NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Emperor Wilhelm II

Wilhelm II of Germany (born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Hohenzollern 27 January 1859–4 June 1941), was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia, ruling from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. Some English-language biographies anglicize his name as William II, or in full, Frederick William Victor Albert of Hohenzollern. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, c. ... Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, c. ... Aerial view of the castle, Hohenzollern, Germany. ... This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Wilhelm I of Germany (In English: William I), (March 22, 1797 â€“ March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871 â€“ 1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861â€“1888. ... Friedrich III of Germany. ... Princess Louise of Prussia (December 3, 1838â€“April 23, 1923) was the second child and only daughter of Wilhelm I of Germany and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar. ... Friedrich III of Germany. ... Victoria Elizabeth Augusta Charlotte, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (24 July 1860-1 October 1919) was the second child born to Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia and Princess Victoria. ... Prince Albert Wilhelm Heinrich of Prussia, known as Prince Heinrich (August 14, 1862 in Berlin â€“ April 20, 1929 in Hemmelmark, Schleswig-Holstein) was a younger brother of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Her Royal Highness Princess Viktoria of Prussia was the daughter of Frederick III of Germany (1831-1888) and his wife, the former Princess Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901) daughter of Queen Victoria. ... Prince Waldemar (Joachim Friedrich Ernst Waldemar) (February 10, 1868â€“March 27, 1879) was the sixth child of Crown Prince Friedrich III (later Emperor Friedrich III), and Victoria, Princess Royal of Great Britain, a daughter of the British Queen Victoria. ... Queen Sophia of Greece (born Princess Sophie of Prussia) (June 14, 1870â€“January 13, 1932), was queen consort of King Constantine I of Greece. ... Princess Margarete of Prussia (Margarete Beatrice Feodora) (April 22, 1872â€“January 22, 1954) was the youngest child of Crown Prince Friedrich III (later Emperor Friedrich III), and Victoria, Princess Royal of Great Britain, a daughter of the British Queen Victoria. ... Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (6 May 1882 - 20 July 1951), Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Kronprinz von Preussen, was born 6 May 1882 at Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Germany. ... Prince Eitel Friederich (July 7, 1883â€“December 8, 1942) was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Adalbert (July 14, 1884–September 22, 1948) was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Augustus Wilhelm (January 29, 1887â€“March 25, 1949), called Auwi, was the fourth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Oskar of Prussia (July 27, 1888–January 27, 1958) was the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia (17 December 1890-18 July 1920) was the youngest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, by his first wife, Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg. ... Princess Viktoria Luise (13 September 1892â€“11 December 1980), Duchess of Brunswick-Luneburg, was the seventh child and the only daughter of Emperor Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Viktoria. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Kaiser is a German title meaning emperor, derived from the Roman title of Caesar, as is the Slavic title of Tsar. ... A monarch (see sovereign) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (German: Preußen or Preussen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prusai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad exclave of Russia and... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... English is a West Germanic language that is spoken in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many other countries. ...

Background and early life

He was born in Berlin to Crown Prince Friedrich and his wife, Victoria, Princess Royal of Britain. His mother was the aunt of Empress Alexandra (wife of Tsar Nicholas II), and sister of King Edward VII. A traumatic breech birth left him with a withered left arm due to Erb's Palsy, which he tried with some success to conceal. (In the photograph opposite, one hand is holding the withered one, concealing it. In many other photos he carries a pair of white gloves in his left hand to make the arm seem longer, or has his crippled arm on the hilt of a sword or clutching a cane to give the effect of the limb being poised at a dignified angle.) The young Prince Wilhelm II File links The following pages link to this file: Wilhelm II of Germany ... The young Prince Wilhelm II File links The following pages link to this file: Wilhelm II of Germany ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... There were three rulers known as Frederick (German Friedrich) III of Germany: Frederick the Handsome, Duke of Austria from 1308 to 1330, who was elected as German King in the time of Louis the Bavarian (1326) as the result of a compromise between the Houses of Wittelsbach and Habsburg. ... Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise (21 November 1840 â€“ 5 August 1901) was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and her consort Albert. ... Princess Alix of Hesse, as Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia (1872-1918) Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (Alix Victoria Helena Louise Beatrice, 6 June 1872 - 17 July 1918), was the consort of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the last Tsar of Russia. ... Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia Nicholas II of Russia (18 May 1868 â€“ 17 July 1918) was the last crowned Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841â€“6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... A Breech birth (also known as breech presentation) refers to the position of the baby in the uterus such that it will be delivered buttocks first as opposed to the normal head first position. ... Erbs Palsy, also known as Brachial Plexus Paralysis is a condition which mainly due to birth trauma, can affect 1 or all of the 5 primary nerves that supply the movement and feeling to an arm. ...

Recent analyses of records of his birth in the Imperial Archives have also suggested that he may have experienced some brain trauma, possibly leading to damage. Historians are divided on whether such a mental incapacity may have contributed to his frequently aggressive, tactless, headstrong, and occasionally bullying approach to problems and people, which was evident in both his personal and political life. Such an approach certainly marred German policy under his leadership, most notably in his dismissal of the cautious Otto von Bismarck. He also had a very poor relationship with his mother, who was always cold towards him and whose guilt over his deformity led her to try to "beat" it out of him through a regimen of rigorous exercise. He was accused of megalomania as early as 1894, by German pacifist Ludwig Quidde. Count Otto von Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (April 1, 1815 â€“ July 30, 1898) was one of the most prominent European aristocrats and statesmen of the nineteenth century. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Narcissistic personality disorder. ... 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Ludwig Quidde Ludwig Quidde (March 23, 1858 â€“ March 4, 1941) was a German pacifist who is mainly remembered today for his acerbic criticism of German Emperor Wilhelm II. Quiddes long career spanned four different eras of German history: that of Bismarck (up to 1890); the Hohenzollern Empire under Wilhelm...

Wilhelm was educated at Kassel at the Friedrichsgymnasium and the University of Bonn. He was possessed of a quick intelligence, but unfortunately this was often overshadowed by a cantankerous temper. Wilhelm also took a certain interest in the science and technology of the age, but though he liked to pose, in conversation, as a man of the world, he remained convinced that he belonged to a distinct order of mankind, designated for monarchy by the grace of God. Watershed of the river Weser Kassel (until 1926 officially Cassel) is a city situated along the Fulda River, one of the two sources of the Weser river, in northern Hesse in west-central Germany. ... A gymnasium is a type of school of secondary education in parts of Europe. ... The main building, viewed from the Hofgarten. ... A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... Divine Right is a comic book created by Jim Lee and published by Wildstorm. ...

On the death of Wilhelm I on March 9, 1888, his father was crowned Kaiser as Friedrich III but he was dying of throat cancer, and on 15th June of that same year Wilhelm II succeeded him as German Emperor and King of Prussia. Wilhelm I of Germany (In English: William I), (March 22, 1797 â€“ March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871 â€“ 1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861â€“1888. ... March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Friedrich III (October 18, 1831 â€“ June 15, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia, ruled 1888. ...

Reign

His rule was noted for his militaristic push to assert German power. He sought to expand German colonial holdings, "a place in the sun", contrary to Bismarck's Eurocentrism. Under his pet project, the Tirpitz Plan, through the Naval Bills of 1897 and 1900, the German navy was built up to contend with that of the United Kingdom, again deviating from Bismarck's meticulously calculated policy of maintaining cordial relations with Britain. The Kaiser had long been envious of his grandmother's (Queen Victoria) Empire and Navy. In 1889 he said to Francis Joseph of Austria-Hungary that "the day of Austro-Hungarian mobilisation, for whatever cause, will be the day of German mobilisation too." His personality and policies oscillated between antagonizing and amusing Britain, France, and Russia. Militarism expounds that the foundation of a societys security is its military capacity, and claims that the development and maintenance of the military to ensure that capacity is the most important goal for that society. ... Alfred von Tirpitz Alfred von Tirpitz (March 19, 1849 â€“ March 6, 1930) was a German Admiral, Minister of State and Commander of the Kaiserliche Marine in World War I from 1914 until 1916. ... 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 (MCM) is a common year starting on Monday. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph (in English also Francis Joseph) (August 18, 1830 - November 21, 1916) of the Habsburg Dynasty was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 until 1916 and King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ...

Although in his princehood he had been a great admirer of Otto von Bismarck, Wilhelm's characteristic impatience soon brought him into conflict with the Iron Chancellor, the founder of his Empire. Furthermore, the young Kaiser had come to the throne with the determination that he was going to rule as well as reign. Count Otto von Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (April 1, 1815 â€“ July 30, 1898) was one of the most prominent European aristocrats and statesmen of the nineteenth century. ...

With this in mind, he dismissed Bismarck in 1890, and abandoned the Chancellor's careful policies, replacing him with Leo Graf von Caprivi, who in turn was replaced by Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst in 1894. He was followed by Prince Bernhard von Bülow in 1900 and Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg in 1909. Wilhelm especially came to show great respect for Bethmann-Hollweg, acknowledging the latter's superior foresight in matters of internal governance, such as his reform of the Prussian electoral law. It was only reluctantly that he parted ways with Bethmann-Hollweg in 1917, after three years of World War I. Alternate meanings: See Bismarck (disambiguation). ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Count Leo von Caprivi (February 24, 1831–February 6, 1899) was a German major general and statesman, who succeeded Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor of the German Empire, serving between 1890 and 1894. ... Prince Chlodwig Karl Victor zu Hohenlohe-SchillingsfÃ¼rst (31 March 1819â€“6 July 1901) was a German statesman and Chancellor of the German Empire. ... Prince Bernhard Heinrich Karl Martin von BÃ¼low (May 3, 1849â€“October 28, 1929) was a German statesman who served as Chancellor of the German Empire from 1900 to 1909. ... Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg (November 29, 1856â€“January 1, 1921) was a German politician and statesman who served as Chancellor of the German Empire from 1909 to 1917. ... An elector can be: In the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, the collegiate of seven Electors (eight since 1648) (Kurfürsten) consisted of those lay or clerical princes who had the right to vote in the election of the king or Holy Roman Emperor; see prince-elector. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Clockwise from top: Trenches in frontline, a British Mark I Tank crossing a trench, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the battle of the Dardanelles, a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks and a Sopwith Camel biplane. ...

Mention must be made that all of these Chancellors were senior civil servants and not seasoned politician-statesmen like Bismarck. Wilhelm wanted to preclude the emergence of another Bismarck, whom he ultimately detested as being "a boorish old killjoy" who had not permitted any minister to see the Kaiser except in his presence. Upon his enforced retirement and until his dying day, the Iron Chancellor was to become a bitter critic of the Kaiser's policies.

On the question of social policy, however, the Kaiser's point of view was fundamentally different than Bismarck's, and his tolerance of socialist organisations, at least in the first few years of his reign, won him favourable public opinion among that demographic.

Wilhelm, by nature an impatient man, subjective in his reactions and affected strongly by sentiment, was ill-equipped to steer German foreign policy along a rational course. A typical example was his "love-hate" relationship with Great Britain and with his English cousins. Armed conflict with Britain was never what he had in mind - "a most unimaginable thing", so he once quipped - yet he readily alarmed the British with his massive naval programme. When war came about in 1914 the Kaiser sincerely believed that he was the victim of a diplomatic conspiracy set up by his late uncle, Edward VII. Wilhelm, on his part, could scarcely comprehend how seriously he compromised the monarchy's position by such offhanded, unconsulted actions as his 1896 telegram congratulating President Kruger of the Transvaal on the suppression of the Jameson Raid, and his speech of 27 July 1900 exhorting German troops sent to quell the Boxer Rebellion to emulate the Huns. 1914 (MCMXIV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841â€“6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... 1896 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Kruger telegram was a message sent by Germanys Kaiser Wilhelm II to Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, president of the Transvaal on 3 January 1896. ... Paul Kruger Stephanus Johannes Paul Kruger (10 October 1825 â€“ 14 July 1904), fondly known as Oom Paul (Afrikaans for Uncle Paul), was a prominent Boer resistance leader against British rule and president of the Transvaal Republic in South Africa. ... Flag of Transvaal The Transvaal (lit. ... The Jameson Raid (December 29, 1895 - January 2, 1896) was an ineffectual sortie by British irregulars into the Transvaal. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1900 (MCM) is a common year starting on Monday. ... Boxer forces, 1900 photograph The Boxer Uprising (Traditional: ç¾©å’Œåœ˜èµ·ç¾©; Simplified: ä¹‰å’Œå›¢èµ·ä¹‰; Hanyu Pinyin: ; The Righteous and Harmonious Fists) was an uprising against Western commercial and political influence in China during the final years of the 19th century, from November 1899 to September 7, 1901. ... Many historians consider the Huns (meaning person in Mongolian language) the first Mongolian and Turkic people mentioned in European history. ...

Sadly, for all his good intentions, Wilhelm frequently made serious personal blunders which strained Germany's diplomatic relations with other countries. The most notorious instance of this may be the Daily Telegraph Affair of 1908. When Wilhelm was offered an interview with the newspaper, he saw it as an opportunity to promote his views and ideas on Anglo-German friendship. Instead, due to his emotional outbursts during the course of the interview, Wilhelm ended up further alienating not only the British people, but also the French, Russians, and Japanese all in one fell swoop by implying, inter alia, that the Germans cared nothing for the British; that the French and Russians had attempted to instigate Germany to intervene in the Boer War; and that the German naval buildup was targeted against the Japanese, not Britain. (One memorable quote from the interview is "You English are mad, mad, mad as March hares.") Even his subjects shied away from his damaging comments. Quite understandably, the Kaiser kept a very low profile for many months after the Daily Telegraph fiasco, and later exacted his revenge by enforcing the resignation of Prince von Bülow, who was supposed to edit the transcript of the interview before its publication. This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Boer guerrillas during the Second Boer War There were two Boer wars, one from December 16, 1880-March 23, 1881 and the second from October 11, 1899-May 31, 1902 both between the British and the settlers of Dutch, French and German origin (called Boers, Afrikaners or Voortrekkers) in South...

Yet even this was not consolation enough, for the Daily Telegraph crisis had deeply wounded Wilhelm's previously unimpaired self-confidence, so much that the Kaiser soon suffered a severe bout of depression from which he never really recovered, and he in fact had a lighter grip on the reins of government in the last ten years of his rule than general world opinion would be led to believe. Look up Depression on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Depression may refer to one of the following: Clinical depression, a medical condition which includes decreased interest in pleasurable activities Depression (mood), an everyday term for a sad mood Depression (geology), a sunken or depressed geological formation Depression (economics) is a more...

In the years leading up to World War I, Wilhelm again departed from the Bismarckian doctrine of diplomatically isolating France from the rest of the European powers. He made several conciliatory gestures towards the French, though these attempts were somewhat half-hearted, and despite him knowing very well of France's deep-seated, unflinching revanchist hatred for the German Empire. Clockwise from top: Trenches in frontline, a British Mark I Tank crossing a trench, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the battle of the Dardanelles, a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks and a Sopwith Camel biplane. ... Revanchism (from French revanche, revenge) is a term used since the 1870s to describe political campaigns to reverse territorial losses incurred by a country during previous wars and strifes, sometimes quite distant in time. ...

Likewise with Britain, these early efforts at alleviating France came to an ignominous end, again because of Wilhelm's indiscretion, in the Moroccan Crisis of 1906. During a visit to Tangier, Wilhelm had unwittingly made certain remarks in favour of Moroccan independence, which the French took as a challenge of their influence in Morocco. Only skilful diplomacy by his ambassadors at the Algeciras Conference prevented - or rather, delayed - an open war between the two countries and their allies. The First Moroccan Crisis (also known as the Tangier Crisis) refers to the international crisis brought about by the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II to Tangier in Morocco on March 31, 1905. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Tangier, Morocco Tangier, or Tangiers (Tanja Ø·Ù†Ú†Ø© in Berber and Arabic, TÃ¡nger in Spanish, and Tanger in French), is a city of northern Morocco with a population of 669,685 (2004 census). ... The Algeciras Conference of 1906 took place in Algeciras, Spain. ...

By arguing with and dismissing Bismarck in 1890 he let the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia (signed in 1887 before he ascended the throne) lapse, thus losing the guarantee of Russian neutrality in the event of a conflict with France. Wilhelm constantly moved between astonishingly inconsistent positions: chivalrous fidelity to the Austro-Hungarian alliance, willingness to cooperate with Britain, and even the fantasy of a grand European power pact embracing the German Empire, France, and Russia; to this last idea he imagined as late as 1905 that he had managed to win Tsar Nicholas II over after their meeting at Björkö. The Reinsurance Treaty (June 18, 1887) was an attempt by Bismarck to continue to ally with Russia after the League of the Three Emperors broke down. ... 1887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ... Neutral means balanced between two or more opposites. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Nicholas II can refer to: Pope Nicholas II Tsar Nicholas II of Russia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Townsite of Birka Archaeological excavation at Birka Birka listen? , also Birca and BierkÃ¸ (today named BjÃ¶rkÃ¶, literally Birch Island), was an important trading center in the Baltic Sea region from the 8th century, which handled goods from Eastern Europe and the Orient, possibly as far as China, thus covering...

The Great War

Despite his attitude it is difficult to say that he sought World War I. Though he had ambitions for global domination, it was never Wilhelm's intention to conjure a large-scale conflict to achieve such ends. As soon as he realized that a world war was imminent, he made strenuous, albeit last-ditch, efforts to preserve the peace (such as the "Willy and Nicky" correspondence and his optimistic interpretation of the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum, saying that Austro-Hungarian troops should go no further than Belgrade) - but once general mobilization began, he did little to halt the course of things. The contemporary British reference to World War I as the Kaiser's War is now seen as unfair and unjustified in its false suggestions that Wilhelm was personally responsible for the conflict. Nevertheless, his blatant militarism and push to endorse the German military establishment and industry (most notably the Krupp corporation) forced his empire into an armaments race with competing European powers. Once this race gained sufficient momentum, war seemed inevitable. Clockwise from top: Trenches in frontline, a British Mark I Tank crossing a trench, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the battle of the Dardanelles, a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks and a Sopwith Camel biplane. ... The Willy and Nicky correspondence was the telegraphic communication between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Czar Nicholas II which took place on 29 July 1914, starting from 1:00 am. ... [[Image:|Location of Belgrade]] Mayor Nenad BogdanoviÄ‡ Area 359. ... The Krupp family, a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. ...

He had allied with Austria-Hungary and encouraged their hard-line in the Balkans, and although he lost his nerve at the last minute it was too late, and he soon recovered to push his generals for great achievements. During the war he was Commander in Chief but he soon lost all control of German policy and his popularity plunged. This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the office itself. ... Is a cruise line. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ...

The role of ultimate arbiter of wartime national affairs proved too heavy a burden for the Kaiser to sustain. As the war progressed, the Kaiser relied more and more on his generals for advice, so much that after 1916 the Empire had unofficially become a military dictatorship. Wilhelm vacillated between defeatism and dreams of victory and had long lost all effective authority when the collapse of the German offensive in late 1918 made it obviously necessary to end the war. At least in the end he appreciated the necessity of capitulation and did not insist that the German nation should bleed to death for a dying cause. 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The armistice treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in woods near CompiÃ¨gne on November 11th, 1918, and marked the end of the First World War on the Western Front. ...

Abdication

Wilhelm was at the Imperial Army headquarters in Spa, Belgium, when the uprisings in Berlin took him completely by surprise. Mutiny among the ranks of the Kaiserliche Marine, the Imperial Navy, followed shortly thereafter. After the outbreak of the German Revolution, Wilhelm could not make up his mind whether or not to abdicate. Up to that point, he was confident that even if he were obliged to vacate the German throne, he would still retain the Prussian kingship. The unreality of this claim showed up when, for the sake of political unity, Wilhelm's abdication both as Kaiser of the German Empire and King of Prussia was abruptly announced by Chancellor Prince Max of Baden on November 9, 1918. (Prince Max himself thereupon resigned on the same day, immediately after the abdication.) Spa is a municipality located in the Belgian province of LiÃ¨ge. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mutiny is the crime of conspiring to disobey orders that the mutineer is legally obliged to obey, for example by crew members of a ship. ... The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire and existed between 1871 and 1919; it grew out of the Prussian Navy and the Norddeutsche Bundesmarine. ... Revolutionaries at machine gun posts, Berlin, November 1918 The German Revolution is a series of events that occurred in 1918-1919, culminating in the overthrow of the Kaiser and the establishment of the democratic Weimar Republic. ... Prince Maximilian of Baden (Max von Baden) (1 July 1867–6 November 1929) was the cousin and heir of Grand Duke Frederick II of Baden, and succeeded Frederick as head of the Grand Ducal House in 1928. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Officers of the German General Staff at Spa had assured that the troops would march back in good order under Paul von Hindenburg's command, but would not fight for Wilhelm against the revolution on the home front. The monarchy's last and strongest support had been broken, and finally even Hindenburg, himself a lifelong royalist, was obliged (with some embarrassment) to persuade the Kaiser to give up the crown. The German General Staff or GroÃŸer Generalstab was the most important German weapon for nearly two centuries. ... Paul von Hindenburg (full name Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg) (October 2, 1847 â€“ August 2, 1934) was a German Field Marshal and statesman. ... The noun or adjective, Royalist, can have several shades of meaning. ...

The very next day, Wilhelm went into exile in the Netherlands, which had remained neutral throughout the war. Article 227 of the Treaty of Versailles expressly provided for the prosecution of Wilhelm "for a supreme offence against international morality and the sanctity of treaties", but Queen Wilhelmina refused to extradite him, despite appeals from the Allies. The erstwhile Kaiser first settled in Amerongen, and then was subsequently provided with a small castle in the municipality of Doorn; it was to be his house for the remainder of his life. From this residence, Huis Doorn, Wilhelm absolved his officers and servants of their oath of loyalty to him; however, the Kaiser himself never formally relinquished his titles. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3484x2224, 106 KB)Photograph uploaded by DirkvdM The family Schunck in front of the former car of Kaiser Wilhelm, from whom they purchased it. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3484x2224, 106 KB)Photograph uploaded by DirkvdM The family Schunck in front of the former car of Kaiser Wilhelm, from whom they purchased it. ... Schunck (pronounced Shoonk with a short oo) is the name of former fashion house and department store Firma Schunck in Heerlen, the Netherlands. ... The areas marked in yellow were removed from the control of Germany, or demiliterised (The Rhineland). ... Queen Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Marie of Orange-Nassau) (August 31, 1880 â€“ November 28, 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948 and Queen Mother (with the title of Princess) from 1948 to 1962. ... Amerongen is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands. ... Doorn is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. ... The bust of William II at Huis Doorn Huis Doorn (Doorn House) is a small manor house that lies outside Doorn, a small town near Utrecht, the Netherlands. ...

Marriages and Family

On February 27, 1881, he married Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. They had seven children: Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Auguste Viktoria Auguste Viktoria (October 22, 1858 - April 11, 1921), German Empress, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Augustenberg; married (1881) to Wilhelm II of Germany, and accompanied him to the Netherlands after World War I. She is reputed to have been a woman who loved the arts, she even composed...

Wilhelm had previously fallen in love with his cousin, Ruth Elisabeth, daughter of his Aunt Alice, even writing her love poems. But, she found him intolerable; Wilhelm tried to impose his will on everyone, and he demanded Elisabeth always be at his side. Although she rejected him, as an old man, he confessed that he never forgot her. Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia (6 May 1882 - 20 July 1951), Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Kronprinz von Preussen, was born 6 May 1882 at Marmorpalais, Potsdam, Germany. ... Prince Eitel Friederich (July 7, 1883â€“December 8, 1942) was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Adalbert (July 14, 1884–September 22, 1948) was a son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Augustus Wilhelm (January 29, 1887â€“March 25, 1949), called Auwi, was the fourth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Oskar of Prussia (July 27, 1888–January 27, 1958) was the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Augusta Viktoria, Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein. ... Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia (17 December 1890-18 July 1920) was the youngest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, by his first wife, Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein-Augustenburg. ... Princess Viktoria Luise (13 September 1892â€“11 December 1980), Duchess of Brunswick-Luneburg, was the seventh child and the only daughter of Emperor Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Viktoria. ... The name Ruth can refer to: The Book of Ruth, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. ... Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary), (25 April 1843 â€“ 14 December 1878), was a member of the British Royal Family, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria. ...

Despite what lingering feelings he may have had for Elisabeth, Augusta's death on April 11, 1921 devastated him. It came less than a year after their son, Joachim, committed suicide, unable to accept his lot after the abdication and the failure of his marriage to Marie-Auguste of Anhalt. April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life; it is sometimes a noun for one who has committed or attempted the act. ... Anhalt is a historical region of Germany, which is now included in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. ...

The following January, Wilhelm received a birthday greeting from a son of Prince Johann Georg von Schönaich-Carolath. He invited the boy and his mother, Hermine, daughter of Prince Henry XXII of Reuss and a descendant of William the Conqueror, to Doorn. Taken by her beauty and delighted by her companionship, he married her on November 9, 1922 over the objections of his children. Hermine's daughter, Henriette, married Joachim's son, Karl Franz Josef, on October 5, 1940. They divorced in 1946. Alternate use: Reuss River Reuss is the name of several historical states in todays Thuringia, Germany. ... William I ( 1027 â€“ September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in Leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Wilhelm was somehow involved in the scandal of his aide and friend, Philipp Prince zu Eulenburg-Hertefeld, which revealed homosexual activities in the Kaiser's inner circle (the Harden-Eulenburg Affair). Bismarck, among others, suggested that there was an inappropriate relationship between the two men. Prince Phlilipp zu Eulenburg was born at KÃ¶nigsberg, Prussia in 1847. ... The Harden-Eulenburg affair, often simply Eulenburg affair, was the controversy surrounding a series of courts-martial and five regular trials regarding accusations of homosexual conduct, and accompanying libel trials, among prominent members of Kaiser Wilhelm IIs cabinet and entourage during 1907-1909. ...

Life after 1918

In 1922 the Kaiser published his memoirs, reasserting his stand that he was not guilty of endorsing the Great War. For the remaining twenty years of his life, he regularly entertained guests and kept himself updated on events in Europe. 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Wilhelm apparently harboured hopes that the Nazis would revive the monarchy (as long as its leader, Adolf Hitler, was willing to entertain such), but when this did not happen, his opinion of Hitler became very low, yet the ex-Kaiser admired the Führer's ability to lift Germany out of its sorry economic and political situation at the time. The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... â–¶ (helpÂ· info) (April 20, 1889 â€“ April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and FÃ¼hrer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 to his death by suicide. ...

After the German conquest of the Netherlands in 1940, Wilhelm retired completely from public life. 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Kaiser Wilhelm II died of pulmonary embolism in Doorn, Netherlands on June 5, 1941 with German soldiers at the gates of his estate. He is buried in Huis Doorn. Hitler granted him a small military funeral, which included August von Mackensen and Rupprecht of Bavaria, along with a few other military advisors. Wilhelm's request that the swastika and other Nazi regalia not be displayed at the final rites was ignored. Doorn is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The bust of William II at Huis Doorn Huis Doorn (Doorn House) is a small manor house that lies outside Doorn, a small town near Utrecht, the Netherlands. ... Field Marshal August von Mackensen August von Mackensen (December 6, 1849â€“November 8, 1945), was a German Field Marshal, born August Mackensen in Haus Leipnitz, in the Prussian province of Saxony, to Louis and Marie Louise Mackensen. ... Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria or Crown Prince Rupert of Bavaria(German: Kronprinz Rupprecht von Bayern) (18 May 1869 â€“ 2 August 1955) was the last Bavarian Crown Prince. ... A right-facing Swastika in decorative Hindu form For the town in Ontario, see Swastika, Ontario. ...

Trivia

The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ... Importance and applicability Most of human history is not described by any written records. ... Corfu (ancient and modern Greek ÎšÎÏÎºÏ…ÏÎ±, KÃ©rkyra, Latin Corcyra; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is an island of Greece, in the Ionian Sea, off the coast of Albania, from which it is separated by a strait varying in breadth from less than 2 to about 15 miles... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Wehrmacht â–¶ (helpÂ· info) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Hermann GÃ¶ring Hermann Wilhelm GÃ¶ring (also Goering in English) (January 12, 1893 â€“ October 15, 1946) was an early member of the Nazi party, founder of the Gestapo, and one of the main leaders of Nazi Germany. ... Christmas pudding is the dessert traditionally served on Christmas day in Britain and Ireland, as well as in some Commonwealth countries. ... Stuttgart, a city located in southern Germany, is the capital of the state of Baden-WÃ¼rttemberg with a population of approximately 590,000 as of September 2005 in the city and around 3 million in the metropolitan area. ... County MÃ¸re og Romsdal Landscape SunnmÃ¸re Municipality NO-1504 Administrative centre Ã…lesund Mayor (2003) Arve Tonning (H) Official language form Neutral Area - Total - Land - Percentage Ranked 388 98 kmÂ² 93 kmÂ² 0. ... 1904 (MCMIV) is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Alfons Mucha, lithographed poster Dancel (1898). ... Wilhelmina is the name of: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands The Wilhelmina modeling agency This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. ... Saladin, from a 12th-century Arab codex. ... The Umayyad Mosque in the center of Damascus The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Umayyad Mosque, is one of the largest mosques in the world. ... Damascus by night, pictured from Jabal Qasioun; the green spots are minarets Damascus (Arabic officially Ø¯Ù…Ø´Ù‚ Dimashq, colloquially ash-Sham Ø§Ù„Ø´Ø§Ù…) is the capital city of Syria. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813 in Leipzig â€“ February 13, 1883 in Venice) was an influential German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his groundbreaking symphonic-operas (or music dramas). His compositions are notable for their continuous contrapuntal texture, rich harmonies and orchestration, and elaborate... Bayreuth Festspielhaus, as seen in 1882 The annual Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany is devoted principally (but not exclusively) to performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner. ... Ludwig (Louis) II, King of Bavaria, Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm, also known as Ludwig the Mad, and Mad King Ludwig (August 25, 1845 - June 13, 1886) was king of Bavaria from 1864 until his death. ... In music, a motif is a perceivable or salient reoccurring fragment or succession of notes that may used to construct the entirety or parts of complete melodies, themes. ... For the famous train, see Rheingold Express. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. ...

Literature

William Manchester William Manchester (April 1, 1922â€“June 1, 2004) was a historian and biographer, notable as the author of 18 books that have been translated into 20 languages. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

External links

Categories: 1859 births | 1941 deaths | Berliners | House of Hohenzollern | German emperors | Kings of Prussia | Knights of the Garter | Knights of Justice of St John | Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | Recipients of the Royal Victorian Chain Project Gutenberg (often abbreviated as PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive, and distribute cultural works. ... Friedrich III (October 18, 1831 â€“ June 15, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia, ruled 1888. ... The following is a list of the Kings of Prussia (German: KÃ¶nig von PreuÃŸen); they were members of the Hohenzollern family. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The period of German history from 1919 to 1933 is known as the Weimar Republic (German Weimarer Republik, IPA: []). It is named after the city of Weimar where a national assembly convened to produce a new constitution after the German Monarchy and German Empire were abolished following the nations... The following list of German Kings and Emperors is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

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