How Hans Found an Old Empire in Munich

Somewhere in Berlin, Hans Baerhof finally got the well-deserved one month vacation. He worked side-by-side with the German Chancellor as his one of the no-name advisors. In reality though, he was the country Chancellor represented internationally. Lately the work in the Bundestag has become increasingly more difficult, especially since the latest pandemic. The mental strain took a toll on him, yet now, he can rest a little. It was mid September, which meant Oktoberfest would soon take place in Munich, so he decided to spend vacation in Bavaria. Hans decided to not drive himself this time - he decided to take public transport and blend in for a while with other Germans. However, perhaps it was for the best, for some bloody reason not only the train the young man waited for got delayed by more than half an hour, the public transport in the city was especially in shambles. Of course, when millions of Germans and tourists visit the place for pints of beer and Lederhosen, it is not surprising that some transportation systems will have a huge stain. But the whole system? That was abnormal, and Hans decided immediately to go to the headquarters of the local public transport service and resolve the problem before any new ones arise for humans. Using his official documentation, it was not hard, yet it wasn't so often that he had to explain his actual status to everyday clerks. Many immediately paid Hans huge respect and helped him find the executive personnel. Yet the last thing the German man does is to meet in the process someone who, according to history, should not be working here at all. The gentleman was remarkably tall and slim, yet he wouldn't be considered young - at the very best Hans could give him no younger than 45. His dark and relatively short hair was nearly kept, yet the hairstyle was oddly not modern. It was as if he cut the hair using an axe instead of scissors. Other than that he looked calm, collected and in place for the whole company. When young man asked the colleague about this peculiar person, he shrugged and nonchalantly answered: "Oh, that's just Herr Silverster. He maybe talks a bit strange even for Bavarians and sometimes feels old-fashioned, yet he's a great colleague. Perhaps he's just from a super-religious family or something." That answer raised even more questions Hans wouldn't have time to think about for now. Some hours and disputes later, the problem was resolved. Before the man left for a well-deserved rest, he saw this Silvester nearby the entrance. He was hiding under the shadows and was reading something inside his palm. Curiosity got the best of Hans, and he decided to approach him while there was still time. "Entschuldigung, but I noticed you are reading something. May I ask what it is?" Silvester looked to the side to see the asker properly. He pondered for a moment, and he answered: “A Holy Bible. Art thou interested in speaking about that?” The young man was slightly taken aback with the archaisms that the taller man used. It was in fact really odd for a German to speak in a way that was not spoken since the 16th century. Hans began to suspect something was not said out loud. “Yes, if you have time of course, sir,” – he smiled softly. “Do you prefer more antique copies to read?” “This very edition was the eldest I could discover. Interpretations have much altered since that time. Yet thou wouldst be correct, I do prefer earlier renditions of the Holy Scripture.” Silvester showed the copy he was gently holding in his arms. The book could easily be sitting in the archives of some museums. Yet Hans just nodded to that. In his head he already tried to construct some theories about the background of the man he was speaking to. It was all too familiar, yet he wasn’t sure how exactly. The man asked him back: “I did mark thy presence within the hall this morn. Prithee, was this business tied to the approaching Oktoberfest, Herr…?” – he waited for Hans to give a name. “Herr Baerhof, sir. Yes, the public transport had some problems and I was worried it would lead to troubles later on.” “Herr Baerhof then.” – Silvester pondered upon the name, as if it was familiar in some way. “Art thou a man of the government? The matter hath resolved itself with wondrous haste. Only one with weighty influence could command such dispatch.” Hans slightly chuckled, tried to play it cool for now. “You could say that, hah.” The taller man didn’t speak a word for at least a minute and looked back at the Bible. The other German also was quiet for a while – he was still trying to piece the bits of information he could deduce. Yet Silvester took him off guard. “The festival remaineth ever the same, heedless of the turning year. Millions do come and go, to drink and to forget. Germans, Bavarians, strangers from foreign lands...for many a year hath it been thus. Thou hast the look of one who wouldst comprehend this truth.” Why would he say that? At this point Hans was pretty sure this Silvester had to be some old country who happened to keep a low profile until now. He quickly turned his head back at him, only to see the taller German still reading the Bible. “Does that bother you in any way, sir?” – younger one asked cautiously. Silvester calmly explained: “Times do shift. Yet mankind remaineth ever as mankind. In the span I have dwelt here, I have made my peace with this truth. But thou...thou fearest something, dost thou not?” “You can read people well…you are right. Things in the country are not the best, it creates a lot of stress on the job.” The German technically did not lie, but he didn’t say all of the picture. It is because all the political problems Germany now faces affects Hans directly. And the biggest fear was falling into the pit of populism and betraying democracy, just as it has been done in other countries and in recent history. “Thou canst not outrun history. At times, one must face and do battle with it. So would I counsel thee,” – the taller man continued. Hans was now actually shocked and he couldn’t hide it. How did this Silvester understand he was a country? Is he related to Germany? But he knows everyone before his grandfather, Wilhelm II, is already dead. Younger man stammered: “H-how did you-” “I ken a Prussian when mine eyes do fall upon one. Thou cam'st hither to seek the knowledge of who I am, is't not so? Only one of our kind would straightway mark the strangeness in me and not cast it aside,” – the older country answered calmly, pausing for a moment – “Fear not, I do not blame thee for't. Yet 'twas most plain.” “Then why are you still here?” – Hans could only ask this. “All do hold me for dead, so may I now live in quiet as a common man. Much have I learned since that hour.” Silvester closed the Bible and looked at Hans. “Alas, I must needs return unto mine employ. Prithee, let this remain a mystery for others.” Hans declared: “I will not disturb your peace, sir. But you are not just Silverster, right?” “Methinks Maximilian would be a name more familiar to thine ear. May thy sojourn in Munich be pleasant, Herr Baerhof. I bid thee fare well.” – He nodded and started to walk away before suddenly stopping after a few steps. “Oh, but if thou dost espy any soul, bear my respects unto Lord Mark-Scott Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Though I am certain he hath a different surname now.” The taller man quickly entered the building and left the German to properly process the information. After a minute or two, he eventually left too. Hans was thinking about this encounter the whole stay because who in the world would think he would meet Maximilian Silvester von Hohenstauf, the Holy Roman Empire himself, working as a common man in the public transport company of Munich? As absurd as it was, it was the irrefutable truth and some questions still were unanswered. He did send anonymous regard to Mark-Scott, leaving him wondering about the sender as well.