Staatliches Hofbräuhaus

Munich, Germany

In the heart of Munich, a city steeped in history and culture, an event of unprecedented magnitude was unfolding. Hitler, the rising star of the Nazi Party, had orchestrated a gathering that was nothing short of colossal. Over 2,000 citizens, their blood pumping in anticipation, filled the hall to its brim, their eyes fixed on the charismatic figure at the podium.

His name, once a mere whisper in the city’s bustling beer halls, was now on the lips of every citizen, reverberating throughout the cobblestone streets of Munich. His fiery speeches and magnetic persona were drawing the locals towards him like moths to a flame. He was not just a leader, but a savior. The stage was set, the pieces moving; the future of Germany was about to be irrevocably altered.

Before the large gathering, Hitler unveiled the Council’s meticulously crafted program. This manifesto, a beacon of hope piercing the gloom of despair, had been designed to lift the German people from the crushing weight of the Treaty of Versailles. The German populace, wearied by the harsh penalties of the treaty, were yearning for a leader to sail them out of their stormy sea of despair. Hitler, with his electrifying charisma and compelling oratory, announced the Nazi Party’s 25-point Program:

 The Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain shall be abolished.

 Unification of all German-speaking people must occur, uniting them into one country. Common utility precedes individual utility.

 All German citizens receive equal rights and obligations.

 Only a member of the German (Aryan) race, of German blood, can be a citizen. No Jew can be a citizen.

 All non-Germans must leave the Reich immediately.

 Those whose activity is judged injurious to the general interest shall be punished with death without consideration of confession or race.

 Roman Law, which serves a materialistic world order, shall be replaced by German common law.

 Control the German press must be established, with only members of the German race allowed to work for the newspapers and other media. Publishment of non-German newspapers requires express permission from the State.

 Demand the creation of a strong central state power for the Reich, including the unconditional authority of a centralized Parliament over the entire Reich and its organizations.

The atmosphere was electric, the crowd pulsating with excitement as they absorbed the words that promised the restoration of Germany’s strength. The Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain had left the German economy in tatters; unemployment had skyrocketed, and the nation’s pride was severely wounded. The Treaty of Versailles, a punitive document that held Germany responsible for the horrors of World War I, was a bitter pill to swallow. The German populace seethed with resentment towards their government for agreeing to the astronomical sum of one hundred thirty-two billion gold marks in war reparations. It was a debt so colossal, it threatened to shackle the nation for a century to come. Hitler, along with the rest of the German people, felt a deep sense of betrayal.

The aftermath of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles had plunged the country into a pit of despair and destitution. Thousands of Germans, their bodies wasting away from hunger, queued up at food kitchens, their hollow eyes filled with desperation. Some had not tasted food in days, their bodies so frail that they collapsed while waiting in line for a morsel of food.

As Hitler’s voice echoed through the beer hall, a wave of fervent agreement swept through the crowd. Each person present was united in their support, their hearts resonating with the words barked out by the man on the stage. The treaties’ oppressive weight were a crushing burden that had sown the seeds of stress, depression, and destruction among the German people. But now, Hitler’s announcement acted as a torch of optimism piercing through the gloom. His bombastic delivery of the 25-point Program was like a clarion call, rallying the masses and bolstering their support for the Nazi Party. The prospect of granting complete, unconditional authority to the Reich struck many as a welcome relief compared to the harsh conditions they had endured since the Great War.

Chants of “Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler!” reverberated through the beer hall, growing in intensity with each repetition. The man stood tall, basking in the adulation of his fellow Germans. This was the recognition he had yearned for, reminiscent of the camaraderie he had shared with his fellow soldiers in the trenches. Crippling reparations for the Great War had eroded the hope of the people, but out of the ashes of despair he emerged as their leader. Their Führer. Their Savior.

The 25-point Program also provided a foundational blueprint for the removal of the Jewish population from Germany. With the widespread belief that the Jews had betrayed the German people in World War I, anti-Semitism ran rampant throughout the country. Belief that Jewish influence had led the country to lose the war had fueled a rapid growth in hostility towards the Jewish population.

As a tide of anti-Semitism surged in Germany, the Black Nobility’s choice of leader remained uncertain. The question hung in the air: who would be the one to fulfill their mission?

Chapter 21

30 October 1922

Francesco’s candidate has been appointed Prime Minister of Italy. This Fascist is the youngest person in history to be appointed prime minister. My brother has done well grooming Mussolini to be the leader the Council is searching for.

Congratulations, brother. You have done well.

Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli

Chapter 22

CORRIERE DELLA SERA

Anno 46 –

N. 71Roma – Lunedi, 30 Ottobre 1922Edizione del Pomeriggio

MUSSOLINI ELECTED PRIME MINISTER

Signor Mussolini, the leader of the Italian Fascists, after an interview with King Victor at the Quirinal yesterday, assumed the premiership and formed a cabinet. He himself has taken over the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and appointed seven other Fascists to office.

30 October 1922

Rome, Italy

March on Rome

In a bold and audacious move, Benito Mussolini, flanked by a formidable force of 30,000 Fascist “Blackshirts”, descended upon Rome, their demands resounding throughout the ancient city’s streets—the resignation of the liberal Prime Minister Luigi Facta. King Victor Emmanuel III, in a desperate bid to avoid bloodshed, capitulated, surrendering power to Mussolini and thus crowning him prime minister. At the tender age of thirty-nine, he became the youngest prime minister in Italy’s storied history. His ambition was as grand as it was chilling—the establishment of a totalitarian state with himself at its helm, the supreme leader.

His brother, wielding the power of the press as the editor of the Fascist newspaper Il Popolo d’Italia was instrumental in disseminating the message of Il Duce (“The Leader”) throughout Rome. In a remarkably short span of time, Il Duce established a legal dictatorship, earning himself the ominous title of “the founder of Fascism”.

“Our program is simple,” Mussolini declared, his voice reverberating across a crowd of 60,000 militants gathered at a Fascist rally in Naples. “We want to rule Italy.”

The crowd erupted in a roar of approval. The newly formed Fascist Party was gaining momentum in Italy, a snowball growing larger and more unstoppable with each passing day. With this much momentum, it seemed inevitable that Mussolini would soon rule all of Italy. The Council’s plan was unfolding with a precision and elegance that was almost poetic.

***

“History has been made today, Il Duce,” Francesco Pacelli lauded Mussolini, his voice oozing pride and admiration. “You are the youngest to ever hold the mantle of prime minister in our beloved Italy.” Their meetings had become a regular occurrence, a necessary ritual to keep Francesco’s candidate tethered to the Council’s grand vision.

Mussolini reclined in an imposing leather chair in Francesco’s Vatican office, a room that breathed power and influence. The scent of Cuban cigars wafted through the air, a tangible symbol of their shared triumph. Mussolini was a maelstrom of emotion, brimming with confidence yet humbled by the magnitude of the mission entrusted to him just eighteen months prior. His destiny was clear, his role in this grand scheme pivotal; he was ready to play his part to perfection.

“Your guidance has been invaluable, counselor,” Mussolini confessed, his voice laced with gratitude and a hint of regret over his past doubts. “I underestimated the reach of your influence in our great city.”

“Our connections are not just vast, Prime Minister—they are effective,” Francesco replied, his tone hinting at the power his organization wielded.

“I am, and will forever remain, in your service.”

“To your success, Prime Minister,” Francesco proposed, striding over to the bar to pour two glasses of his finest Cognac. Mussolini rose and crossed the room to accept the glass of exquisite Hermitage Grande Champagne Cognac from Francesco’s prized collection. They raised their glasses in a toast and the clink of crystal echoed throughout the room, a symphony of celebration for Mussolini’s greatest achievement yet.

Chapter 23

20 October 1923

Tuesday

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

“Do you have everything prepared for the rally?” Cardinal Pacelli probed Hitler, his voice laced with anticipation and a hint of urgency.