A minor breaking of the law might be an attempt to circumvent your taxes or to avoid a parking ticket. A major breaking of the law might be an attempt to kill or rape someone. For everything in between I would use my judgement."

Hitler (thinking): "I see... That's enough for today. Adolphine, I have to go to a meeting now. You will receive a guest, an old science fiction writer, Hans Dominik. He wrote some stories about robots and I wanted him to actually see real life robots..." (laughing) "Make sure to dress modestly, he's an old sick man. We don't want him to have a heart attack!"

Adolphine: "Yes, Herr Hitler, sure... But, before you go... I would like to ask you to investigate something..."

Hitler: "What is it?"

Adolphine: "You know... I have already told you that, after the war, the Jews and their puppets have started with all this Holocaust non-sense, that six million Jews have been turned into soap and lampshades..."

Hitler: "Not again! Leave me alone with these Jew lies, would you!"

Adolphine: "Oh, no, this may be important. It's about rebuffing their propaganda."

Hitler: "Make it quick."

Adolphine: "Besides building false smoke chimneys and paining the walls blue to look like cyanide was used to kill the Jews, but they can't do this now, because we will defeat the Soviets in Poland, won't we?"

Hitler: "Yes, we will defeat them. In the Generalgouvernement. Besides that... Go on."

Adolphine: "Oh, I said Poland... I'm sorry. Yes, besides that, they produced a diary supposedly written by a young Jewess, about my age or so. Of course, it was fake. Parts of it were written with a ball pen! Ridiculous! But, you know, it may be a good idea to investigate it and prove that they were lying..."

Hitler: "Why would be a diary so important?"

Adolphine (furious): "Because they shoved it down our throats like it were the Holy Bible or something! They made it required reading in the schools, it was everywhere. You have to stop it. Either prove it a fake or destroy it and save billions of innocent children from that horror!"

Hitler: "I see. Do you know the name of that Jewess?"

Adolphine: "I do. It's Anne Frank and she's from the Netherlands. But please, if she's still alive, don't have her killed. I would like to confront her personally about the monstruosity that poisoned the childhood of so many of my peers."

Hitler: "When did she die and where?"

Adolphine: "I don't know. She died in a Concentration Camp, before the end of the war. I don't know when and I don't know in which camp."

Hitler: "We will find her. If she died, who published the diary?"

Adolphine: "Her father, a very dirty, slimy Jew. He even embellished it with pornographic elements!"

Hitler: "We will locate him as well. Now calm down and get ready to receive Herr Dominik. Good bye."

I surely did not harm the little Jewess. After all, she would have died anyway... The Jewish lies must be stopped... Am I a horrible person?... For the sake of history, we have to see if it was fake or not!

************


Adolphine: "Good day, Herr Dominik. Welcome to my home."

Hans Dominik: "Good day, gracious Fräulein."

Adolphine: "Do you like it?"

Dominik: "Yes, everything looks amazing, it's so futuristic... After all, it's literally from the future... But where are the robots?"

Adolphine: "The robots? Everywhere. Everything you see, it's a robot. Just talk to them, Herr Dominik."

Dominik (incredulous): "Talk to the furniture? To that chair, maybe?"

Adolphine: "Yes, look at it and call it. Just give it a try."

Dominik: "Umm... Chair? I'm taking to you..."

Chair (inching closer): "Hello, Guest. Would you like to sit down?"

Dominik (sitting down): "It's amazing! I used to think of myself as an imaginative writer but this... Everything is a robot here! No, I could have never imagined something like this! Oh, thank You God. Thank You for allowing me to experience such a marvellous World!" (coughing) "Chair, what are you able to do?"

Chair: "Do you want a back massage?"

Dominik: "Oh, sure, go ahead, just make it a soft one... It's wonderful!..."

Adolphine (smiling): "I'm glad you like it. Do you want to play a game or something?"

Dominik: "What game? Does any of these robots play chess?"

Adolphine: "Chess, sure. Although it's not very interesting... Table, Herr Dominik wants to play chess with you."

Table: "Sure. Standard chess?"

Dominik: "Yes, please. Like it was played in the 20th century. Fräulein Heimat, chess is a very interesting game..."

Table: "Do you want to play white or black?"

Dominik: "White, please."

Adolphine: "It's a dead draw. Chess is completely solved. A robot can never lose."

Dominik: "I see. Table, would you remove one of your knights to make the game more even for a mere mortal like me?"

Table: "Sure, I removed my b8 knight. Should we proceed now?"

************


Twenty-six moves later, Hans Dominik resigned in an already hopeless position.

Dominik: "I had absolutely no chance whatsoever... Alekhine would have loved this challange, but alas, he's in Portugal now... Tell me, Adolphine, do all these robots follow some rules, like to never harm a human?..."

Adolphine: "Certainly not. Try to touch one the Industrial Robots and it will duly electrocute you!"

Dominik: "I see. So Asimow was wrong after all."

Adolphine: "Who's Asimow?"

Dominik: "A Jewish science fiction writer from Amerika. He writes a lot about robots but he's got it all wrong."

Adolphine: "Of course. He's a Jew."

************

What a nice fellow. Too bad he's so old...

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 26. The War Goes On!



22 January 1945, Western Front

Shortly before midnight, all combat ceased everywhere on the Western Front, from the Inner Swiss border to the Inner North Sea.

The Western Allied Forces began their retreat towards the German recognized borders of France and Belgium. In Alsace-Lorraine, Luxembourg and Eupen-Malmedy, there was a mix of fear and consternation. Thousands of refugees joined the retreating armies in their flight westwards, away from the horrors of the Reich.



23-25 January 1945, Western Front

The Wehrmacht

The Wehrmacht started to advance into the territory just vacated by the Western Allies. The Western Territories (Alsace-Lorraine, Luxembourg and Eupen-Malmedy) were placed under military rule in preparation for their future reintegration in the civilian administration of the Reich.

While in Aachen the German soldiers were met by a small cheering crowd, in Strasbourg and Luxembourg the silent hostility was readily apparent. By the end of the 24th, all the Reich's Western Territories were under the firm control of the German Armed Forces.

The conduct of the German troops was, on average, adequate, with the most pressing issue being the looting, mainly for food.


The Western Allied Recognized Combatants

The Conditional Surrender was only officially applicable to the Armed Forces belonging to countries whose Governments were recognized by the German Reich, i.e. the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (with a total of more than two million men).

The vast majority of the soldiers from those countries followed their orders, relinquished their military equipment, retreated in good order and awaited their demobilization. The Jewish soldiers feared that the Germans might renege the treaty and most of them went into hiding.

There were several instances of desertion, including armament gone missing, as well as disorderly conduct, looting and other violence. A few soldiers were court-martialled but none were executed. Most of the desertors were never caught and some ended up in Inner Switzerland where most of them were interned. No more skirmishes with the Inner Swiss Army took place.


The Western Allied Unrecognized Combatants

One thorny issue was the presence of hundreds of thousands of soldiers belonging to countries which, from the German point of view, were considered either defunct altogether (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg) or having a different Government from the one who commanded the allegiance of their troops (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Greece vs. their former collaborator puppet regimes or German Occupation Authorities).

Luxembourg. The small Luxembourgish Army (144 men) surrendered en masse to the advancing Wehrmacht. Instead of having them executed for treason (as they were German citizens), Gerd von Rundstedt proclaimed a general amnesty, presumably with the tacit support of the German Government. After a couple of days of captivity, the Luxembourgish soldiers were either released to their homes or conscripted into the Wehrmacht.

Poland and Czechoslovakia. The Polish Armed Forces in the West (over 170,000 men) and the forces loyal to the Czechoslovak Government in Exile (cca. 3000 men) were in a very difficult situation, as their countries were not recognized by Germany and they were considered partisans or bandits rather than lawful combatants. While most of them hid in the rural areas of Inner France, at least 22 managed to get to Poland and enlist in the Polish Home Army. Unfortunately for them, dozens others did not make it to Poland, being caught and executed by the Germans.

Norway and Greece. The symbolic Norwegian (300 men) and Greek (800 men) Expeditionary Forces were officially disbanded and placed under the provisonal authority of the British Army.

Belgium and the Netherlands. The Belgian Army (130,000 men) and the Dutch Army (55,000 men) retreated to Inner Belgium and, respectively, Southern (Free) Netherlands. They began to negotiate with von Rundstedt a possible recognition of their status as lawful combatants.

Free France. At the insistence of Free French Leader Charles de Gaulle (who was outside the Dome, in Paris), the Inner French Army (over 300,000 men) refused to surrender and vowed to continue the fight against Germany. They retreated to Inner France from where they began to harass the German forces deployed in Alsace-Lorraine. The Germans retaliated by bombing and strafing their positions but refrained from crossing the border. Von Rundstedt complained to Eisenhower, demanded that the Anglo-Americans put an end to the French attacks and threatened to invade Inner France. Churchill and Truman began to put pressure on de Gaulle in order to have him comply with the Conditional Surrender. The situation was very complicated and tense.



23 January 1945, World

During several very heated phone conversations, Truman and Churchill managed to convince Stalin that they were still belligerants and the scheduled Yalta Conference should still be attended. They vowed to use greater force against the retreating German Armies in Outer Northern Italy and even mentioned a possible invasion of German-held Norway.



23-27 January 1945, Italian Front

The Italian Front desintegrated rapidly. All major cities, including Milano, Genova, Torino, Modena, Parma, Pisa, Savona, Pavia, Bergamo, Verona, Padua, Ravenna and Venice, were declared Open Cities by the retreating German Armies.

The German retreat which should have been completed in two weeks had turned into a rout after the end of the first one. Out of the cca. 800,000 Germans from Army Group C, only a little over half a million managed to retreat to the safety provided by the Dome. In just nine days, the Allies had taken 212,000 prisoners of war and had liberated about eighty percent of Outer Northern Italy.

For Field Marshall Harold Alexander it was a monumental victory. For Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring it was a humiliating failure. A raging Hitler fired him from the command of Army Group C and replaced him with Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff (who had temporarily occupied the post during the previous months while Kesselring was recovering from an injury).

The Frontline was eventually stabilized on the River Piave.



20-27 January 1945, Croatian Front

The Wehrmacht managed a well organized retreat northwards against sporadic Yugoslav Partisan attacks. By the 24th, the Germans had completely vacated Dalmatia, Bosnia and Slavonia, leading to the rather curious situation in which the war was fought mainly between the Partisans and the Ustaše.

Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, the Commander in Chief of Army Group E, succeeded not only to safely disengage the vast majority of his forces but also to perform several important prisoner exchanges with the Partisans.

With his back protected by the Croats, Alexander Löhr was confident in his ability to safely transfer the remainder of his soldiers inside the Dome.



24-26 January 1945, the Dodecanese

With the defences of Rhodes significantly weakened by the recent desertions (escapees to neutral Turkey), the British Navy mounted an amphibious invasion of Rhodes and secured a bridgehead on the Island. On the 26th, the Rhodes garisson surrendered. The rest of the Dodecanese German troops followed suit during the rest of the week.



23-28 January 1945, Inner Hungary and Eastern Slovakia

Lacking supplies, ammunition, food, air cover, strategic depth and morale, the remaining Red Army units scattered in Eastern Inner Hungary and Easternmost Slovakia began to disintegrate. The mission to mop them up was assigned to the Hungarian Army because the German soldiers were desperately needed for the defence of Berlin.

By the 28th, the Soviet remnants south of the Carpathians ceased to be an organized force and the frontline dissappeared, the war melting into innumerable skirmishes and ambushes, a situation not very dissimilar to the Yugoslav one.



21-24 January 1945, Inner Courland Pocket

The seaborne evacuation of the Inner Courland Pocket was successfully completed. At least 200,000 Germans and 13,000 Latvians had been rescued to fight another day.



23 January 1945, Berlin, Greater German Reich

As the mammoth Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive was rapidly approaching the Oder, Hitler met with several of his Generals to assess the situation and devise a plan to counter the Soviet onslaught.

The Generals begged Hitler to allow a temporary retreat on the more easily defensible western bank of the Oder in order to buy sufficient time for the millions of German soldiers converging towards Berlin to reach the crucial war theatre.

Hitler shouted almost non-stop for a full hour. He accused his Generals of defeatism and cowardice and insisted that no more German soil be ceded to the advancing Red Army. In the end, Hitler remained completetly inflexible. Not only didn't he allow a strategic retreat but he even ordered a massive counterattack aiming to recapture Posen and Silesia and push the Red Army back into the General Government.



23 January 1945, Warsaw, Poland

Marshall Zhukov dismantled the Communist Puppet Polish Government from Lublin and recognised the authority of the Polish Government in Exile over the Polish Republic. All Soviet actions aimed against the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajova) and the Polish Underground State ceased completely. The Soviet-leaning Polish Armed Forces in the East were merged into the Polish Home Army.

Stalin was furious. He reprimanded and threatened Zhukov who replied with the memorable though possibly apocryphal phrase: "The choices I had were to destroy either Poland or Germany but not both and I had already chosen Germany."



23-27 January 1945, Eastern Front


The 2,440,000 Soviet soldiers together with the 640,000 Polish soldiers liberated the rest of Poland (with the exception of the Corridor and a few small mountainous regions in the south) and continued to advance in East Prussia, Pomerania, Silesia and Brandenburg against ferocious German resistance.

Everything proceeded according to Zhukov's plan until the 27th. His armies were a mere 50 kilometres from the Oder and only 120 kilometres from the Dome Centre in Berlin. The following day, two million German soldiers counterattacked on a wide front and all hell broke loose on the Eastern Front.

 

[Zagan7]

Central Europe
28 January 1945
For a live zoomable and pannable map of the Dome, you may follow this link.

​

Legend:

• National colours as usual
• Inside the Dome and in the German controlled areas outside the Dome, the map shows the de jure situation from the German point of view.
• In other areas, the map shows the de facto situation.
• Black Lines: National Borders
• Grey Lines: Internal Borders
• Red Lines: Frontlines
• Interrupted Red Lines: Demarcation lines between (partially) disorganized combatants (between the Croatian Army and the Yugoslav Partisans, between the Hungarian Army and the Soviet remnants, between the Slovak Army and the Soviet remnants)
• Dotted Red Line: Conditional Surrender Treaty Line (Western Front)
• Red Circle: Dome limit (looks like an ellipse due to Mercator distortion)
• Red Dot: Dome centre (Berlin)
• Light Pink Hue: Dome area

Key:

1. Andorra (Self Governing French-Spanish Co-Principality)
2. Liechtenstein (fully inside the Dome)
3. Outer Belgium (Poperinge Area)
4. Inner Italy / Reichsprotektorat Venedig (Protectorate)
5. Outer South Tyrol / Südtirol (Operational Zone)
6. Outer Adriatic Littoral / Adriatisches Küstenland (Operational Zone)
7. Outer Slovenia / Slowenien (Operational Zone)
8. Inner Croatia / Reichsprotektorat Kroatien
9. Italian Zara (Yugoslav control)
10. Outer Slovakia (Soviet control)
11. Outer Poland (Soviet control)

.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 27. Sabotage at the Hirn



The first paragraph was written by Amber from AlternateHistory.com. She allowed me to cross-post her contributions to my story.

Like all contributions posted by me, it is canon. Like in all other contributions, I have made slight changes, such as correcting some typos and adjusting the formatting to match the rest of the story.

Contributions are welcome. If you want to contribute anything you are knowledgeable about, please contact me with details in a private conversation. Thank you.



24 January 1945, Kremlin, Moscow, Soviet Union

Joseph Stalin was extremely concerned about the recent proliferation of German Domes. The reports piling up on his desk indicated that most of the European Part of the Soviet Union was already divided into hundreds of Domes of various sizes and colours. The situation was critical. The Germans were invading one Dome at a time, overwhelming the limited numbers of isolated Red Army soldiers. Suddenly, the Kremlin itself was surrounded by a small Dome, severing all access to the rest of the World. The End was coming quickly. Stalin pointed his gun at his temple... The door opened. It was Hitler. His rictus-like smile was petrifying. Stalin shot at Hitler several times but to no avail. Hitler was surrounded in a little Dome. He advanced by walking inside it like a hamster on a wheel. Hitler produced another Dome which encompassed his gun. Stalin realized he was doomed. He should have commited suicide when he still had the chance. Now he was going to be Hitler's prisoner. He was paralized with horror. Hitler's head had detached from his body, passed through his Dome and opened his gigantic mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Hitler's head began to gnaw at Stalin's face, devouring him little by little while laughing hysterically...

Stalin woke up in a pool of cold sweat. No, not that bloody nightmare again!...



24 January 1945, Tokio, Empire of Japan

The Emperor was reading the transcript of the material received from Germany.

The Emperor: "One terawatt? What does that mean? A million megawatts!?"

Aide: "Yes, Your Majesty."

The Emperor: "Nuclear Fusion Power? Phylaxons?! Are they mocking us?"

Aide: "Umm..."



24 January 1945, Berlin, Greater German Reich

A massive explosion on the Spree River bed produced a column of water at least ten metres high. The blast ripped through the system of pipes delivering water to the Hirn, burying it in rock, dirt and debris. Seconds later the sound of the dreaded Main Alarm woke up everybody inside the Hirn.

Hitler: "What happened? Those robots are playing with our nerves again?"

Adolphine (yawning): "I don't know. Let's go to the Control Room and find out..."

The Main Computer informed them of the nature of the problem. The Water Purification Centre had stopped receiving water from the Spree. Seconds later, Hitler was informed of the sabotage.

The Thermonuclear Reactor which was powering the Dome needed around one gram of heavy water per second in order to function properly. It was obtained from a steady supply of 3.2 kilograms of normal Spree water which was not available anymore. The situation would have been severe if not for the presence of the Heavy Water Tank which contained about 1.1 tons of heavy water, enough to power the Reactor for 12 days.

Hitler calmed down. Twelve days were more than enough to repair the damage and reestablish the water supply. In fact, the repairs could be probably finished in less than one day. In the mean time, a still sleepy Adolphine had to talk with XH0173 to shut the Alarm down.


The saboteurs were never caught and, to this day, their identity is unknown. The security around the Hirn was tightened.



25 January 1945, Sweden

Per the 22nd of January German-Swedish Treaty, Hitler created 16 openings in the Dome on major roads and railroads linking Outer Sweden (Svealand and Norrland) with Inner Sweden (Götaland).

The Swedish Government asked for one maritime opening close to the shore and large enough to accomodate most Swedish ships. Hitler denied their request, citing security concerns, but promissed to review the situation after a ceasefire was concluded. The Swedish Authorities were obviously displeased but did not press the point any further.

The Soviet Ambassador to Stockholm deplored the German-Swedish "accomodation" and hinted that the Soviet Union might consider that Sweden was colluding with the enemy. The main point of contention was the presence of the German Observers who were viewed by the Soviets as part of the Wehrmacht. The Swedes assessed that the Soviet Union would not invade them. They were proven right.



25 January 1945, Bern, Switzerland

The Swiss Authorities provided a discrete venue for unofficial talks regarding a possible end of the state of war between Germany and the Western Allies. The small German group was lead by the German diplomat Konstantin von Neurath.

While the major Western Allies were not interested in any talks with Nazi Germany, at least prior to the upcoming Yalta Conference, the Belgian and the Dutch Ambassadors seemed more eager to discuss the German proposals.

With only the small Poperinge area outside the Dome, 99% of Belgium was inside the Dome (excluding the Belgian Congo). It was free from German troops with the exception of the annexed Eupen-Malmedy region, its Government was functioning freely in Brussels while King Leopold III was still in German custody.

The Netherlands were completely inside the Dome (excluding Indonesia and the Dutch Caribbean). Most of its territory was still under German occupation, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the Hague and its Government and Queen Wilhelmina were in exile.



25 January 1945, Copenhagen, Denmark

Denmark and Germany anounced that they were ready to begin discussing a separate Peace Settlement.

Denmark was completely inside the Dome (excluding Faroe and Greenland). It was under German occupation and both its Government and King Christian X were in Copenhagen, living under occupation like the rest of the Danes.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 28. German Peace Aims



26 January 1945, Bern, Outer Switzerland

Konstantin von Neurath released the official German proposal for a negotiated Peace.


1. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles, signed under duress by the German Reich, and all the consequences thereof are null and void ab initio.

1.1. Alsace-Lorraine is part of the German Reich.
1.2. Eupen-Malmedy is part of the German Reich.
1.3. Northern Schleswig is part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to sell most of it to Denmark.
1.4. Danzig is part of the German Reich.
1.5. Memelland is part of the German Reich.
1.6. Hultschin Silesia is part of the German Reich.
1.7. All territories ceded to Poland (parts of Upper Silesia, Posen, Pomerania, East Prussia, West Prussia) are part of the German Reich.
1.8. All German Colonies and Concessions belong to the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to sell them to the Powers who are currently administering them.
1.9. German Austria is part of the German Reich.


2. The 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and all the consequences thereof are null and void ab initio.

2.1. Cisleithania and Transleithania remain separated. The Austro-Hungarian State remains defunct.
2.2. German Austria is part of the German Reich.
2.3. Dalmatia is part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to cede it to Croatia.
2.4. The Austrian Littoral is part of the German Reich.
2.5. South Tyrol is part of the German Reich. The German Reich may sell or exchange the parts lying outside the Berlin Dome.
2.6. Slovenia is part of the German Reich. The German Reich may sell or exchange the parts lying outside the Berlin Dome.
2.7. Bohemia and Moravia are part of the German Reich.
2.8. All territories ceded to Bohemia and Moravia (parts of Feldsberg, Gmünd, Austrian Silesia) are part of the German Reich.
2.9. Teschen Silesia is part of the German Reich.
2.10. Galicia and Lodomeria are part of the German Reich. The German Reich may sell or exchange the parts lying outside the Berlin Dome.
2.11. Bukowina is part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to cede it to Romania.
2.12. The German Reich renounces its share of the Condominium of Bosnia.
2.13. The Tianjin Concession belongs to the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to cede it.
2.14. The Burgenland remains part of the German Reich.


3. Miscellanious German Territories

3.1. Neutral Moresnet is part of German Reich.
3.2. Longwy-Briey is part of the German Reich.
3.3. Luxembourg is part of the German Reich.
3.4. All former Polish territories annexed by the German Reich in 1939 remain part of the German Reich.


4. German Protectorates

4.1. The parts of Italy lying inside the Berlin Dome are a German Protectorate.
4.2. The parts of Croatia lying inside the Berlin Dome are a German Protectorate.
4.3. The parts of Poland lying inside the Berlin Dome are a German Protectorate.
4.3. The parts of Lithuania lying inside the Berlin Dome are a German Protectorate.
4.4. The parts of Latvia lying inside the Berlin Dome are a German Protectorate.


5. Norway

5.1. The Independence of Norway will be restored. The German Reich will remove its Administration from Norway.
5.2. The German Reich will remove its Army from Outer Norway. The German Reich may retain several military bases in Inner Norway.
5.3. The German Reich will open passages in the Berlin Dome in order to allow communication between Outer Norway and Inner Norway. The conditions will be similar to those negotiated with Sweden.
5.4. Norway will maintain friendly relations with the German Reich.
5.5. Norway will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army and Administration during the war.


6. Denmark

6.1. The German Reich will remove its Army from Denmark. The German Reich may retain several military bases in Denmark.
6.2. Denmark will maintain friendly relations with the German Reich.
6.3. Denmark will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army during the war.
6.4. Denmark recognizes the Independence of Iceland.
6.5. Northern Schleswig is part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to sell most of it to Denmark.


7. The Netherlands

7.1. The Independence of the Netherlands will be restored. The German Reich will remove its Administration from the Netherlands.
7.2. The German Reich will remove its Army from the Netherlands. The German Reich may retain several military bases in the Netherlands.
7.3. The Netherlands will maintain friendly relations with the German Reich.
7.4. The Netherlands will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army and Administration during the war.


8. Belgium

8.1. The German Reich recognizes the Independence of Belgium.
8.2. The German Reich may retain several military bases in Inner Belgium.
8.3. The German Reich will open passages in the Berlin Dome in order to allow communication between Outer Belgium and Inner Belgium. The conditions will be similar to those negotiated with Sweden.
8.4. Belgium will maintain friendly relations with the German Reich.
8.5. Belgium will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army and Administration during the war.
8.6. Eupen-Malmedy is part of the German Reich.
8.7. Belgium cedes its share of Neutral Moresnet to the German Reich.
8.8. Instead of transferring Rwanda and Burundi to the German Reich, Belgium will recognize their Independence and will remove its Army and Administration from their territories.
8.9. Belgium transfers Katanga to the German Reich.


9. Luxembourg

9.1. Luxembourg is abolished. Its territory is part of the German Reich.
9.2. The Luxembourg Government in Exile will be dismantled.


10. France

10.1. Alsace-Lorraine is part of the German Reich.
10.2. Longwy-Briey is part of the German Reich.
10.3. The German Reich will open passages in the Berlin Dome in order to allow communication between Outer France and Inner France. The conditions will be similar to those negotiated with Sweden.
10.4. France will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army and Administration during the war.
10.5. Inner France will be demilitarized.
10.6. The Vichy France Government will be dismantled.


11. Italy

11.1. Italy will not act against its citizens who had helped the German Army during the war.
11.2. South Tyrol, the Austrian Littoral, Fiume, Slovenia and Dalmatia are part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to sell Outer South Tyrol to Italy and to cede Dalmatia to Croatia.
11.3. Inner Italy is a German Protectorate.


12. Yugoslavia

12.1. Slovenia and Dalmatia are part of the German Reich. The German Reich is willing to cede Dalmatia to Croatia.
12.2. Inner Croatia is a German Protectorate.
12.3. Croatia is an Independent State allied to Germany and under German Protection.


13. Czechoslovakia

13.1. Czechoslovakia remains abolished.
13.2. Sudetenland, Austrian Silesia, Bohemia and Moravia are part of the German Reich.
13.3. Slovakia is an Independent State allied to Germany and under German Protection.
13.4. The Czechoslovak Government in Exile will be dismantled.


14. Poland

14.1. Inner Poland is a German Protectorate.
14.2. Danzig is part of the German Reich.
14.3. The parts of Upper Silesia, Posen, Pomerania, East Prussia, West Prussia which were part of Poland are part of the German Reich.
14.4. All former Polish territories annexed by the German Reich in 1939 remain part of the German Reich.


15. Danzig

15.1. Danzig is abolished. Its territory is part of the German Reich.


16. Lithuania

16.1. Inner Lithuania is a German Protectorate.
16.2. Memelland is part of the German Reich.


17. Latvia

17.1. Inner Latvia is a German Protectorate.


18. Japan

18.1. The German Reich ends its alliance with the Empire of Japan. The German Reich is not interested in the future fate of the Empire of Japan, its possessions and occupied territories.


19. Prisoners of War

19.1. All Prisoners of War belonging to signatory countries will be exchanged.
19.2. All demobilized Western Allied soldiers from Inner France, Inner Belgium and the Netherlands will be allowed to exit the Berlin Dome.
19.3. All German soldiers from outside the Berlin Dome (Crete, the Channel Islands, French Ports, Outer Norway, U-Boats, etc) will be allowed to return to the German Reich with their military equipment and supplies.


20. Population Transfers

20.1. All Jews from the German Reich, the German Protectorates, Slovakia and Inner Hungary will be expelled.
20.2. All Germans from outside the German Reich will be allowed to immigrate to the German Reich.
20.3. Any non-Germans from the German Reich and its Protectorates will be allowed to emigrate if so they desire.


21. Financial Considerations

21.1. The amount of money which ought to be exchanged will be calculated taking into consideration the following factors:
- The destruction caused during World War I by both sides;
- The reparations paid after World War I;
- The disruption caused in Germany after World War I by the Entente Powers;
- The losses incurred by the foreign administration of German territories after World War I;
- The destruction caused during World War II by both sides.
21.2. The total sum resulting from the aforementioned calculation will be paid in a sufficiently long time as to allow the economy of the paying side to cope with the loss of capital.


22. Signatories

22.1. European Axis Powers: the German Reich, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia.
22.2. Western United Nations Powers: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Greece, Nepal, Bahrain, Oman, Philippines, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, China, Iraq, Mexico, Brazil, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Iran, Colombia, Liberia.
22.3. The following Powers are under Soviet Control or Influence and are not expected to sign the Treaty: Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, (Outer) Hungary, Poland, (Outer) Lithuania, (Outer) Latvia, Estonia.
22.4. The following Powers are not recognized by the European Axis Powers: Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia.
22.5. The European Axis Powers seek the dissolution of the following Power: the Soviet Union.


23. Notes

23.1. The German Delegation represents the interests of Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia and of various groups of Anticommunist fighters.
23.2. The German Proposal is (partially) negotiable.
23.3. Although the German Reich cannot be invaded by the United Nations Powers, the German Reich still desires Peace and a normalization of its relations with the Western Powers.
23.4. If the United Nations Powers decide to stall, the situation of the German Reich would improve and the Peace conditions accepted by the German Reich may not be as advantageous as the present ones.



The impression produced in the Western Cancellaries was mixed.



Note: This is just a proposal. The final peace settlement, if any, would be obviously different.
.

 

[Zagan7]

Chapter 29. First Blood



24 January 1945, the Hirn, Berlin, Großdeutsches Reich

Otto Hahn: "I am sorry, Mein Führer, but this is preposterous. We have already achieved nuclear fission and we know how to build nuclear fission reactors. Why should we dedicate an enormous amount of time, money and energy to build a fusion reactor instead?"

Hitler: "Yes, Herr Hahn, nuclear fission is good, I know that. But you see, nuclear fusion is much better. That's why the Hirn uses fusion. Because it's more powerful and it's also cleaner. It's better for the environment. And besides, a hydrogen bomb would be more powerful than a uranium bomb."

Hahn: "I can understand that, Mein Führer, but... we don't know anything about fusion power or a fusion bomb..."

Hitler (yelling): "You don't know anything about fusion?! And you say you are a nuclear physicist?! I am no scientist and even I know how to do it! You make up a helium atom out of two deuterium atoms, that's all! Since the deuterium atoms contain more energy than the helium atom, the surplus energy is released. If you release it slowly you have a reactor, if you do it quickly you have a bomb. What's so difficult to understand?... I am however afraid that you are reluctant to serve your Fatherland. I had received some information in this regard but so far I have chosen not to believe it. I sincerely hope that you will not make me change my mind!"

Hahn (stuttering): "Yes, Mein Führer, I understand. We know the theory of nuclear fusion, it's the details of a practical implementation that elude us..."

Hitler: "Then all you have to do is to study the reactor we have here. Helga will help you. And possibly Olaf as well. The girl, Adolphine... Leave her alone. She knows absolutely nothing about it and she is already fed up with scientists since that incident with Heisenberg..." (laughing) "Did you know that she kicked him... there?"


Many historians believe that Hitler's constant medling in the Uranprojekt hampered it significantly.

************


Doctor Vohn: "Adolphine, we believe that you may still have many latent memories, memories that the Fatherland may put to good use if we manage to reveal them."

Adolphine: "I will not allow you to hypnotize me! I have already told you so more than once. Are you slow or something?"

Doctor Vohn: "Err, there is no need to insult me. I wish you were a little less aggressive... Anyway, I have thought of another, more mundane method."

Adolphine: "What exactly?"

Doctor Vohn: "We will show you different images, words and names and see if you are remembering anything. Like you remembered the name of that traitorous scum Bormann when you heard it. Or of that little dirty Jewess with the anti-German propaganda diary."

Adolphine: "Oh, stop it. That traitorous scum Bormann... I thought that he was under investigation..."

Doctor Vohn: "He confessed being a Russian spy. It's in the papers..."

Adolphine (troubled): "I didn't know that. Is he... dead? And what about the Jewish girl, Anne Frank?"

Doctor Vohn: "Bormann will be obviously executed for high treason. The Jewess, I don't know, I suppose she is being tracked down."

Adolphine (sighing): "Ok, shoot."

Doctor Vohn: "Sorry?"

Adolphine: "It's slang. Just begin, would you? I don't have all day and I am already bored to death!"

Doctor Vohn: "Sure. We will start with two series of names. In the first list there are high profile National Socialists and high rank Wehrmacht officers. The second one is a compilation of Jewish names. Just in case something rings a bell."

Adolphine: "Let me get this straight... I look at a list of names and if I remember anything, you just kill the man?"

Doctor Vohn: "Nobody is killed here, Adolphine. If someone is guilty and the death penalty is required, he would be executed, not killed."

Adolphine: "Yeah, sure..."

Doctor Vohn: "Young lady, we live in the 20th century, not in the Middle Ages. Someone charged with a crime is tried in a court of law, is entitled to a laywer and may be found innocent. But we certainly cannot let possible traitors and saboteurs continue their distructive activities in the midst of the Volk!"

Adolphine: "I got it. Sorry. Now give me those pages, please."

************


The list comprised more than a thousand names. Two hours later, an exhausted and stressed Adolphine called Doctor Vohn to tell him the results.

Adolphine: "Well, I believe that you will be rather disappointed... Most names do not ring a bell and there are no more traitors, at least as far as I know... Rudolf Heß is not a traitor, he is just plain crazy... Otto Skorzeny is the best special operations guy we have... Erich von Manstein is a very talented General... Karl Dönitz is our best admiral... The rest, I don't know. I mean I have heard of some of them, but nothing particularly good or bad, you know."

Doctor Vohn: "Very good, Adolphine. What about the enemies?"

Adolphine: "What enemies?"

Doctor Vohn: "The Jews."

Adolphine: "Oh. Those are obviously Jewish surnames, it made me sick just reading them but, I mean, I don't know... I recognized some of them but there are Jews that are alive and scheeming in my time not in yours. They may be their descendents, but who knows? And anyway, nobody should be guilty because of what his descendants may do two centuries in the future!... Anyway, there is one name, Wiesenthal. There are a lot of Wiesenthal Centres in my time. They indoctrinate children there with this Holocaust fable... It seems they were named after a lying Jew who is alive now. I am not sure what exactly did he do against our Reich and Volk after the war, but he certainly did something."

Doctor Vohn (taking notes): "I see, Wiesenthal... Do you remember his first name?"

Adolphine: "No, I'm sorry. And I have read the first name list as well. I'm sorry. I would have liked that bastard to be prosecuted!"

Doctor Vohn: "I see. Would you recognize him in a picture?"

Adolphine: "Probably... But, no. The only pictures I saw showed him much older than he would be now. Sorry. Cannot you just interrogate them all? I mean all those named Wiesenthal?"

Doctor Vohn: "We cannot ask someone about something he would have done in the future, can we? But you shouldn't worry about that. Just leave it to the Gestapo. They know how to handle this type of things."


Hitler ordered that all adult Jewish males with the surname Wiesenthal be immediately executed. Adolphine had blood on her hands.

************


Adolphine: "Herr Hitler, please understand that I am not complaining. The food is significantly better than the concentrate but... couldn't it be a little more spicy? I mean, it's rather bland."

Hitler: "Do you have something in particular in mind?"

Adolphine: "I don't know... Currywurst for example."

Hitler: "What is that?"

Adolphine: "You don't have Currywurst?!... It's a Bratwurst, with ketchup and curry. And fries. I know that it's basically ethnic food because of the curry, but the Indians may still have some Arian blood..."

Hitler: "I don't follow you. Why would it matter in which country does the plant grow? After all, we eat the spices, we don't eat the bloody Indians! Anyway, there is no curry here and there is no way to import it because of the war. India is British, you know?... And what is that Ketschup thing?"

Adolphine: "Tomato sauce..." (smiling) "with more spices. But some of them grow in Europe, like the basil."

Hitler (sighing): "Yes, in Europe. But in Italy, not in Germany... I can get you a tomato sauce, minus the herbs. It will be bland, I know. If you want spices, you'll have to wait for the end of the war... Or I can try to have a small quantity smuggled into the Reich for you."

Adolphine (happy): "Would you do that for me?..." (saddened) "But it would be against the law, wouldn't it?"

Hitler: "Let me worry about that, would you. Just make a list with whatever delicacies you desire and I will try to get them for you... No! I said no hugs! Damn it! You are not a little girl anymore, you look just like a grown up woman! What would Eva think if she saw you all over me like that?! Think before you act, damn it!"

Adolphine (cheeky): "Do you find me attractive?"

Hitler (fed up): "Oh, shut up and leave me alone!"

************



25 January 1945, the Hirn, Berlin, Großdeutsches Reich

Adolphine knocked and entered Hitler's office. She was taken aback seeing that Hitler was enjoying the company of a charming lady.

Adolphine (embarrassed): "Hello."

Hitler: "Good morning, Adolphine. This is the famous actress and film maker Leni Riefenstahl. You may have heard her name..."

Leni Riefenstahl: "Hello. Glad to meet you, Fräulein Adolphine. I was looking forward to meeting you."

Adolphine: "Oh, you are that Leni Riefenstahl?! Triumph des Willens? Olympia? Of course I know you! I saw all your movies! You are wonderful! You are the best!"

Leni: "Thank you. You are very kind. I'm glad that they have not destroyed my movies after the war..."

Adolphine: "The Jews would have destroyed them, that's for sure. Thankfully, some good National Socialists had uploaded them to the Internet... You know, the global computer network. It was created after the war, by the Americans."

Hitler: "Adolphine, Leni is going to film here in the Hirn. Would you show her around?"

Adolphine: "Sure. Frau Riefenstahl, come with me, please."

Leni: "Wait a moment. I will be right back... No, we will meet outside, just by the main door. Oh, and you can call me Leni."

Adolphine (smiling): "Sure, Leni. You can call me Adolphine."

Leni leaned towards Hitler, kissed him lightly on the cheek and left the room.


Adolphine: "Herr Hitler... If I am a grown up woman, what is Leni? What would Eva think about that?"

Hitler (sounding innocent): "Oh, it's nothing. She's just an old friend."

Adolphine (mocking tone): "Sure... But don't worry, I won't tell Eva..."

Hitler (irritated): "Leni is not my mistress! And it's none of your business anyway!"


During the following week, Leni Riefenstahl filmed hundreds of hours of raw footage inside the Hirn, proeminently featuring the robots and the other technological marvels but also Hitler, Eva and Adolphine in the role of a normal happy family.

Although heavy edited, when the movie Das Hirn was released in May, it shocked the World even more than the appearance of the Dome itself.

Spoiler: Musings About Guilt and Responsability

Don't be fooled by Adolphine's harmless appearance, odd behaviour and nutty comments. Neo-Nazis are not nice people. They can and will do harm if presented with the right opportunity.

However, Adolphine is not a cold-blooded murderer either. She is very young, brainwashed by her late parents, really confused, placed in a bizarre situation and she really doesn't grasp the truth about the Third Reich.

Below I quote the opinions of a German lawyer (AlternateHistory.com user Tyr Anazasi) about that matter:

Adolphine has blood on her hands, sure. But is she really responsible? Actually she still lives in her own world not knowing better. So she didn't know the consequences.

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Well, in German law a teenager can not be held responsible, if he can't see the injustice because of his state. Here Adolphine is brain washed and in a position she can't act really free. Thus she has no responsibility, although she has doubts. Look at § 3 JGG: § 3 JGG Verantwortlichkeit - dejure.org

Which is BTW older, already § 56 StGB from 1871 was very similar.

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Perhaps I am too much a lawyer and thus too much focused on the legal definition of guilt, but I don't think she is guilty. At first she isn't very intelligent and had been brainwashed. She believed, Hitler hadn't done the crimes he did. Therefore she had no intent to help him in this regards and thus can't be guilty for her action. I won't touch the problems of negligence, especially concerning the circumstances. IMO even that would be problematical.

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