Denmark of 9 April 1940 ISOT to 1 February 1864.

Primeminister Staunings office 0930 AM 9 April 1940
Stauning: ”Welcome – seems the Germans didn't do anything untowards us last night but I understand You have something urgent information for me Minister?”

Alsing-Andersen: ”Ehm well yes, I think it better to let the Commanders inform You of the Signals received by their Staffs this morning – General?”

Telephone ringing – Stauning: ”Excuse me – Yes.. What? - no ferry? Well thank You very much – yes I'll look into it, do inform me if anything comes up. Have a good day.”

Stauning: ”The Elsinore Chief of Police – the Ferry port at Hälsingborg is gone. Doktor Bohr was to arrive this morning by train from Oslo. There is no train on the Swedish side.”

Alsing-Andersen: ”Now I really think You ought to listen to the Military Commanders.”

General Prior: ”Primeminister the Danish Army of 1864 is in Slesvig awaiting the Prussian – Austrian onslaught. Today is 1 February it seems; if things go according to history tomorrow the Prussian Corps led by Crown Prince Frederick will attack at Mysunde and get repulsed. Then the day after the Austrians will attack the southern Danish Pickets that is essential to the defence of Dannevirke and throw the Danish Army back to that position. Then a day of waiting and then the Austrians will assault Dannevirke post the retreat of the Danish Army from the position; at great loss and defeat at Sankelmark – a beaten Danish Army will march up to Flensburg and then into Sundeved and Dybbøl. If we don't interfere; Primeminister! We must interfere! It is the life of hundreds of Danish troops.”

Stauning looked at the General and then at the Vice-Admiral who looked indifferent. Stauning knew the General but hadn't known him as well as his predessesor, General With. He also knew and respected the King; his Majesty would well like a stand against the Prussians and Austrians against HIS Army. Foremost the General his Majesty would love to hand the Germans a thrashing – mostly so the Prussians.

However Stauning had the fate of the country on his shoulders; he lauded the democratic process that had brought him into power – he couldn't just thow it away by acting despotic. Not councelling the other Parties. P. Munch and his Social Liberal Party – his Coalition Partner in Government - was strongly against military action being academecians they favoured diplomacy and negotiating though in 1864 there was no International Court to arbiter the Nations; P. Munch the Historian ought to know this simple fact.

Having heard out the General and Vice-Admiral Stauning then informed them that he wanted to call Foreign Minister P. Munch to the meeting – P. Munch being a Historian would know if these signals corresponded to the 1864 events.
At this both General and Vice-Admiral uttered that 1864 was the most debated and researched subject in Military History by Military Officers and both they and their Services were accurately versed in the subject and that and todays signals were just confirmation of known facts.

Stauning: ”Please, please – I know but P. Munch is also head of my Coalition Partner so have a right to be let in.”

Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”But of course Primeminister it is Your decision we are after all merely State servants.”

General Prior gave the Vice-Admiral a menacing look.
All then awaited the arrival of Foreing Minister P. Munch.

P.Munch having arrived at the meeting was of the opinion if this was so – being in 1864 and he questioned this though Stauning said he awaited the response to an inquirery with the Copenhagen University - he would serve the Nation best by going to plead the Danish cause with the German Confederation at Frankfurt a.M.
Which had much suppport by Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer.

Following more debate where Defence Minister Alsing-Andersen several times tried getting the attention of Stauning so as to get rid of the General and Vice-Admiral – but Stauning seemed intend of keeping the advisors present - Stauning said he was well with the proposal of the Forein Minister.
The Navy Airservice Dornier Wal would take P. Munch to Frankfurt a. M. landing on the Rhine as it would have the range to go there and return without refuelling. At this the Vice-Admiral was a little apprehensive as he was very well being overruled.

Stauning looked at the Vice-Admiral asking: ”Whats the alternative?”

Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”Ehm, well no. It is the one aircraft with the required range to go both directions on one fuelling. I'll let the Airservice prepare it taking off – when?”

General Prior: ”It is folly! Ask the King he will want the Army to support his loyal subjects against German invasion. It will be an attack on the Danish Army no matter what year we are talking. We must defend the country and best to do that in Slesvig! With the 1864 Army in place it would be a question of modern Artillery and Machineguns! Aircraft for spotting and bombing. We don't even need to move the entire Army south. The King however is Surpreme Commander!”

P. Munch: ”Easy now General Prior You well know its a technicality..”

Before the General exploded Stauning interfered: ”I'll call his Majesty later before lunch and explain the matter. General get in touch with General de Meza in whatever way possible and get his assessment to present to the King; what are our forces in Jutland?”

General Prior: ”From the South: at Tønder the AT-Engineers Regiment with one half-Battalion and the NCO-School; Søgaard Camp a Battalion of 4. Regiment; Sønderborg the Infantry NCO-School; Haderslev 2. Regiment with 1 Battalion, the Gun Company and a Field Artillery Battery; Fredericia 7. Regiment with 2 Battalions and Gun Company; Aarhus 3. Field Artillery Regiment with 3 Light and 1 Heavy Battalion, 14. AA-Battalion though Batteries in South Jutland; Randers Jutish Dragoons Regiment with 4 Squadrons including four Armoured Cars; Viborg Jutland Division, HQ 3. Regiment with one Battalion in Vendsyssel and Gun Company. All at about half strength and half of that is raw recruits. If – if we decide to call up the Covering Force demobilized three months ago we will be able to fill in units with trained men. That of course is not my decision.”

Stauning then looked at Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”The Navy?”

Rechnitzer: ”Without going into detail our most modern units are in Jutland ports; three Observation aircraft are on station in Jutland and in Fyn. Though the units on the East Coast are older units both have acted as Depot ships previously so give us a capacity to divert light units and Submarines if needed. Also all units will be able to outrun any enemy ship and most to outgun them.”

General Prior – looking at the Vice-Admiral: ”Well our Regimental Gun Companies and the Anti-Tank Engineers Regiments Cannon will in a 1864 context be rated heavy guns; they are highly mobile and much more accurate. It will be a force multiplier. Another - we lifted the 50.000 troops being mobilized from all over the country and brought into position on Sjaelland within eight hours during 5 August 1914! The regular train traffic didn't suffer much delay. This feat was repeated on 26 August 1939 by the call up of the Covering Force of 30,000. We can do it again. Also we won't need fear the air – we will be able to redeploy all the Air Squadrons to use all of our aircraft as light bombers. During the 1913 major call-up to train reserves in fall manoeuvres of the Army among the forces taking part was our couple of aircraft that would scout for the enemy. It was a success as the enemy won the game – the aircraft had proven its worth. That worth I want to utilize.” (this is almost 30 years prior to the Glider experimentation of Otto Lilienthal in Germany)

At the last P. Munch looked really horrified: ”I think I better get packed to go to Frankfurt a. M. - Vice-Admiral when will the aircraft be ready?”

Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”I'll have them work through the night to have it ready at 9 AM.”

Listening to the General and Vice-Admiral Stauning felt his thoughts of 1934 bubble up; resisting the Germans was much more a realistic option in this day and age even without allies.

P. Munch: ”One thing – very important. Whatever You do don't, don't enter Holstein that will make the whole of the German Confederation face us; might even off-set Austria. Remember Austria was reluctant to enter this debacle so we won't want them to become really hostile towards us.”

Stauning: ”I really agree to that. Foreign Minister we need to gather Parliament this evening and inform it of our decisions. We may have parlimentary majority but it will strengthen our position and frankly the Conservatives and Liberals will love it though the Nazi's will probably hate it as will the Slesvig Party.”

P. Munch: ”I'll inform the Party leaders while You inform his Majesty; 3 PM?”

Stauning: ”General, Vice-Admiral I can't let You at the moment call up any more troops however what have been decided will be carried out. Vice-Admiral I understand that the Niels Juel crew is mobilizing as is the Coastal Batteries?”

Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”I expect the Niels Juel to be ready to steam up late in the afternoon and it will take command of a Squadron in the Baltic of the older units. However I don't see Prussia and certainly not Austria challenging us at the moment.”

As the others were about to depart Stauning said: ”What about the West Indies? It is now our Colony again if I'm right?”

P. Munch: ”Right You are Primeminister – it will have reverted to our rule.”

Vice-Admiral Rechnitzer: ”The wooden build Screw Scooner Fylla (3 guns) on station in the West Indies, commander Kaptajnløjtnant (RN/USN Lieutenant) E. Krieger, 58 Officers and Men. The American Civil War is raging – CSA blockade runners and raiders may operate in the area but we didn't have much problems with these.”

Stauning: ”Let's end this meeting – P. Munch we meet at Parliament at 3 PM. General, Vice-Admiral prepare your units though don't start a war. Goverment is the instigater of war in a democratic society and we still are. If the covering force is to be called up we will decide at Parliament! No movement restrictions on any units.”

On his way out passing Stauning General Prior whispered: ”What made You certain about our displacement in time?”

Stauning: ”The missing of Doctor Bohr returning from Norway.”

General Prior: ”So there was somebody expecting his arrival at Elsinore Harbour?”

Stauning: ”But of course – would You expect anything else these days?”

General Prior: ”Customs officer? DSB (Danish State Railways) official?”

Stauning: ”I won't give it away but You know better than that and so did Your predessessor General With (former Intelligence Officer) – and I absolutely trust it.”

General Prior: ”Well I never would have thought.. With's legacy.. well I'm off have to catch up on recent reconnaisance reports.”

Stauning: ”Do relay anything important.”

General Prior: ”Of course Primeminister – right away.”

Good idea, divide Prussia and Austria, think Austria is more willing to listen, especially when they hear about the Austro-Prussian War of 1866

Also what about all those foreign embassy's in Copenhagen, i am sure they will try to charter boats to go to their countries to inform everything that is going to happen in the 76 years to come.

State Radio Broadcast 12 AM 9 April 1940
Journalist: ”Dear listeners today the Primeminister is going to speak to You. You may have seen the Newspapers headlines of strange happenings since midnight. The Primeminister want to address the Nation about these matters. Primeminister.”

Stauning: ”I have grave news for all of You. The War was about to engulf Denmark yesterday but instead something else happened. Yes the Forces of Nazi-Germany was on our doorstep but some power greater than man wanted different. As we all awoke this morning the day had changed to 1 February 1864. It sounds fantastic but it has been confirmed from Sweden and Slesvig. The Prussian and Austrian Armies are on our doorstep – 76 years ago they were too; why this is so again today I do not know. I do know however that Denmark our country have the resources to repel the Invaders. Our military may be small but it is of high quality – this quality will carry us through. Though we may face hard times in which many will perish but we have friends in the Nordic countries of 1864. We must unite because only united will we prewail in the new situation that have become reality over night. This is not a time of selfishness or political seperatism – it is a time of Denmarks and the Danish Peoples. The King is aware of the situation and expect a correct and decent behavior of all to carry our country through these times.”