Völkerfestun in Nordland

[Kaiser Martens]

The festivals began in the typical Nordlandic fashion: Lots of Music, and lots of Beer.

Different bands of different Folkish music started to pour sound out of their instruments while many others would begin to feel the cold beer pouring not into their ears but into their mouths.

This had come as a result of a decree by the Stohrthing after being proposed by Martens, acting Ministry of Culture of Nordland. The festivities would be held throughout the whole territory of Nordland in different centers, additionally with Asgaard and Berlin - the Spiritual Center and Capital of Nordland respectively - showing especially impressive festivities, combined also with military parades, which the Nordlanders loved to see. Speaking of the Reichswehr, although this was unnanounced, it was in fact operating in a higher readiness degree than normal - standard policy for all festivities and anniversaries.

Part of this was, of course, related to the Reds, who had demanded for Nordland to recognize and forcefully promote other cultures. Although almost everyone within the Government was more than skeptical about such a notion, a commitment was a commitment and it was decided to attempt it anyway. Because of this, different sections had a different focus depending on their geographical position in reference to their pre-nordlandic countries or ethnicities, rather than having a Pan-Nordlandic cultural focus.

Results would be quite mixed. Understandably, only in the Easternmost Territories did this achieve some kind of success, for logical reasons, as they were the newcomers to Nordland proper, there the focus of festivities was based on Slavic Tradition, and Paganism, but this would have the unexpected side effect of - over many years - making them closer to the rest of the Nordlandic Slavs - and to the Nordlanders proper, due to the similarity of ancient religion. Still, the short-term effects were those of decreasing the dissent and tension in shaken lands, it would seem as if the only reason before keeping the locals from rebelling had been the fact that the Nordlanders had done a very good job not only at rebuilding but in fact at building past the standards of old Slavorussia, and the recognition of their heritage contributed to the decreasing of dissent, although isolated spontaneous - drunken - violence incidents were seen, nothing big scale. Certainly, things were improving.

The panorama was different in the Baltic States, which as a historically German (Or nowadays, Nordlandic) territory had shown no dissent, things were running smoothly. Attempts were made to promote Baltic culture proper, but the people failed to feel identification with it rather than through historical-based curiosity, as overwhelming numbers of Germans, Slavs and other Nordlanders had over a period greater than a Century simply absorbed the local population save for a few surviving families, something that had began even earlier than Nordland or even Martencism as its own process on its own accord. Still, a few surviving proud families were seen, while many other who would normally be considered baltic had adapted to either Nordlandic or Slavic cultures and even names and language and were either unaware of their actual heritage or otherwise didn't want to be "discriminated" as different.

Throughout the Heartland, in Greater Germany, Prussia, and the West, reactions were similar as well, only that there in fact were peaceful demonstrations through former Austria and Switzerland, former Low Countries and southern Prussia in which people in fact protested the Nordlandic government's decision to enforce such policies, and Comintern Flags as well as "Minority" flags such as Dutch, Slovak and Swiss flags were also burnt by the own people from those zones, using often the slogan "We're not <Nationality>, we're Nordlanders!", outright refusing to accept any notion of being different and celebrating only as Nordlanders. In former Norway and Sweden, the situation was quite similar, although in some cases references to the Kalmar Union were less controversial - more successful. The Crimeans and the Nordheimers didn't seem to care much for the actual festivities save for the music and dancing, seeming to be either too unified or too military-minded to care. In the case of the Nordheimer Non-Nordlandic minorities, as they had since before their own different holiday dates, they refused to add another date due to the Communists, who they seemed to hold a guttural hatred for, making the Nordlander Propers seem in fact moderate.

Another noteworthy sector was Iceland, which after having been in Proxian control for a very long time was a great celebration center, celebrating the anniversary of "The Return", as they called it when Nordlanders - some of Icelandic descent - managed to go back to Iceland after having been expelled by their previous owners. Raven banners were also flown, and many others took the chance to exalt many figures that they perceived of importance to their history, ranging from ancient times, like Herrman and Hildebrand to more modern figures like Tanzband and Visari.

Save for isolated incidents, the day transcurred with very few issues, industrial amounts of Beer, Wine and Vodka among others were "used", not to mention other substances which are in Southern Scandinavia particularily popular.

For the Nordlanders proper, the event had the effect of in fact not promoting "different cultures" but rather both raising dissent to some degree, as well as causing people to have an even more negative view of the Red ones. In the end, it in fact united the Nordlanders, as they would literally refused to "part ways" from a cultural point of view. For the rest of the minorities, the event was either unimportant symbollically but still fun or in the far east actually quite successful, and definately positive.

The Volksraad unanymously protested these measures but did not oppose, due to the fact that a formal commitment to attempt them had been undertaken, the different ethnicities of Nordland refuse to listen to what who they percieve to be enemies may have to say, and the Nordlandic Peoples proper met the idea of dividing in sub-ethnicities or other ethnicities altogether not simply with apathy, but with outright hostility. In some of the demontrations, a group of Silver Revolution Veterans came to speak,

"We have worked hard to create the nation and the people that we're today, and the growing sophistication of our culture and language shows this. We will never capitulate to Communist Way of thought, we will never succumb to Anti-Nordlandic separatism and we will forever protect the gains of our holy, Silver Revolution as well as all the subsequent wars, and the unity of the Nordlandic Folk is to be the death knell to their aspirations of division and then domain over Nordland. We are certain that the Government will hearken and take a more hardliner stance against the abuses of the international community towards our very identity. Heil Martens!"

The Government on the following day immediately announced that they would be making a new Nordland Census to be able to have literally an ethnicity map, in order to be able to make more sensible policies for festivities, respecting the right of Self Determination above all.

The Stohrthing was pleased.

Also, several cases of Alcoholic Coma were received in hospitals, but no casualties. (lol.)

[Bralor]

Mandalorians, being stout of heart and made of pure win, congratulate you on your festivities.

[The Confederation]

In Prussia--Poles, Kashubians, Sorbians, other Slavs and even a small group of Tibetans rallyed in Kaiser's Square in Warsaw-Martensheim.

They flew the flags of their ethnicity and even signs proclaiming their national pride.

Chanting infront of the Länder's Military Headquarters they cheered "We are [ethnicity], We are Prussians, We are Nordlanders" and "Respect Culture, Respect Nordland"

Albert Tanzband--Divine Leader of Prussia commented on state-television later in the day about the rallies.

"I think they're great. Every Nordlander has their own culture and their own story. However, what makes Nordland special is the ability to find common interests in their cultures, and respecting the differences. That is what makes Nordland strong, we are a culture of tolerance and a culture that spreads wider than the expanses of Europe itself."

EDIT:

OOC: LOL, I just noticed that picture has a guy carrying a cutout of Merkel's head in the back. Perfect.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Brian Reimer

[Bacharth]

In Stockholm, the response was roughly dull, with minor rallies of Nordlandic pride and equal cultures. Self-important college students would stand in front of crowds and verbally attack the nations who so carelessly insulted their culture. Unfortunately, most crowds in Stockholm looked like the picture below.

In Oslo, a large crowd was drawn on the new waterfront park, made from the ruins of where the nuclear bomb hit in the last war. Most of it was music in Nordlandic, Norwegian, and Swedish, and local band Guns n Roses played their hit Paradise City in Nordlandic to a massive crowd.

[Uberstein]

OOC: I see you are being hypocritical on your own "don't whitewash history" stance on your posts about Scandinavia. But hey, might makes right.

IC:

The Republic of Mariehamm declares this as Nordlandic Propaganda.

"I have personally talked to the people of Scandinavia when I ruled over it, and the only way the Swedish could burn their own flags, the Norwegians declare themselves no different from the others, is for drugs to have been put in the water. This propaganda sullies the name of Europe." -Uberstein

Edited May 16, 2009 by BaronUberstein

[Centurius]

OOC: I see you are being hypocritical on your own "don't whitewash history" stance on your posts about Scandinavia. But hey, might makes right.

IC:

The Republic of Mariehamm declares this as Nordlandic Propaganda.

"I have personally talked to the people of Scandinavia when I ruled over it, and the only way the Swedish could burn their own flags, the Norwegians declare themselves no different from the others, is for drugs to have been put in the water. This propaganda sullies the name of Europe." -Uberstein

"Well if you are so sure about your former people why did you abandon them? "

Edited May 16, 2009 by Centurius

[Uberstein]

"Well if you are so sure about your former people why did you abandon them? "

"I retired, but as always the Nords and their allies twist history to their sinister purposes. If you haven't noticed, I have returned to the political stage and I intend to set Europe right."

[Centurius]

"I retired, but as always the Nords and their allies twist history to their sinister purposes. If you haven't noticed, I have returned to the political stage and I intend to set Europe right."

"An Europe by your requirements is not Europe it is a disgrace."

[Uberstein]

"An Europe by your requirements is not Europe it is a disgrace."

"Typical of a Nord. Go back to your masters, I think they want you to suck up to them more. Communications will cease with your nation." -Uberstein

[Malatose]

Welthauptstadt ("World Capital") Germania, there were similar culture celebrations. One celebration was at the Germania House of Art. Inside of the museum, art from Russian, Danish, Slovenia, Hungarian and Germany cultures were shown.

Aside from that, lavish art shows complemented by the monumental Cultural Art celebration of "2,000 years of Germanic culture" where luxuriously and pretentiously draped floats and thousands of actors in historical costumes paraded down Avenue of Victory for hours in the presence of Scolar Visari many other other high-ranking party officials.

[Voodoo Nova]

Within the city of Kostroma, celebrations of all sorts were had for the citizens in the city. Slavs and Nords alike embraced their own cultures. From their folk music to art to dance and theater, they celebrated their culture.

Nords dancing to folk music

Slavs dancing in a theater

Slav musicians playing

Nord's playing folk music

The entire city was shut down for the day so each culture could celebrate. Today will mark a local holiday for the city, Culture Celebration Day.

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: I see you are being hypocritical on your own "don't whitewash history" stance on your posts about Scandinavia. But hey, might makes right.

OOC: I tend to agree with you there, but other than in that area, they are overall doing a bit better than I expected.

Keep up the good work, guys.