Wilhelm II

as King of Prussia last German Emperor from 1888 to 1918

Photo by: Rijksmuseum · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born:January 27, 1859

Died:June 4, 1941

Age at death:82

Manner of death:Natural Causes

Cause of death:Cardiovascular Disease

Zodiac Sign:Aquarius

Born in:Kronprinzenpalais, Germany

Residence:Huis Doorn, Netherlands

Buried in:Netherlands

Languages:English, German

Painter Monarch Author Ruler Art Collector

Signature

Related People

Cousin: George V Grandmother: Victoria

Connections graphExplore the full graph

Photo credits (3)

Wilhelm II:
Photo by: Rijksmuseum · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
George V:
Photo by: Bassano Ltd · Public Domain · Wikimedia Commons
Victoria:
Photo by: Alexander Bassano · Public Domain · Wikimedia Commons

Links

Wikipedia IMDb

Famous For

Movies & TV

Opening of the Kiel CanalThe German Emperor Reviewing His TroopsGerman Emperor at Hamburg

Books

[Wilhelm's telegraph to the Crown Prince][Wilhelm's telegraph to Wilson]

Awards

Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty (1918)Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (1914) (1916)Golden Citizen's Medal of the City of Munich (1909)Grashof Commemorative Medal (1906)Knight of the Garter (1904)

Wilhelm II

as King of Prussia last German Emperor from 1888 to 1918

Biography

Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor from 1888 until his abdication in 1918. His fall from power marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty's 400-year rule over Prussia. Born during the reign of his granduncle Frederick William IV of Prussia, Wilhelm was the son of Prince Frederick William and Victoria, Princess Royal. Through his mother, he was the eldest of the 42 grandchildren of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. In March 1888, Wilhelm's father, Frederick William, ascended the German and Prussian thrones as Frederick III. Frederick died just 99 days later, and his son succeeded him as Kaiser Wilhelm II. In March 1890, the young Kaiser dismissed longtime Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and assumed direct control over his nation's policies, embarking on a "New Course" to cement Germany's status as a leading world power. Over the course of his reign, Germany acquired new territories in China and the Pacific and became Europe's largest manufacturer. However, Wilhelm often undermined such progress by making tactless and threatening statements towards other countries without first consulting his ministers. Likewise, he and his government did much to alienate the German Empire from most of Europe by initiating a massive naval build-up, contesting French control of Morocco, backing Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia and threatening Britain's access to the Persian Gulf by building a railway through Baghdad. By the second decade of the 20th century, Germany could rely only on significantly weaker nations such as Austria-Hungary and the declining Ottoman Empire as allies. Despite strengthening Germany's position as a great power in the short term by building a powerful navy and promoting scientific innovation within its borders, Wilhelm II's erratic foreign policy greatly antagonized the international community and is considered by many to have led to the fall of the German Empire. In 1914, his diplomatic brinksmanship culminated in the guarantee of his country's military support to Austria-Hungary during the July Crisis which ultimately plunged all of Europe into World War I. A lax wartime leader, Wilhelm left virtually all decisions regarding strategy and organisation of the war effort to the German Supreme Army Command. By August 1916, his broad delegation of power gave rise to a de facto military dictatorship that dominated the country's policies in his place for the rest of the conflict. Despite emerging victorious over Russia and obtaining significant territorial gains in Eastern Europe, Germany relinquished all its conquests after its forces were decisively defeated on the Western Front in the autumn of 1918. Losing the support of his country's military and many of his subjects, Wilhelm was forced to abdicate during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 which converted Germany into an unstable democratic state known as the Weimar Republic. The Treaty of Versailles stated he would face trial for the war. Wilhelm fled to exile in the Netherlands, where he remained during its occupation by Nazi Germany in 1940 before dying there in 1941.

This biography uses content from the Wikipedia article “Wilhelm II”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Quotes

“I regard every Social Democrat as an enemy of the Empire and Fatherland.”

— Speech (14 May 1889), quoted in Michael Balfour, The Kaiser and His Times (London: Penguin, 1975), p. 159

“The soldier and the army, not Parliamentary majorities and decisions, have welded the German Empire together. I put my trust in the army.”

— Speech (18 April 1891), quoted in Michael Balfour, The Kaiser and His Times (London: Penguin, 1975), p. 158

“There is only one person who is master in this Empire and I am not going to tolerate any other.”

— Speech at Düsseldorf (4 May 1891), quoted in Michael Balfour, The Kaiser and His Times (London: Penguin, 1975), p. 157

Quotes sourced from the Wikiquote article "Wilhelm II", available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Photos

Identificatie Titel(s): Keizer Wilhelm II vertrekt per rijtuig. Partie nach dem Buarbrae (titel op object) Objecttype: foto Objectnummer: RP-F-00-5357-20 Opschriften / Merken: nummer, recto onder, geschreven met inkt: ‘6a’ Vervaardiging Vervaardiger: fotograaf: Paul Güssfeldt (toegeschreven aan), fotograaf: Carl Saltzmann (toegeschreven aan) Plaats vervaardiging: Noorwegen Datering: jul-1889 Fysieke kenmerken: albuminedruk op papier op karton in album Materiaal: papier karton Techniek: albuminedruk Afmetingen: foto: h 79 mm × b 110 mm, blad: h 314 mm × b 450 mm Onderwerp Waar: Noorwegen Wie: Wilhelm II (keizer van Duitsland) Verwerving en rechten Credit line: Schenking van de heer W. Diepraam, Amsterdam Verwerving: schenking 1995 Copyright: Publiek domein

Exlibris von Wilhelm II.

For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Scherl: Die Beisetzung des ehemaligen Kaisers Wilhelm II. Unter Teilnahme einer großen Trauergemeinde und der Bevölkerung von Doorn wurde Wilhelm II. im Park des Schlosses Doorn mit militärischen Ehren beigesetzt. UBz: Reichsminister Dr. Seyß-Inquart, neben ihm Generalfeldmarschall v. Mackensen. In der 2. Reihe v.l. Admiral Canaris für den Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht, General der Flieger Christiansen für den Reichsmarschall (fast völlig verdeckt), Generaloberst Haase für den Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres und Admiral Densch als Vertreter für den Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine. Scherl Bilderdienst (Fritz) Juni 1941 "Fr" OKW ADN-ZB: Die Niederlande während der faschistischen deutschen Besetzung, Juni 1941. Der ehemalige deutsche Kaiser Wilhelm II (geb. 27.1.1859) starb am 4.6.1941 in Doorn, seinem niederländischen Exil. Während der Beisetzung im Park des Schlosses Doorn 1.R.v.l. Reichsminister Arthur Seyß-Inquart und Generalfeldmarschall August von Mackensen, 2.R.v.l. Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Generaloberst Kurt Haase und Admiral Herman Densch. Aufnahme: Fritz

For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Eine interessante Aufnahme des Exkaisers Wilhelm II in Doorn! Exkaiser Wilhelm II. in Doorn mit seiner Gattin Hermine und deren Töchterchen Henriette bei einem Spaziergang im Park in Doorn.

Kaiser Wilhelm II. in Doorn

For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Winter in Doorn! Amateuraufnahme vom deutschen Exkaiser Wilhelm mit seiner Gattin beim Winter-Spaziergang in Doorn.