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The Kaiser's Memoirs
When I was a Prince I purposely held aloof from party politics, concentrating my entire attention upon my duties in the different army branches to which I was assigned. This afforded me satisfaction and filled up my whole life. For this reason I avoided, while I was Prince of Prussia, all attempts to drag me into party activities. Often enough endeavors were made, under the cloak of harmless functions, teas and the like, to ensnare me into political circles or for electioneering purposes. But I always held aloof.
The outcome of the treacherous malady which killed Emperor Frederick III was frankly told me in advance by German physicians called into consultation as experts by the English physician, Sir Morell Mackenzie. My deep grief and sorrow were all the greater because it was almost impossible for me to speak alone with my beloved father. He was guarded like a prisoner by the English physicians and, though reporters from all countries could look upon the poor sick man from the physicians' room, every kind of obstacle was placed in my path to keep me from my father's side and even to prevent me from keeping in constant touch with him by writing; my letters were often intercepted and not delivered. Moreover, from among the group of watchers, an infamous, organized campaign of slander was conducted in the newspapers against me. Two journalists were especially active in this: one Herr Schnidrowitz and M. Jacques St. Cère, of the Figaro—a German Jew—who slandered him who was later Emperor in the most poisonous way in France, until the "Petit Sucrier" trial put an end to his activities.
I gave the dying Emperor his last joy on earth when I had the Second Infantry Brigade march past him, led by me in person. These were the first and last troops seen by Frederick III as Emperor. He delighted his son by writing on this occasion, on a little card, that he was grateful for having had the pleasure of seeing these troops and proud to call them his own. This event was a ray of light during the gloomy ninety-nine days, which brought upon me also, as Crown Prince, much grief, humiliation, and suspicion. In fulfillment of my duty during this crisis, I kept a watchful eye upon all happenings in military, official, and social circles, and was inwardly outraged at the signs of slackness which I noted everywhere, most especially at the hostility against my mother, which was becoming more and more noticeable. Moreover, I was naturally deeply hurt at the constant campaign of slander directed against me which depicted me as living in discord with my father.
The outcome of the treacherous malady which killed Emperor Frederick III was frankly told me in advance by German physicians called into consultation as experts by the English physician, Sir Morell Mackenzie. My deep grief and sorrow were all the greater because it was almost impossible for me to speak alone with my beloved father. He was guarded like a prisoner by the English physicians and, though reporters from all countries could look upon the poor sick man from the physicians' room, every kind of obstacle was placed in my path to keep me from my father's side and even to prevent me from keeping in constant touch with him by writing; my letters were often intercepted and not delivered. Moreover, from among the group of watchers, an infamous, organized campaign of slander was conducted in the newspapers against me. Two journalists were especially active in this: one Herr Schnidrowitz and M. Jacques St. Cère, of the Figaro—a German Jew—who slandered him who was later Emperor in the most poisonous way in France, until the "Petit Sucrier" trial put an end to his activities.
I gave the dying Emperor his last joy on earth when I had the Second Infantry Brigade march past him, led by me in person. These were the first and last troops seen by Frederick III as Emperor. He delighted his son by writing on this occasion, on a little card, that he was grateful for having had the pleasure of seeing these troops and proud to call them his own. This event was a ray of light during the gloomy ninety-nine days, which brought upon me also, as Crown Prince, much grief, humiliation, and suspicion. In fulfillment of my duty during this crisis, I kept a watchful eye upon all happenings in military, official, and social circles, and was inwardly outraged at the signs of slackness which I noted everywhere, most especially at the hostility against my mother, which was becoming more and more noticeable. Moreover, I was naturally deeply hurt at the constant campaign of slander directed against me which depicted me as living in discord with my father.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1922
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157 people want to read
About the author
Wilhelm II
78 books14 followersWilhelm II or William II (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Preußen; English: Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 15, 2020
It’s all your fault.
That’s what they say. You’re a blowhard, a blunderer, a sabre-rattler, the unwelcome culmination of centuries of monarchical inbreeding. Millions are dead, the concert of Europe is in tatters and your Crown is back in the gutter.
And everyone says: It’s. All. Your. Fault.
You might want to get a word in. So, ex-Emperor Wilhelm II published his Memoirs in 1922, appropriately clocking in at a double-ply tissue-paper creaking 306 pages.
Wilhelm is out to counter the narrative that he caused World War One. And tell us about canals. And hunting. And dinners. And Assyriology. And parades. My man really loves his parades, and he’s pretty sure everyone else does too:
“I gave the dying Emperor his last joy on earth when I had the Second Infantry Brigade march past him, led by me in person.”
But what about the leadup to World War One? Well, yes, there are several semi-connected chapters.
And… …they’re worthless from a historical perspective.
Wilhelm is a terrible liar, flatly denying events that most definitely occurred, such as the infamous “blank cheque” meeting with the Austrians on 5 July 1914. His powers wax and wan as suits, constitutionally unable to control his Chancellor’s foreign policy on one page, giving him “strict orders to maintain peace” on another. He always knew beforehand when the wrong action was being taken, be it the Kruger Telegram or his descent on Morocco. The problem is always other people made him do it, no matter what anyone else says. The Foreign Office keeps losing critical documents, such as his indisputably insightful reports on England or his corrections to otherwise inflammatory interviews.
Who started the war? Definitely the Entente. The Freemasons told him so. Wilhelm’s got some “evidence” that the Americans were in on it from 1897. The Tsar of Russia said “I shall stay home this year, for we are going to have war”, a quote that defeats my Google searches. Oh, and the Germans found a whole lot of British greatcoats stocked up in Belgium. Been there for ages, apparently.
So why read this book? Because it’s an insight into the mind of a man who willingly became a walking stereotype. He believed he was above reproach. He ruled as the paternal monarch: shaping science; education; and “larger railway stations” according to his expertise. He delves into matters of social legislation, religion and whether deer should have wood in their stomaches. We inhabit the fantastical world of a dilettante-come-genius, brought low by foreign conspirators and domestic incompetence.
Was it the Kaiser’s fault? Don’t ask me. But don’t ask him either. Book's pretty funny though.
That’s what they say. You’re a blowhard, a blunderer, a sabre-rattler, the unwelcome culmination of centuries of monarchical inbreeding. Millions are dead, the concert of Europe is in tatters and your Crown is back in the gutter.
And everyone says: It’s. All. Your. Fault.
You might want to get a word in. So, ex-Emperor Wilhelm II published his Memoirs in 1922, appropriately clocking in at a double-ply tissue-paper creaking 306 pages.
Wilhelm is out to counter the narrative that he caused World War One. And tell us about canals. And hunting. And dinners. And Assyriology. And parades. My man really loves his parades, and he’s pretty sure everyone else does too:
“I gave the dying Emperor his last joy on earth when I had the Second Infantry Brigade march past him, led by me in person.”
But what about the leadup to World War One? Well, yes, there are several semi-connected chapters.
And… …they’re worthless from a historical perspective.
Wilhelm is a terrible liar, flatly denying events that most definitely occurred, such as the infamous “blank cheque” meeting with the Austrians on 5 July 1914. His powers wax and wan as suits, constitutionally unable to control his Chancellor’s foreign policy on one page, giving him “strict orders to maintain peace” on another. He always knew beforehand when the wrong action was being taken, be it the Kruger Telegram or his descent on Morocco. The problem is always other people made him do it, no matter what anyone else says. The Foreign Office keeps losing critical documents, such as his indisputably insightful reports on England or his corrections to otherwise inflammatory interviews.
Who started the war? Definitely the Entente. The Freemasons told him so. Wilhelm’s got some “evidence” that the Americans were in on it from 1897. The Tsar of Russia said “I shall stay home this year, for we are going to have war”, a quote that defeats my Google searches. Oh, and the Germans found a whole lot of British greatcoats stocked up in Belgium. Been there for ages, apparently.
So why read this book? Because it’s an insight into the mind of a man who willingly became a walking stereotype. He believed he was above reproach. He ruled as the paternal monarch: shaping science; education; and “larger railway stations” according to his expertise. He delves into matters of social legislation, religion and whether deer should have wood in their stomaches. We inhabit the fantastical world of a dilettante-come-genius, brought low by foreign conspirators and domestic incompetence.
Was it the Kaiser’s fault? Don’t ask me. But don’t ask him either. Book's pretty funny though.
May 19, 2023
When we leave history to be reported by 'historians', we are in trouble of it being filtered by a particular political bias. Of course the same can be said about an autobiography. However it is refreshing to read a first hand reflective account from someone of such high importance within the history of the world. I've seen people low score the book based on the method and phrasing of the book. But the guy was retired by this point and had time to reflect on his own misgivings (he openly admits to his neuroticism) and this gives it a genuine authentic feel. If you like history and the events leading up to The Great War, it is worth a read. If you think the leaders of the Entente were all angels, whilst fingerings the blame, for the greatest travesty, possibly in history, then maybe you should stick to the bias historian accounts.
August 4, 2018
The problem with this book is that it’s value even as an historical document is limited as the biography even as written by the subject is still entirely fiction when compared to what we know both about the man’s personality and his actions. This book is clearly the writer trying to deflect blame for what we historically know was a continual effort to arm for, provoke & create a war in which the Kaiser’s dream of German hegemony over the world is realized. Additionally, he was known during his time as a moron, and in fact quite a few comparisons can be made between he and Trump unfortunately. Additionally, it was his outward and vocal antisemitism that made the attitude of hatred and blame of the Jews socially acceptable in German society that allowed Hitler to rise to power and not be seen as a crank. So if you want to read a fictional account of what a writer wants history to think of him that is not at all connected to the reality of who he was, the. You’d probably like this book. To understand the reality of Wilhelm’s actions and the troubles that were caused by them. I recommend reading Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Concise Life by John C. G. Röhl
May 1, 2021
Think of Donald trump writing memoirs: self serving, almost entirely lies, all in and almost incomprehensible “word salad.” There you have the memoirs of Wilhelm II.
I almost made it to the end. But, after pushing through why he so self-sacrificingly did NOT turn himself over to the allies at the end of the war (I don’t think he should have, but we all know he did it for his own reasons), he goes on his final diatribe/string of lies to tell the world how Germany was the only country that worked for peace in the decade before the war AND that as a constitutional monarch, he wasn’t responsible for any of the bad things anyway.
Children disown their own bad behavior, refuse to admit any culpability, and want to be praised for every act (well, some children). Donald Trump and Kaiser Wilhelm are in the small group of adults who found themselves in positions of great power and accepted none of the responsibility.
I almost made it to the end. But, after pushing through why he so self-sacrificingly did NOT turn himself over to the allies at the end of the war (I don’t think he should have, but we all know he did it for his own reasons), he goes on his final diatribe/string of lies to tell the world how Germany was the only country that worked for peace in the decade before the war AND that as a constitutional monarch, he wasn’t responsible for any of the bad things anyway.
Children disown their own bad behavior, refuse to admit any culpability, and want to be praised for every act (well, some children). Donald Trump and Kaiser Wilhelm are in the small group of adults who found themselves in positions of great power and accepted none of the responsibility.
September 22, 2014
Written in 1922 as a response to the publishing of Bismarck's memoirs (which did not paint Wilhelm II in a favorable picture). The kaiser defends himself, claiming that he only dismissed the Chancellor because Bismarck had fallen behind the times, was too autocratic and did not know how to properly treat German social democrats. One can see that much of this is Wilhelm's desire to become popular with the people, he quotes Frederick the Great's maxim " I wish to be the king of the masses". And it's hard not to sympathize with the Kaiser. He wanted to implement change and make his mark upon history, but found the Chancellor opposed to many of his ideas. *Read primarily to understand the breakup of Bismarck and Wilhelm.*
March 15, 2023
Dreadful book. The Kaiser was a weak, vindictive, vain, indecisive man with no people skills and poor judgement. A disappointing leader and a correspondingly disappointing book.
December 6, 2025
When I picked up the hefty tome that was Kaiser Wilhelm's Memoirs at my university library, I was initially hesitant at its size, but upon seeing the large font size, I decided to give it a go, and I am glad I did. It was a relatively fast and easy read for a book written by a 19th century aristocrat. The way Kaiser Wilhelm describes his thought process and defends his actions is simple and sensible. His argument that Germany was wronged in the Versailles Treaty evokes sympathy in the reader in how the war guilt clause was applied to his nation. Certainly, Wilhelm is very biased towards his nation and in keeping his honor, and Germany and himself does bear some blame, and at the very least one should admit that the invasion of Belgium was a war crime, but I can see where he's coming from. But unlike with Adolf Hitler's repulsion at the Treaty, the Kaiser does not seek to enrage readers, but simply persuade them that the Treaty should be revised. It is a calm, thoughtful, and wistful memoir, rather than a fiery hateful rant like Hitler would go onto write.
The book is structured so that all the Imperial Chancellors from Bismarck to Bethmann Hollweg are given their own chapter as Wilhelm describes foreign and domestic policy proceedings that he worked with each Chancellor for. I like that he begins the book at the start of his reign in 1888 and does not spend too much time in introduction about his youth. After Bethmann, the chapters become about specific concepts relating to the First World War.
Wilhelm's writings are deeply interesting and are over a wide range of issues- he speaks about the Boer War, his relationship with his grandmother, Queen Victoria, his reaction to the Agadir Crisis, the annexation of Heligoland, the seizure of Tsingtao, and his dismay at the German Revolution. Anything you could imagine him talking about at the time is referenced in some way.
I only wish the book was longer- though his explanation of events and meetings with historical leaders are strong, it felt some episodes could use more details. It also would be interesting to see what it would be like if it were written 10-15 years later to see his thoughts on the rise of fascism. But it was an engaging historical account for anyone who is fascinated with World War I and its build-up. It's not everyday you can read a book written by an emperor.
The book is structured so that all the Imperial Chancellors from Bismarck to Bethmann Hollweg are given their own chapter as Wilhelm describes foreign and domestic policy proceedings that he worked with each Chancellor for. I like that he begins the book at the start of his reign in 1888 and does not spend too much time in introduction about his youth. After Bethmann, the chapters become about specific concepts relating to the First World War.
Wilhelm's writings are deeply interesting and are over a wide range of issues- he speaks about the Boer War, his relationship with his grandmother, Queen Victoria, his reaction to the Agadir Crisis, the annexation of Heligoland, the seizure of Tsingtao, and his dismay at the German Revolution. Anything you could imagine him talking about at the time is referenced in some way.
I only wish the book was longer- though his explanation of events and meetings with historical leaders are strong, it felt some episodes could use more details. It also would be interesting to see what it would be like if it were written 10-15 years later to see his thoughts on the rise of fascism. But it was an engaging historical account for anyone who is fascinated with World War I and its build-up. It's not everyday you can read a book written by an emperor.
December 13, 2024
This book is interesting as it shows the mindset of the former German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm the Second. Despite it being made after the First World War it gives an insight into what Germany was like before World War I from the perspective of the Kaiser himself. Wilhelm the Second talks about his early time before becoming emperor of Germany and how he would view famous military politicians such as former chancellor Otto von Bismarck and royal family members from other nations. Despite the book being well written of course he wrote down biases that have no historical evidence for it whatsoever besides this book. While this is a good book looking at the mindset of the royal family and what Wilhelm's views were on Germany, the biases on what he did and his accusations against other royal family members are still there and should be taken with a grain of salt. I think this book was ok.
December 7, 2023
8/10.
“After years of the heaviest trial will come the liberation from a yoke imposed unjustly upon a great, strong, honest nation. Then every one of us will be glad and proud again that he is a German.”
“The German people must rely on no other people, but solely upon themselves. When self-conscious, national sentiment returns to all the strata of our people, our upward march will begin . . . If this comes to pass, the feeling of solidarity with all fellow members of the nation, the consciousness of the dignity of our noble land, the pride in being German, and the genuinely German conception of ethics, which was one of the sources of strength that have made Germany great, will come back to us.”
Let us hope it returns . . . again.
“After years of the heaviest trial will come the liberation from a yoke imposed unjustly upon a great, strong, honest nation. Then every one of us will be glad and proud again that he is a German.”
“The German people must rely on no other people, but solely upon themselves. When self-conscious, national sentiment returns to all the strata of our people, our upward march will begin . . . If this comes to pass, the feeling of solidarity with all fellow members of the nation, the consciousness of the dignity of our noble land, the pride in being German, and the genuinely German conception of ethics, which was one of the sources of strength that have made Germany great, will come back to us.”
Let us hope it returns . . . again.
April 23, 2024
The Kaiser's Memoirs were remarkable in the sense that they gave me an entirely new perspective on the events of the Great War. The American Public school system tries to teach each conflict from the moralized standpoint of good vs evil and these memoirs prove that the great war was much harder to do that than the Nazis' conflict. This book made me wonder at several points what the world would've looked like if the allies hadn't escalated in response to the Kaiser's moves.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews