Wilhelm II

Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 1859–1941) was the last German emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia. During the three decades of his reign, he embodied a nation that ranked among the leading powers on the world stage, being a preeminent military and economic power that had achieved enormous success in science, technology, and culture. At the same time, however, Wilhelm II was considered the main culprit in unleashing the First World War, which not only transformed the entire system of international relations but also brought an end to his reign. This collection includes the book “The Last Hohenzollern” by German writer and biographer E. Ludwig (1881–1948), which recounts little-known facts concerning the circumstances surrounding the outbreak of the First World War, the personal relationship between Wilhelm II and the Russian Tsar Nicholas II, and the fall of the House of Hohenzollern; a work by German writer and journalist P. Lindenberg (1859–1943), which reveals many interesting details of the Kaiser’s daily life; and Wilhelm II’s memoirs, “Events and People,” in which he shares his thoughts and judgments about Germany’s past and present, describes his inner circle, and assesses historical events. Viewed from different perspectives, the published works shed light on the extraordinary and contradictory personality of Wilhelm II, allowing the reader to form a detailed and objective impression of him.