Flag of Essen.
Essen (German pronunciation: [ˈɛsən]) is a city in the central part of the Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Located on the River Ruhr, its population of approximately 579,000 (as of June 30, 2008) makes it the 9th-largest city in Germany. For the year 2010, Essen was the European Capital of Culture on behalf of the whole Ruhr area.
Formerly one of Germany's most important coal and steel centers and historically linked to the centuries-old Krupp family iron works, the city has developed a strong tertiary sector of the economy and (sometimes together with nearby Düsseldorf) claims to be the "desk of the Ruhr area". It is home to 13 of the 100 largest German corporations and seat to several of the region's authorities
Essen in 1632[]
In the 1632 timeline, steelmaking and chemical production have been established in Essen. Essen serves as the center and capital of the Republic of Essen, which borders on the USE provinces of Hesse-Kassel and Westphalia.
The Republic of Essen is generally mentioned in passing, and little is known of its internal structure other than that Louis de Geer is governor-general. It does pursue an independent foreign policy, with Philipp Hainhofer as Secretary of State.[1] However, it is not clear to what extent Essen's foreign policy is separate from its commercial interests.
Essen is also a producer and exporter of arms and explosives. It is known to have the ability to produce dynamite, improved grenades, and a new type of gunpowder (which may be smokeless).[2]
References[]
- ↑ Grantville Gazette XXIII, "Game, Set and Match"
- ↑ Ring of Fire III, "Salonica". It is not specifically stated in "Salonica" that the new grenades use high explosives, but "Boom Toys" in Grantville Gazette XXXV refers to the production of gelignite and grenades which use it. Also, it is not specifically stated that the new powder is smokeless, but it is implied to be an improvement over standard powder.