Shadowy Facts About Kaiser Wilhelm II, The Last German Emperor
Kaiser Wilhelm II was the last Emperor of Germany. His delicate ego, intense jealousies, and unpredictable temper led straight to the calamitous events of WWI and the fall of the House of Hohenzollern.
1. He Was The Curse Of The Continent
Kaiser Wilhelm II was born into one of the largest royal houses in all of Europe. But this prince's jealousy for his English cousins, his insecurity over his hideous deformity, and his famously mercurial personality made him a danger to the whole continent.
Even after he abdicated his throne, he suffered personal tragedies from which he would never recover.
2. He Had Family In High Places
Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert, aka Kaiser Wilhelm II, was royally connected from birth. His mother, Victoria, Princess Royal, was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He was, himself, the eldest of Queen Victoria’s staggering 42 grandchildren.
But, despite his royal lineage and connections, his childhood was anything but pleasant—in part due to his incredibly traumatic birth.
3. His Mother Almost Didn’t Survive Giving Birth
Wilhelm II had, to put it mildly, a difficult time coming into this world. During his mother’s labour, her doctor realized that the baby was in breech position—potentially a death sentence for both her and the baby in those days.
Though traumatic for both Wilhelm and his mother, both of them made it through in the end—but they weren't unscathed.
4. He Was Practically Stillborn
When he finally emerged from the birth canal, Wilhelm II was eerily silent. Much to the horror of everyone in the room, the blue-lipped young Hohenzollern prince was hypoxic.
Desperate to revive the infant, and against the protestations from his parents, the doctor spanked Wilhelm II repeatedly until, miraculously, “a weak cry escaped his pale lips”.
But the damage was already done.
