Within a couple of decades, Kaiser Wilhlem II has led the German Reich into World War and collapse. How did the Kaiser come to have so much power? Using new archival sources, this book analyzes the Kaiser and the nature of his rule, including the neo-absolutist culture of his court and of Berlin society and the extent of his anti-Semitism.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Preface to the English edition; Introduction; 1. Kaiser Wilhelm II: a suitable case for treatment?; 2. Philipp Eulenburg, the Kaiser's best friend; 3. The Kaiser's court; 4. The 'kingship mechanism' in the Kaiserreich; 5. Higher civil servants in Wilhelmine Germany; 6. The splendour and impotence of the German diplomatic service; 7. Dress rehearsal in December: military decision-making on the eve of the First World War; 8. Kaiser Wilhelm II and German anti-semitism.
