Ostland
| The Kingdom of Ostland Ostreich | |||
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| Motto: Reinheit uber Alles Purity Above All | |||
| Anthem: Blumelein | |||
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| Map versions | |||
| Capital | Reichsborg | ||
| Largest city | Großehafen | ||
| Official language(s) | Ostische | ||
| Official religion(s) | Normark Pagan | ||
| Demonym | Ostlander | ||
| - Adjective | Ostlandic | ||
| Government | Absolute monarchy | ||
| - Lord Protector of Ostland | Otto Eisenmann | ||
| - Chancellor | Helmut Weld | ||
| - Legislature | Reichstinge(Hereditary) Landstinge(Lower hereditary) Wolkstinge(Popular vote) | ||
| Establishment | |||
| Area | |||
| Population | 122,009,378 | ||
| Active population | 1 | ||
| Currency | Mark | ||
| Calendar | Norton calendar | ||
| Time zone(s) | |||
| Mains electricity | 120/240 V - 60 Hz | ||
| Driving side | Right | ||
| Track gauge | |||
| National website | |||
| National forum | none | ||
| National animal | Ostlandic Deer specifically the stag | ||
| National food | Sauerkraut and Reichsborg-style Schweinswurst | ||
| National drink | Beer | ||
| National tree | Eisenkiefer | ||
| Abbreviation | OST, OT | ||
Ostland, officially The Kingdom of Ostland (Ostlandic: Ostreich), is a former state located on the continent of Keltia. The people of Ostland were believed to be descended from the ancient races of Normark and Cerulea of whom had fled the Durge many thousands of years ago. Before the collapse of Ostland, the people of Ostland regarded themselves as a first-world state with an exceptionally high living standard. Industry, especially the defense industry, was one of the mainstays of their GDP. Considered more peace-oriented than their Norse cousins, they enjoyed absolute neutrality with all nations, however they maintained staunch human supremacy policies - a concept known as "Reinheit" (purity). Ostland was known for its complicated system of nobility and government - which many foreigners and subjects alike found difficulty in following due to the intricacies of those systems.
In 1726, the country totally collapsed. The rest of this article is written from the point of view of when Ostland was a functional country.
Prehistoric Origins
It is believed by many scholars and genetic researchers alike that the origins of the Ostlandic people descend from the ancient Norse. Verbal and written lore of the wiking peoples of Normark and Ostland describe many clans and their kin migrating eastward, crossing the Strait of Haifa into easternmost Keltia. The capitol of Ostland, Reichsborg, is regarded as the oldest settlement in the country, with archeologists finding remnants of dwellings dating well over 3,500 years old. Linguistically, the divergence from Norse to Ostlandic has been attributed to the proximity of the Nova English and Brittanic peoples. As well as natural evolution, it is considered by some linguists that Ostlanders are indeed Norse in origin, but should be considered a racial offshoot given their origins, linguistic heritage and organic struggles.
Settlement
Settlement of what is now modern day Ostland was done by eastward-traveling Norsemen, of whom the royal family traces their lineage back to a brother, Valdemar (Waaldemir as written in Ostlandic) of an ancient King of Normark, presumably having fled the Durge. The region around Reichsborg is regarded as the oldest settled area by the Ostlandic peoples - archeological studies and excavations have found dwellings built from timber and stone of similar construction to Norse-built dwellings in Normark from roughly the same period. Mining also began early, as the Norsemen themselves possessed great knowledge of the extraction of mineral wealth. This almost immediately created a sedentary culture, with farming, mining and animal husbandry being immediately adopted in the fertile lands of what is now known as the Eisenwald.
Modern History
Reconstruction Era
The Reconstruction Era (Ostlandic: Wiederaufbau) began in 1720 following the atrocities known as Der Giftunheile - the Poison Evil or Poison Calamity. Upon being named Lord Protector of the Reich by all remaining nobles loyal to the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family line, Otto Eisenmann became the first to bear the title, with promises of rebuilding Ostland.
This era in Ostlandic history also marked the end of staunch neutrality, with the assenting of the Micras Treaty Organization General Membership Treaty by Lord Protector Eisenmann, done on XII 1720 AN.
Fires and Collapse
1726 brought about a period of extreme drought, and the dry detritus of tinder on the forest floor of Burwood Forest became a vast ignition source. In retrospect it should have been seen as inevitable, but in 1727 a series of wildfires began that would eventually consume the entire country in what became known as the Burwood Wildfires. The Eisenmann government, still fearful of foreign encroachment after the Florian invasion, refused to seek outside help and tried to keep the disaster under wraps. But the continued drought and rapid spread of the fire soon got out of hand. Eventually it would envelope the major cities of Reichsborg and Großehafen, causing the deaths of the Royal Family and Ostland's government, leading to the collapse of the country as disorder and disaster spread rampant. Moorland, faced with the fires spreading into their own territory, took lead of the scattered remnants of the Arbeitskorps and forged a firefighting taskforce that spent the next two years fighting the blaze and eventually leading to Ostland's annexation. Since then, Ostland has ceased to exist as an independent state, with much of its former territory reorganized as the Council of Burwood.
Climate
Ostland has a variety of climates including everything from temperate forests, boreal plains and subarctic mountains. Being so diverse, Ostland enjoys a variety of seasons and climates, which lend to a thriving tourist industry. While the mountains of Ostland are no match for those found in Normark, the industry standard of luxury at ski resorts is much higher. Having a relatively diverse climate, Ostland also enjoys a thriving agricultural industry.
| Region | Climate Classification |
|---|---|
| Eastern Coast (north) | Dfc primarily |
| Eastern Coast (southern most) | Dfb progressing inland to Dfa |
| South Central | Ranges between Cwa and Cfa |
| North Central | Dwc and Dfd depending on elevation |
Demographics
Ostland does possess racial and ethnic diversity, however, it is species homogeneous with 100% of the nation being human.
| Group | Total Population | Population Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 122,009,378 | 100% |
| Ostlandic Norse | 107,331,649 | 87.97 |
| Normark Norse | 3,662,337 | 3.71% |
| Cerulean | 2,695,500 | 2.21% |
| Zeedic Rus' | 2,171,766 | 1.78% |
| Nova English | 1,195,691 | 0.98% |
| Babkhi Ethnic Groups | 1,109,911 | 0.91% |
| Elw | 988,275 | 0.81% |
| Livlandic Ethnic Groups | 939,472 | 0.77% |
| Holzborger | 695,219 | 0.57% |
| Reindeer Herder | 182,952 | 0.15% |
| Tuathan Traveller | 121,968 | 0.1% |
| Other Foreign Residents | 48,787 | 0.04% |
Storish in Ostland
There is a very small minority of Storish within Ostland - notably refugees following the Auspicious Occasion of 1651 AN. Given that their state religion is totally outlawed as an anti-Humanist cult, all were required to renounce Storish citizenship and, under penalty of law (specifically the death penalty), renounce said religious practices. All are required to maintain quarterly registration with the Ministry of Internal Security as Hostile State Refugees. As of the 1712 AN Census, there are roughly 1,291 former Storish citizens living within Ostland. Nikolaus VI's grandfather, Bernd II, quashed a riot in the primary refugee camp in Weißwald in 1652 AN. The riot started over several Storish refugees attempting to lure Ostlandic children, bribing military personnel for access to children and other criminal acts which King Bernd II ordered the immediate mitigation of the issue. Three months later, Bernd II would enter into Crown Law, through decree, that the traditional Storish ways violated Reinheit or purity.
Economy
Ostland has a modern economy, with diversified sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and mining. Manufacturing, however, does dominate the economy, especially in the chemical, refining and defense sectors with roughly 27% of the populace being employed by manufacturing companies in some capacity. The remaining sectors include a thriving service, retail and tourist industry. Großehafen is the largest port and financial headquarters of the nation, with nearly two-thirds of all domestic commercial entities being headquartered there. This comes from an obscure law stating that only companies given royal charter may be headquartered in the capitol city of Reichsborg. The vast majority of both imports and exports to and from the nation pass through Großehafen.
Military Industrial Complex
Although maintaining a strict policy of neutrality with other nations (aside from support of NHP), Ostland has a thriving defense industry. Two of the top five companies in the nation, Durchdenwald Waffenfabrik AB and Eisenspieß GmbH, are armament and defense equipment manufacturers. It is believed that through a strong defense industry and ties with defense customers, that the national policy of Gelassenheit can be maintained, with defense related items being the second largest export of the country.
Mining Industry
The extraction of mineral wealth accounts for nearly 18% of the GDP, with coal, rare earth elements and precious metals dominating the mining sector. All such activities are regulated by the Ministry of Energy and Mining, which oversees mining safety via the Department for Miner's Safety (Abteilung für Bergmannssicherheit or AfBS), permitting and engineering via the Department for Natural Resources (Abteilung für Bodenschätze, MfEB-AfB) and all water quality, air quality and reclaimation regulations via the Department for Environmental Quality (Abteilung für Umweltqualität or MfEB-AfUQ). In order for a mine to operate, it must submit applications for and obtain permits and be bonded by all three departments. Before 1710 AN, the MfEB-AfB and MfEB-AfUQ were departments of the Ministry of the Interior, until it was passed by the Reichstinge and signed into law by the King to transfer these departments to the Ministry of Energy and Mining and were restructured to deal solely with those issues as related to mining - similar departments which do not handle mine permitting still exist within the Ministry of the Interior.
The utilization of surface mining is relatively uncommon in Ostland, with roughly 94% of all mines in the country being underground. Surface mining as generally been considered wasteful and destructive to the natural beauty of the land and, as such, only mines which have proven through their permit applications that there is no other economical methods to extract nationally vital resources other than a surface mine may be granted such a permit. Hydraulic fracturing operations of any kind are expressly prohibited under Ministerial regulations, especially after the development of coal liquefaction and gasification technologies via the Schuller-Strömme process developed at the University of Reichsborg in 1678 AN. Twenty-seven such petrochemical plants exist throughout the country turning lignite and sub-bituminous coals into useful chemical feed stocks and fuels.
Gemstone mining, especially emeralds and diamonds, account for an appreciable percentage of the non-essential resource mining sector. Kristallhöhle GmbH is the largest operator of precious stone deep mines in the country with four diamond mines and eight emerald/sapphire/ruby mines. They also have additional ventures in transition and rare earth metal recovery operations - Kristallhöhle is one of the largest producers of vanadium and chromium used in steel production because of this.
Currency
The currency system in Ostland is a matter of enormous contention amongst both the populace and those traveling from abroad. Ostland utilizes the Mark as its currency, and is divided into a complex fractional system. The single Mark itself is pegged to approximately one half gram of Ostland-mined, 99.999 fine gold by KöniglicheBank KV, the royally chartered bank.
| Currency Division | Is Equal To | And Takes |
|---|---|---|
| Gulden* | 500 Marks | - |
| Thaler | 1/2 of 1 Mark | 2 to make 1 Mark |
| Groschen | 1/12 of a Thaler | 24 to make 1 Mark |
| Pfennige | 1/16 of a Groschen | 384 to make 1 Mark |
| kreuzer | 1/3 of a Pfennige | 1,152 to make 1 Mark |
*- very rare and usually only used by KöniglicheBank, its branches and for transactions with commoner chartered banks. Is equivalent to 250 grams of reserved gold.
Despite the outward complexity of the very ancient currency system, it often escapes foreigners that the average family passenger car costs roughly 600 to 700 Marks (per 1710 manufacturer recommended retail price). As a result of this system, it is considered a rite of passage for young Ostlandic men to be given an heirloom coin purse or geldbörse, as minted coins are more common than paper money and given that the use bank cards have not yet taken a strong hold among the populace. It is considered incredibly rude to count out change for a purchase, as one is expected to have the correct amount in hand at that time.
Government & Politics
Ostland is both a hereditary monarchy and a parliamentary democracy at the same time. While the King exercises absolute authority, the Reichstinge has authority on the day-to-day business of the nation. The Reichstinge is presided over by the Chancellor. The monarchy only intervenes when the Reichstinge feels it is needed or the monarchy itself feels there is a need for intervention. The entirety of the legislature consists of three houses, the Reichstinge, the Landstinge and the Wolkstinge. The general principal being that the Wolkstinge is the direct representative of the people of the Kingdom, where as the upper Reichstinge and the lower Landstinge comprise of the ruling nobility of whom exercise their authority as granted by the monarchy. The complexity of the legislature of Ostland is often subject to some satire, both domestically and abroad.
The King
The King of Ostland (Ostlandic: König von Ostland) is the reigning monarch of Ostland and, by law, it is an absolute monarchy. However, in practice, through orders and precedents set through history, the monarch often reserves their use of absolute authority for emergencies after the forming of the legislatures of today by King Oskar IV. A hereditary title and position, only the male offspring of the Royal Family - members of the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family - may become the King. The Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family is traced back to the legendary Valdemar, a brother of an ancient King of Normark. Valdemar himself is considered the first King of Ostlandic people, with all members of the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family to date being able to trace their lineage back to him. Historically, the King has been the political and spiritual leader of the country, making lese-majeste a very serious crime in the nation. Even in times of feudal turmoil and strife, all people of the nation have eventually looked to the King to provide guidance or even a total solution.
The King resides in Eisenwald Castle, the official residence of the Royal Family of Ostland and the primary members of the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family. The estate on which the castle is built has historically been the capitol of Ostland since the times of Valdemar, where it is believed he first settled.
The Lord Protector
Following a series of unfortunate events, the position of Lord Protector was established within the government of Ostland. With most of the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom family line decimated or having fled to allied countries, the need for a head of state became dire. As of 1720, the first Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Ostland is Generalfeldmarshal Otto Eisenmann, first cousin of Nikolaus VI. The Lord Protector is vested with all authority of the Monarchy until a verifiable successor of the Eisenwald-am-Silberstrom line is able to return to Ostland. A more familiar term for this position could be considered a Reagent.
The Chancellor
The Chancellor (Ostlandic: Reichskalzer), officially The Chancellor of the Kingdom of Ostland (Ostlandic: Reichskanzler der Ostreich), presides over the highest legislature of the kingdom, the Reichstinge. All bills, resolutions, acts of law and warrants must be signed by the Chancellor in the presence of the monarch, before the monarch themself may consider signing it into Crown Law. In addition to this, he also ceremonially presides over the Landstinge's second round of voting for proposals as a representative of the Monarchy. He is also the head of the ministerial government, with all ministries of the government answering to him. Outside of his duties as head of the Reichstinge, the Chancellor is usually found tending to the duties of overseeing the various ministries of the government.
The Chancellor is generally addressed as His Excellency and serves at the leisure of the monarchy. With few exceptions, the Chancellor is usually a member of the Reichstinge. Aside from his duties as head of the Reichstinge, he is also the primary advisor of the King, counseling him in all matters relating to the nobility and the people. The Chancellor is appointed by and serves at the leisure of the King.
The Legislature
The legislature of the Kingdom consists of three different bodies, the Reichstinge, the Landstinge (itself divided into two houses) and the Wolkstinge. While Crown Law prohibits any fiefdom from enacting laws which contravene it, the purpose of the legislative bodies is to allow the populace to show the King that there is an overwhelming majority in favor of an addition or change to Crown Laws.
Reichstinge
The Reichstinge is the upper legislative body of the nation. There, the Elder Nobility (Alteradel) of the nation meet to discuss Crown Law and submit final proposals to the Chancellor to bring before the monarchy. They operate by a simple majority with one vote per member, despite any of the numerous landed and non-landed titles they may hold.
Landstinge
The Landstinge is the lower hereditary house of the legislative body of the kingdom, consisting the lower nobility - the Niederer Adel. Consisting of two houses made up of the two different classes of the lesser nobility, the landed and letters-patent nobility . The High Parliament (Höherparlament) consists of all lesser landed nobility while the Parliament of Noble Names (Parlament der Edelsnamen) consists of lesser nobles granted such status by letters patent. Each one operates by a simple majority. However, the Landstinge uses an unusual system whereby members of the Landstinge, as a whole, reconvene and then must cast another vote as to whether or not to send the proposal to the Reichstinge, utilizing a simple majority of all comprising members.
Wolkstinge
The Wolkstinge is the non-noble house of the legislature of whose membership is not hereditary and made up of subjects of the Kingdom. This includes elected officials for all regions of the country. Members of the Wolkstinge are elected by popular vote and represent districts based upon the more numerous regions of the Landstinge. Many consider this house of the legislature nothing more than a rubber stamp given to corporations by the government.
Ministries
The Kingdom has eight ministries, all of which are answerable to the Chancellor. Ministries with an asterisk (*) are those created in 1720 as part of the Reconstruction.
| Ministry | Duties |
|---|---|
| Special Ministry of National Reconstruction* | Has purview over efforts for the reconstruction of Ostland after the atrocities known as the Giftunheile |
| Special Ministry of the Populace * | Has purview over all citizen welfare and security programs relating to the atrocities known as the Giftunheile |
| Ministry of the Interior | Has purview over all issues regarding land, infrastructure, agriculture, nationality and citizenship |
| Ministry of the Exterior | Has purview over international affairs, treaties and relations |
| Ministry of Defense | Has purview over everything to do with the defense of the nation. It is the civilian agency over the Wehrmacht |
| Ministry of Internal Security | Has purview over the enforcement of law within the Kingdom, border protection and ensuring the general
safety of the populace |
| Ministry of Commerce | Has purview over everything dealing with the industry, commerce and economic development of the Kingdom, often collaborates with
the Ministry of the Exterior in matters of international commerce |
| Ministry of Energy and Mining | Has purview over power generation and extraction of mineral wealth |
Nobility of Ostland
The noble class of Ostmark is an incredibly complex structure of familial houses and land-gifting. The gist of the pseudo-feudal system of governance is, however, that all tribute - known as Ehre - must be paid to the King. The next consideration is the age of the nobility. The Reichstinge is made up of the oldest noble houses in the country, holding the most land and power - they must, however, pay the most in tribute to the King. The feudal system is a multilayered political and financial structure of which few, except those of whom are a part of it, can navigate.
Elder Nobility
The Elder Nobility (Alteradel) are the eldest and most powerful landed nobles of the Kingdom. Many stem back from the very settlement of the nation, although some are newer.
They posses any of the following titles, reigning over the corresponding territory or territories.
| Title (English) | Title (Ostlandic) | Territory (English) | Territory (Ostlandic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince (Non-royal) | Fürst | Principality | Fürstentum |
| Archduke | Erzhertzog | Arch Duchy | Erzherzogtum |
| Grand Duke | Großherzog | Grand Duchy | Großherzogtum |
| Duke | Herzog | Duchy | Herzogtum |
Many, however, also possess titles of the lesser nobility, as they also hold those lands and their associated titles.
Lesser Nobility
The lesser nobility, Niederer Adel, of the Kingdom make up the bulk of the nobility of the Kingdom, with not all holding lands. Landed lesser nobles are known as Lehenadel, while non-landed nobles are instead members of families granted noble status or single individuals granted noble status by letters patent - known as Briefadel.
| Title (English) | Title (Ostlandic) | Territory (English) | Territory (Ostlandic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count-Palatine | Pfalzgraf | County | Pfalzgrafschaft |
| Baron-Palatine | Pfalzgroßherr | Barony | Großherrschaft |
| Landgrave | Landgraf | Landgravate | Landgrafschaft |
| Margrave | Markgraf | Margravate | Markgrafschaft |
| Altgrave | Altgraf | Altgravate | Altgrafschaft |
| Earl | Jarl | Earldom | Jarlschaft |
| Burgrave | Burggraf | Burgravate (A single castle and associated
estate) |
Burggrafschaft |
| Count | Graf | (non-landed, head of major noble family) | (non-landed, household title) |
| Baron | Großherr | (non-landed, head of minor noble family) | (non-landed, household title) |
| Lord | Herr | (non-landed, non-hereditary) | (non-landed, non-hereditary) |
| Knight | Ritter | (non-landed, non-hereditary) | (non-landed, non-hereditary) |
| Sir(Given Name Title of Address) Nobleman (Surname Title) | Edler | (non-landed, non-hereditary) | (non-landed, non-hereditary) |
Ceremonial Nobility
Ostland also possesses a system of ceremonial nobility, granted to those of which have garnered the especial fondness of the King. Usually these are people of foreign nobility but share an ethnic, familial or otherwise close kindredship with the royalty of Ostland. These titles are typically granted to royal family members of whom are distantly kin to the royal family of Ostmark or royal family members of a nation sharing ethnic kinship to the Ostlandic people. These titles confer no power aside from the recognition of their value as kindred foreign royalty to the King of Ostland.
| Title (English) | Title (Ostlandic) |
|---|---|
| Honorary Duke | Ehrenherzog |
| Honorary Count | Ehrengraf |
| Honorary Baron | Ehrengroßherr |
Provinces of Ostland
The provinces of Ostland comprise of the Elder and landed Lesser nobles' fiefdoms of which they administer directly. For a full list of these provinces, please see the Provinces of Ostland.
System of Tribute
The system of tribute, known as Ehre, is the financial backbone of the feudal system. It is, however, independent of various systems of taxation implemented by the royal government - most notably commercial entities and various other forms of income taxation. It works much like any other collection system would - all nobles are given the duty of collecting all levied taxes, duties, fines and fees as they so establish by their own local laws as well as those levied by the royal government. An established percentage of local duties et cetera goes to their superior noble or, if they they are independent, directly to the Monarchy. In return, they are allowed to keep the remaining percentage for use within their realm, including for their own personal benefit.
Military
The military of Ostland is known collectively as the Wehrmacht, it is a joint command consisting of the Army (Heer), the Navy (Kriegsmarine), the Marines (Seekorps) and the Air Force (Luftwaffe). The King of Ostland serves as Supreme Field Marshal of the Wehrmacht (Höchste Generalfeldmarschall der Wehrmacht), a rank a Crown Prince attains upon ascension to the throne, regardless of their previous military rank.
The King's Preserve
The Nature Preserve of King Ferdinand I (Naturschutzgebiet von König Ferdinand I or NSG Ferdinand I), popularly known as The King's Preserve, is a territory of largely uninhabited land in the south-eastern coastal region that has been designated as a nature preservation area by the monarchy. Hunting, fishing and camping sports are popular throughout the realm, however, it was the intention of Ferdinand I that there be a large area of land, by which the word of the monarchy, cannot be used for anything else. As such, within this reserved land there are no cities, villages or other permanent congregations of civilization - providing the populace with a truly untouched region of Micras with which to exercise outdoor activities and sports. It is within this region that all laws regarding flora and fauna are suspended and considered the sole property of the monarchy. With proper permits, subjects of the Kingdom may enjoy a natural preserve of land untouched by civilization to engage in hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor activities.
The preserve is taken care of by the KNSG or Königlichesamt der Naturschutzgebiet (lit. Royal Office of the Nature Preserve), which manages everything to do with NSG Ferdinand I. The KNSG even has an armed police unit, the Naturpolizei - ensuring adherence to applicable laws of the preserve and prevention of illicit activities in the remote region. Poaching of rare species and illegal trophy hunting has previously been a serious problem before the inception of the Naturpolizei. Traditionally, the office is a special division of the government directly answering to the King, unlike a ministry which answers to the Chancellor.
Public Service in Ostland
Public service is mandatory in Ostland, be it either through military service, the Wehrmacht, or civil service, the Arbeitskorps. Colloquially it is called edleziel or noble purpose. Minimum service terms apply, requiring a term of service of at least four years with either one, beginning approximately one month after the eighteenth birthday for all subjects. Even the children of nobility and royalty are not exempt, with terms actually increased from the standard of four years for subjects to eight years for nobility - the reason being that the nation's nobility must be dutiful. For subjects of the Kingdom, two months after their twenty-first birthday (with mitigating circumstances allowed), are discharged from public service. It is only at this time that centers of higher learning such as technical schools and universities will accept a student.
Arbeitskorps
The Arbeitsgilde was founded by Nikolas VI's great-grandfather, Ferdinand I. The purpose of the organization was to be an alternative to the mandatory military service as it was found that there was a declining number of skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen in the workforce. Most, after their mandatory military service, were either entering universities or going into unskilled labor jobs. Less than fifteen-percent of the available workforce were entering into the skill trades. A poll, lasting 2 years, revealed that many thought their military service ill-equipped them to enter into skilled trades unless their job in the military was, in fact, translatable into a civilian skilled trade. The situation was also exacerbated by the fact that those with minor to moderate physical disabilities had the potential to go beyond performing unskilled labor, but found themselves nearly unable to get into trade schools and universities without direct government intervention - a difficult task. .This created an infrastructure crisis - as there was a plethora of unskilled laborers and engineering personnel, but no skilled trade workers - for which Ferdinand I issued a Royal Charter for the Arbeitsgilde, the predecessor to the Arbeitskorps.
Over a period of four years, anyone of whom had chosen to serve in the Arbeitsgilde goes from performing unskilled labor for their first year. After that first year they are required to choose through a wide range of medium-skilled labor trades, of which they will receive extensive training for - all while helping improve and build upon the infrastructure of the nation. Through the training they received during their service, they could then choose to go on to technical schools to learn a new trade or acquire additional credentials for their existing ones. Within the first four years, the number of working skilled trade-workers saw an increase of nearly eight-hundred percent. There was, however, quite the backlash from the military community as it severely diminished the number of incoming personnel. Given the option, many people chose the Arbeitsgilde over the Wehrmacht due to the increased possibility of higher-wage paying jobs. It was during this time that the Wehrmacht saw their numbers dwindle to an almost inadequate number, prompting the stop-gap measure of increased funding into research and development for the military. Many generals felt that if they had reduced numbers, they should be bolstered by superior equipment.
It took Ferdinand I's successor, Bernd II, to reorganize and repurpose the Arbeitsgilde into the modern-day Arbeitskorps. Many of the same practices were left intact, with the exception that all subjects electing the Arbeitskorps will also be cross-trained as basic military recruits for the first 120 days of their service. All Arbeitskorps personnel also serve in reserve units of the Wehrmacht one weekend per month and one month per year in drill, with exception given to those with qualifying disabilities. This new policy change, as well as the name being changed to Arbeitskorps, helped stabilize the military's personnel and retention. With the new cross-training plan in place, many people elected to volunteer for military service after their mandatory four years. With various advertisement caBeempaigns, public service choices also began to even out between the two options. Today, roughly equal numbers of people go into each public service with a slight lean in favor of the Wehrmacht.
Arbeitskorps Following Reconstruction
Following the events surrounding the Giftunheile, the Arbeitskorps was placed under the auspices of the Special Ministry for Reconstruction. While the Ministry of Defense still oversees all Arbeitskorps Wehrmacht reserve units, the Special Ministry has become the primary administrative office of the organization in order to rally the people of Ostland in efforts to mitigate the effects of the prolonged conflict which resulted in internationally denounced war crimes against Ostlanders.
Culture
Cuisine
The cuisine of Ostland is regionally variable, however, it has several staple foods in common with only the preparation varying. Pork and beef are the most popular meats, with game meats such as pheasant and fish being widely popular as well. Poultry is common, however it often takes the form of the aforementioned pheasant game meat and game hens. A wide range of vegetables are utilized in Ostlandic cuisine, with regional and seasonal crops defining the local method of preparation. Stews, sausages, soups and grains make up the majority of dishes for Ostlanders. Fried dishes are more popular in the north than they are in the southern regions. Fruits also make up a decent portion of the Ostlandic diet, especially varieties of apples, pears and plums. Imported varieties of fruits are also gaining popularity such as Hurmudan starfruit and various imported species of citrus.
The national dish is sauerkraut - a form of naturally fermented cabbage - and spiced pork sausage known as schweinswurst. The titular style of sausage used is Reichsborg-style, usually spiced with coriander, fennel, black pepper and mild chili peppers. This is served on a soft pretzel bun with a variety of condiments - the most popular being spicy, stone ground mustard made with wheat beer.
The pickling of vegetables is a common practice throughout Ostland. In the past it was used primarily as a method of food preservation and, while it still is, the pickling of food is now more valued for its flavor. They are often served as side dishes by themselves or as condiments.
Alcohol
See also: Beer in Ostland
Consumption of alcoholic beverages is relatively popular in Ostland, with beer (Ostlandic: bier) being the most prevalent. Styles of beer tend to be seasonal, with light wheat beers being brewed and offered throughout the spring and summer months, with heartier brews going through the autumn and winter. Ubiquitous establishments throughout the country, known as Brauhauser (English: Brew Houses), often pride themselves in their own particular brands of beers that are offered exclusively through their establishment, although many popular ones make their product available to supermarkets. This is often difficult due to very complex tax laws at both the national and feudal levels regarding the taxation of beer, its export, import and manufacture and are collectively known as Biersteuern or Beer Tax Laws. These laws also regulate exactly what ingredients may go into a beer to be legally considered beer under the law - all other brewed or fermented alcoholic beverages such as mead, wines, liquor mash et cetera are classified under a separate set of tax laws known as Alkoholsteuern or Alcohol Tax Laws. It is through this that it can be inferred that a much larger market and history surrounds the making and consumption of beers in Ostland.
While beer is most certainly the most popular alcoholic beverage consumed in Ostland, others do exist. Behind beer, the next most consumed alcoholic beverage is wine and mead jointly, and then distilled spirits. Fruit wines and honey wines (mead) are made almost exclusively during the early summer months, as aging for several months at a minimum is typically required. For sale to the public, wines made in Ostland must be aged for a minimum of 6 months, with only distillers being able to purchase any wine products aged less than that or at all.
The legal drinking age for the purchase and consumption in Ostland is 18 years of age for beer and wine while distilled spirits may only be bought and consumed legally by persons 21 years of age or older. Some feudal provinces provide for higher drinking ages, but none may provide any lower age as it those minimums are set by Royal Law.
