Imperial Decree: Der Vierjahresplan
In order to fully develop the economic potential of the entire Austrian Empire it has been decided, as dictated by this decree, and approved by his Imperial Majesty, that substantial investment will be directed towards the exploitation of industrial resources in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, in order to start, immediately, Austrian industrialisation. The following dictates, as approved by his Imperial Majesty, Kaiser Ferdinand I of Austria, are to come into effect immediately. All the necessary provisions and directions of the Four Year Plan our outlined in this Imperial Decree.
Gott erhalte Ferdinand den Kaiser
1.) A new Imperial ministry, The Imperial ministry for Internal Development, with its office based in Olmütz, and consisting of 600 staff will be established - 200 of educated Czech background, 200 of German educated background, and 200 of Polish educated background. All employees of the Imperial ministry must speak German and Czech or German and Polish. The Official language of the Imperial ministry for Internal Development will be German, this includes all documents and memorandums. However, orders to local communities or the purchasing of goods will be communicated in the local languages - Czech and Polish and German. The role of this new Imperial Department will be to oversee the Four Year Plan in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. Its role is one of administration, ensuring that money flows from the state finance into the pockets of local industries, ensuring the architects and engineers have their plans implemented, ensuring that materials are ordered, dispatched, and delivered in a timely manner. The Imperial ministry for Internal Development will receive its finance directly from the Imperial Finance ministry in Vienna, and it will be expected to submit weekly financial reports to Vienna concerning the costs of the project.
-Franz Anton Graf von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky is appointed Imperial minster for internal development owing to his speaking of Czech and Polish, and owing to his Czech noble heritage
-The new department will comprise a list of regional industries and industrial family firms and establish contracts with those who are of vital importance to the Four Year Plan - payments from the State to these firms will be made on their ability to meet the demand. Industries that specialise in construction, that is providing labour for construction projects or construction materials, if given a contract by the Imperial ministry for Internal Development, will receive state subsidies
-The Imperial ministry for Internal Development has the power to take ownership of any industry
-All materials are to be acquired locally from the surrounding region in order to reduce transportation costs and create a positive multiplier effect
-All workers are to have their skills listed. Each man will be employed according to his skill
-Workers should be employed locally and organised into Czech, German, and Polish workers legions, each of 200 men, commanded by men who speak their language - under the watchful eye of the Austrian police
-The Imperial army in Bohemia and Moravia is on standby to provide additional labour, when needed, and can be mobilised by the Imperial ministry for Internal Development when it needs labor
-The number of construction workers will be employed as where and when required
2.) The Imperial ministry for internal development is to sign a contract with Austrian construction company Strabag, based in Villach, for the overseeing and construction of the major infrastructure required by the four year plan, such as cannels and roads that will link the coal mining regions and the new towns with each other and the rest of the Austrian Empire. All infrastructure projects are to be dealt with by officials from Strabag who are experts in this field
-They will be provided an office in Olmütz
3.) The Imperial governors of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia are to provide the following for Vienna:
-An up to date census of the populations of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia - including their ethnic makeup and profession and skills
-All disused land is to be made note of - This soil will then come under ownership of the state. The land now under state ownership will then be divided into five regions - "Bavarian", "Wurttemberger", "Sigmaringen", "Badenese" and "Dutch", reflecting those groups who will be settled there.
-The Imperial governors are to aid the Imperial ministry of internal development when needed during the four year plan, as it is the Imperial governors who have political power in these regions - they are to make themselves at service to the Imperial ministry of internal development
4.) In the Imperial Austrian embassy's of Bavaria, of Wurttemberg, of Sigmaringen, of Baden, and of the Netherlands, offices for emigration are to be established. They shall each comprise of ten officials who will deal with and process the applications of migrants from these regions who wish to start a new life in Austrian Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia
-The offices will have their respective list of land to hand out, and will do. Land will be sold according to how much an economic immigrant wishes to buy - one third of their purchase is to be covered by the Austrian state
-Land will be provide to only those who wish to farm it or who of a wealthy back ground wishing to establish a new estate
-Those who do not wish to buy land have to chance to purchase property in any of the new towns
-Another office will be set up in the Austrian embassy in the Italian capital. The Austrians now living in Italy can buy land in Austria with one half of their purchase made by the state. They are free to settle anywhere in the "Bavarian", "Wurttemberger", "Sigmaringen", "Badenese" and "Dutch" regions
-All housing is to be provided for at the expense of local populations who will be "politely encouraged" to move else where in the Empire
5.) The following industries will from this moment on be exempt from paying state tax for 12 years in order to increase their potential and free up profits to be reinvested in Austrian industry
- All coal mining industries
- All mineral mining industries
- All industries that specialise in the production of steel
- All industries that manufacture construction related materials
6.) All mining industries may as of this moment apply to the Imperial ministry of finance for small state subsidies of 10% their annual profits
7.) Locations of the new towns:
New towns in Moravia:
I.) Leopoldstadt - will be constructed North of Olmütz - placing it within the coal rich North Moravian coalfields
II.) Frazstadt - will be constructed south east of Leopoldstadt - placing it within the coal rich North Moravian coalfields
III.) Alexanderstadt - will be constructed west of Olmütz
IV.) Deutschesstadt - will be constructed North east of Olmütz and south west of Teschen - placing it within the coal rich North Moravian coalfields
New town in Bohemia:
I.) Böhmerwald - will be constructed north east of Karlsbad - placing it within the coal rich North Bohemian coalfields
New towns in Silesia:
I.) Kaiserstadt - will be constructed west of Kattowitz
II.) Neue Graz - will be contrscted south of Kattowitz
8.) The project will be paid for by directing the majority of the states income from trade straight into construction, and increasing taxes on the Catholic church of Austria, and looking for outside investment.
- Free tax zones will be given to foreign industries who wish to establish manufacturing in Austria and employ local labour of the Empire
