Memories of the Kaiser's Court

strike him as out of place—“so direct and forcible; couldn’t have been better.”

Perhaps the Emperor’s martial comment was caused by his knowledge that in four days’ time he proposed to make his daughter Colonel of the Second Hussars, stationed at Danzig, the regiment of which his mother, the Empress Frederick, had also been colonel. On the birthday of the Empress, October 22, the news was announced.

A rumour of the event had taken wind, but the strictest secrecy was enjoined, and the necessary saddlery and, still more important, the necessary feminine uniform had been all prepared, the latter without any “trying on.”

It took three maids, several ladies, and at the last moment the patient ministrations and advice of the Emperor’s Leib-Jäger, to get the Princess satisfactorily into that uniform.

It was fearfully tight under the arms and round the neck, and the new patent-leather boots pinched horribly, so that the radiant glow of satisfaction in the glory and honour of wearing it was tinctured with some pain and discomfort, for the day was unusually warm, almost oppressive, and the heavy cloth loaded with astrachan, the hot fur cap with its skull and cross-bones (the emblem which gives the regiment its name, the Toten-Kopf or Death’s-Head Hussars) combined with the cumbersome habit-skirt, weighted the Princess almost beyond endurance.

All the officers of the regiment had travelled from distant Danzig, a twelve hours’ journey, to be presented to their new colonel; and the Empress’s birthday table, with the usual dozen of new hats, received hardly any attention at all, every one being absorbed in the “new recruit” to His Majesty’s forces.

“She will ride at the head of the first regiment that invades England,” said the Emperor gaily to me.

“Yes, I hope so. Then we shall be delighted to see it,” was the only possible answer I could find.

“Oh yes! You will receive her with open arms, no doubt,” he laughed, but looked as though he were not quite sure of the matter.

But when his daughter the following year accompanied her parents to England for the unveiling of the Queen Victoria Memorial, although she did not arrive at the head of her regiment, she nevertheless managed to subjugate and be subjugated by that portion of England which came within her sphere of influence.

Her impressions of her week in London, a city she had expected to find wrapt in impenetrable fog, but which remained, with the exception of a few showers, bathed in sunshine all the time of her visit, were joyous in the extreme.

The soldiers, especially the Highlanders walking with that peculiarly characteristic, proud, delightful swagger, the rhythmic swing of their kilts, the skirl of their bagpipes, thrilled her with delight.

“Your soldiers are wonderful,” she said; “I never thought they were like that. Every private walks like an officer.”

She thought the “Military Tournament” the most delightful entertainment she had ever seen, and was intensely amused at “Arthur’s Arabs,” the soldiers of the regiment of Prince Arthur of Connaught, who, disguised in burnous and appropriate head-gear and jabbering a jargon of their own invention, interspersed with weird shrieks and gestures, imposed themselves on a portion of the unsuspecting British public as “the real article” from somewhere in the neighbourhood of Algiers, and accomplished their tent-pegging to the accompaniment of blood-curdling and ear-piercing yells.

When the Emperor and Empress went with the King and Queen to spend the afternoon at Windsor Castle, King George sent all the German servants and footmen, under the guidance of some of his own English servants, to see this same Military Tournament, at which they were much delighted—for, as a rule, it is very difficult for people in attendance on travelling royalties to get any but a very cursory glimpse of the countries where they are staying. They returned glowing with enthusiasm and full of interest in what they had seen.

“So etwas haben wir nicht in Deutschland” (We have nothing like that in Germany), said one Diener to me with a certain quaint surprise; “it is very amusing, very interesting; but what is the use of it? We should not let our army waste its time dancing quadrilles with four-horse guns.”

I explained to the best of my ability that the tournament was a charitable affair and helped to get money for soldiers’ orphans, also that the gun evolutions were really only a modification of real military tactics. He seemed hardly convinced, however, and, in spite of his loudly expressed pleasure in the spectacle, still continued doubtful as to its relative utility.

If one may judge from the occasional bits of gossip which float upwards from “below stairs,” rather humorous situations sometimes arise between the servants of royalty belonging to different nationalities. When King George and Queen Mary paid their last visit to Berlin, on the occasion of the marriage of the Emperor’s daughter, two English waiting-maids were taken for a drive in Potsdam by a kindly German maid anxious to show some polite attention to the visitors. She, however, complained bitterly on her return of the severely patriotic attitude of the two British ladies, who, whatever they were shown, compared it detrimentally to something else in England; and when the German pointed out, as a possible object of interest, the large hangar built for the accommodation of Zeppelin’s air-ship, ostentatiously turned away their heads and looked in another direction, finding nothing more gracious to say than that they were “very pleased that the air-ship had descended by mistake into French territory!” Happily such rigidly uncompromising souls are rarely found at Court.

From her earliest years, projects for the marriage of the Kaiser’s daughter had been continually discussed, and as she grew older every eligible prince in Europe—with the exception of the one she eventually married—was cited as a possible husband. The Kings of Spain and Portugal were for some time hot favourites; and when the former young monarch, before his marriage, paid a visit of several days to the New Palace, all the newspapers, taking no account of differences of age and religion, were naturally quite certain that they had run to ground the future bridegroom of the Princess, then only fourteen years of age.

The King was, in spite of the fact that he has no pretensions to beauty, an extremely attractive personality, and he and the Princess were the best of friends, having a similarity of tastes in jokes and a mutual passion for horses. When the King shot his first stag in the Wildpark he gallantly presented her with his Spruch or trophy of leaves, which remained as an ornament of her sitting-room until the announcement of his engagement to Princess Ena of Battenberg, when the Spruch, which had been disintegrating leaf by leaf, finally disappeared.

Of all possible marriages, that which the Kaiser’s daughter eventually made was the last that any one would have dared to prophesy, so utterly improbable did it appear. The Duke of Cumberland, father of the bridegroom, had from childhood been the implacable enemy of the Prussian Royal House and Government. All attempts of the Emperor to bring about a reconciliation had failed.

With almost monotonous regularity the newspapers would announce from time to time the approaching meeting of the Emperor with the Duke, and with equal certainty a paragraph would appear next day announcing the latter’s departure from the scene of the projected rendezvous “a few hours before His Majesty’s arrival.” The name of “The Vanishing Duke” became peculiarly appropriate, and the feud appeared to have settled down into that hopeless state where every effort at reconciliation has been exhausted, and nothing remains to be done.

Many brilliant statesmen and crowned heads had to retire baffled after frequent praiseworthy but ineffective efforts, until at last those two great factors in the affairs of the world, Death and Love, intervened.

The Duke’s eldest son, travelling in his motor-car through Germany on his way to the funeral of his uncle the King of Denmark, met his death by an accident in a lonely part of the road, lay for a time unrecognized, and then, his identity becoming known, the Emperor sent off his son, Prince Eitel Fritz, with instructions to render all possible help in the distressing circumstances. The body of the young prince for two nights remained in the little village church near the place where the accident happened, guarded by Prussian soldiers and the two sons of the Kaiser—for the Crown Prince, whose wife’s brother is married to a daughter of the Duke, was also sent by the Emperor to do what he could to soften the sad tragedy. They watched all night by the coffin and escorted it on its way to burial.

A few weeks afterwards, Ernest Augustus, the second son of the Duke, by his brother’s death become heir to the family feud, came on his father’s behalf to thank the Emperor for his sympathy and aid in their sorrow. For the first time in their lives he and the Kaiser’s daughter met, spent an hour or so in each other’s company, and then, his mission fulfilled, he departed again. But a new element had been introduced into the quarrel: so strong was the mutual attraction felt by the two young people for each other that, in spite of the short time of their meeting, in spite of the tremendous prejudices and difficulties in the way, they at last wore down the opposition and conquered the accumulated hate of years. What the most practised diplomats failed to achieve, this boy and girl accomplished, and at last, through many troubles, delays, and vexations, won their way to their hearts’ desire.

On the evening of the wedding of the Princess with Prince Ernest of Cumberland, now Duke of Brunswick, at the beginning of the historic Torch Dance which concludes the ceremonies, the radiant bride, taking her father by one hand and the Duke of Cumberland by the other, walked between them round the hall to the sound of the stately bridal music.

It was a happy symbol, the erstwhile enemies linked together by the Kaiser’s daughter, a visible sign of the alleviation, if not quite the ending, of a situation which had for long years galled and irritated the German people.

Now, with the departure of his youngest child, the last one left at home, the private life of the Kaiser’s Court has grown in these later days somewhat still and a trifle lonely. There is as yet no little girl among the children of the Crown Prince to take even partially the place of the one who has gone away, the one who was her father’s particular companion and pride.

The Bauern Haus is closed, the Prinzen Wohnung shut up.

“It is really quite sad,” wrote recently a lady of the Court, “to see all those apartments deserted and locked up, the curtains drawn across the windows, no movement or life where formerly there was so much. Christmas was strange indeed without our Princess. We all felt it like a shadow over the festivities. We seemed to feel that we were getting old.”

And the Emperor, who in his private friendships has undergone many disappointments and disillusions, becomes increasingly conscious of the soul solitude brought by advancing years.

Yet, though suffering from occasional moods of depression, he faces the future with confidence in the destiny of his house.

Among his later literary admirations Kipling’s poem

“If” holds first place. A copy hangs above his writing-table; he quotes it frequently to his sons, and translates it into terse and expressive German for the benefit of his adjutants. It embodies his own experience of Life, crystallizes his own aspirations. He too has always been anxious

INDEX

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z

Adalbert, Prince, of Prussia, 44;
his fancy-dress ball, 160
Africa, German, 46, 168
Albany, Duchess of, 53
Alexander of Teck, Princess, 53, 55
Alexandra, Queen, 68, 228
Alexandria, the Emperor’s river-steamer, 169
Amber, 76, 182
Aosta, Duchess of, 151
Apollo-Saal, 45
Aubade of court ladies and gentlemen, 155
Augusta-Stift, 101
Augusta Victoria, German Empress, adventure in Königsberg, 201;
appearance, personal, 216;
audience, 8;
birthday, 95;
Christmas gifts, 69, 76;
cruise on the Iduna, 183, 218;
fall from horse, 172;
Irish apron, 70;
interest in social schemes, 214;
recreations, 216;
speech at Königsberg, 217;
treats to school-children, 188, 213;
unmarried sister, 136
August Wilhelm, Prince, of Prussia, 44

Baden, Louise, Grand Duchess of, 231
Ballin, head of Hamburg-America line of steamships, 210
Balls, State, 97;
fancy-dress, 160
Baltic Sea, 181
Bauern Haus, 83, 128
Bernstein, 76, 182
Bescherung, 74, 80
Bilder-Galerie, 150
Bismarck, Prince, 170
Black Forest, 108
Boer War, 46
Bonaparte, Jerome, King of Westphalia, 162
Bonaparte, Napoleon, 208
Books for boys in Germany, 28
Bornstedter-Feld, 47
Bornstedter-Gut, 137
Brandenburger-Tor, 148
Bride’s garter, 154
Brunswick, Duke of, 238
Butchers of Berlin escort royal brides, 148

Cadinen, 174
Cambridge, Duke of, 29, 85
Carol-singing, 73
Cassel, 159
Cécile, Crown Princess of Germany, 145, 156
Chapel at Wilhelmshöhe, 161
—— gallery, Berlin, 92
Chicken-pox, 223
Chocolate antiques, 22
Circus, Busch’s, 64
“Communs,” 38
Concert, State, 93
Connaught, Prince Arthur of, 151, 234
Copernicus, 183, 185
Corfu, 63
Cromwell, 209
Cronberg, 14
Cumberland, Duke of, 236

Danzig, 180
—— Gulf of, 175
Defilir-Cour, 152
Diamonds, German, 168
Divining-rod, 168
Dohna of Schlobitten, Prince, 196
Droschky-driver, 172

Easter eggs, 99
Edward VII, King, 68, 229
Elbing, 175
Elk, 194, 199
Ena, Princess of Battenberg, 236
Esmarck, Professor von, 24
Eulenburg, Prince Philip, 195

Féodora of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess, 136
Ferry, Sacrow, 171
Feud between Guelph and Hohenzollern, 236
Forest, Rominten, 194
Frauenburg, 183, 185
Frederick, Prince, of Prussia (Prince “Fritz”), playing hockey, 56;
wedding, 154
Frederick Charles of Hesse, Princess, 14
Frederick, Empress, her practical mind, 37;
reading with her son, 226;
power of work, 227;
flowers and memorial to Prince Sigismund, ib.
Frederick the Great, Sans Souci, 50;
his harpsichord and books in the New Palace, 158
Frederick William, German Crown Prince, plays hockey, 55;
at Ploen, 123;
his engagement, 145;
his marriage, 147;
his firstborn, 156;
his tastes and character, 219
Frisches Haff, 175, 179
Frühstücks-tafel, 45
Fürstenburg, Max Egon, Prince of, 106

Gainsborough, 209
Gallery, Jasper, 158
Gallery, Picture, 150
Garde du Corps, 153
Geheim-Polizisten, 106
George, Crown Prince of Greece, 14
George V, King of England, 63
Gottes-Dienst, 179
Gratulations-Cour, 87

Ha-la-li, 198
“Halloren,” sausage of the, 89
Hamburg-America Line, 210
Hercules, statue of, 161
Herero War, 46, 48
Hesse-Homburg, Landgraf of, 11
Highcliffe Castle, 207
Hohenzollern, 229
Hollmann, Admiral von, 225
Hunt dinner, 172
Hunt uniform, 192

Iduna, 183
Intendant, worries of Theatre, 66

Joachim, Prince, of Prussia, youngest son of the Kaiser, 11, 18, 31

Kachel-Ofen, 39
Kahlberg, 181
Kiel, 160, 229
Kinder-Fest, 188
Kinder-Heim, 212
Königsberg, 201, 217
Krönungs-Tag, 92

Lakes, chain of, Potsdam, 169
László, Philip von, his portraits, 211
Liebenberg, Schloss, 196
Lonsdale, Lord, 109
Louise, Queen, of Prussia, 170
Lowther Castle, 109
Loyalty, German, 29

Marienburg, 184
Marmor-Palais, 53, 156
Marmor-Saal, 62
Marshal of the Court, 152
Mary, Queen, of England, 63
Master of the Horse, 228
Matrosen-Station, 170
Mecklenburg horses, 167
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess Cécile of, 145
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duke of, 151
Military Tournament, 234
Muschel-Saal, 75
Museum, Kaiser Friedrich, 231

Napoleon I., 208
Napoleon III., 162
Nelson, 209
Neuer Garten, 50
New Year’s Eve, 86
Norway, King of, 96
Norway, Olaf, Crown Prince of, 96
Norwegian landing-stage, 169

Oldenburg, Duchess Sophie Charlotte of, 154
Opera House, 66
Oscar, Prince, of Prussia, 55, 172, 174

Peasant-women as housemaids, 176
Pfauen-Insel, 169
Photographs, 146
Ploen, 61, 123
Policemen and mob, 202, 204
Portrait-painting, 211
Portugal, King of, 236
Portugal, Queen Augusta Victoria of, 60
Procession of peasants at Donau-Eschingen, 110
“Pulpits” in the forest, 198

Radaune, the, 180
“Railway Palace,” 113
Reit-Bahn, 59
Residences, royal, 36;
Belle Vue, 90, 222;
Berlin Schloss, 87;
Cadinen, 174;
Homburg, 3, 17;
Mon Biou, 224;
New Palace, 36;
Rominten, 190;
Sacrow, 171;
Sans Souci, 50;
Strasburg Schloss, 113;
Wilhelmshöhe, 159;
Wilhelmsthal, 162
Riding in Cadinen, 186
Rococo Period, 45
Roman fortress, Homburg, 22
Rominte, 193
“Rule Britannia” in a German school, 126
Rutsch-Bahn, 170

Saalburg, 22
Sand-Hof, 48
Sans Souci, 50
“Sardanapalus,” 68
Saxe-Altenburg, Prince of, 100
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of, 144
Schilder-Saal, 80
Schleswig-Holstein, Duchess of, 51
Schrippen-Fest, 135
Shah of Persia, 104
“Sherlock Holmes,” 28
Sigismund, Prince, of Prussia, son of the Empress Frederick, 227
Skating, 54
Sleighing, 97
Spain, King Alfonso of, 236
Speck von Sternburg, Baron, 194
Speise-Karte, 45
Stifts-Kinder, 103
Strasburg, 113
“Strecke,” the, 198
Supper in royal train, 31, 191

Tanz-Proben, 97
Teutonic Knights, 184
Theatre of Frederick the Great, 61
Thunderstorms in Cadinen, 184
Thüringer-Wald, 107
Tie-pin and studs, 204
Tile-factory, 185
Torch Dance, 153
Trafalgar, 209
“Treasure Island,” 27
Tree, Beerbohm, 65
Tree, Viola, 65
Trippers, fifty thousand, 85
Truchsess, 152
Turkey, Sultan of, 157
Turn Saal, 61
Tutors, 119
Twins, 14

Unken, 177
Unter den Linden, 87

Victoria Louise, Princess, of Prussia, 1;
art and Herr von László, 211;
birthday party, 120;
confirmation, 230, 232;
cookery, 129;
dancing-mistress, 97;
donkeys, 58;
letters to her father, 62;
piano-playing, 63;
pig, 52;
ponies given by the Sultan, 14;
riding, 47;
toast for “Papa,” 197;
sack races, 120
Victoria Memorial, Queen, 234
Vistula, 175

Waiting-maids, patriotic, 235
Weddings, royal, 144
Weisser-Saal, 93, 97, 152
Werder, 99
Whitsuntide at the Prussian Court, 135
Wildpark, 47
William I., German Emperor, 168, 170
William II., German Emperor: afternoon siesta, 217;
al fresco meals, 170, 171;
anecdotal moods, 84, 225;
anniversary of accession, 92;
birthday, 93;
Cadinen, 174;
carol-singing, 80;
censorship of architectural plans, 211;
chicken-pox, 222;
children’s guard of honour, 214;
conducting the band, 62;
dancing at court, 97;
diamond cigarette-case, 168;
duties of women, views on, 230;
evenings at home, 218;
excursions on river-steamer at Potsdam, 169;
family life, 13;
fancy-dress ball at Kiel, 160;
farming operations, 52;
hiding Easter eggs, 100;
horror of alcohol, 25;
hunt dinner, 172;
hunt uniform, 192;
hymn-singing, 161;
inspection of troops for South-West Africa, 48;
interest in aviation, 139, 141;
in human nature, 104, 135;
László, 211;
musical tastes, 63;
moose hunt, 199;
New Year cards, 86;
Norwegian hunting-lodge, 193;
picnics, 21, 166;
Punch, 218;
rebuilding the Saalburg, 23;
review at Metz, 114;
on Bornstedter Feld, 48;
rides in Wilhelmshöhe, 165;
safety-staircases for opera-house, 66;
silver wedding, 155, 213;
suffragettes, 229;
talk with soldiers, 135;
tea and Zwieback, 21;
tennis, 166;
tile-factory, 185;
umbrella of the admiral, 225;
visit to Highcliffe, 83, 207;
visit to Königsberg, 201;
Waidmann’s Heil, 198, 211;
Windsor, 161, 234;
women and votes, 229;
women-colonels, 230, 233
Witte, Count, 196
Woolwich Common, 85
Wright, Orville, 138

Zeppelin, Count, 141, 235
Zigelei, 185

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