Chancellor,

I am most perturbed by your recent statements. The entire purpose of selecting Count Becker as the judge of this farcical 'trial' was to provide an opinion from a neutral party. I have no faith whatsoever that I could get a fair and impartial trial on the facts out of a court held under your personal jurisdiction. The entire Reich knows full-well, that if you take over this proceeding, it will be a simple excuse for a show-trial, with my guilt pre-determined. I swear to you, here and now, that I will not submit to such a sham. I will not accept a guilty verdict from a clearly biased judge and I will take any actions I deem necessary to rectify such a miscarriage of justice. Your attempt to 'honor' the memory of your fallen brother is worthy, but you are making a grievous error in directing your wrath at me. If you pursue this course beyond the bounds of justice, you may be reunited with Siegfried sooner than you would otherwise expect.

Lothar Steffen
Duke of Bavaria