Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 43522-h.htm or 43522-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43522/43522-h/43522-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43522/43522-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See http://archive.org/details/kaisersmemoirswi00will Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS [Illustration: WILHELM II] THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS by WILHELM II Emperor of Germany 1888-1918 English Translation by Thomas R. Ybarra Harper & Brothers Publishers New York and London 1922 THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS Copyright, 1922 By McClure Newspaper Syndicate Copyright, 1922 By Harper & Brothers Printed in the U. S. A. _First Edition_ K-W CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. BISMARCK 1 II. CAPRIVI 51 III. HOHENLOHE 59 IV. BÜLOW 95 V. BETHMANN 124 VI. MY CO-WORKERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION 171 VII. SCIENCE AND ART 196 VIII. MY RELATIONS WITH THE CHURCH 208 IX. ARMY AND NAVY 223 X. THE OUTBREAK OF WAR 246 XI. THE POPE AND PEACE 263 XII. END OF THE WAR AND MY ABDICATION 272 XIII. THE ENEMY TRIBUNAL AND THE NEUTRAL TRIBUNAL 292 XIV. THE QUESTION OF GUILT 303 XV. THE REVOLUTION AND GERMANY'S FUTURE 337 THE KAISER'S MEMOIRS CHAPTER I Bismarck Prince Bismarck's greatness as a statesman and his imperishable services to Prussia and Germany are historical facts of such tremendous significance that there is doubtless no man in existence, whatever his party affiliations, who would dare to place them in question. For this very reason alone it is stupid to accuse me of not having recognized the greatness of Prince Bismarck. The opposite is the truth. I revered and idolized him. Nor could it be otherwise. It should be borne in mind with what generation I grew up--the generation of the devotees of Bismarck. He was the creator of the German Empire, the paladin of my grandfather, and all of us considered him the greatest statesman of his day and were proud that he was a German. Bismarck was the idol in my temple, whom I worshiped.