The Last Kaiser: The Life of Wilhelm IIGermany's last kaiser was born in Potsdam on January 27, 1859, the son of Prince Frederick of Prussia and Princess Vicky, Queen Victoria's eldest child. William was born with a withered arm---possibly the result of cerebral palsy---and many historians have sought in this a clue to his behavior in later life. He was believed mad by some, eccentric by others. Possessed of a ferocious temper, he was prone to reactionary statements, often contradicted by his next action or utterance. He was rumored to have sired numerous illegitimate children and yet was by all appearances a prig. He was brought up by a severe Calvinist tutor Hinzpeter, but his entourage spoiled him, allowing him to win at games and maneuvers to compensate for his deformities. This gave him a sense of inherent invincibility. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Inheritance II | 11 |
Synthesis | 21 |
The Emperor as a Young Man | 58 |
Influence and Responsibilities | 73 |
Duel to the Death | 82 |
Countdown | 92 |
NinetyNine Days | 115 |
Bülow | 246 |
A Sea of Troubles | 297 |
BethmannHollweg | 319 |
The Slide into War | 351 |
Into the Shadows | 363 |
Bowing Out | 398 |
Amerongen and Doorn | 419 |
William and Adolf | 446 |