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11-21-November-1915
After having that conversation with the regent of Ukraine, I headed to the tractor factory that was still under construction, and met with the German engineers we were working with on the design of the engine we wanted to build, biting my lips often as that number of 6,000 men echoed in my head… but more than anything, it was the Jägerkommandos, since the rest of the forces had done their duty defending, while my trusted men had followed me into a slaughter.
It was a terrible feeling knowing their deaths were in your hands, I had never held command before, at worst I had seen a comrade die because I failed to watch an area properly or because I did not foresee something, but it was very different to be the one sending them to certain death.
So I calmed my thoughts with work.
I worked the rest of the day until I was covered in grease finishing the prototype engine I wanted to use, which within reason was the best that could be achieved with current technology, we only needed some machines to arrive and for construction to finish and we would have solid production of these tractors that would surely greatly increase the amount of land that could be worked, and I would most likely have to deliver them for free to German settlers, since Germany would certainly want a strong German core to try to dominate Ukrainian politics.
So the following days began with travel to the west.
The regent had sent me the authorization, and at the same time had sent letters to all the families of the dead in Austria Hungary and Germany informing them of the death of their relative and that someone needed to come claim their compensation in land, so they had to bring their families to formalize the delivery of property documents.
The towns of Sarny and Rovno had been selected as German colonies since they had been abandoned by the war, the presence of German and Russian armies had left the area deserted, we had already had to search for unexploded shells to detonate them or remove them from the area.
At the same time I had begun dividing the extensive farmland in the region into plots of 5 hectares, as well as demolishing the houses in the area and preparing the foundations for new towns for the massive arrival of German settlers, since considering that a typical family of this time had between 6 to 8 members and that land had to be granted to 36000 to 48000 people.
Fortunately since everyone had abandoned the region this was easier, since few people had returned and most had integrated into other communities, and since there was no active food distribution in this area there was simply no one living here.
So work began quickly, I had hundreds of men measuring land with topographic tools and a group of Austro Hungarian administrators preparing titles with official seals, only lacking the names of those who would receive them.
''Well here is your property title and thank you for your service'' I said looking at a young man of 17 who had lost a hand and was therefore no longer fit for military service as a simple soldier.
''Thank you Major it was an honor to serve at your side'' the young man from Vienna said saluting with his stump.
''Likewise soldier the delivery of tools for your work will be done at the beginning of the next working season for now call your family members as a construction company is on its way to carry out the building work'' I said calmly.
The soldier nodded and took the documents granting him ownership of land within the town and the 5 hectares of farmland.
I continued delivering documents to all the wounded soldiers, seeing everything from lost legs, eyes, hands, arms, both legs, even triple amputations, something terrible to witness, especially those who had been severely disfigured, but all of them were given their land.
If I were not buried in debt and forced to selling everything at cost in Ukrainian marks I could have created some kind of association to care for veterans hiring doctors and nurses, since historically soldiers after the war were left to their own fate and depended on the goodwill of others.
But it was all I could do for now, so I simply completed my work, with the help of many workers we delivered all the property titles and also prepared another 10000 titles, while beginning to prepare other abandoned towns from the front such as Korosten and Mosyr.
An additional task assigned to me was a large number of Russian prisoners, around 50000 Russian prisoners handed over to me to begin preparing infrastructure, since they were labor not being used and consumed food anyway, and they had to be fed regardless, so I put them to work expanding a railway system connecting the future German colonies in the region.
''How is everything going'' I said looking at Ferdinand who was giving orders to Russian prisoners preparing the ground for railway tracks, laying the layers needed to support the rails and the weight of the train.
''Good… the Russians obey… to a point, but they require constant supervision, at the first opportunity they stop working, it is better to work with Ukrainian labor… it is easier, they work because otherwise they do not eat, these ones have guaranteed food and do not care'' Ferdinand said with his arms crossed.
''I see… yes I do not like working with forced labor either, well you are free to reduce their privileges which are already few, but you can keep them confined indefinitely…'' I said offering solutions that would not break international treaties.
''Understood… I will make sure of it… look there they are slacking off they sat down and stopped digging'' Ferdinand said pointing at a group of Russians and calling over some of his men to start disciplining them.
This had at least helped reactivate the stalled Ukrainian economy, since the market for civilian construction materials like bricks and cement mixtures had pushed many people who had nothing else to do but look for food to work through barter.
By directing some small industries they had begun producing bricks and brick kilns, and also started cutting wood from nearby forests to process it in an improvised sawmill that had been set up to produce planks, this construction of the German colonies had literally created around 30000 jobs for locals, paid in Ukrainian marks that they could later exchange for food from the greenhouses, so people fought over those jobs.
Far more people would have benefited from this plan if it were not for the POWs they had given me, since I also wanted to lay railway lines as a key element for German logistics and therefore provide more work for Ukrainians, but I had this dilemma with forced labor.
So now my area of operations was based much more here than in Kiev, where I had established my headquarters, connected to the telegraph, sending orders to patrols and receiving reports.
At the same time I had set up a training camp where the hundreds of men still arriving from Austria Hungary and Germany were sent, since some kind of news had spread that land had been granted and all the promises coming from the government to continue the colonization of the east with Germans following the Drang nach Osten, and that caused even more people to volunteer despite the losses, nearly tripling or quadrupling the recruits arriving each day.
Because of that I began to change things slightly, our submachine guns had started to be produced without suppressors, instead as the main weapon for infantry, since the Russian rifle had proven to be useful only for training, it was lethal and powerful but it was better to have a higher rate of fire than a guaranteed kill with a single shot.
So with my new factory completed and workers already fulfilling some of the machine gun contracts I had been given I ordered the mass production of submachine guns, since we now had a facility capable of producing hundreds of them per day and I wanted to equip all my security forces with them, though we would need large amounts of pistol ammunition, which for now was abundant since it was barely produced due to pistols being used only when rifle ammunition ran out.
Days passed as I directed everything from here, receiving reports moving patrols issuing orders reviewing construction progress and receiving the families of wounded soldiers who began arriving in small groups, settling them in the best built houses which were former noble residences, well constructed and capable of withstanding winter, with plenty of space, so even though it was not ideal for families to arrive at this moment the situation could be managed.
It turned out many of those arriving were families who had lived in Mietskasernen, cramped apartments, one would think these box like living conditions were modern but Germany already had this severe problem due to rapid industrialization, so offering people a place without rent and without overcrowding, with land in their name, was creating a strong pull effect.
It was clear why recruitment in cities filled with Mietskasernen like Berlin or other rapidly industrialized cities was sending one son for this, so the eastern colonization policy would likely be very successful.
''Good… aim… yes like that perfect hold the weapon firmly against your shoulder and squeeze the trigger'' I said while explaining to a newly arrived recruit how to use the submachine gun.
I watched as the weapon fired and the casings fell but also how the recoil nearly pushed it upward.
''Use the grip more that is what it is for to give you stability… again'' I said watching as around a hundred recruits were doing the same.
The recruit removed the magazine quickly inserted another and began firing shorter bursts and this time had no issue controlling the weapon.
''Perfect… good once you finish those training magazines you move to the Mosin Nagant which is your weapon for now'' I said handing him the Russian rifle.
Even though I wanted the submachine gun to become the standard weapon of my forces the problem was ammunition, although there was plenty of pistol ammo it could not support everyone using it in training so its use had to be limited until production increased as I continued requesting more for our troops.
''Karl'' Hans said walking quickly and getting my attention with his bandaged arm.
''Go on'' I said turning as the sound of Mosin Nagant fire echoed.
''A shipment of around 1000 submachine guns from your factories has arrived…'' Hans said pointing at the train.
''Perfect more weapons to distribute'' I said watching as they brought down the crates ''we would still need about 74000 more of these anyway… I am barely sustaining factory operations with the government contracts…'' I added scratching my chin.
''Yes it seems you are lucky… the train also brought two generals… Ludendorff and General Hermann of the Tenth Army are here'' he said pointing toward the approaching group of officers.
''Oh… well I hope they are here to place orders because last time Ludendorff showed interest in the machine guns and the contract that came in was from the Western Front under the Crown Prince's armies'' I said smiling as I moved toward them.
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