Wilhelm I

Kaiser Wilhelm I

Now that we have some idea of the growing influence and importance of Prussia through the centuries, we can examine Kaiser Wilhelm I. A reluctant ruler, how did he wield power over such a powerful empire after the unification of German states in 1871?

King of Prussia

Wilhelm I was born in Berlin in 1797. He spent his early years in the army fighting against Napolean's France, being humiliated in defeat. Differing distinctively from some of the great Prussian rulers, Wilhelm was not a natural leader and only became King of Prussia (1861-1888) when his brother Friedrich Wilhelm died in 1861.

Prussia, at the time, was a hotbed for revolution. There had already been a failed attempt to unify the German states in 1848, and the conservative Wilhelm had been instrumental in crushing dissent in Berlin and other German states such as Baden. He was a marked man, described as the Prince of Grapeshot and lay low in Britain for a short while afterwards.

In the years leading up to 1871, Wilhelm began to realise that the only effective way to maintain control was to unify the German states. This was due to his newly installed Prime Minister and close confidante, Otto von Bismarck.

Wilhelm I and Otto von Bismarck

Otto von Bismarck is the figure largely credited with the unification of the German states. He dovetailed well with the flustered Wilhelm I, who was certainly not a natural leader. Bismarck had also been a conservative but realised the only way for Prussia to retain and increase her power was through the creation of an empire and German unification.

Fig. 3 - Otto von Bismarck

His methods were very different from the 1848 Revolution and led to him being referred to as the "Iron Chancellor".

Below is an overview of Bismarck's strategies for unification.

• Bismarck knew that the revolution had failed in 1848 because there had been no military action. His personality meant that he was often pulling the strings despite not being the King.
• He sought to assert Prussian authority by embarking on three wars in the space of ten years.
• First, there was the Second Schleswig War, where Prussia and Austria gained some Danish territory in 1864.
• Next, Bismarck's masterstroke: The Austro-Prussian War in 1866 lasted a mere seven weeks. Prussia made light work of the Austrian forces, and Wilhelm wished to take Vienna (the capital). Bismarck refused and threatened to resign. His rationale was that he wanted a united German empire to be dominated by Prussia, not Austria. Wilhelm finally agreed that they would not attack Austria should Austria agree to play no part in a united Germany. As a result, there was now a North German Confederation.
• Finally, Prussia won the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 by taking advantage of the fear of the Southern German states, which were closer to the French border. Bismarck and Wilhelm bought the states' loyalty in return for their participation in a united Kaiserreich. They won and reclaimed Alsace-Lorraine.
• Wilhelm became Kaiser in Versailles near Paris to humiliate the French further and left the German empire or Kaiserreich as the dominant country in mainland Europe.

German Emperor

Once Wilhelm I became Kaiser (1871-1888), he sought to cement the new German empire. He chose Bismarck as his Chancellor, and as his deputy, he continued to make many of the big decisions. Together they halted campaigns of expansion in Europe and focused on modernising industry and the military.

Fig. 4 - Kaiser Wilhelm I

The Kaiserreich also introduced pensions and national healthcare and became something of a peacekeeper by brokering a deal to split Africa between European powers in 1884.

However, it was not all rosy as progress was accompanied by crackdowns against Catholics and political opponents, including Social Democrats. Needless to say, the Kaiserreich had made some enemies too.

Assassination Attempts

Prussian King Wilhelm I and Junker (nobleman) Otto von Bismarck had little in common with the working man. Their rule over the Kaiserreich brought anger among anarchists and led to two attempts on the Kaiser's life within a matter of weeks.

1. 11 May 1878: The Kaiser was travelling on Unter den Linden road in Berlin in his carriage. Young anarchist Max Hödel fired two bullets at around 3:30 pm. They missed the Kaiser and his daughter. Authorities captured Hödel, and he was beheaded.
2. 2 June 1878: On the same street, Karl Nobiling fired at Wilhelm I as he was riding past again. This time the shots hit the Kaiser, but his helmet saved his life. Nobiling shot himself in the head before anyone could understand his motive.

Fig. 5 - Modern day Unter den Linden at night

These two attempts justified Bismarck and Wilhelm's subsequent campaigns against the left-wing Social Democrats, which became an outlawed party. Now they would need to ally with the Catholic Central Party, which they had previously been waging Kulturkampf on.

1888: Year of the Three Kaisers

In 1888, Wilhelm I died, having been largely successful. He managed to create and modernise a German Empire and prosperous years seemed to be on the horizon. His ability to compromise and work with the brilliant Bismarck was his greatest weapon. His son Friedrich III lasted a matter of months before dying too. It was down to his grandson to determine the destiny of the Kaiserreich. Wilhelm II became the Emperor, and things were about to radically change.