author
German Emperor William II
1859–1941
The last German emperor ruled through years of rapid change, rising power, and finally the collapse of the empire after World War I. His dramatic reign and long exile have made him one of the most debated figures in modern European history.
2 Audiobooks
The Kaiser's Memoirs
by German Emperor William II
The German Emperor as Shown in His Public Utterances
by German Emperor William II
About the author
Born in Potsdam on January 27, 1859, he was the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria and grew up at the center of European royalty. In 1888, the "Year of the Three Emperors," he became German emperor and king of Prussia.
He quickly became known for his forceful personality and for dismissing Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1890. During his reign, Germany expanded its navy and asserted itself more aggressively on the world stage, helping shape the tense international climate before World War I.
After Germany's defeat in 1918, he abdicated and went into exile in the Netherlands, where he lived at Huis Doorn until his death on June 4, 1941. His life remains closely tied to the story of imperial Germany's rise and fall.