Kaiser Wilhelm and Tr**P

[GoneOffShore]

One of the few things that Kaiser Wilhelm II, who ruled Germany from 1888 to 1918, had a talent for was causing outrage. A particular specialty was insulting other monarchs. He called the diminutive King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy “the dwarf” in front of the king’s own entourage. He called Prince (later Tsar) Ferdinand, of Bulgaria, “Fernando naso,” on account of his beaky nose, and spread rumors that he was a hermaphrodite. Since Wilhelm was notably indiscreet, people always knew what he was saying behind their backs. Ferdinand had his revenge. After a visit to Germany, in 1909, during which the Kaiser slapped him on the bottom in public and then refused to apologize, Ferdinand awarded a valuable arms contract that had been promised to the Germans to a French company instead.

New Yorker

[tblue37]

1. K&R and thanks. nt

[appalachiablue]

2. What a waste. One of the 120 uniforms Wilhelm owned.

[xxqqqzme]

4. Wonder what that costume weighed?

There is quite a bit of tinsel hanging from that get up. The drapery tassel alone must be 2 or 3 pounds.

[appalachiablue]

5. Never saw a tassel like that, looks like a wisk broom. He had

a short, withered left arm injured from breech birth that he tried to disguise, and emotional problems according to bio.



Kaiser Wilhelm (L) and Czar Nicholas II of Russia, cousin (R). Another uniform!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor

[sprinkleeninow]

3. My maternal grandfather came to the U.S. on the ship named for this kaiser.

At least that was a redeeming quality connected with this 'ruler'. Everything else, not much.

[SkyDaddy7]

6. THANK-YOU!!!

I really love history but to know the very fine print of history like this little tid-bit you shared with us really helps to know the major players even better! And even if it doesn't shine much light it is still incredibly interesting!!

[no_hypocrisy]

7. One factor out of several can explain the last Kaiser.

He was born with a malformed right arm of which he was ashamed. He felt like a freak.

Another factor was he was competing with other European rulers who literally were his first cousins, e.g., King Edward, Nicholas (Tsar of Russia), having Queen Victoria as their grandmother. It was a competition for dominance in the family as well as for colonies and regarding having the strongest military.

[heckles65]

8. Kaiser Wilhelm has at least one good joke to his credit-

When the British royal family changed their name to "Windsor" in 1917, Wilhelm joked that he was going to see "The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg." Trump doesn't even have that.