Wilhelm II

(1859–1941)

   Emperor of Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm II, who came to the throne in 1888, was the last monarch of Germany. He is known in Jewish history chiefly for his dealings with Dr HERZL, who was most anxious to enlist German influence in Constantinople. The kaiser’s sympathy for Zionism was gained by the influence of his uncle, the grand duke of Baden. In October 1898 he received Herzl in Constantinople and promised to put in a good word with the sultan for a Jewish Char-tered Company in Palestine under German protection. A second official audience took place in Jerusalem on 2 November. Here the atmosphere was less warm than in Constantinople, and the kaiser said nothing of the chartered company. It became clear that he had lost interest. His short-lived enthusiasm for Zionism was influenced by the prospect of removing Jews from Germany. The kaiser was an admirer of the racial-ist and anti-Semitic writers of the time.