Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941) and Family

[Prinsara]

It is a bit rich for her to dislike Germans considering her own mother was actually German from the Hesse-Kassel branch of the House of Hesse. Ps. Queen Mary’s father was a German Prince straight from Germany so I wonder what she thought about that?

I don’t think the Kaiser disliked Greece, but probably preferred his sister to make an alliance with other German ruling Houses of the the Lutheran or Protestant faiths not a ruling family of the Greek Orthodox faith. Plus the Greek royals were descendants of Alexandra’s brother. It’s not hypocritical for him to go to Greece because the Kaiser wasn’t marrying a Greek Orthodox or converting like his sister. But I don’t agree with him banning her for that though.

Simple. She thought May was as English as any of them because she'd been born and raised in England. And her Hesse-Kassel relatives (along with most of the other former independent states) hated Prussia and the Prussianization of everything as much as she did — they took their autonomy!

Willy had no problem with Sophie marrying the Diadoch. He had no problem with pressuring his cousin Alix to abandon Lutheranism to marry Tsar Nicholas. He had a problem when his sister decided to do something he saw as defiant, even though she'd been married for years and wasn't under his "control", anyway. Rationality = not his strong suit; far less so than his aunt.

I would have liked to see his reaction if King George had banned him from Greece for the diplomatic insult.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Simple. She thought May was as English as any of them because she'd been born and raised in England. And her Hesse-Kassel relatives (along with most of the other former independent states) hated Prussia and the Prussianization of everything as much as she did — they took their autonomy!

Willy had no problem with Sophie marrying the Diadoch. He had no problem with pressuring his cousin Alix to abandon Lutheranism to marry Tsar Nicholas. He had a problem when his sister decided to do something he saw as defiant, even though she'd been married for years and wasn't under his "control", anyway. Rationality = not his strong suit; far less so than his aunt.

I would have liked to see his reaction if King George had banned him from Greece for the diplomatic insult.

Well to be fair, some of the smaller states chose to side with Austria against Prussia in the fight for Austria to be removed from having influence in the German states so for that in Bismarck’s eyes they had to pay for supporting Austria. Kaiser Wilhelm II wasn’t Kaiser at the time the losing states lost their autonomy. The states that side with Prussia didn’t lose thrones and not all the states that sided with Austria lost their thrones.

How could he pressure Alexandra to convert? I’m quite sure people in the Russian court would have advised Alix to do so anyways because it would look awkward as mother to the heir to the Russian Empire not being Orthodox. I also think with Alix because she was married to an important and powerful ally (Russia), it was imperative that she convert to Orthodoxy , regardless of what Kaiser Wilhelm had to say she would have to convert to not be looked at suspiciously.

 

[GraceOMalleysGhost]

Well to be fair, some of the smaller states chose to side with Austria against Prussia in the fight for Austria to be removed from having influence in the German states so for that in Bismarck’s eyes they had to pay for supporting Austria. Kaiser Wilhelm II wasn’t Kaiser at the time the losing states lost their autonomy. The states that side with Prussia didn’t lose thrones and not all the states that sided with Austria lost their thrones.

How could he pressure Alexandra to convert? I’m quite sure people in the Russian court would have advised Alix to do so anyways because it would look awkward as mother to the heir to the Russian Empire not being Orthodox. I also think with Alix because she was married to an important and powerful ally (Russia), it was imperative that she convert to Orthodoxy , regardless of what Kaiser Wilhelm had to say she would have to convert to not be looked at suspiciously.

Wilhelm had assumed the role of head of the family with Queen Victoria's approval. Alix would never have gone against her dear grandmother's wishes, yet she still was torn until Wilhelm stepped in. His approval or disapproval carried a lot of weight. No, the family didn't like it, but it was what it was. He wanted an ally in Russia (who turned out to be no ally) and would have pulled out all the stops to make it happen. JMHO

 

[Prinsara]

Yes, Darmstadt wasn't fully absorbed solely due to being so closely related to the Tsar (surely not to Queen Victoria)...

It wasn't "imperative", it was a requirement for the Tsar's wife. Basically 98% of why she'd been refusing Nicky up to that point.

How? He sat down with her at Ernie and Ducky's wedding and berated her about how it was her duty and whatever else was necessary to fill in a tiresome, lengthy diatribe. It's on historical record. Since she actually wanted to marry Nicky, having such a powerful voice condone her helped to change her mind. She went from refusing one day to accepting the next. Literally.

Historical disaster aside, there's probably some psychology with his unrequited love for Ella meaning he was quite happy to be able to push her little sister around and tell her who to marry.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Prince Wilhelm of Prussia in 1875
http://imgur.com/gallery/z935ucm

 

[SirGyamfi1]

From Marlene Koenig’s blog, Princess Victoria Luise was once in love with Count Georg von Fugger Babenhausen and wanted to marry him but the Kaiser did not agree to the match.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Princess Henriette of Schonaich-Carolath, the stepdaughter of Emperor Wilhelm II at Huis Doorn circa 1930s
http://www.maryevans.com/history/10529467

 

[Somebody]

This history matters video focuses on his final decades innthe Netherlands:

And one more

 

[Prinsara]

Kaiser Wilhelm's very crowded closet.

I suppose no one knows what happened to his British field marshal's uniform.

 

[maria-olivia]

Very interesting. I may imagine how it must have been difficult to have his right arm damaged by Birth. He uses his left arm , for his Arms , riding his horse etc... Inside his uniform there was a machine to strech his right Arm.
On this pictures we may see that the right sleeves are always longer.
I saw at House Doorn a special Fork he needed to eat with one hand. He must have had excellent Butlers

 

[Prinsara]

If you are going to wind up with a deformed, mostly-useless arm, it's just as well to be in a time and of a status where you have servants who can assist you in the vast group of servants who do other things for you quite normally.

I thought I noticed the difference in the sleeves, but it's interesting the historian doesn't mention it.

Although nowadays people like Martin Sheen have the exact same injury (left arm), his arm is much more mobile, and he doesn't need the servants.

 

[LauraS3514]

Very interesting. I may imagine how it must have been difficult to have his right arm damaged by Birth. He uses his left arm , for his Arms , riding his horse etc... Inside his uniform there was a machine to strech his right Arm.
On this pictures we may see that the right sleeves are always longer.
I saw at House Doorn a special Fork he needed to eat with one hand. He must have had excellent Butlers

He blamed his mother and her "English" doctors for his injury.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

He blamed his mother and her "English" doctors for his injury.

Well the Empress was the one who insisted on having English doctors and “English everything” and I think at one point implied that the English were better at doing certain things than Germans. It was the fault of an English doctor for the handling of Wilhelm’s birth.

 

[Prinsara]

It was the fault of an English doctor for the handling of Wilhelm’s birth.

The message for the Prussian doctor who ultimately saved him and his mother got lost. I can't see how that can be blamed on the English.

There is also a medical theory that Wilhelm's arm was a result of earlier trauma in the womb and nothing to do with his birth at all. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15893138/

 

[Roderick]

From what I have read, it was the English doctor who eventually saved the lives of mother and baby. He can't be held responsible for the breech position of the child surely?

 

[maria-olivia]

His Mother Vicky, Queen Victoria's eldest daughter was not Empress at that time.
On 1888 , Prussia had 3 Kaisers , Guillaume I died , succeeded by Frederick III whose Reign lasted 99 days because he died from cancer . And Willem II became Kaiser.

May I thank Pinsara to have post an historical thread .

 

[valeas]

Just a detail corrected. His left arm was injured during birth. Thats why he hides his weak/left side on many photographs.

 

[maria-olivia]

I am sorry , but it was his right arm who was injured by birth. I read this thread on its whole and saw the "You Tube" films which confirms this.

 

[Prinsara]

I am sorry , but it was his right arm who was injured by birth. I read this thread on its whole and saw the "You Tube" films which confirms this.

I can assure you this film isn't reversed and very clearly shows his left arm as abnormal. His left, so appearing on the right side in the view of others.

Even fictionally, the first five minutes show it's his left arm:

Also a simple internet search should confirm this, if you don't believe visual evidence or other posters.

 

[maria-olivia]

Thanks for correcting , I had it wrong, sorry for that !

 

[Blog Real]

The meeting between the young king of Spain, Alfonso XIII, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany is held in the Bay of Vigo (1904).

https://c5.quickcachr.fotos.sapo.pt/i/G5617b576/22610387_AHjQt.jpeg

https://c6.quickcachr.fotos.sapo.pt/i/Gf61715c4/22610388_qai0m.jpeg

 

[maria-olivia]

Is Huis Doorn sold ?