Chapter 283: The Theresian Military Command Academy
Although the Sultanate of Zanzibar had only formally abolished the slave trade, simply ending it at the legal level was already some progress.
…
Hechingen
Early morning in Hechingen, halfway down the slope from Hohenzollern Castle, a large area of land had been cleared among the surrounding green trees.
"Fire!"
Bang… Bang… Bang…
"Salute!"
All the teachers and students from the Hechingen Military Academy, along with Leopold, were holding a memorial ceremony for the cadets who fell on the Franco-Prussian battlefield. Headmaster Ernst himself consecrated the soil and raised a monument for the cadets who lost their lives in battle.
"Today is a day of sorrow for us," Ernst said in his eulogy. "Our outstanding students—your close comrades—were taken by war. They died in the cause of German unification. The Academy will not forget your contribution, nor will the House of Hohenzollern. You truly honored your duty as soldiers. Your courage…"
After delivering the tribute, Ernst concluded with the highest praise for the fallen cadets.
"All right, everyone, let's head back down. You still have more important tasks ahead. Life goes on!" he added when the ceremony was done.
"Yes, Headmaster!"
"Oh, Heinrich—stay here."
…
Hohenzollern Castle
Ernst, Leopold, and Heinrich sat together in the drawing room.
"Heinrich, which place are you originally from?" Ernst asked.
"Naturally, Hechingen."
"I meant before you came to Europe."
"That would be Laiyang County."
"Ah, so that's in Yantai's jurisdiction, right? Good. You still remember the place where you first lived, but from now on remember that you are a German. Your ancestors came from the Far East."
"Yes, Headmaster—I'll keep that in mind," Heinrich answered firmly.
Leopold was intrigued: "Where is Laiyang? You seem to know, Ernst."
"I've heard about it," Ernst replied. "You're aware Hechingen has business dealings with the Far East, so I've learned a bit about some of their cities."
Leopold switched the topic: "Anyway, enough of that. Let's sum up the results of the battlefield. Your students did very well this time—especially Heinrich. He commanded things very capably. Compared to the Prussian Army, the Hechingen Brigade, having had proper training, performed admirably."
"Yes, indeed," Ernst agreed. "Anybody who's gone through military education tends to be stronger than the average soldier. It's only that they had less time in training, or they'd have done better still."
"So what are your plans for them now?" Leopold asked curiously.
"I spoke to Emperor Franz about this—I plan to pick a group of them to attend advanced courses at Austria's Theresian Military Command Academy."
"The Theresian Academy, right? That's Austria's premier officer training school, usually taking in just about two hundred people per year. Did Emperor Franz allot you enough spots?" Leopold wondered.
"Thirty. Not a lot, but easier than getting into the Berlin Military Academy," said Ernst.
Back then, Constantine had pulled strings to get two students from Hechingen Military Academy accepted into Berlin's Military Academy. This time, Ernst personally asked Franz to grant Hechingen thirty spots at the Theresian Academy.
Founded on December 15, 1751, the Theresian Military Command Academy is one of the world's oldest. Each year it recruits a hundred noble students and a hundred commoners, so giving Ernst's academy more than thirty openings was indeed generous. Berlin's and Theresian's institutions represent the highest military knowledge in Prussia and Austria, so admitting outsiders is never easy.
"Thirty is too few for you?" Leopold teased. "Austrians themselves don't get that treatment."
"It's more than enough, really," Ernst said. "Those thirty might define the future course of East Africa's military, which in turn means Austria has some influence on East Africa. Each side gets what it wants."
Leopold laughed: "Right. If only it were that simple. But you're the Habsburg son-in-law, so that helps."
Ignoring his jest, Ernst turned to Heinrich: "Of those thirty, I'm giving you one spot. Once you get there, study thoroughly. Compare the Prussian and Austrian doctrines—both pros and cons. Eventually, I want to establish a military academy in East Africa, and I plan to name you headmaster."
"Me? Headmaster? Maybe pick Erich—he's scored higher than I did!" Heinrich protested.
"No need to sell yourself short. Erich's already caught General Moltke's eye, so he'll likely remain with Prussia or, by extension, the German Empire. That's not a bad career. But you—would you resent moving to East Africa?"
Heinrich shook his head: "Of course not. The day I arrived in Hechingen, I swore eternal loyalty to the House of Hohenzollern. If you want me to do something, Headmaster, I'll do it without complaint."
Leopold, listening, said with admiration: "Very good, Heinrich! For that, if you ever run into trouble in Europe, come find me."
"Thank you, Your Highness Leopold!"
"Come on," Leopold replied, "we fought side by side. No need for formalities."
Ernst then said, "Leopold, I owe you my thanks for taking these kids onto the battlefield."
Leopold laughed: "Hahaha, I was going to join the war anyway, just needed the chance. You helped me fulfill that wish. The Hechingen Brigade performed excellently, really smooth to command. This time I even notched a decent track record—after the Battle of Diewillette, I earned some fame as a general."
Ernst shrugged: "Well, you helped me, so I should show some appreciation. War favors are quite big, you know. How do you feel about colonies? I could help your Sigmaringen family get one."
"Colonies? In Africa?" Leopold was startled.
"Yes," Ernst said, pulling out a map from his drawer. Spreading it on the table, he pointed to a place in West-Central Africa. "We could help you preemptively occupy this area if you're interested."
Leopold shook his head: "Better not. Our Sigmaringen finances mostly went into Romania. Even if you gave us a colony for free, we lack the resources to develop it."
Ernst said, "Pity. But my offer stands. If at some point you change your mind, just let me know."
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