Chapter 192: The Granary of Europe (Patreon)

"Damn it, I really don't understand why I had to come to this rural place."

"This is much better than that suffocating Berlin. Besides, I'm even happier that you didn't do that thing."

"It's all because of your meddling that the matter has dragged on with no progress until now."

"Are you still doubting me? I'm your only wife, after all."

"Hmph, I saw through you long ago, stop pretending to be innocent. I just don't understand why you're obstructing something that's for the good of the motherland?"

"Precisely because it's what you keep calling 'for the motherland,' I must stop it."

As soon as the two got out of the car, a middle-aged couple began to argue beside it. The man was full of resentment after arriving in Ukraine, while the woman seemed to be in excellent spirits, even subtly carrying a sense of relief.

Their quarrel ceased abruptly as someone approached, because the newcomer's attire was on a completely different level from ordinary people.

Especially the Austro-Hungarian Empire Marshal's epaulets, shining brightly in the sun, silently declared his identity and status.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the couple immediately composed themselves and adjusted their demeanor.

"Doctor, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, Karl von Habsburg."

"Wh-what?! So that's it! It's an honor to meet you! I am Fritz Haber!"

Fritz Haber clearly hadn't expected to be greeted by such an important figure, and for a moment he froze, his voice even tightening a bit.

This was the Commander-in-Chief of the Central Powers, and also a member of the imperial family with succession rights to the throne. As a subject of the German Empire, how could he dare to show any disrespect?

In fact, for this matter, it wasn't strictly necessary for him to appear in person.

As long as he handed over the patent, the factory could naturally produce according to the blueprints.

But when he saw Archduke Karl, who had personally come to greet him, the dissatisfaction in his heart dissipated like a tide.

Yes, wasn't all this also for the Empire?

"I am Clara Haber, née Immerwahr. It's an honor to meet Your Highness."

Unlike Fritz Haber's stiffness, Clara appeared composed, her eyes full of undisguised goodwill.

She practically yearned for this invitation from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

These days, her conflict with her husband had grown increasingly sharp, and the fuse was "poison gas."

Fritz Haber argued that, for the victory of the motherland, poison gas should be used in warfare.

During the Great War, all nations were racking their brains to find ways to break the stalemate of trench warfare, and chemical weapons were pushed to the forefront against this backdrop, with even large-scale use precedents appearing on the Western Front.

Fortunately, the German Imperial Army once refused on the grounds that it "might lead to accountability under international law after the war."

In her opinion, that was simply devilish; war was ultimately a struggle between humans, and using something like poison gas was simply too much.

Regardless, she felt it was a godsend that her husband hadn't been able to loudly shout "Let them taste the flavor of poison gas" in front of the military, but instead had been transferred to Ukraine.

After all, given Fritz Haber's status and influence, if he continued to push for it, it was not impossible for the military to change its stance.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I hear you are the first woman in the German Empire to earn a doctorate in chemistry."

Facing her gaze filled with obvious goodwill, Karl also responded with a smile.

In 1915, the world's total population was only 1.8 billion. But if we project to the 21st century, this number will approach 8 billion.

One of the keys to the survival of such a vast population is the "Ammonia Synthesis Method" invented by Fritz Haber.

Later known as the Haber-Bosch Process, this technology enabled humanity to extract nitrogen from the air to produce large-scale chemical fertilizers, thereby greatly increasing food production, and is considered one of the inventions that changed human destiny.

However, at this moment, the world had not yet truly realized the significance of this technology. War consumed everything, making it difficult to popularize.

The more realistic problem was that factories in the German Empire simply couldn't produce only chemical fertilizers.

Because these were wartime years.

Large quantities of produced ammonia were mostly diverted for military use, especially as raw material for explosives.

However, in Archduke Karl's view, if there weren't enough factories, then build them.

Ukraine has been known for its fertile soil since ancient times, earning it the name "Granary of Europe." Controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire during wartime, with investment in manpower and resources, and Germany providing technology and support, establishing new factories would not be difficult.

Facing such a proposal, with the other party willing to invest their own money to produce grain and then feed it back to the Central Powers, the German Empire naturally had no reason to refuse.

After all, in this great war sweeping across Europe, food itself was as important as cannonballs.

Ukraine, under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, could very well become the granary supporting the entire Central Powers' war machine.

...

Thus, even though construction had only just begun, the factory's progress was astonishingly fast.

Trucks, like a torrent of steel, continuously transported building materials into the construction site. Hundreds of thousands of Russian prisoners of war became an inexhaustible labor force. Since the outbreak of fighting on the Eastern Front, large numbers of Tsarist Russian Army officers and soldiers had been captured, and now these individuals were put into construction labor behind the lines.

Furthermore, this project received high attention from the German Emperor and government. Under the wartime system, who would dare to be perfunctory? Not working desperately was practically equivalent to joking with one's own life.

And at this moment, Archduke Karl, who was both the heir to the Central Powers' throne and the Commander-in-Chief of the Austro-Hungarian Army, was personally present to supervise.

In such circumstances, not working hard would seem strange.

Just thinking about the layers of pressure passed down was chilling. With their own Emperor and government watching, and even the royal family of their ally personally inspecting, the officials responsible for the project probably couldn't sleep soundly.

Once the factory is partially completed, it will immediately switch to round-the-clock fertilizer production. At that time, Ukraine will become the agricultural heart feeding the entire Central Powers' camp, undoubtedly becoming a crucial lifeline in the war.

That fertile black soil, known as the "Granary of Europe," once combined with industrially synthesized fertilizers, could unleash almost cheating-like productivity. Even before the war, the Ukrainian plains were renowned for their astonishing output, and now, with the boost from the chemical industry, their potential would be fully unleashed.

Grain production will become Ukraine's true foundation. After the war, this grain will be continuously shipped to various parts of the world through the Port of Odessa.

And the Austro-Hungarian Empire not only promised Ukraine independence but also laid the foundation for its survival and development. With such a great kindness, who wouldn't feel grateful?

Furthermore, in the future, a collateral branch of the Habsburg Family will ascend to the throne of Ukraine, so the Austro-Hungarian influence will naturally be overwhelming.

Of course, none of this was without cost.