Slovakia vs Galicia in the Gross Germanisches Reich

[Rodskarl Dubhgall]

Should the Reich have taken Slovakia rather than Galicia? It seems that Galicia was chosen for strategic reasons on the offensive, but Slovakia would have been easier to consolidate and integrate. In the Ostsiedlung, I noticed a systemic weakness by taking Prussia before Pomerelia was settled, probably with the idea that the Ritters could easily close the gap after Mecklenburg and Pomerania were taken from the Swedes and Danes, but that basically took 500 years. In this case, Slovakia was bypassed and Galicia gotten. Now, it sure makes sense to think that Slovakia would collapse on its own and be taken diplomatically in the future course of lebensraum, since they were hemmed in by Hungary and could do nothing. Personally, I would have taken Danzig before Koenigsberg and Pressburg before Lemberg. I am familiar with Pressburg, but not Lemberg. What do you think?

[Chlodovech]

Should the Reich have taken Slovakia rather than Galicia?

No, Slovakia doesn't lie on the road to Ukraine & the Caucasus and it's not necessary for security reasons either. There was little there that the Germans desire. Creating Lebensraum in Slovakia was not a policy for good reason. And Hungary, a German ally whom the Berlin had to keep happy, had (better) claims on (a part of) Slovak territory too.

Now, it sure makes sense to think that Slovakia would collapse on its own and be taken diplomatically in the future course of lebensraum, since they were hemmed in by Hungary and could do nothing.

Slovakia was a pro-German puppet state from the moment of its conception. Germany had nothing to gain from Slovakia collapsing. And by keeping it intact, as opposed to letting the Hungarians annex it, which is what the Hungarians would've liked to do ideally, Hungary remained little Hungary as well and hence a minor regional player depended on Germany.

[Juthunge]

Add to that, that Slovakia is a very mountainous country but with few or exhausted mining sources and comparatively little valuable agricultural land.
Galicia on ther other hand had plenty but underdeveloped (so unexhausted) agricultural land and natural resources (apart from diverse metal it also had one of the largest oil reserves in Europe).

[Rodskarl Dubhgall]

No, Slovakia doesn't lie on the road to Ukraine & the Caucasus and it's not necessary for security reasons either. There was little there that the Germans desire. Creating Lebensraum in Slovakia was not a policy for good reason. And Hungary, a German ally whom the Berlin had to keep happy, had (better) claims on (a part of) Slovak territory too.





Slovakia was a pro-German puppet state from the moment of its conception. Germany had nothing to gain from Slovakia collapsing. And by keeping it intact, as opposed to letting the Hungarians annex it, which is what the Hungarians would've liked to do ideally, Hungary remained little Hungary as well and hence a minor regional player depended on Germany.

Since you mention Hungary in the context of Lebensraum, I wonder if it would have been better to retake Budapest, Dalmatia, etc and restore the Holy Roman alignment, minus Italy, but important into the Great War. Obviously, Slovakia would fall into place that way too.

Add to that, that Slovakia is a very mountainous country but with few or exhausted mining sources and comparatively little valuable agricultural land.
Galicia on ther other hand had plenty but underdeveloped (so unexhausted) agricultural land and natural resources (apart from diverse metal it also had one of the largest oil reserves in Europe).

It's hard to justify such forward projection, without reasonable hope of consolidation of gains in the course of a single war. At least Pressburg was a German city already and Germanisation of the Pontic frontier was more a pipedream that could not be immediately gratified, but take generations that required complete, but unguaranteed victory.

[Chlodovech]

Since you mention Hungary in the context of Lebensraum, I wonder if it would have been better to retake Budapest, Dalmatia, etc and restore the Holy Roman alignment, minus Italy, but important into the Great War. Obviously, Slovakia would fall into place that way too.

These are locations where the locals are historically pro-German. Croats and Hungarians are traditional German allies. The former obtained their own state after the Balkan campaign, and the latter joined the Axis in 1940 already. They would've been part of the German New Order after the war and hence part of the extended empire politically and economically. That's good enough for the Germans, Hungarians and Croats. Would it have been better to restore the HRE? Not in the context of creating Lebensraum and of designs to make the Reich selfsufficient, nor is this what NS doctrine calls for.

Everything you occupy, you need to garrison too. And the Croat and Hungarian natural inclination is to fight with Germany rather than against it. So from a purely pragmatic and military point of view it's better for the Germans to free up troops they can relocate and gain new allies anyway.

Add to that, that Slovakia is a very mountainous country but with few or exhausted mining sources and comparatively little valuable agricultural land.
Galicia on ther other hand had plenty but underdeveloped (so unexhausted) agricultural land and natural resources (apart from diverse metal it also had one of the largest oil reserves in Europe).

Galicia was the bread basket of Austro-Hungary and the only source of oil for the Central Powers in the Great War, despite being a poor backwater region.

[Rodskarl Dubhgall]

In making this topic, I did not seek to advocate that Galicia shouldn't be German, only observe that it could not be adequately achieved with any convenience, in contrast with Slovakia. It would seem easier for Germany to completely aggregate all West Slavs first, as with Britons for England. To move on; only following this would East Slavs be manageable, just like moving onto Gaels. I'm looking at these theatres with epicentres of geopolitics in mind, so just as South Slavs were part of a sphere of influence, Gauls would have theoretically resembled a similar type of domino effect. I believe in Lebensraum for both sides of the German Ocean. In a relatively approximate spread, I can see Balts as belonging to Scandinavians.

[Rædwald]

I think they should have taken Franco’s home state as compensation for aiding him in the civil war. This would be in solidarity with their ancient Swabian kin.