East Cerdani

Cerdani Democratic Republic Deurentsche Demokratische Republik
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Proletarier aller Länder, vereinigt Euch! "Workers of the world, unite!"
Anthem: Auferstanden aus Ruinen "Risen from Ruins"
Location of East Cerdani in Southeastern Gondwana
Capital and largest city	Morzahnstadt
Recognised national languages	Cerdan, Ethalrian, Codexian
Demonym(s)	East Cerdan
Government	Unitary Socialist Republic
• Head of State	Kurt Marzel
• Head of Government	Lukas Metz
• Head of Parliament	Irma Valentina
Legislature	Volkskammer
History
• Proclamation of Independence	1921
• End of the Civil War	1923
Area
• Total	1,557,952 km2 (601,529 sq mi)
• Water (%)	0.8
Population
• 2022 estimate	121.5 million
• Density	77/km2 (199.4/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$2.05 trillion
• Per capita	$16,950
Gini (2022)	18.6 low
SDI (2022)	0.906 very high
Currency	East Cerdan Mark (DDM) (DDM)
Date format	dd ˘ mm ˘ yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	37
ISO 3166 code	DDR
Internet TLD	.dr

The Cerdani Democratic Republic, often simply referred to as East Cerdani, is a Unitary Socialist Republic located in Southeastern Gondwana. The capital and largest city is Morzahnstadt and is the main cultural and commercial centre. It is bordered by West Cerdani to the west, Marabilla and Serdemia to the east. Aivintis to the south-east and Korćetta to the south-west.

History

Prehistory

Evidence for habitation and settlement of sapient species in the region dates back to at least 450,000 years ago with rock shelters and fossils showing the presence of various species in the region. Evidence of modern humans and species are found mostly along the Alemanda river valley, including a 71,000-year-old village preserved after a huge mud slide along with various artifacts and tools ranging from the neolithic to iron age.

Cerdani Empire

Main Article:Cerdani Empire

Prior to the formation of the Cerdani Empire in 1459, the region was largely a collection of loosely associated kingdoms and smaller independent communities. The largest and most dominant of these being the Cerdani Kingdom and the Red River Confederation.

The Cerdani Empire was officially proclaimed in 1459 following the signing of the Morzahn Accords and the official merger of the Red River Confederation into the newly proclaimed empire. One of the first goals of the new empire was to take over many neighboring kingdoms and incorporating them, either through force or diplomacy. This period of war and conquest lasted until the late 1700s when the Cerdani Empire reached it's largest extent, establishing the modern day borders of the Cerdani states.

Pre-Civil War

By the early 1900s the Cerdani Empire was one of the most underdeveloped and backwards nations on Urth. Illiteracy rates among the working class was incredibly high, along with high infant mortality rates and poor access to healthcare and food. This was contrasted by the immense luxury and wealth the ruling class enjoyed.

It was also during this time that the empire's government was weakening substantially. The parliament was largely ceremonial and dysfunctional, acting as a rubber stamp for the Emperor, his family and various business owners. Various Republican, Socialist and Communist parties that emerged during this period were outlawed and heavily persecuted. Despite this however, many of these groups operated successfully underground, recruiting many disillusioned and dissatisfied peasants and workers into their ranks.

Cerdan Revolution

Main Article:Cerdani Empire

By 1915 the situation in the Cerdan Empire was rapidly deteriorating, the parliament was abrogated indefinitely in April 1915 and a significant portion of the military were working without pay. Although the Empire had been bankrupt since 1912 it was not officially announced until December 1915 when the Emperor was conducting his traditional end of year speech.

The announcement was interpreted by the various anti-monarchist forces as a clear sign of the government's weak state and many movements quickly sought to seize the opportunity. Between January 27 to February 8 1916, a large portion of the eastern countryside including over a hundred hamlets and villages were occupied by communist and socialist militias, meeting little or no resistance from the local police or military forces who were largely sympathetic or outright associated with them. During this same time Republican forces in the west did the same, occupying a significant portion of the outer countryside.

Communist Revolutionaries during the early period of the revolution.

By the end of February most of the countryside was now out of the control of the government, and most of their control was now largely confined to the major urban centres and towns. On March 5 1916, the Emperor broadcast an official announcement, declaring that the occupying communist and republican forces were to lay down their arms within two weeks and that if they did so, there would be a general amnesty and talks on forming a new government. The attempt failed however, and the militias and their leaders were not convinced.

After the two week period lapsed on March 19 1916, the Royal Cerdan Army begun a large scale invasion of the countryside, aiming to retake and cleanup the regions by force. The army initially had successes in taking back a handful of hamlets and larger villages but were unable to assert control effectively for more than a couple of weeks. Compounding this further was the poor morale the troops and junior officers, who had been working with little to no pay for over a year and were reliant on outdated and poorly maintained equipment. In many cases troops sent out to fight simply walked across and joined the other side or surrendered immediately, much to the frustration of the high command and officers.

The Monarchy collapsed on August 11th, 1921 when communist and socialist militias linked up and seized control of the capital of Morzahnstadt after months of heavy fighting, taking the city block by block. The red flag was raised over the Imperial Palace at noon and a provisional government was formed to assume the duties and manage the running of the country later that day.

Civil War

Following the end of the war against the monarchy, in-fighting between the socialist and communist militias and the capitalist republican militias quickly broke out. Ostensibly this was due to perceived notions of overreach by each side to the other, most notably was that each sides respective provisional governments, meant to be mixed with Cerdans of all political and social backgrounds, was stacked with socialists and communists in the east, and capitalists in the west.

Throughout the civil war period much of the fighting consisted of small, hit and run style attacks against outposts and convoys, with neither side willing to put significant amounts of manpower at risk during the chaotic period of transition. Both governments declared their independence in 1921, each side claiming sovereignty over the whole of the former Cerdani Empire, refusing to recognise each other.

Ultimately this state of affairs proved hard to maintain, West Cerdani remained heavily reliant on the sea and rail links to the ocean through East Cerdani and Dettollohn and East Cerdani was still dependent on seasonal workers from the west to work in their mines, both vestiges from the period of the Empire.

On September 17th, 1922 after a two week ceasefire the Cerdani Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Cerdani signed the Cerdani Peace Accords, officially ending the war between to the two nations. As a result of a dispute over the border region surrounding the Winterhof Castle a neutral zone was created, with the intention of the border being resolved in the future. Both nations agreed to recognise each other in a limited capacity, and to respect their borders and sovereignty.

Post Civil War

Following the end of the Civil War, the newly independent Cerdani Democratic Republic's government set out a series of ambitious initiatives and projects in healthcare, education and industrialisation with an aim of transforming the country into a self sufficient socialist country by 1950. At independence over 70% of the rural peasantry could not read or write, and lacked access to basic healthcare, education and adequate housing which would take decades for the government to address and fix. In addition the country was technologically and industrially backwards compared to similar nations at this period. Despite the incredibly difficult situation and the economic chaos the country and economy grew appreciably through the remainder of the 1920s and into the 1930s.

Geography

Climate & Weather

East Cerdani has a Mediterranean climate with semi-arid influence. East Cerdani is generally very sunny, receiving around 164 clear days annually. In the winter the temperature is mild with daily highs averaging around 20 °C (68 °F). Most of the yearly rainfall falls throughout winter. In the summer months, Cerdani averages 32–33 °C (90–91 °F), with some days over 40 °C (104 °F). Both West and East Cerdani have virtually the same weather conditions.

Ecology

The ecosystems of Cerdani are ecologically diverse, ranging from heavy forests to rolling grasslands with numerous endemic species.

Politics & Government

Volkskammer

The Volkskammer (People's Chamber) is the unicameral legislature of the Cerdani Democratic Republic, established in 1950 from the merger of the former lower house, the Nationale Volksrat.

The Volkskammer seats 500 members, of which 375 seats are determined in multi-party Instant-runoff voting while 125 seats reserved for the Communist Party are elected through single transferable vote system. All major political parties and mass movements represented in the Volkskammer are part of the National Front which is an alliance between them. Independent politicians and the unrecognised Progress Bloc account for less than 70 seats.

Leadership

Main Article: Leadership of East Cerdani, Council of Ministers (East Cerdani)

East Cerdani's leadership is vested into several different offices, most of them collectively led. The most important of these being the State Council of the Cerdani Democratic Republic with its Chairperson often considered to be the Head of State although the State Council is formed and run collectively. The State Council is elected every 5 years by the Volkskammer from within its own members.

The Council of Ministers is considered largely equal with the State Council in terms of the power and responsibilities it has. The Council is made up of a Presidium which manages and coordinates the activities of the Council and the Council body itself. The Presidium and Chairperson of the council are elected from within the council itself. Members of the Council are elected by the Volkskammer for 5 year terms, often lining up together with the elections for the State Council.

Other major institutions include the Volkskammer, which is led by Chairperson of the Volkskammer, and the National Defence Council. The Chairperson of the Volkskammer is responsible for its organisation, operations and events. The Chairperson is assisted by a small Standing Committee of selected Volkskammer members. Chairpersons are elected at the conclusion of any general election and Standing Committee members are hand picked by the Chairperson.

The National Defence Council is a small body consisting of the leaders of each branch of the National People's Army and a number of high ranking officers from each service. The Council holds supreme command of the National People's Army and has authority over the State in time of war.

Foreign Relations

East Cerdani's foreign policy is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Foreign policy is largely laid down in the East Cerdan Constitution and from official statements by the ministry. Officially the foreign policy of East Cerdani is "to serve socialism and peace, international friendship and security", to "cultivate, develop and reinforce friendship and co-operation with other socialist states" and to "support states, nations and peoples struggling and fighting against imperialism, colonialism, racism, speciesism and fascism in their struggles for progress and national freedom."

Historically East Cerdani was largely isolationist until the 1950s when a series reforms opened the government to seek further international ties with both socialist and non-socialist nations. As a result East Cerdan foreign policy has become more pragmatic however the government's official policy has remained largely the same. A major part of recent efforts since the 1990s has been seeking international recognition and establishing diplomatic relations with the major countries of the world.

Administrative divisions

Main Articles: States of East Cerdani, Provinces of East Cerdani, Districts of East Cerdani

The Cerdani Democratic Republic is divided into ten states. The states are subdivided into twenty provinces and one capital city with provincial status. The provinces are subdivided into 96 districts. The districts are further divided in 405 "Local Government Areas" and then in large cities into Localities, the lowest level of the central state administration.

Dettellohn Königbach Bredaneuzen Thalneuve Gänsernweg Einseen Stühhausen Hallenhude Schärbruck Große Karstseen

Local Government Areas are the main subdivisions of districts. These typically are headed by a Local Council which is elected by the residents and is collectively responsible for managing the area and the associated local infrastructure.

Local Government Areas can be further subdivided into localities in large cities, often headed by a Locality Council which are typically responsible for a few city blocks or a large housing complex.

Military

Main Article: National People's Army, People's Militias (East Cerdani)

An East-Cerdan Air Force jet

The National People's Army are the professional military forces of the Cerdani Democratic Republic and is comprised of for separate branches for the Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Border Guards. Conscription has been enforced since 1967 with military service mandatory for a minimum of 18 months for all able-bodied adults after turning 20 regardless of gender or species unless deferred or suspended. East Cerdani provides limited recognition for conscientious objectors in the form of non-combat units or civilian service for the same 18 month period.

The importance of maintaining independence and the continued development of socialism free from foreign interference or threats are seen as a high priority by the government and as a result East Cerdani maintains one of the largest, most expensive and well-organised professional militaries in the world with at least 1.3 million in active service and over 700,000 in official reserve, with the potential for up to 8 million to be called for service in the event of a mass mobilisation. Much of the hardware and equipment used by the National People's Army is domestically produced and developed, with only a few items imported or produced on license.

East Cerdani also maintains a sizable but undisclosed number of nuclear warheads deployed in a nuclear triad comprising ICBMs, strategic bombers and nuclear submarines. International inspectors and foreign nationals have very rarely been permitted to see or inspect any nuclear weapons, with only a limited number ever being shown at a time. East Cerdani's nuclear policy since it's inception has been that of "no first use" and to "not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapons states or nuclear-weapon-free zones at any time or under any circumstances."

In addition to the professional military the People's Militias exist as one the largest paramilitary organisation in East Cerdani and one of the largest in the world. It is largely comprised of working class people and members of parties of the National Front and almost every major factory, office and workplace has at least a small unit or detachment. Training is conducted by non-military providers such as the People's Police and is ongoing throughout the year, with camps often taking place on weekends and scheduled training weeks taking place at specific times throughout the year. Membership in the Militias is entirely voluntary however it is often encouraged as past membership is seen as politically and socially virtuous.

Economy

Main Article: Economy of East Cerdani

The economy of East Cerdani is that of a centrally-planned socialist economy, with most economic sectors and means of production controlled directly by the workers themselves through worker collectives, worker owned enterprises or co-operatives. The state is largely responsible for organising discussion and participation of workers and collectives in the creation and adjustment of economic plans and directives, along with assisting them in the fulfillment of these objectives. Nationally these plans are organised along 5 year long Prospective Indicative Plans which outlines the directives of the economy and the plans for specific industries. Heavy and light industries are the largest sectors of the economy comprising various specialisations from camera and computer manufacturing to the manufacturing of aircraft and heavy plant equipment. Agriculture remains a significant part of the economy, the country being officially self sufficient in most staple foods which allows the cultivation of certain commercial crops for both domestic consumption and limited export.

East Cerdani's economic planning is heavily computerised and computer managed

The East Cerdan economy has remained largely insular and closed, primarily due to the historic isolation East Cerdani has faced since independence and the aims of the government for complete self-sufficiency in all strategic areas of the economy. Since the early 2000s however the official policy has shifted towards establishing more economic relations and co-operation with non-socialist countries based primarily on reciprocal advantage and mutual respect for sovereignty and independence. As a result of this policy change the East Cerdan economy has begun to export significant numbers of certain products, providing the state with an important source of foreign currency for further trade.

Demographics

As of 2023 East Cerdani has a population of 121.5 million, making it the largest nation in Gondwana and the ninth most populous country in the world. The population density stands at an average 77 inhabitants per square kilometre with the numbers skewed higher in cities and significantly lower in rural regions.

East Cerdani has a number of larger cities with a the capital and largest city, Morzahnstadt, forming a large extensive urban area and having special provincial status while the second largest city, Betzfels, is more heavily urbanised and concentrated.

Religion

East Cerdani is an atheist state, with the constitution stating that there is an absolute separation between the state and church and that citizens have the right to practice or to not practice a religion. The government however continues to discourage participation in religious activities although it has soften it's stance considerably since the 1950s.

At the last census the majority of the population (74%) identified as either 'Atheist' or having 'No religion'. The two largest religions are Akronism (10.8%) and Silvism (9.5%). Smaller religious minorities account for the remainder with the largest ones consisting of Paxism (2.6%), Ademarism (1.2%) and Thaerism (0.9%).

Languages

The official, nationally taught and spoken language in East Cerdani is Cerdan, a distinct language and offshoot of Ethalrian which was brought to the region during the settlement of Ethalrian Cerdani. Ethalrian and Codexian are the next two major languages spoken in East Cerdani, with official recognition granted to both.

A number of inland communities still retain distinct dialects and creole languages from before the arrival of Ethalrian settlers and in recent decades the government has made significant effort to revive many of these dying languages, with many having gone extinct throughout the 20th century due to increasing urbanisation.

National holidays

Date	National holiday designation	Notes
1 January	New Year's Day	New Year's Day
19 February	Industry Day	Celebrates the completion of the Bickhardt Dam and Industrial Workers in general
8 March	International Women's Day	Commemorates International Women's Day
1 May	May Day	Celebrates the economic and social achievements of workers and the socialist state
18 June	Constitution Day	Enactment of the latest version of the Constitution of East Cerdani in 1984
11 August	Day of the Revolution	Celebrating the August Revolution of 1921 the led to the creation of East Cerdani
27 September	Day of Peace	Celebrates the end of the civil war with West Cerdani
4 October	Medical Worker's Day	Celebrates the achievements of Medical Workers
14 November	Armed Forces Day	Celebrates the creation of the National People's Army in 1921
25 December	Family Day

Media

All forms of media in East Cerdani are heavily influenced or outright controlled by the government. Newspapers are widely circulated domestically with state-controlled dailies having some of the high readership numbers. However this number has declined since the 2000s with the arrival and increasing popularity of the internet.

Radio is also highly popular and similarly state-owned and supported. Radio stations are highly varied from the main domestic services to smaller stations orientated towards specific regions or groups such as the national youth radio station TD46. East Cerdani still maintains international shortwave broadcasts as Radio Morzahnstadt International which acts largely as a propaganda service across all of Urth.

Internet news and media is an growing part of the East Cerdan media landscape, with the internet comparatively less restricted and controlled compared to previous forms of media. Most media outlets in East Cerdani publish their news online and radio stations increasingly stream their broadcasts online to listeners across the globe.

Art & Music

Arts and Music in East Cerdani have historically been heavily influenced by Ethalrian settlers and various local cultures that survived. Both Art and Music serve various purposes from story telling, traditional ceremonies and dances and identity expression. Musical instruments were often handmade, although many are now produced on a larger scale. Many of the traditional instruments used consist of drums and woodwinds and are often paired with intricate dances and singing. Contemporary music in East Cerdani is highly varied with many local artists whilst simulataneously being heavily influenced by foreign countries with the most popular types being Rock, Pop and Techno.

Socialist Realism murals are common on most buildings

Art in modern East Cerdani is often in the style of Socialist Realism, typically showing everyday life under socialism. Propaganda artwork is also common both for domestic and foreign audiences and is often the most commonly known type of East Cerdan artwork internationally.

Sports

A large multi-purpose stadium in East Cerdani

Football is the most popular sport in East Cerdani. The national team is the East Cerdani National Team and the sport is supported greatly by the state. Swimming and aquatic sports are avidly followed and increasingly popular. Basketball is also popular along with cricket and ice hockey.

The government considers supports many sports groups and associations which often receive direct funding and assistance from the state. All major towns and cities have their own sporting facilities, gymnasiums and aquatics centres with smaller towns often having a sports oval and swimming pool for both recreation and local competitions.

Infrastructure

State Infrastructure

State infrastructure in East Cerdani consists of key components of the national roads, railways and aerodromes. Each State, Province and District are responsible for the maintenance and continued operation of all infrastructure within their jurisdiction excluding any national highways or roads, non-local railway lines and any large airports.

All railways and railway infrastructure are owned by the National Railways of Cerdani which is responsible for the maintenance of all tracks and partially operates passenger and freight services. Some local railways are leased to a specific province or district which is then responsible until the end of the lease, terms often lasting 50 or 99 years. All major cities within East Cerdani are linked by rail, with high speed rail forming a corridor that links the north to the south and a branch towards West Cerdani partially completed. Railway links with West Cerdani are managed by Westrail which also operates limited services within West Cerdani.

Railways remain the most efficient way of transporting goods long distances in East Cerdani

Major arterial roads and national highways are managed by the Main Roads of Cerdani who are also responsible for national policies on road access, construction, signage and maintenance. Many other roads are managed by state, provincial or district governments who are responsible for the maintenance and construction of local roads. East Cerdani's highway network was largely constructed from the 1930s to the 1950s to facilitate better travel across the country both for civilian and military usage. Highway construction has slowed down significantly due to both the increase in funding and support for public transport and state policies generally discouraging the use of private vehicles.

All major airports are owned by Staatliche Flughafengesellschaft der DDR while smaller aerodromes and airstrips are run by provincial or district governments or local flying organisations and clubs. A number of airfields are also jointly operated with the Air Forces of the National People's Army as mixed civilian/military airports. The largest airport within East Cerdani is Morzahnstadt International Airport which is the primary hub for all international and domestic travel as well as being the headquarters of the national flag carrier.

Energy Production

East Cerdani's energy sector is largely based on nuclear, hydro and coal, with growing contributions from renewables such as solar, wind and thermal energy since the mid 2000s. As of 2023 the energy breakup consists of 42% Nuclear, 35% Hydro, 12% Coal with the remaining 11% coming from a mixture of solar, wind and thermal with a small portion (less than 2%) coming from natural gas and biofuels. East Cerdani has been energy independent since 1962 and, since 1988, exports electricity to West-Cerdani which has remained partially reliant on East-Cerdan hydro and coal power.

Since the mid 2000s official energy policies have been shifting away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources. This has seen the scaling back of coal and gas production and the closure of a number of plants with the introduction of large wind farms, solar plants and solar updraft towers. All energy production and distribution is managed by Elektrizität der DDR with oversight from the Ministry of Energy.

Healthcare

Healthcare and health protection in East Cerdani is provided freely to all citizens, universal healthcare has been one of the major priorities of the government after the Civil War and continues to play a significant role. Primary healthcare is available across the whole country and is organised to serve as much of the population as possible with most small towns having a medical clinic or outpost.

Life expectancy at birth for East Cerdans is 81 years, one of the highest on Urth. East Cerdani also has one of the highest doctor-to-population ratios in the world, and is particularly noted for their medical internationalism in sending doctors and medical personnel overseas and allowing foreigners to come to East Cerdani for training and treatment.

Education

East Cerdani's education system comprises of pre-school education for childreen from three to six years of age; a compulsory twelve year polytechnical eduation for all children ages six through to eighteen which consists of vocational training for entry into the workforce or extended general education leading to university and higher education at special technical institutions or universities.

Education is provided for free at all stages, with textbooks provided free of charge and the government offering full or partial assistance for students living away from home at universities. The government also provides scholarships for international students to study within East Cerdani and for East Cerdan citizens to study at overseas universities and institutions.

Space Program

Main Article: Cerdani Space Exploration Institute

Envirosat, an East-Cerdan Urth Observation satellite and one the largest satellites ever launched to date

East Cerdani maintains and operates a well-equipped space program for both civilian and military uses. The Space Program was first started in the 1950s but only achieved success in the 1960s where the first East-Cerdan satellite was sent into orbit in 1963 the first Cerdan making a single orbital flight on 1968. East Cerdani maintains independent spaceflight capabilities including a small space station manned continuously since the resumption of space flight following the end of the Space Debris Crises. East Cerdani also maintains a program for providing cheap spaceflight to astronauts and satellites to friendly countries and particularly other socialist states which may not have these capabilities.