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"Ah—what a beautiful day it is!" Strasser basked in the warm sunlight streaming through the window, stretching lazily. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept in. Since arriving in Berlin, he had been exceptionally busy; there was so much work to be done for the newly formed National Socialist Party, and Strasser had been running around tirelessly.
After finally bringing in Goebbels, the operations of the National Socialist Party were starting to get on track. Strasser then entered the National Defense Forces, where he was responsible for the reorganization of the First Infantry Division. Following that, he was assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and flew to Switzerland.
It can be said that during these two years, he had not slept a single peaceful night.
Upon returning from Switzerland to Germany, Seeckt granted this hero of the National Defense Forces three days off, allowing Strasser to finally get a good rest.
Although the work is urgent, one cannot stretch the string too tightly, or it will eventually break. Strasser got out of bed and tidied up his clothes while planning his future work. He calculated that he still had half a year ahead of him.
The equipment for the First Infantry Division is now basically in place. According to Strasser's requirements, the weapons produced by Krupp Company are prioritized for supply to the First Infantry Division.
Currently, the First Infantry Division is indeed strong and well-equipped. At the end of 1925, Strasser crazily expanded the division, absorbing personnel from the reductions in various brigades of the National Defense Forces and veterans.
Although recruits were selected with the highest standards, due to the overwhelming number of veterans, the First Division reached a strength of twenty thousand troops by early 1926.
Although the number of personnel has increased, the staffing has decreased. Strasser reduced a squad in The First Division to nine men, organizing the unit according to the 1944 German infantry platoon structure.
A platoon consists of 27 men and is divided into three squads, two of which are assault squads, all equipped with STG-44 rifles. The remaining squad is an infantry squad, armed with five STG-44 rifles, three Karabiner 98k rifles (used for launching grenades), and one MG42 machine gun.
The weapon procurement for the National Defense Forces is funded by the military department, with each division making its own purchases. Strasser only allows soldiers from The First Division to train with new weapons and strictly prohibits them from taking weapons outside.
So aside from General Siket, no one knows about the First Division's equipment change. Of course, this is also thanks to the fact that the Krupp Company’s current production capacity cannot keep up; otherwise, according to the profit-driven nature of merchants, other units of the National Defense Forces would soon be equipped with new weapons as well. Strasser understands that the weapon advantage of the First Division cannot be maintained for long. Once the Krupp Company's production capacity expands, other divisions will quickly realize the power of the new weapons.
However, he also did not intend to stop Krupp from doing so. In order to obtain more design proposals from Strasser, Krupp gave 40% of his company's shares to Strasser, making him the second largest shareholder of the Krupp Company. When the Krupp Company made a profit, Strasser benefited as well.
Of course, Strasser was not in it for personal gain; he aimed to sustain the operations of the National Socialist Party. After all, the National Socialist Party could not rely solely on support from the big bourgeoisie, and the backing from the petty bourgeoisie was limited. They could not just exploit the Juncker nobility; they needed to earn extra income.
Among all the businesses in 1926, the arms trade was the most profitable, and Strasser believed he had to get a share of it.
From a military perspective, the National Socialist Party's seizure of power in Germany through civil war at the end of 1926 seemed to be the optimal solution, but that was merely a contingency plan proposed by Strasser for the worst-case scenario.
Strasser would only consider resorting to armed force if Seeckt were completely ousted from the National Defense Forces and stripped of his influence, if Ludendorff aligned himself with Hindenburg, and if the Social Democratic Party merged with the Royalists.
This was not due to a fear of bloodshed; rather, in 1926, launching an armed uprising in the Weimar Republic was not an opportune time. The Dawes Plan from Britain and America had helped restore Germany's economy and improve the living standards of the populace. Most people preferred to live their lives peacefully, and a hasty civil war would not garner support from the majority.
Hindenburg could completely use his presidential power to dismiss himself, while Strasser had no countermeasures other than to preemptively start a civil war. When others realize that you only have one option left, the element of surprise in a preemptive strike is lost.
Therefore, Strasser's ideal plan was to exert pressure on Congress after Seeckt was dismissed by Hindenburg, using the new party formed by integrating the Nationalist Party, National Socialist Party, Northern School, and The German People's Party.
If he could gain the support of the Communist Party of Germany, then the combined seats of the fourth, fifth, and sixth largest parties in Congress would exceed one-third. As for the second largest party, the German National People's Party, it would absolutely not support the Social Democratic Party due to its own position.
This also means that even with the addition of the Royalist faction, the Social Democratic Party's votes in Congress will not exceed fifty percent, failing to achieve an absolute majority. Therefore, Hindenburg can dismiss Seeckt, but he cannot appoint someone from his own faction to take over the National Defense Forces.
Due to the legacy of the Weimar Republic's founding period, the National Defense Forces are independent of the government; they are unwilling to be influenced by any government, even President Hindenburg.
Thus, the person who ultimately takes over the National Defense Forces must emerge from within its ranks. Currently, the most likely candidates for succession are the senior officer Ludendorff and the rising star Strasser.
The former gained recognition due to achievements in World War I, while the latter's influence in the National Defense Forces even surpassed that of Ludendorff. Strasser was only troubled by issues of seniority and rank.
If Strasser successfully took over the National Defense Forces, he would no longer need to fear President Hindenburg. He could eliminate Hitler first and then wait for the global economic crisis of 1929, when the German people were suffering, to launch his campaign.
By that time, Strasser could easily come to power through legitimate means. The failure of the Communist Party of Germany's parliamentary route was due to their inability to seize power through force; if Strasser had the means to do so, then parliamentary elections would be feasible, as he could overturn the table at any moment.
In Strasser's plan, the most suitable time for the National Socialist Party to come to power was not 1926, but rather 1929, and he was working towards that goal.
Clearing his mind, Strasser decided to take a break; after all, he finally had some time off and intended to find some entertainment for himself.
As Strasser descended the stairs and picked up his clothes from the hanger, he happened to see his maid Bettina cleaning the room. This young mixed-race girl was focused on tidying up the trash, and it must be said that she was very diligent in her work.
"Bettina, do you know where I can find musicians in Berlin who are skilled with instruments? Preferably those who can sing as well," Strasser casually asked.
"Sorry, Mr. Gregor, this is my first time in Berlin too, so I'm not familiar with the area," the German woman in a maid's outfit replied.
Strasser was not surprised by her answer; he had only asked out of curiosity.
"However, I attended the Vienna Music Academy in my early years and have some knowledge of instruments and singing. I can teach you, if Mr. Gregor doesn't mind my obscurity in the music world."
Bettina felt a bit shy, but she was eager to do more for her master. She had been working for Strasser since 1922, and Strasser treated her well, offering her a much better position than that of an ordinary maid. She had always wanted to find an opportunity to repay Strasser, and it was not for any other reason.
Looking at Bettina's face, which had turned exceptionally red like two blooming pomegranate petals due to her shyness, Strasser suddenly had a bold idea. He wondered if the Weimar Republic had a complete set of criminal laws regarding his thoughts.
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