Wilhelm II, King of Prussia and German Kaiser, born 27-01-1859 in the nobel
Hohenzollern House in Berlin,
the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria, Wilhelm symbolized his era and the nouveaux riche aspects of the German empire. The Kaiser suffered from a birth defect that left his left arm withered and useless. He overcame this handicap, but the effort to do so left its mark, and despite efforts of his parents to give him a liberal education, the prince became imbued with religious mysticism, militarism, anti-Semitism, the glorification of power politics. His English family always spoke of “Willy’s withered arm”. Some have claimed that his personality displayed elements of a narcissistic personality disorder. Bombastic, vain, insensitive, and possessed with grandiose notions of divine right rule, his personality traits paralleled those of the new Germany: strong, but off balance; vain, but insecure; intelligent, but narrow; self-centred yet longing for acceptance. Wilhelm, who was brought up in this Prussian conservative and military tradition, was also a militarist pur sang and therefore had a great preference for external military displays such as conducting the frequently held military parades at all kinds of official events and the distribution and collection of medals, banners. and other military decorations. He especially had a lifelong passion for uniforms and was thus always dressed in uniform. Wilhelm also wore a mustache with extravagantly curled up tips (this was also a rewarding object for cartoons of the emperor).
He had several permanent tailors and a special uniform for every conceivable occasion. He often changed up to six times a day. He is said to have even put on his admiral’s uniform when he went to the opera Der Fliegende Holländer/The Flying Dutch. The story that he also donned this when he went to the aquarium at the Berliner Zoo is probably only a legend. Wilhelm himself enjoyed designing his own fantasy uniforms, which he wore on some informal occasions. He also actively pursued honorary colonies in foreign regiments in order to acquire the corresponding English, Austrian, Spanish, Russian and other uniforms. Another hobby of Wilhelm’s hobby was drive hunting, in particular releasing tipsy wild boars from their suffering with a special spear, the Saufeder. He enjoyed the applause that followed, although one of his courtiers once called these activities a “disgusting and depraved spectacle.” He was also fond of sailing, was a creditable amateur painter and had a nice baritone Under the guise of training him for his future royal duties, Otto von Bismarck






















The same year he published his memoirs, absolving himself of any war guilt. Over the next two decades, he received visitors and kept abreast of events in Europe. In exile, one of Wilhelm’s greatest passions was hunting, and he bagged thousands of animals, both beast and bird. Much of his time was spent chopping wood
and thousands of trees were chopped down during his stay at Doorn After a brief interest in the Nazis, spurred by Hitler’s (see Adolf Hitler) manipulation of the restoration issue, the imperial couple turned against the brown shirts.


For a time Wilhelm II seems to have believed seriously that a Nazi victory by Hitler’s NSDAP in the elections would bring him back to the throne. His wife Hermine a fanatic Hitler fan in any case regarded Hitler as Germany’s savior and trusted him completely, and several members of his retinue were equally enthusiastic about the Nazis. From 17 to 19 January 1931, Hermann Goering, then a representative for the NSDAP in the Reichtstag and Hitler’s representative in Berlin, paid a special visit to Doorn





Death and burial ground of Wilhelm II.








After a long life, Wilhelm’s end came unexpectedly: on 01-3-1941, he became unwell while sawing wood, followed by a general faintness. At first he recovered remarkably quickly and the hastily gathered children left for home in May 1941, except for daughter Victoria Louise. However, at the end of the afternoon of 03-06-1941, Wilhelm suddenly developed severe pain and breathing problems. His condition deteriorated rapidly and in the evening he lost consciousness. Without regaining consciousness, Wilhelm died in the presence of, among others, daughter Victoria Louise,
Princess Hermine and his aide Sigurd von Ilsemann
on 04-06-1941 in Doorn, which turned out to be a pulmonary embolism. He was 82 years old.


His funeral ceremony was attended by his immediate family but also by representatives of the German occupier in the Netherlands; various generals of the Wehrmacht and former generals of the former imperial army, including General Anton Mackensen,
who was then 91 years old. Wilhelmina’s wish not to display swastikas at his funeral was not granted. Hitler had a huge wreath delivered: the mourning ribbons on it were indeed decorated with this Nazi symbol.
Among the few hundred attendees was also a Dutch photographer who, despite the strict security – the occupier was on guard at the gates – managed to make a photo reportage. Also visitors were Reichscommissar, Arthur Seyss Inquart, Admiral, Wilhelm Canaris







After the end of the war Henriette his wife was transferred by the Red Army to Frankfurt (Oder) where she died as an internee on 07-08-1947. Against her wishes, Hermine was interred in the so-called ‘antique temple’, the family grave of Wilhelm, in the park of Sanssouci Castle in Potsdam
and not on the side of the deceased ex-emperor in Doorn.

