Wilhelm II

Kaiser Wilhelm II Facts

Let's now examine each stage of the Kaiser's life with some facts.

Early Life of Wilhelm II

Kaiser Wilhelm II was born in Potsdam, Germany in 1859. He was the grandson of British monarch Queen Victoria, whose daughter Princess Victoria had married Friedrich III. He would go on to have an ambivalent relationship with Britain, but more on that later!

Wilhelm's early life was shaped by two key events. The first of which was the difficult birth that left him with a withered arm, making everyday tasks more challenging to perform. In addition, the formation of the Kaiserreich or German Empire in 1871, under the stewardship of his grandfather Wilhelm I and the chancellor Otto von Bismarck, caught the imagination of the twelve-year-old Wilhelm. It is noted that whilst he had a brilliant mind, he was highly strung, with a fierce temper and had a disconnected relationship with his parents.

The Kaiser Wilhelm II

The death of his father, shortly after that of his grandfather, flung Wilhelm II into the limelight in 1888 or "The Year of the Three Kings". He quickly sought to militarise his nation and engaged in a Naval Arms Race with Britain, who were the dominant power in the world at the time. Perhaps he engaged in this out of the idolisation of his grandmother's powerful land. Regardless, it ultimately left the government out of pocket by the time World War I started in 1914.

Fig. 1 - The Kaiser (left) and Paul von Hindenburg

Another erratic and shortsighted decision was the removal of political juggernaut Otto von Bismarck, who had been the architect of many of the successes of Wilhelm I's reign. Wilhelm II seemed more interested in surrounding himself with people he liked or who flattered him, ignoring advice to stop his dangerous warmongering. By 1908 much of his rhetoric was becoming questionable. He became more withdrawn from this point onwards and lost respect due to The Daily Telegraph Affair.

The Eulenberg Trial

Another damaging event that shaped the latter part of the Kaiser's reign was the Eulenberg Trial. Prince Eulenberg, a close friend of Wilhelm II, was accused of organising and leading a clandestine homosexual ring within the Imperial government. In the 1906 publication of Die Zukunft (The Future), Maximilian Harden exposed this crime (as homosexuality was illegal).

There had been suspicions flying that Wilhelm II was a closet homosexual, and this scandal only served to increase these. Harden was put on trial between 1906 and 1909 and seriously damaged the Hohenzollern family's reputation, causing many members to fall ill from stress. He was finally fined in a case against Helmut von Moltke. Norman Domeier notes that the politicisation of sexuality may have been used by opponents of the Kaiser to increase the "masculine" rhetoric that was seemingly under threat from within.¹ It certainly damaged his aura of authority.

Wilhelm II Quotes

Let's examine some of the Wilhelm II quotes that characterised the changing psyche and unstable nature of his dysfunctional rule. Starting from the warmongering aggression and ending with his political marginalisation on the eve of World War I. We can also see from the cartoon what kind of reputation this gave him around the world.

It seemed that every fibre of the Kaiser's body was itching for a conflict to further German interests, but when it became a reality, he wished to shy away from it and deflect responsibility. Now we will see how prominent a role the Emperor actually played during the conflict.

Wilhelm II and World War I

On the eve of World War I, Wilhelm II was no longer the force in German politics that he had anticipated or his rhetoric warranted. The damage done by the Eulenberg Trial and The Daily Telegraph Affair sent his fragile ego back into his shell, and he began to suffer depression from 1908 onwards. He was not the despot that the Allies depicted him as and calls of "Hang the Kaiser" in 1918 deflected a lot of the responsibility away from the other men involved. However, he was not a "Schattenkaiser" or "Shadow Kaiser" either, and he remained influential through his position.²

At the start of the war, we have already seen from his quote that the Kaiser displayed reluctance at the execution of the Schlieffen Plan (see Kaiserreich). The wartime period can be divided into two distinct parts. Between 1914 and 1916, Wilhelm II worked with Erich von Falkenhayn, who was the Chief of General Staff. They had a close relationship, and Falkenhayn emphasised victory in France over spreading troops to the east.

The Kaiser made some important decisions that impacted the conflict, such as the people he appointed to his war cabinet and delaying illegal U-boat campaigns. When it was clear that victory in France was not a reality and the attack of Verdun failed, Falkenhayn was dismissed in favour of Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff. These two men wanted military control and did not see eye to eye with the Kaiser. As a result, they shunted him into the background for the final years of the war.

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany Abdicates

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicates in November 1918 and escapes to the Netherlands, leaving the political vacuum and unrest behind. Such was his lack of control by this point that his requests for abdication were accepted on November 9th 1918, without his knowledge. Finally, after an autumn of chaos, the Weimar Constitution was created by Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert in January of the following year, after Chancellor Max von Baden had negotiated a German surrender.

Exile of Wilhelm II

The years of the German Empire were over. The Kaiser lived out his remaining years in Doorn. He initially supported Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party when he thought that they may reintroduce the monarchy but became increasingly horrified by their violent tactics. He finally died in 1941, during World War II.

Fig. 2 - House of exile in Doorn with bust of Wilhelm II

The descendants of Kaiser Wilhelm II have had a varied history since the end of World War I and the fall of the German Empire. Since Wilhelm II abdicated peacefully, they were allowed live in exile, and now they continue to play a role in German history and cultural heritage. Some of his descendants went on to have successful careers and marriages, while others faced financial difficulties and political scandals. Today, the head of the House of Hohenzollern is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, who is a great-great-grandson of Wilhelm II. He has actively sought to preserve the family's heritage and legacy, including restoring some of their ancestral properties.

Wilhelm II Children

Kaiser Wilhelm II had seven children. They reacted to his exile and fall from power in a variety of ways. Here is the list of his children with short notes on their life.

Fig. 3 - Kaiser Wilhelm II (centre) and his family

Descendants of Kaiser Wilhelm II

The descendants of Kaiser Wilhelm II have had a varied history since the end of World War I and the fall of the German Empire. Since Wilhelm II abdicated peacefully, they were allowed live in exile, and now they continue to play a role in German history and cultural heritage. Some of his descendants went on to have successful careers and marriages, while others faced financial difficulties and political scandals. Today, the head of the House of Hohenzollern is Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, who is a great-great-grandson of Wilhelm II. He has actively sought to preserve the family's heritage and legacy, including restoring some of their ancestral properties.