Chapter 1: Prince of Germany
Potsdam is located on the banks of the Havel River, only 27 kilometers away from Berlin. This small town boasts beautiful scenery. The German royal family built a palace here, and the Kaiser resided here for more than half of the year¹.
A young man sat by the Havel River, watching the quietly flowing water, saying nothing.
This boy is named prince oscar. Of course, this was the name of his current life. In his previous life, he had a different name. The new name, Oscar, made him silently sigh, as it would always remind him of the American movie award. Fortunately, cinema was still in its infancy, so awards of that sort did not yet exist².
Why he became Oscar, or why he had traveled to this world, Prince Oscar didn't know. He only clearly remembered that it had been just a year since he came to this world, as if his soul had merged into the body of this young man. And it was not the twenty-first century — it was the beginning of the twentieth century. In other words, he now lived more than a hundred years ago.
In another time and space, Prince Oscar had been from a very wealthy family. Both parents were successful businesspeople, busy day and night with their enterprises, leaving little time to care for him.
Yet, unlike other rich heirs who misused their wealth, Prince Oscar did not indulge in vice. Instead, he became a complete nerd and a military enthusiast.
He was keen on collecting military historical materials, weapons, and equipment from various countries, as well as historical relics and weapon models: aircraft, cannons, tanks, and warships — everything one could expect to find.
Prince Oscar was particularly fascinated by Germany. In his view, Germany was a tragic country. Its people were industrious, rigorous, and rigid, almost machine-like. Yet their strength was undeniable. In the two world wars of the first half of the twentieth century, they nearly defeated stronger enemies, dominating much of the world, yet always falling short.
He even speculated: if Germany had defeated Britain, France, and others in World War I and dominated Europe, would the subsequent history of the world have been different?
But history cannot be repeated, and speculation can only go so far.
However, fate seemed to play a joke on him. When Prince Oscar acquired a large Iron Cross medal³ from Germany at great expense, a burst of dazzling light flashed as he opened the package. After a dizzying moment, he realized he had become someone else entirely.
Now, Prince Oscar held a prominent status. He was a prince of the Second Reich of Germany and the fifth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II⁴. Yet Prince Oscar, familiar with the fate of the empire, was not satisfied with this identity.
Once the Second Empire collapsed, the princes of the German royal family met grim fates.
In another timeline, Prince Oscar lived to sixty, but almost all his family merely tried to survive and eke out a life in exile. Such a life was unacceptable to him.
"What should I do? It is already 1904. The war is only ten years away. Is Germany's defeat inevitable?" Prince Oscar murmured.
A deep sense of helplessness and anxiety settled over him.
Although Germany's industrial output had surpassed that of the United Kingdom, making it an industrial power second only to the United States, its high technology, especially in military sectors, lagged far behind.
The United States, at this time, was not yet the global superpower of the future; it was a rising industrial nation with potential but still far behind Europe. Europe remained the center of the world.
Yet Britain controlled the most colonies and had the most powerful navy. Germany, by comparison, faced huge disadvantages.
Firstly, while Germany had a developed industry, it lacked many essential minerals beyond coal. Its industrial exports relied heavily on overseas markets. If war broke out, the German navy could not break Britain's naval blockade. Exports would halt, and resources could not be imported. The inevitable outcome: economic strangulation and military defeat. This was a key reason Germany lost both world wars.
Secondly, Germany's central location in Europe gave it strategic advantages but also made it vulnerable. Britain and France to the west, Russia to the east, all stood as potential enemies. While Austria-Hungary was an ally, it was nominally powerful but militarily weak. Such an ally could fail to support Germany, even dragging it down. The saying went: "I don't Fear opponents like gods, but teammates like pigs." Surrounded by strong enemies and unreliable allies, no matter Germany's strength, defeat was likely.
Germany had begun building a strong navy. Kaiser Wilhelm II, ambitious and determined, dreamed of a fleet capable of defeating Britain. Yet surrounding threats forced Germany to maintain a strong army simultaneously. Full investment in the navy was impossible, widening the gap with Britain's fleet. When Germany launched a battleship, Britain would launch two, maintaining naval supremacy.
"Damn it! No matter what, Germany seems destined to perish! Will I, as a German prince, simply survive in obscurity?" Prince Oscar thought helplessly.
Though a year had passed since his rebirth, he felt no joy in being a prince. Instead, he faced endless crises and worries, making him appear taciturn to others.
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Historical Notes
1. Potsdam and the Havel River – Potsdam, a royal city near Berlin, was the site of Sanssouci Palace, the summer residence of Prussian kings.
2. Cinema in early 20th century – Movies existed, but global award systems like the Oscars would only appear in 1929.
3. Iron Cross – A prestigious German military decoration, first established in 1813 and reissued during both world wars.
4. Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859–1941) – Last German Emperor, ruling 1888–1918. Known for naval expansion and ambition, his policies contributed to tensions leading to World War I.