An Interview With Christina Croft about her book, 'The Innocence of Kaiser Wilhelm II'

Christina Croft talks about her book which aims to show the Kaiser in a different light.

[ulrichlehnhardt]

Thank you so much for this book. It took a brave English lady to write it.

[GamesCooky]

My home city in Norway actually suffered a big fire back in 1904 which resulted in burning down most of the city.
3 days later Kaiser Wilhelm shows up in person with 1 warship and 2 civilian ships to provide food and supplies for the approximately 10 000 people who had just become homeless due to the fire.
Not just that, but he also provided extensive amount of funds to reconstruct the city, and this time in stone. The city was rebuilt basically from scratch, and in an architectural style called "Jugendstil" or "Art Nouveau".
A lot of these buildings still stand today. As a sign of appreciation we've constructed a monolith in his name in our city park. We also have a nightclub/bar named after him. And one of our main streets in downtown is also named after him. The city's name is Ålesund.

Kaiser Wilhelm could have very easily turned a blind eye, but instead he shows up in person and helps reconstruct a relatively unknown city which had been reduced to ashes. If that's not a good leader, then idk what is.

Kaiser Wilhelm was a good friend of Norway. He made frequent visits. I've always had positive impressions of him, and ive never blamed him for starting WW1. Atleast not in the same way as Hitler could be blamed for WW2. He was a human being, who probably had his imperfections. But i'd say he atleast tried to be a good leader, and not just towards germans.

[Riddarstolphe]

I really appreciate historians like you and Christopher clark that give a more neutral picture of pre-ww2 Germany. I believe its harmful, among alot of things, to the mentality of contemporary germans to portray, say the kaiser, as malicious and as a predecessor to Hitler. The idea of "Sonderweg" that has been inprinted in germany is far too negative, and serves no other purpose than to highlight that history is truly written by the victor.

[fritzbasset]

Always remember that Germany would have been better off governed by the Hohenzollerns than the National Socialists. In 1933 it came down to that as Hindenburg would have liked to restore the monarchy but did not have the force of will. We all know what happened next.

[bfbuwalda]

I'm now reading this book and find it both interesting and well written!! An excellent read for those interested in both history and to some degree in a family conflicts and their effects in/on history!!!

[JuliusStreicher]

There are some photographs online with Wilhelm II and his grandsons and other children.  These photos show a side of Wilhelm II that would surprise many and say a lot about The Kaiser.  In these pictures, the children, especially his grandsons, are totally at their ease around him and have snuggled up to him.  And The Kaiser's demeanour in these photos are also of lightness of contentment.

[Karamojomm]

I just bought the book and can't wait to read it. Thank you for getting the true facts of the Kaiser out, Mrs. Croft.

[carlheft]

Thank you Mrs Croft for your courage and honesty to tell the true story about this kind, decent and devout Christian man, who dearly loved his grandmother, Queen Victoria, who requested for him to be there at her side in her last days. I will be ordering your book and look forward to reading it!

[galenrussell]

I have it as an Audiobook on my IPOD. Absolutely outstanding to listen to. After listening to the real truth about the Kaiser, I have a lot of admiration and respect for him. Especially he tried so hard to build an eternal friendship and alliance with the United States of America.

[fireinthesky]

I feel very sad for him. He had such a painful early life. The treatments started when he was only a baby which were barbaric and cruel. Then through no fault of his own he was made to feel like a failure by his family over a problem he was born with .

[ancientnumbat]

Christine, I would disagree with you on one point you mentioned in your interview, Kaiser Wilhelm was not an autocrat any more than the president of the U.S. is an autocrat. He appointed the chancellor and the other ministers; however, he was unable to enact laws or to prorogue parliament at a whim.

The German Empire and Prussia both had bicameral parliaments which were responsible for passing the laws. As head of the executive branch of government, the Kaiser was responsible for enforcing those laws. There was also an independent judiciary.

[hanifitasova]

Madame Croft, thank so much for this insight about the Kaiser. I knew for a long time, from my own humble research, that this man was really innocent. And as English lady, to tell the truth about the Kaiser, takes a lot of courage and sincerity. Chapeau!!! Hopefully I can buy your book in the Netherlands before I go to his last stay in Doorn.

[darrindlc]

Your book should be required reading for anyone teaching WW1 history

[davehoskins]

Christina-I to enjoyed this interview, and I've always admired how you ( For lack of a better term ) humanized these so-called villains of history. The Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand was another that received a bum rap. From what I've gathered, his plan was for peace for the empire he was to eventually rule, and that was why he was eliminated in my opinion. It seems to me that Franz Joseph is the one who gets a free pass here as he was the one who started everything not the Kaiser. You probably don't remember me, I asked you if would do something on the Boer war some time ago. Anyway I wish you all the best and keep up the excellent work-Dave

[Turdinkledge]

Kaiser Willhelm II is my hero, I'm 100% getting this book...

[johnhobson]

Very informative few minutes. Some of these things i knew and some i did not. I am definitely getting the Book, to read for myself and that is a high compliment because i used to read 3-5 large volume books every month, and am down to 1 in the same period, Thanks Christina, Love your voice!

[charliejdk]

Looking forward to reading this book. Thank you for your scholarship.

[legatuslegionarii]

I read “The Sleepwalkers” from C. Clark which - though not completely- points into a similar direction regarding Germany’s role in the outbreak of WWI. Now I am hearing with interest about Croft’s book. Being a German it is good to see that scholars outside Germany take a different position than modern German historiography did since the 1960s, which was confirming Germany’s major guilt compared to other European powers related to the “Kriegsschuldfrage” ( Question who is guilty for the War). I never believed that Germany had a major guilt in that. But the Kaiser was a child of his time as were all the other monarchs and other governments ruling Europe in 1914. They all failed because it was impossible for anybody at that time to understand the consequences of this war. Yet, the victors wrote the history afterwards and Wilhelm was blamed for everything. This did certainly no justice to this man.

[benrlego]

I will definitely have to read this when I find the time. I have always felt bad for the Kaiser, while he was not perfect and had his blunders I do believe he wanted the best for his people. He has been absolutely disgraced by Allied propaganda, even after he went into exile. Now we are left a Germany that is ashamed of its glorious years under the German Empire, partially due to the hatred for the Kaiser, planted by the Allies.

[Wulff]

Was linked this video on Facebook. Just ordered the book!