The Kaiser's Coolies

by Theodor Plivier

English, German (translation)

Genres: Germany, War, Historical Fiction

308 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1930

Reviews

[William Kirkland · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting addition to fiction/memoirs of those who fought in WWI, this one by a sailor who was "shanghaied" to escape a prison term and who was on Imperial German vessels for the duration of the war. Not a great read but informative of life in wartime, at sea, and of his own personal/ideological opposition to militarism -- he was part of, and ends the novel with, the great Kiel and Wilhelmshaven mutinies in November, 1918, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy and the short-lived experiment with democracy before Hitler ended the Weimar Republic.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned of this book from A People’s History of Germany by Pelz, which discussed the German sailor’s mutinies at the end of WW I. After reading The Kaiser’s Coolies — which s based n the experiences of the author — no wonder they mutinied. The bigger question s, why did they wait so long?