The New Berlin University
Planet New Berlin

The beginnings of the Bundschuh movement can be traced back to the year 679 A.S. During the 80-year war, conditions in Rheinland were anything but pleasant for ordinary people, especially the working class. As a means of perpetuating the war machine, countless people were ordered to work in slave-like conditions to strengthen the economy of the nation that fought a war on their ruler's behalf. A group of students from New Berlin University had secretly decided to resist. They did not want to tolerate a society in which workers must perish in perpetual poverty due to a lack of solidarity, upward mobility, and a thirst for war.

Over several decades, the war reached its terrible culmination. In the meantime, the Bundschuh had become an efficient underground movement, gaining more and more popularity and influence in working-class circles. With the constant growth of exhausted and enraged workers as well as the financial support of Rheinland's intellectual class, the Bundschuh gained more and more influence and patiently waited for its moment. The Empire of Rheinland was on its very last legs, the nation's foundation was crumbling, and it was only a matter of time. After the Imperial Navy suffered a pivotal loss at the Battle of Yanagi, the moment had come.

The defeat of the war and the most powerful military force in Sirius at the hands of a corporation was too much for the proud nation of Rheinland to bear. After years of oppression and labor, Rheinland was humiliated and deeply shaken in its pride. A shattered memory of its former glory. This crucial event ignited a movement for which the fallen empire was unprepared.

On "Von Rohe's Day," huge workers' protests broke out, in particular in the Dresden system as the result of draconian restrictions on worker protection laws. The combination of high debt, suppression of unions, and the failure of the state apparatus led to massive instability in the state on that day. The activists of the Bundschuh found their first concrete operation on that day, covertly supplying the "rebels of Kruger and Daumann". "Von Rohe's Day" announced the end of the Crown of Rheinland and paved the way for the Federal Republic of Rheinland, as well as the birth of the Red Hessians.

On Von Rohe's Day, nationwide protests destabilized Rheinland

The republic created by the will of the people was, on paper, sufficient to calm the tempers, although the oligarchy of the previous state continued to exert great influence.

With the dawn of a new Republic, the Bundschuh was formed into a political party with an interest in taking a close look into Rheinland's corruption problem, as well as increasing the rights for ordinary citizens and workers. For a time, the government was forced to accept and implement reforms pushed especially by the Bundschuh Party.

From 715 A.S., however, the old aristocratic elements of Rheinland society were, for the most part, once again an integral part of the government and general society, as more "pragmatic" elements of the government believed that it could only survive with their influence at hand.

Driven by the fear of losing their power, the aristocrats established a legislature that declared the Bundschuh an enemy of the state, thus forcing them underground once again. This time, the movement was betrayed by the same republic in which it had played a major role in shaping. The failures in attempting to save Rheinland from internal deterioration into corruption caused the Bundschuh to slowly fade into insignificance as a resistance movement.

Gradually, the operations of the now again illegitimate group evolved from political activism to attacks on political and military targets. Accordingly, the Bundschuh's membership gradually filled with former Red Hessians and other pirates instead of the academics that once characterized it. Despite these circumstances, a consistent core of Bundschuh activists remained as a shadow organization and insignificant pirate group for nearly a century in Rheinland.

Klaus Botzler, Edison Trent and Diedrich Von Claussen
shortly before the heroic attack on Schatten

In 800 A.S. Rheinland fell victim to a perfectly organized infiltration of its higher ranks by the Nomads. This is believed to have occurred through an expedition to the Omicron systems, in which Rheinland scientists were first exposed to the Nomads and brought the contagion back to Rheinland. High-ranking politicians and military officers were infected by the aliens and thus became controlled slaves of the aliens' will.

The Nomads wanted to compensate for their smaller numbers compared to humans by clever infiltration and the start of internal conflicts between the colonies.

Kanzler Niemann also became a victim of the Nomads, leaving Rheinland completely in the hands of the aliens, which tried to use the house as an intergalactic aggressor. The insignificance of the Bundschuh was its greatest strength at that precise moment, as it allowed the movement to remain completely undetected by the Nomads. Accordingly, the newly found organization "The Order" established contact with the Bundschuh in an attempt to gather a vital ally in the fight against the Nomads in Rheinland, where the events were orchestrated.

As a consequence of this special position, the Bundschuh, at this time led by Klaus Botzler, organized a courageous but very desperate attack on the secret Schatten Research station in Westerwald Nebel, which was fatefully close to Bruchsal, the main base of the Bundschuh.

The Bundschuh's dwindling strength meant that it was only able to field a single, highly motivated attack squad run through by ace pilots. With the help of the Rheinwehr defectee Diedrich Von Claussen and the courageous Freelancer Edison Trent, the small assault force was nevertheless able to destroy the station.

Only a few of those who were dispatched were able to return and share what they saw there, inspiring many others to be vigil so that such a tragedy would never occur again.

With financial support from the Order, the Bundschuh was able to launch a massive public relations campaign to capitalize on the chaos following the abrupt end of the Nomad War. Although many of the expenditures, signals and transmissions were quickly nullified by the government's rigorous watchdogs, the survivors of the Nomad War have not forgotten what they witnessed.

The ensuing rush of new activists, as well as large influxes of credits, caused the Bundschuh to double traditional expenditures, resulting in the first significant victories in a century. But the government fiercely resisted the effort. A large group of Bundschuh rebels, called the Popular Front, achieved numerous minor victories, but the lack of long-lasting results derailed them from their goal and promoted them to the rear ranks of the resistance.

Naval intelligence had long worked on methods to undermine the Bundschuh's propaganda methods, as well as to intercept and silence individual activists. These strategies made it very difficult for the Bundschuh to get through to the people.

The inevitable end of the dominant Volksfront plunged the Bundschuh into two more decades of disorientation. Smaller factions such as the Rheinländische Volkspartei emerged out of the need to have an emerging faction at the helm. However, these small parties were usually gone just as quickly as they emerged.

For a while, the movement swung back in the direction of the path of the Red Hessians, which made for pragmatic attacks against the executive branch of the state that was to cause lasting damage to the apparatus. However, the consequence was that the population of Rheinland distanced itself ideologically from the Bundschuh.

However, a new generation of academics began to take displeasure with the government to heart. Professor Augusta Adler, at the risk of her own life, breathed new life into the political soul of the movement, uniting other leaderless activists under her. Her call for resistance was heard by more people than expected.

Insignia of the Vereinigte Widerstandsarmee

Though its role in the consequences of the Libertonian War could only be considered "meager", the Widerstandsarmee's constant pressure on the Federal Military's flanks from behind the Bremen front may have contributed to Liberty gaining the advantage in Bering and Hudson instead. Ultimately humanitarian to the end, the Widerstandsarmee immediately followed suit when the two sides finally put differences aside when Hudson found itself at risk of becoming another Dark Matter casualty.

The Exiled Party under the political heft of Vorsitzende Freya Eistochter and the apparent refusal of Oberst Erich Klugmann to surrender to demise in a hundred forms have contributed to a Renaissance in the Exiled Party's own model democracy. While the Widerstandsarmee heavily influences almost all spaceborne action, even the smaller sects tugging for control over the Bundschuh's and Rheinland's future have found that their standards of living and voices have only been emboldened in the last three years.

The construction and subsequent destruction of Zwickau at Dresden attracted its share of naysayers from within for the entirety of its short life, but none without the Party can argue that the schematics scavenged for the limited production of Military technology did not at least moderately compensate for the loss of life and the terrible blow set upon the ideologues.

The Nuremberg crisis and the need for hundreds of millions to flee a dying planet have since become the most paramount fixation of the Widerstandsarmee's ragtag flotilla - Their actions here may spell the ultimate success or failure of the Bundschuh's slow return to prominence within Rheinland.

After the sudden disappearance of the VWA's Oberst, Dr. Annika Jana Haupt, the movement went quiet and operated mostly from the underground. During that time, another populist group slowly rose to fame among the Bundschuh, the Weiße Rose expanded upon its influence quickly and its promises of support against the humanitarian crisis in Nuremberg, as well as a decisive attitude towards the lawful forces of Rheinland, rallied many people into the ranks of this organization, lead by a hardened woman named Helena Wunderbring.

At about the same time, Dr. Haupt returned under an organization known as the Frühlingswache, or Spring Guard. Having changed her attitude towards a more radical approach, Dr. Haupt attempted to continue her operations within Rheinland. Internal conflicts within both the Weiße Rose and Frühlingswache caused both movements to return to obscurity and only contribute minorly to the movement, even though it was desperately needed among the people.

The new civil war sparked a conflict between Imperialists and Federalists

Four years later, Rheinland found itself in a new identity crisis. Several royalists spoke out about wanting to return to Rheinlands roots and elect an Emperor, while another portion of the House fiercely demanded to remain a Republic. Eventually, a minor civil war broke out, which tore Rheinland even between the once unified government agencies and companies. Aside from a few insurgents of the Weiße Rose attempting to intervene in what was happening, the Bundschuh movement remained largely passive, profiting greatly from the surge of federalist hardliners swaying into the ranks of the resistance as the dissatisfaction with the perspective of another Empire grew and grew. Although several new members considered themselves part of the movement, none were capable of declaring themselves an example and fighting this repetition of history.

After only a few weeks of bloody and confusing conflict, the Imperialists and agreeable Federalists agreed on a peace treaty named the Holstein Accords, which would lay an end to this internal conflict but leave open gushing wounds in the structure of Rheinland's by leaving a quasi-monarchy which was heavily republicanized in the end. While the government seemingly made an effort in granting the Bundschuh amnesty and return to their root as a political party, only a tiny minority heeded this offer, as most of the Bundschuh considered it a trap and a fruitless return to the events of 715 A.S. Without a drastic change in policies and leadership and the same aristocrats in power, the Bundschuh continued to lose hope. Not only did they not manage to halt this disaster of a political change but in the end, no positive influence was had on the result, either.

The increasing dissatisfaction and hopelessness led to the creation of a new movement within the Bundschuh, the Neue Widerstandsbewegung or New Resistance Movement. This movement, led by Paul Botzler, was supposed to usher in a new dawn for the resistance after the admitted failure in the civil war and the years prior as well as gather new strength through unity. The members of this movement had watched over the developments of the Bundschuh for most of their lives and therefore decided to wait and plan their entrance carefully. As a means, they considered a more grassroots and political movement to be the beacon of hope and change that the original Bundschuh sympathizers desperately needed in this day and age.

With their official formation, which was declared by Paul Botzler himself during the speech on the Bundschuh's anniversary event. The highly idealistic and motivated group began their operation, planning to solidify their stance in the resistance and the hearts and minds of the people along the way.

-- The Order


Without the Order, the Nomad War would have caused the colonies to collapse under the grasp of the Nomads. Through their influence, movements like us were able to recognize the, at that time, real threats to humanity. After the war, the Order greatly helped the Bundschuh back onto its tracks to become more influential in the future again as well as maintain a collaborative stance between our two factions. The Bundschuh will never forget the service of the Order agents in the far Omicrons to save humanity.



-- Blood Dragons


Although we rarely meet directly. The Blood Dragons, similar to us, have sacrificed many of their people to save their own home when no one else would. We recognize the Blood Dragon's important role in the Nomad war and cherish the established positive relationship between our two parties. As little as we can help each other directly with our cause, we wish to offer aid, shelter, and refuge if needed, whenever possible.



-- ALG Waste Disposal


Over the years, ALG has clearly demonstrated that they are dedicated to the Bundschuh in solidarity. Most recently, ALG has proven that even in light of its own annihilation, it is not afraid to stand up for its ideals. We see ALG as an equal ally and hope that this bond will continue for a long time to come.

-- Red Hessians


The spark of our movements originates from the same struggle. A fight against the elite of Rheinland that suppressed the people. Unfortunately, the Hessians have discarded their ideological and moral reasoning behind their actions and have turned to piracy and violence against Rheinland. A cause, which we cannot fully recognize. Despite that, many members have switched between our two movements, causing inevitable sympathies and cooperation along the way. We recognize the stronger position of the Hessians and the need for an ally in these hostile lands but do not wish to sustain their influence on our political motivations.



-- Farmer's Alliance; Landwirtrechtbewegung


We recognize the plight of the farmers in Rheinland as part of a broader suppression of the working class. We have shared technologies and people over our existence and wish to continue to do so. While we do not support the death of large amounts of Synth Foods workers, we acknowledge the differences in perspective on this issue. Since the Kaiserslautern Depot has been given to the Bundschuh, an influx of LWB-originated activists has entered the ranks of the Widerstand.



-- Sirius Coalition


We are careful with our approach towards the Coalition. While ideologically similar, the terroristic and heavily war-driven revolution of all of Sirius is excessive, needless, and overly ambitious even for our people. The hardened revolutionaries in our ranks still have an appeal in the Coalition and a small minority of Bundschuh activists has once served under their flag. While we do prefer to distance ourselves from their movement, we respect the past cooperations and situations in which our mutual understanding has provided fruitful.

-- Gas Miners Guild


We do understand that the GMG considers their financial support of our cause more pragmatic than a move of ideological sympathy. It is a means of helping us de-stabilize the current government. Considering that this is a move out of self-interest, it is ominous what influence the GMG would take in a Bundschuh-shaped Rheinland today.

-- Rheinland corporations


It is not the common worker that is causing the corruption in the government. It is the owners and oligarchs that have dug their claws deep into the economy of Rheinland and use their money as a means to influence and corrupt the politician. We punch upwards. We do not wish harm upon the transport captain or the miner, we wish justice for them. Thus, we have decided to intercept these ships and offer them a perspective in our movement and fight their draconic superiors that exploit them and use them as pawns in their game of power.



-- Imperial Navy of Rheinland & Imperial Police


While we do find ourselves in a constant struggle with these two parties, there have been numerous situations in which people on both sides were able to find common ground and depart peacefully. A part of the Bundschuh consists of former military and police officers which has proven to us that reason and solidarity are not yet dead within their ranks. Despite that, many of the members of these groups are highly motivated and have become a beacon of effective propaganda which we must eventually fight or defend ourselves from if all attempts at appealing to their reason fail. No Rheinland citizen is an enemy to us by nature.

-- Marinenachrichtendienst / BDM


A strange and unclear stance between our two parties has developed. We considered the secret service to be the backbone of the corruption in Rheinland due to their position behind the curtains and therefore openly attacked and opposed them. During the civil war, however, it was the agents of the Marinenachrichtendienst who sided with us against the tyranny of the state. This has caused a large influx of our members out of the former federalist circles that now returned to submission. While the MND did also return to service, it is unclear what their stance on the current political landscape is. There have been negative encounters but also positive ones. We will attempt to approach them carefully but are ready to fight back if needed.



-- Unioners


During the spearhead of the Weiße Rose, it was unveiled that the Unioners committed a gas attack on Alster shipyard, wiping out many of the innocent workers there. This, as well as their cooperation with the Corsairs, has caused a deep wound in the formerly neutral relations of the Bundschuh and the Unioners. As the Hessians started to openly attack them, so did the Bundschuh. Many things have changed since then and we will be watchful of their current development. While we do criticize their means and former crimes, we are ready to return to a neutral ground with the Unioners.

-- Corsairs



The Corsairs are responsible for countless instances of bringing piracy and terror into Rheinland, posing a needless and overly aggressive outside force that seems to be motivated by nothing else buts its endless lust for causing pain and suffering. The people of Rheinland have suffered under the heels of their overlord long enough, they do not need pillagers from the Omicrons to cause more trouble than there already is.



-- The Wild

The Nomad infestation has never been completely removed from the surface of Rheinland. Instead, these beings retreated into spaces we cannot find them but continue to rarely strike fear into the hearts and minds of Rheinland citizens. We need to uphold our duty in destroying this alien threat completely and at all costs.



-- Nomads


The Nomads are not just an enemy of Rheinland, but an enemy of humanity. There have been rare sightings of these aliens in Rheinland, as they seem to prefer using their infected pawns. There is no mercy for a hostile alien force that aims to destroy our whole existence. We need to unite against these demons, if we encounter them.

-- Current leader: Paul Botzler

-- Intended Chairwoman: Claire Merryweather

-- Promising Activists and Coordinators:

• Claire Merryweather
  
• Elisabeth Straub
  
• Sabrina Niedrig
  
• Heinrich Euler
  
• Alfred Dutschke
  
• Matthias Leinweber
  
• Benno Ohnesorg
  
• Rainer Langhans
  
• Hans Enzensberger
  
• Jessica Kleemann
  
• Uwe Forster
  
• Klara Forster
  
• Steve Harlow
  
• Tobias Schmidt
  
• Harald Lundstrom
  
• Elfriede "Frida" Gold
  
• Felix Linke
  
• Karoline Kruse
  
• Albin Eisen