Meet the Kriegers

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The air show would be presented right above one of the more secluded airfields in Hamburg. There was at least one exemplar of every ship in the militarys arsenal, from the various fighters to the battleships down to the support crafts with the bigger ships open for public visiting. There was so many people gathered, the lower hills around the airfield were taken by families having picnics, children playing and people looking for a vantage point to see the upcoming show.

This was one of Rheinlands first major gatherings after the Nomad war. Even before the war, Rheinland passed through difficult times economically. With the attempted Nomad invasion and the Rheinland Military being used as the tip of the blade for that incursion, there was a great deal of grievance amongst the civilian population against the military and the government. The nation was in dire need of a fresh start.

The death of the former chancellor, marking the end of the war, did it for the government. New chancellor, Kristina Pryde, took on the leadership of the Rheinland state with a surprisingly positive acceptance by the people. For months her offices mandate was to use that leverage and make it for the military as well. The chancellor understood that the nation would never be whole if it didnt trust its protectors. After building up their image through publicity campaigns over that period, it came the time when she would present the population the reformed military.

A group of young men and women marched from behind the dais from where Chancellor Pryde was addressing the audience and presented themselves in front of it. All poster boys and girls in perfect military stance, even dressing newly designed uniforms.

People of Rheinland, I present to you your guardians. These are the young men and women who will dedicate their lives to protect you and our fatherland. Please welcome them wholeheartedly.

Despite the fact that the people gathered there were likely to be, in their majority, nationalists of Rheinland, even those were known to be wary of supporting the military. What could have become a very awkward and uncomfortable hiatus was interrupted by the boom of fighter engines coming in from the hill behind the podium. The public applauded.

Engelbert could see past it; past the display designed to grab the peoples attention and their hearts. Gathered away from the spotlights, he recognized some of the old faces from his military days. True enough, the old admiralty and high command staff were gone; either killed or went missing upon the decimation of the infested fleet. The ones replacing them now were the very few soldiers left untainted that occupied the middle ranks at the end of the war.

He also noticed though, that none of the younger pilots; the ones posing in front of the dais; wavered or changed their poise. Their expressions and manners were of resolved and dedicated people, even though the attentions werent on them anymore. That perception, more than anything else, convinced Engelbert that perhaps the military was indeed ready to recover its due stature.

Onkel, Onkel It started already! Engelbert was brought back from his thoughts by his nephews urges that he paid attention to the show.

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Meet the Kriegers - The story of a family and of two men that shared more than just a name
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