The Kaiser and his Court: Wilhelm II and the Government of Germany

by John C.G. Röhl

Within a couple of decades Kaiser Wilhelm II had led the German Reich into World War and collapse. How did the Kaiser come to have so much power? Using new archival sources, this book analyzes the Kaiser and the nature of his rule. After an original character sketch of the Kaiser, the book then examines the Kaiser's friends and favorites, the neo-absolutist culture of the court and of Berlin society, and the nature of his relationship with the court and with the administrative corps in Prussia and the Reich. A final chapter reveals for the first time the extent of the exiled Kaiser's anti-Semitism.

Genres: Germany, History, World War I, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

John Charles Gerald Röhl was a British historian notable for his work on Imperial Germany and European history.

Originally from London, England, Röhl taught in Germany at the University of Hamburg and at the University of Freiburg. In 1964 he became a professor of European history at the University of Sussex, where he was given emeritus status in 1999.

Reviews

[John Vincent Palatine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ole Willy was a crazy cat ...

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another take on the subject of John Rohl's life's work: Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Most surprising here is Rohl's claim that based on the evidence historians should accept as fact that a meeting occurred in 1912 in which Wilhelm II and his advisors more or less planned to instigate World War I, in the way it ended up happening: a dispute beginning in the Balkans, ultimately leading to Germany and Austria fighting Russia, France, and Great Britain. According to this narrative, the Army representative wanted to fight immediately, while the Navy leader wanted more time to close the gap with Britain.

Rohl also argues that Wilhelm was an usually racist leader, which, combined with alleged premeditated world-war instigation, makes the Kaiser more of a proto-Hitler than the more normal European, imperialist, warlord portrayed by other historians.

[吴 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Chapter3&4 is good, providing many materials about William's court, but there is no novelty in other parts. And the author intentionally or unintentionally exaggerates the influence of William II. The most obvious point is that although Germany maintains a relatively large court composed of attendants and nobles, whether William can intervene in the government or parliament through this more personal court is another question. In fact, William's influence on the government was also exerted through the power of appointment and removal of personnel, and the role of the court was not significant (Orenburg was more of an individual than a court)