Wilhelm II

518 pp., 6 x 9, notes, bibl., index

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8078-5719-9
Published: July 2009
E-book EPUB ISBN: 978-0-8078-6074-8
Published: November 2000
E-book PDF ISBN: 979-8-8908-6468-0
Published: November 2000

H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series

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Wilhelm II (1859-1941), King of Prussia and German Emperor from 1888 to 1918, reigned during a period of unprecedented economic, cultural, and intellectual achievement in Germany. This volume completes Lamar Cecil's prize-winning scholarly biography of the Kaiser, one of modern history's most powerful--and most misunderstood--rulers.

As Cecil shows, Wilhelm's private life reflects a deeply troubled and very superficial man. But the book's larger focus is on Wilhelm as a head of state. Cecil traces the events of the years leading up to World War I, a period that offers ample evidence of the Kaiser's inept conduct of foreign affairs, especially relations with England. Once war broke out, his generals and statesmen kept him on the sidelines. He was dethroned on November 9, 1918, when a socialist republic was established in Berlin, and he fled in exile to Holland, where he resided for the remaining twenty-three years of his life, working energetically, but to no avail, for his restoration to the throne.

Originally published in 1996.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

About the Author

Lamar Cecil is author of four books on imperial Germany, including Wilhelm II: Prince and Emperor, 1859-1900 (UNC Press, 1989), which won the 1991 Book Prize of the German Studies Association. He is William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of History at Washington and Lee University.
For more information about Lamar Cecil, visit the Author Page.

Reviews

“A work for both the layman and the scholar. This biography brings an entire era to life and creates a framework for the broader study of pre-Weimar Germany and Europe. It inspires the student to explore further the labyrinths of German history.”--German Studies Review

"Cecil writes clearly and elegantly, weaving personal anecdotes into lucid analyses of the Second Reich."--American Historical Review

"This well-researched biography makes fascinating reading."--Virginia Quarterly Review

"Compelling. It is detailed, yet fast-paced, based on prodigious archival research and written with verve. It is a relentless portrait of evil, and a fascinating one, too."--Washington Times

"An outstanding example of meticulous archival research and incisive analysis."--Choice

"A readable, carefully researched and well-balanced account of the long life and unhappy reign of the last of the Hohenzollern."--Times Literary Supplement