German Royalty: Wilhelm and Bismarck


Figure 1.--The Old Kaiser and Bismarck courted the young Prince Wilhelm. They won him over to their conservative policies. They did this in part by stroking his vanity and convincing him that he was a future ruler of enornous capabilities. As a result when Wilhelm became kaiser unexpectedly at an early age, he had no real appreciation for his abilities and limitations.

Central to the unification of Germany and the success of the new German Empire was the relationship between the Old Kaiser (Wilhelm I), and his Chancellor, Count Otto von Bismarck. While building the new German Empire, another less dramatic struggle unfolded was the struggle over the loyalty of the Crown Prince. His parents (Victoria abd Crown Prince Frederich) were liberals who wished to take Germany down a liberal,femocratic path similar to Britain with less emphasis on the military. The Old Kaiser and Bismarck wanted a more conservative path with a major emphasis on the military. At the time it was expected that Wilhelm's son Frederich would follow his father and have a long reign. If this had occurred the history of the 20th century would have been very different. One might have thought that Prince Wilhelm's parents could have successfully conveyed their liberal values. Prince Wilhelm was, however, from an early age a difficult child. And his parents were very critical. This appears to have alienated Wilhelm. His grandfather and Bismarck were much less critical and essentially courted the young prince, convincing him that he was an individual of remarkable ability. Thus as a teenager Wilhelm was drawn to the conservative policies of his grandfather and Bismarck. And when Frederich died within a few moths of becoming Kaiser, it was Prince Silhelm that rose to the throne. The problem for Bismarck and Germany was that the Old Kaiser and Bismarck had not conveyed to the young Wilhelm his limitations. As a result, Wilhelm took the throne believing that Bismarck was an old man whose caution was holding Germany back. He seems to have had no appreciation of Bismarcks accomplishments and the value of his insights. Wilhelm's first major action as Kaiser was dismissing in 1890 of the aged chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck, who with Wilhelm's grandfather had been largely responsible for the creation of a united German Empire. Thereafter William II participated significantly, often decisively, in the formulation of foreign and domestic policies. His administration of internal affairs was marked by the rapid transformation of Germany from an agricultural to a major industrial state and by the accompanying development of serious problems in capital-labor relations. Wilhelm was only partially successful in his attempts to curb the growth of Germany's Social Democratic Party, which ultimately became the most important political party in the Empire.

Wilhelm I and Bismarck

Central to the unification of Germany and the success of the new German Empire was the relationship between the Old Kaiser (Wilhelm I), and his Chancellor, Count Otto von Bismarck.

Wilhelm's Childhood

I have only little information about Wilhelm's childhood. He seems to have been an active baby despite his handicap. He does not appear to have been the best behaved boy. His antics during the 1863 wedding of his uncle, the Prince of Wales were noticed. He threw Beatrice's muff from the cairrage and threw the dirk from his highland outfit across the floor of St. George's Chappel during the wedding ceremony. (One his reminded at the modern Prince William's behavior at his Uncle Andrew's wedding.) I have less information about Wilhelm's behavior at home.

Prince Wilhelm and his Parents

While building the new German Empire, another less dramatic struggle unfolded was the struggle over the loyalty of the Crown Prince. His parents (Victoria abd Crown Prince Frederich) were liberals who wished to take Germany down a liberal,femocratic path similar to Britain with less emphasis on the military. The Old Kaiser and Bismarck wanted a more conservative path with a major emphasis on the military. At the time it was expected that Wilhelm's son Frederich would follow his father and have a long reign. If this had occurred the history of the 20th century would have been very different. Wilhelm grew up in a happy home. Hisparents took a deep personal interest in him. This was not always the case for young royals. Some controversy exists in the written record, in part because Victoria was not popular with Prince Wilhelm's family. One might have thought that Prince Wilhelm's parents could have successfully conveyed their liberal values. Prince Wilhelm was, however, from an early age a difficult child. And his parents were very critical. This appears to have alienated Wilhelm.

Victoria as Mother

HBRC does not yet have full details about the relationship between Wilhelm and his mother. We know that the English Princess Royal Victoria (1840-1901), despite the difficult birth, was enchanted with her first baby and doted on him. We do know that his mother was egocentric, combative--and an early advocate of women's rights. All characteristics that did not endear her to the conservative Prussian court. Some authors describe Victoria as an "ambivalent mother", but were are not sure that this is the case.

Friedrich as Father

Friedrich appears to have been a very engaged father. He spent much more time with his children than his father had spent with him. He was delighted with Wilhelm. Friederich delighted in carrying the baby around the palace showing him off to everyone. The Prince wrote an aunt, "... in his clear blue eyes we can already see signs of sparking intelligence." Surely Victoria incouraged her husband to spend time with the children as she did. Also important was that because of the Danzig incident, the King and Bismarck did their best to keep him away from official duties.

Wilhelm's Chracter

Wilhelm was a great dissapointment to both his parents. Wilhelm was torn between his liberal parents n one side and his conservative grandfather and Chancellor Bismarck on the other. Hinzpeter's tutoring did not have the effect that his parents had desired. The young Wilhelm as he prepared to leave his parent's household was as one biographer described him was "an arrogant prigish youth" who "worshipped Chancelloe Bismarck's policies and accepted his program of "blood and iron". [Van der Kriste, p. 26.] Prince Wilhelm was only a small boy during the wars with Denmark (1864), Austria (1866), and France (1870-71). These wars must have had an enormous impression on him. One has to wonder if his subsequent commitment to the military was not inspired by boyhood memories. Certainly he must have felt the need to follow the example of his grandfather who used the military to expand Prussia and create the German Empire by force of arms. One has to wonder if the dazzling military victories of his boyhood were just too much for his liberal parents to compete with.

Prince Wilhelm and His Grandfather and Bismarck

The Old Kaiser, Wilhelm's Grandfather, and Bismarck were much less critical than his parents. They essentially courted the young prince, convincing him that he was an individual of remarkable ability. Bismarck had little to do with Prince Wilhelm as as a young boy. Neither parents liked Bismarck. Bismarck began to pay more attention to Wilhelm in his teen years. He played an important role in shaping the character of Prince Wilhelm as a young man. The impressionable young prince's parents were progressive, liberal thinkers and criticized their son's high impression of himself. His grandfather and Bismarck, however, succeeded in nurturing Wilhelm toward Prussian military traditions. Thus as a teenager Wilhelm was drawn to the conservative policies of his grandfather and Bismarck.

Frederich's Death

Crown Prince Frederich died within a few moths of becoming Kaiser.

Problem for Bismarck

It was Prince Wilhelm that rose to the throne. The problem for Bismarck and Germany was that the Old Kaiser and Bismarck had not conveyed to the young Wilhelm his limitations. As a result, Wilhelm took the throne believing that Bismarck was an old man whose caution was holding Germany back. He seems to have had no appreciation of Bismarcks accomplishments and the value of his insights. Not only was Bismarck unable to control the young Kaiser, but found unlike his grandfather, Wilhelm had little confidence in the Chancelloe abnd was dimmissive of his advise. Nothing could have been more illustrative of Wilhelm's character. Here was a young man with no expereiece in governing and politics discounting the advise of the greatest diplomatic genius of the 19th century.

Wilhelm Dismisses Bismarck

Wilhelm's first major action as Kaiser was dismissing in 1890 of the aged chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck, who with Wilhelm's grandfather had been largely responsible for the creation of a united German Empire. Thereafter William II participated significantly, often decisively, in the formulation of foreign and domestic policies. His administration of internal affairs was marked by the rapid transformation of Germany from an agricultural to a major industrial state and by the accompanying development of serious problems in capital-labor relations. Wilhelm was only partially successful in his attempts to curb the growth of Germany's Social Democratic Party, which ultimately became the most important political party in the Empire.

Final Encounter with Wilhelm

German newspapers, as a result of the news about the Russo-Franco Alliance and the Tzars' visit to Paris, begin to run articles blaming Bismarck for the failure to renew the treaty with Russia. Bismarck writes a newspaper editorial detailing precisely where the fault lies. Kaiser Wilhelm is furious. Even so he send Admiral Tirpitz to Bismarck in an effort to get him to say something positive about the rising German Navy. He refuses seeing the danger of challenging Britain. Then Wilhelm visits him uninvited. Bismarck is confined to a wheelchair, but his mind is still sharp. Over dinner he wonders how he can warn Wilhelm of the dangers to his crown and Germany that his policies are creating. He attempts to discuss world policy with him for the first tie in several years. Wilhelm turns his comments into a jest. Bismarck ties again and is rebuffed by another silly witticism. Even Wilhelm's staff is shocked at Wilhelm's rudeness. Finally he tells Wilhelm in a strong voice that all can here, "Your Majesty! So long as you have the present officer's corps, you can, indeed, do as you please. But when this is no longer the case, matters will be very different." Wilhelm prattles on and ignores his warning. After Wilhelm leaves, he continues to issue warnings of amazing accuracy. "If the country is well ruled, the coming war may be averted; if it is badly ruled, that war may become a Seven Years War! The wars of the future will be decided by artillery. Troops can be replaced in case of need; big guns must be made in time of peace. .... In Russia, the coming of a republic is perhaps nearer than most people suppose. .... In the fight between labour and capital, labour has won most of the victories, and that will happen everywhere as soon as the workers possess the vote. When the final victory comes it will be that of labour." [Ludwig, p. 632.]

Bismarck's Final Years

Excluded from government by Kaiser Wilhelm II, Bismarck's final years were devoted to writing his memoirs. He has come to despise Kaiser Wilhelm II. His entire life has been devoted to the service of the Kaiser's family and building an omnipotent monarchy for first Prussia and then Germany. He sought to limit the power of the German people and German democracy. Now at the end of his life he sees that he has been terribly mistaken. Germany and all of Europe will pay the consequences. At the end of his life he is all too aware that he should have put his trust with the German people. He died in 1898.

Sources

Ludwig, Emil. Bismarck: The Story of a Fighter (Little, Brown, and Company, 1927).

Tuchman, Barbara. The Guns of August.

Van der Kriste, John. Kaiser Wihelm II: Germany's Last Kaiser (Bodmin: Sutton Publishing, 1999), 244p.






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Created: 3:27 AM 1/6/2007
Last updated: 3:27 AM 1/6/2007