Who were the leaders in Germany during World War 1?
World War 1 Leaders: The 10 Greatest German Generals of 1914-1918
- Paul von Hindenberg (1847-1934)
- Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck (1890-1964)
- Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (1886-1941)
- Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg (1865-1939)
- Erich Ludendorff (1865-1937)
- Reinhard Scheer (1863-1928)
- Erich von Falkenhayn (1861-1922)
- Felix Graf von Bothmer (1852-1937)
- Remus von Woyrsch (1847-1920)
- Karl von Bülow (1846-1921)
Why did Germany lose World War I?
- Bad alliances. ...
- Kaiser Wilhelm II was kinda crazy. ...
- Germany didn't "beat" Russia, they just got lucky that the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 led to Russia withdrawing from the war.
- Belgium was neutral before the war but was invaded as part of the Schlieffen Plan. ...
- Germany ended up fighting a war of attrition. ...
What problems did Germany face before WW1?
• The Kaiser couldn't industrialise Germany, as workers had low pay. • Hos Weltpolitik made problems between Germany, Britain, and France. • Him trying to have a strong army caused them to go into debt. • Wanting a strong navy caused debt, and taxes went up. • Workers joining trade unions due to him making them have poor conditions.
What did Germany do to cause WW1?
Germany entered into World War I on August 1, 1914, when it declared war on Russia.In accordance with its war plan, it ignored Russia and moved first against France–declaring war on August 3 and sending its main armies through Belgium to capture Paris from the north. The German invasion of Belgium caused Britain to declare war on Germany on August 4.
What did Kaiser Wilhelm do in ww1?
During WWI, Wilhelm allowed his military advisers to dictate German policy. After realizing that Germany would lose the war, Wilhelm abdicated the throne in November 1918 and fled to the Netherlands, where he died in 1941.
Was Kaiser Wilhelm a good person?
Wilhelm was an intelligent man, but emotionally unstable and a poor leader. After two years as Kaiser, he dismissed the current chancellor and famous German leader Otto von Bismarck and replaced him with his own man. He blundered many times in his diplomacy with foreign nations.
How did Kaiser Wilhelm II cause ww1?
Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, Wilhelm encouraged the Austrians to adopt an uncompromising line against Serbia, effectively writing them a 'blank cheque' for German support in the event of war. He appeared not to realise the chain reaction this would trigger.
What happened to the last King of Germany?
In late 1918, he was forced to abdicate. He spent the rest of his life in exile in the Netherlands, where he died at age 82.
Who was the last German King?
William IIWilliam II, king of Prussia and last German emperor - he ruled the German Empire for 30 years before being toppled from the throne. But who was Emperor William II? Born in the Royal Palace in Potsdam, from the start of his life William was confronted with his country's history and the legacy of his ancestors.
Was ww1 a war crime?
World War I was the first major international conflict to take place following the codification of war crimes at the Hague Convention of 1907, including derived war crimes, such as the use of poisons as weapons, as well as crimes against humanity, and derivative crimes against humanity, such as torture, and genocide.
How long did Kaiser Wilhelm 2 rule for?
The reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II as King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany from 1888 to 1918 saw the meteoric rise of Germany as an economic and military power.
Were King George and Kaiser Wilhelm related?
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, King George V of Britain and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany were cousins. Wilhelm was born on the 27th of January 1859 in Berlin, Prussia.
Was Kaiser Wilhelm related to Tsar Nicholas?
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, King George V of Britain and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany were cousins. Wilhelm was born on the 27th of January 1859 in Berlin, Prussia.
Was Otto von Bismarck a good leader?
Bismarck was an outstanding diplomat and strong-willed leader. He achieved the title of 'The Iron Chancellor' for good reason. He navigated the German states to become a united empire and a major power in Europe. He initiated social welfare reforms and maintained the peace and stability of Germany and Europe.
What countries were Prussia?
Though itself one of Germany's many states, the kingdom of Prussia was comprised of: West Prussia, East Prussia, Brandenburg (including Berlin), Saxony, Pomerania, the Rhineland, Westphalia, non-Austrian Silesia, Lusatia, Schleswig-Holstein, Hanover, and Hesse-Nassau.
Who was the German leader who was shocked by the Nazis?
Hitler despised the man he held responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I, and Wilhelm was shocked by the Nazis’ thuggish tactics. In 1938, Wilhelm remarked that for the first time he was ashamed to be a German. After two decades in exile, he died in the Netherlands on June 4, 1941, at the age of 82.
What was Kaiser Wilhelm II's first year?
Contents. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Early Years. Emperor and King: 1888. Kaiser Wilhelm II and World War I. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Years of Exile. Wilhelm II (1859-1941), the German kaiser (emperor) and king of Prussia from 1888 to 1918, was one of the most recognizable public figures of World War I (1914-18). He gained a reputation as a swaggering ...
What did Bismarck predict about Wilhelm?
Bismarck bitterly predicted that Wilhelm would lead Germany to ruin. Wilhelm damaged his political position in a number of ways. He meddled in German foreign policy on the basis of his emotions, resulting in incoherence and inconsistency in German relations with other nations.
Why did Kaiser Wilhelm change the name of the British royal family?
Did you know? Kaiser Wilhelm II was reportedly amused when he heard his cousin King George V (1865-1936) had changed the name of the British royal family from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917 as a result of anti-German sentiment in Britain during World War I.
What did Kaiser think of the events of 1914?
In addition, the kaiser was out of touch with the realities of international politics in 1914; he thought that his blood relationships to other European monarchs were sufficient to manage the crisis that followed the June 1914 assassination of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914) in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
What did Wilhelm say to the British?
Wilhelm gave an interview to the London-based newspaper in which he offended the British by saying such things as: “You English are mad, mad, mad as March hares.”.
What was Wilhelm's political event?
The political event that shaped Wilhelm was the formation of the German Empire under the leadership of Prussia in 1871.
What was Germany's role in World War I?
History of Germany during World War I. During World War I, the German Empire was one of the Central Powers that lost the war. It began participation in the conflict after the declaration of war against Serbia by its ally, Austria-Hungary.
Who was the leader of the AEG in Germany?
Germany had to improvise rapidly. All major political sectors initially supported the war, including the Socialists. Early in the war industrialist Walter Rathenau held senior posts in the Raw Materials Department of the War Ministry, while becoming chairman of AEG upon his father's death in 1915.
What left wing party was formed in 1917?
In early 1917 the SPD leadership became concerned about the activity of its anti-war left-wing which had been organising as the Sozialdemokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (SAG, "Social Democratic Working Group"). On 17 January they expelled them, and in April 1917 the left-wing went on to form the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany ( German: Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands ). The remaining faction was then known as the Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany. This happened as the enthusiasm for war faded with the enormous numbers of casualties, the dwindling supply of manpower, the mounting difficulties on the homefront, and the never-ending flow of casualty reports. A grimmer and grimmer attitude began to prevail amongst the general population. The only highlight was the first use of mustard gas in warfare, in the Battle of Ypres.
How many people died in Germany during the war?
Out of a population of 65 million, Germany suffered 1.7 million military deaths and 430,000 civilian deaths due to wartime causes (especially the food blockade), plus about 17,000 killed in Africa and the other overseas colonies. The Allied blockade continued until July 1919, causing severe additional hardships.
What was the Western Front?
Main article: Western Front (World War I) The German army opened the war on the Western Front with a modified version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through neutral Belgium before turning southwards to encircle the French army on the German border.
How many tanks were on the Western Front in 1918?
By September 1918, the Central Powers were exhausted from fighting, the American forces were pouring into France at a rate of 10,000 a day, the British Empire was mobilised for war peaking at 4.5 million men and 4,000 tanks on the Western Front.
What was Germany dependent on?
Germany depended on imports of food and raw materials, which were stopped by the British blockade of Germany. Food prices were first limited, then rationing was introduced. In 1915 five million pigs were massacred in the so-called Schweinemord to both make food and preserve grain.
Who was the leader of Germany during WW1?
Germany was a Monarchy during WW1. There was Kaiser Wilhelm II and the leading Generals was Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
Who led Germany to WW1?
Like hitler led Germany into WW2, who led them to WW1? Officially, the head of the German Empire was Kaiser Wilhelm II, emperor of Germany, cousin of both the reigning King of England (George V) *and* Emperor of Russia (Nicholas II), aka the heads of his enemies:
What is another example of a German confederation?
German Confederation 1815–1866. Another example is the Kingdom of Hanover ruled by a branch of the British Guelph dynasty. Annexed in 1866 after the Lost War with Prussia it refused to be erased and 4 Members of the Guelph Party were always chosen in the National German Parliament. The German elections of 1912.
Why was the Baden Republic so weird?
It was seen as weird because the Grandduke of Baden was considered fairly Liberal. If a foolish German celebrity -more a notority- had not blown the Baden republic up decades ago nobody would be aware of this obscure oddity.
Which countries ceded territories to Germany after World War I?
Upper Silesia is given to the Czechs, Poland receives the Polish Corridor and other territories, Lithuania Memel, France Alsace-Lorraine, and Denmark Schlesvig-Holstein. Land west of the Rhine is given to Belgium.
Which country would have sided with the Austro-German pack?
Also Italy would probably have sided with the Austro-German pack, as part of which she was allied to Germany in an earlier treaty, and without British involvement would not have had a get-out clause in 1914, therefore one more ally; one less enemy!
Which country could have stopped the war in 1914?
With this in mind; then the only country / empire that Germany could have stopped entering the war in 1914 was Britain. Between 1900 - 1914 Britain saw Germany as a threat, because of the build up of the German Imperial Navy, which in turn was due to Alfred von Tirpiz.
When did Wilhelm II take over the German Empire?
His grandfather and father both died in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors, and Wilhelm ascended the throne as German emperor and king of Prussia on 15 June 1888. On 20 March 1890, he dismissed the German Empire's powerful longtime chancellor, Otto von Bismarck . After Bismarck's departure, Wilhelm II assumed direct control over his nation's ...
Who was Wilhelm II?
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941), anglicised as William II, was the last German Emperor ( Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening Germany's position as a great power by building a blue-water navy ...
What did Kaiser Wilhelm I die from?
Kaiser Wilhelm I died in Berlin on 9 March 1888, and Prince Wilhelm's father ascended the throne as Frederick III. He was already suffering from an incurable throat cancer and spent all 99 days of his reign fighting the disease before dying. On 15 June of that same year, his 29-year-old son succeeded him as German Emperor and King of Prussia.
What were the problems of Wilhelm II?
German foreign policy under Wilhelm II was faced with a number of significant problems. Perhaps the most apparent was that Wilhelm was an impatient man, subjective in his reactions and affected strongly by sentiment and impulse. He was personally ill-equipped to steer German foreign policy along a rational course. It is now widely recognised that the various spectacular acts which Wilhelm undertook in the international sphere were often partially encouraged by the German foreign policy elite. There were a number of notorious examples, such as the Kruger telegram of 1896 in which Wilhelm congratulated President Paul Kruger of the Transvaal Republic on the suppression of the British Jameson Raid, thus alienating British public opinion.
What happened to Wilhelm in 1863?
In 1863, Wilhelm was taken to England to be present at the wedding of his Uncle Bertie (later King Edward VII ), and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. Wilhelm attended the ceremony in a Highland costume, complete with a small toy dirk. During the ceremony, the four-year-old became restless. His eighteen-year-old uncle Prince Alfred, charged with keeping an eye on him, told him to be quiet, but Wilhelm drew his dirk and threatened Alfred. When Alfred attempted to subdue him by force, Wilhelm bit him on the leg. His grandmother, Queen Victoria, missed seeing the fracas; to her Wilhelm remained "a clever, dear, good little child, the great favourite of my beloved Vicky".
What did Wilhelm support?
Wilhelm supported the modernisers as they tried to reform the Prussian system of secondary education, which was rigidly traditional, elitist, politically authoritarian, and unchanged by the progress in the natural sciences. As hereditary Protector of the Order of Saint John, he offered encouragement to the Christian order's attempts to place German medicine at the forefront of modern medical practice through its system of hospitals, nursing sisterhood and nursing schools, and nursing homes throughout the German Empire. Wilhelm continued as Protector of the Order even after 1918, as the position was in essence attached to the head of the House of Hohenzollern.
Where was Wilhelm born?
Wilhelm was born in Berlin on 27 January 1859 — at the Crown Prince's Palace — to Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of Britain's Queen Victoria, and Prince Frederick William of Prussia (the future Frederick III). At the time of his birth, his granduncle, Frederick William IV, was king of Prussia. Frederick William IV had been left ...
Who Was Kaiser Wilhelm?
Born in Germany in 1859, to Germany's Frederick III and Victoria, Queen Victoria of England's eldest daughter, Kaiser Wilhelm served as emperor of Germany from 1888 until the end of World War I. During his rule, Germany's relations with Britain, France and Russia became strained. During WWI, Wilhelm allowed his military advisers to dictate German policy. After realizing that Germany would lose the war, Wilhelm abdicated the throne in November 1918 and fled to the Netherlands, where he died in 1941.
Who rallied German soldiers to fight in the Chinese Boxer Rebellion?
Not long after, Wilhelm rallied German soldiers to fight in the Chinese Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), nicknaming the soldiers "Huns" and encouraging them to fight like Attila 's troops. During WWI, Wilhelm allowed his military advisers to dictate German policy.
Where was Kaiser Wilhelm born?
Early Life. Kaiser Wilhelm, also known as Wilhelm II, was born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert in Potsdam, near Berlin, Germany, to Frederick III of Germany and Victoria (the future Empress Frederick), the eldest daughter of England's Queen Victoria, on January 27, 1859. Wilhelm was born with a withered arm.
Where did Wilhelm II live?
After realizing that Germany would lose the war, Wilhelm abdicated the throne on November 9, 1918, and fled to the Netherlands. He resided there as a country gentleman until his death, on June 4, 1941, in Doorn.
Who was the last tsar of Russia?
Nicholas II was the last tsar of Russia under Romanov rule. His poor handling of Bloody Sunday and Russia’s role in World War I led to his abdication and execution.
Who was Catherine the Great?
Catherine the Great. Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, served as empress of Russia for more than three decades in the late 18th century after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. (1729–1796) Person.
Who was the king of Macedonia?
Alexander the Great served as king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. During his time of leadership, he united Greece, reestablished the Corinthian League and conquered the Persian Empire.
Who was the head of state of Germany after Hitler died?
Upon the death of Paul von Hindenburg in August 1934 the office was left vacant, with Adolf Hitler becoming head of state as Führer und Reichskanzler (retroactively approved by a referendum ). In April–May 1945, Karl Dönitz briefly became President upon the suicide of Hitler (in accordance with last will and testament of Hitler ).
When did the German government create the presidential office?
A number of presidential offices have existed in Germany since the collapse of the German Empire in 1918. The Weimar Constitution of August 1919 created the office of President of Germany ( German: Reichspräsident ).
When did East Germany join the Federal Republic?
After the Staatsrat was abolished on 5 April 1990, the president of the Volkskammer ("People's Chamber") served as head of state until East Germany joined the Federal Republic on 3 October 1990.
When did the German government become a federal republic?
The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany of May 1949 created the office of President of the Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundespräsident ). From German reunification in 1990, the President has been the head of state for all of Germany.
Overview
The president of the Reich (German: Reichspräsident) was the German head of state under the Weimar constitution, which was officially in force from 1919 to 1945. In English he was usually simply referred to as the president of Germany.
The Weimar constitution created a semi-presidential system in which power was divided between president, cabinet and parliament. The Reichspräsident was dir…
Election
Under the Weimar constitution, the President was directly elected by universal adult suffrage for a term of seven years; reelection was not limited.
The law provided that the presidency was open to all German citizens who had reached 35 years of age. The direct election of the president occurred under a form of the two round system. If no candidate received the support of an absol…
Duties and functions
• Appointment of the Government: The Reichskanzler ("Chancellor of the Reich") and his cabinet were appointed and dismissed by the president. No vote of confirmation was required in the Reichstag before the members of the cabinet could assume office, but any member of the cabinet was obliged to resign if the body passed a vote of no confidence in him. The president could appoint and …
Removal and succession
The Weimar constitution did not provide for a vice presidency. If the president died or left office prematurely a successor would be elected. During a temporary vacancy, or in the event that the president was "unavailable", the powers and functions of the presidency passed to the chancellor.
The provisions of the Weimar constitution for the impeachment or deposition of the president are similar to those found in the Constitution of Austria. The Weimar constitution provided that the p…
History
The Reichspräsident was established as a kind of Ersatzkaiser, that is, a substitute for the monarch who had reigned in Germany until 1918. The new president's role was therefore informed, at least in part, by that played by the Kaiser under the system of constitutional monarchy being replaced. Hugo Preuss, the writer of the Weimar constitution, is said to have accepted the advice of Ma…
Presidential Standards
• 1919–1921
• 1921–1926
• 1926–1933
• 1933–1934
• 1934–1945
See also
• President of Germany
• List of presidents of Germany
• Politics of Germany
• History of Germany
Summary
During World War I, the German Empire was one of the Central Powers. It began participation in the conflict after the declaration of war against Serbia by its ally, Austria-Hungary. German forces fought the Allies on both the eastern and western fronts, although German territory itself remained relatively safe from widespread invasion for most of the war, except for a brief period in 1914 when East Prussia was invaded. A tight blockade imposed by the Royal Navy caused severe foo…
Overview
The German population responded to the outbreak of war in 1914 with a complex mix of emotions, in a similar way to the populations in other countries of Europe; notions of overt enthusiasm known as the Spirit of 1914 have been challenged by more recent scholarship. The German government, dominated by the Junkers, saw the war as a way to end being surrounded by hostile powers F…
1914–15
The German army opened the war on the Western Front with a modified version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through neutral Belgium before turning southwards to encircle the French army on the German border. The Belgians fought back, and sabotaged their rail system to delay the Germans. The Germans did not expect this and were delayed, and responded …
1916
1916 was characterized by two great battles on the Western front, at Verdun and the Somme. They each lasted most of the year, achieved minimal gains, and drained away the best soldiers of both sides. Verdun became the iconic symbol of the murderous power of modern defensive weapons, with 280,000 German casualties, and 315,000 French. At the Somme, there were over 400,000 Germ…
1917
In early 1917 the SPD leadership became concerned about the activity of its anti-war left-wing which had been organising as the Sozialdemokratische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (SAG, "Social Democratic Working Group"). On 17 January they expelled them, and in April 1917 the left-wing went on to form the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (German: Unabhängige Sozi…
1918
In spring 1918, Germany realized that time was running out. It prepared for the decisive strike with new armies and new tactics, hoping to win the war on the Western front before millions of American soldiers appeared in battle. General Erich Ludendorff and Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg had full control of the army, they had a large supply of reinforcements moved from the Eastern front…
Home front
The "spirit of 1914" was the overwhelming, enthusiastic support of all elements of the population for war in 1914. In the Reichstag, the vote for credits was unanimous, with all the Socialists but one (Karl Liebknecht) joining in. One professor testified to a "great single feeling of moral elevation of soaring of religious sentiment, in short, the ascent of a whole people to the heights." At th…
Defeat and revolt
Many Germans wanted an end to the war and increasing numbers of Germans began to associate with the political left, such as the Social Democratic Party and the more radical Independent Social Democratic Party which demanded an end to the war. The third reason was the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917, which tipped the long-run balance of power even more to the Allies…