background to the first World war

Due to rising nationalist sentiment, large conflicts of interest and an unrelenting struggle for hegemony at the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe, two political blocs evolved. On one side was the Central Powers consisting of Germany and Austria-Hungary; on the other side the Entente: France, Great Britain and Russia.

In 1914, the murder of the Austrian heir to the throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand (a friend of Kaiser Wilhelm II) and his wife by the nationalist Gavrilo Prinzip in Sarajevo triggered a global armed conflict - the First World War.

Austria-Hungary held Serbia responsible for the murder, ultimately declaring war on the country. Russia then intervened by initiating a general mobilisation, resulting in Germany (led by Emperor Wilhelm II) also taking the decision to mobilise. Within a few weeks, world war was inevitable.

The First World War ended on 11 November 1918, still known today as Remembrance Day, and resulted in more than six million casualties. The war was formally concluded with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

In November 1918, Wilhelm II was at the military headquarters of his troops in Spa, Belgium. He found himself unable to return home because of rebellions and revolution in Germany but unable to stay in Spa either due to the advancing troops of the Entente. He was advised by those closest to him to flee to a neutral country. The nearest neutral country was the Netherlands. At 6am on 10 November 1918, Wilhelm II arrived at the train station in Eysden on the Dutch border. There he was granted political asylum and was temporarily housed in Amerongen Castle where he would stay for nearly two years. A few weeks after his arrival he abdicated as German Emperor.

Gradually, it became clear that the Emperor would not be forced to leave the Netherlands, despite the provisions set out in the Treaty of Versailles. He began to search for a permanent residence and in 1919 bought House Doorn from Baroness Van Heemstra de Beaufort, the great-grandmother of Audrey Hepburn. He renovated the House and furnished it with goods, art and objects from his former palaces in Germany. 

The Dutch government allowed Wilhelm II to remain in Netherlands under strict conditions. He had to stay in House Doorn and was only allowed to move freely within a radius of 15 kilometers around the House. He had to refrain from making political statements and his mail was regularly checked; he was also under permanent police surveillance.

Although he lived in exile he stayed in touch with many people in Germany. In the 21 years that he lived in House Doorn he received many German guests. Wilhelm had a ‘Hausministerium’, or ‘House Ministry’ in Berlin that managed his interests and possessions in Germany including, for example, the estate and majolica ceramics factory he still owned in Cadinen, amongst other things. The ‘House Ministers’ regularly visited to report directly to him and it is known they would consult together. The ministers also briefed him on the situation in Germany. Well-known ‘House ministers’ were Georg Ernst Ulrich von Dommes and Sell (his Asset Manager).

Wilhelm’s personal aide, Sigurd von Ilsemann, remained with him throughout his exile. Von Ilsemann kept a detailed diary that gives great insight into what happened behind the scenes at House Doorn. During his time in exile, Wilhelm talked about the restoration of the monarchy and a possible return to Germany, though he often received conflicting advice on this from his guests. Some visitors indicated that the German people shouted for his return and that the moment of return was near, others made it clear that a return was no longer an option.
His ‘House ministers’ and, in particular, his second wife Hermine Reuss, maintained contact in Germany with influential people to discuss and prepare for a possible return. To this end, there was also contact with influential Nazis such as Hermann Göring (who visited Wilhelm in Doorn) and even Adolf Hitler.

But a return to Germany was impossible and Wilhelm stayed in Doorn until his death in 1941. In his last will, Wilhelm II stated that he wanted no Nazis present at his funeral. He was buried with full military honors.