So because I don't want to bother @grandfather-paradoxx continually by re-blogging a fanfic idea they inspired me with, I am making a new post where I will update my musings on making said fanfic. However, here's the link to the original post.
The Premise
A fanfic dealing with post-CoS events and the entire conversation of what would have happened to Ed in a Nazi ruled country. The inspiring/culmination being a Ed and Roy confrontation. The main question being, what motivates our character? beyond just Hitler bad. This we have to anchor in the events of CoS.
What happens in CoS historically
CoS is set during the early years of Hitler and has Ed closely linked with the Romani. So we are dealing with two historical strands here: general history of WW2 and the treatment of the Roma people during this period.
General History of World War II during CoS
CoS is set during the lead up of the Bier Hall Putsch and the actual event. Originally Hitler was sent to the meetings by the army to act as reconaisance and to monitor them. Here he met Dietrich Eckhart who was influential in the Thule Society. In the CoS supposedly the Thule Society is going to create a Uranium bomb (wikia sourced). CoS ends with Ed and Al trying to stop them.
Unfortunately writing a fic on this premise, stopping the bomb, would never work if I want to be realistic to history. The uranium bomb never took off, not because of sabotage, but because it didn't get enough funding, they'd kicked out the scientists (a lot of them were Jews) and they kind of denied Einstein's findings.
Also how do you even stop the development of a concept/idea? Maybe someone more creative can come up with a fic on this premise.
The Romani People
So instead I will angle it from the Romani people angle. Through this, Ed will end up in the opposition of Hitler because of his ties to the Romani people and not his opposition to the bomb.
The Romani people and their situation is quite complex because they were already persecuted during the Weimar republic. In a way the Holocaust was just a continuation of that. This is demonstrated by their current conceptualization of what happened, which varies. Some groups lack a collective memory of what happened and view it as the personal failing of specific Romani (see Ian Hancock and collective memory; note I said some, not all). So a substantial hurdle when writing is how to convince the Romani characters that the Holocaust is unlike other persecution.
Variation is a very important thing when dealing with the Romani. After a cursory reading (because this is not my speciality, I deal with the Jewish side), it is very clear that the Romani are quite varied and it matters. Basically in Germany it was mostly Sinti Romani. So that's what they will be. But they may interact with others so I need to see.On that note, the fact that both Jews and Romani were minorities and persecuted by Hitler did not mean that they got along. This often depended. This is why Ed's crew is gonna be mostly Romani
Concluding thoughts
This is where I am at. This is the post I will re-blog to follow up.
Next I need to determine a string of events that will put everything together and also connect Edward to the timeline.
I still need to figure out what to do with Alphonse so if you have any ideas let me know.
Sources
If anyone knows sources on the Romani people feel free to lemme know in the comments or DMS.
This is what I have so far:
Ian Hancock: We Are the Romani People (Ame Sam E Rromane Džene), Hertfordshire, Great Britain. University of Hertfordshire Press 2002
