The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-09-25
THE KAISER HAS
F0RTY-NINE CASTLES
But of This Number. Many Are
Not of Imposing Size
or Appearance.

A two hours walk from the capital
Of Corfu brings the dust covered tour
list within sight of one of The most
glorious architectural creations in eN-
istence-the Achilleion, the fairy castle
of that restless. unfortunate empress
who was to die under a murdercr's
steel.
The beauty Of its outward forno-a
clever imitation OF the PonPelan style
is only matched by its lavish inner
decoration. OF which the Empress
Elizabeth is said to have spent E250,-
900, and by the magnificent views it
commands.
The Achilleion. says the Lady's
Realm, is the forty-ninth addition to
the residences of the King of Prussia.
The German emperor as such draws no
payment or emolument Of any kind and
there exists therefore no Imperial"
possessions.
In ordinary German p%arlance every
one of these 40 structures or estates is
called a "Kaiserliches Schloss,' an i'm
perial castle, but the truth is that only
a few OF them are real castles in an
architectural sense Of the word. and
still fewer in a historic sense.
The royal seats in Germany are not
national. For this reason the restora-
ton of timeworn castles does rot go
on according to a large, liberal insight
as to what is of the first Importance:
it's goes ON unsystematically. according
w ~ VI > ai''ti ISSllllN VI ~ lislS SOll.
luce to the dynasty's distinction.
A comparatively uninteresting castle
Tx h Hohkonigsburg-to quote one
eXample out of many-fs therefore re-
stored, as the outcome OF an imperial
whim. at an enormous "opens while
seats of overwhelming historic import
ance, as for instance Konigs-Wuster-
hansen, are allowed.
The German emperor's residences are
mostly plain country seats or mere
L Ghnntlno hnvnc CO tlrt tl,n ~ ar
loses much of its sensational character
when properly scrutiniZed. Among his
various Berlin and Potsdaln palaces
the royal castle on the Spree is one OF
the largest city residence buildings in
the whole of Germany.
One of the favorite resorts OF En-
peror William and his family seems to
be his domain of Cadinen. near Elbing,
situated in a most charming forest
landscape. 1t has become widely
known through the emperor's success
ful experiment as q manufactured and
exporter; the handsome majolicas pro-
duced at Cadinen and publicly sold all
over the world arc highly valued by
\ connoisseurs
William Ill. is also the owner of a
steam brick factory and alcohol distil-
lery at the same place, and he attends
to the details of his business with tho
circumspection of a trained merchant.
Some of the royal estates have been
turned lHtO puDllc nSlltutlODS as Tor
instance Oranienburs. which has be-
come a seminary for female teachers.
and Nieder-Sehonhausen, which was
given over to the public as a park and
resort for recreation.
But all the emperor's landed posses
sions outside of the capital shrink back
into the second rank, as far as %llistor-
ical Importance is concerned. when
compared with one small, Insignificant
if not shabby-loolSing cottage stu
ated at half an hours distance by rail
from Berlin. 1t was the %favorite sum-
mer resort of Frederick William L., the
second king of Prussia Q713-l14OD. who
spent a few months every year ut this
unattractivc place, with his family.
The place is called Konigs-Muster-
hansen. once Il famous hunting ground
in a very large and noble forest. still
in part preserved and still frequently
secured by royal sportsmen. The cas-
tie is also in existence, a plain, solid
building. something like a respectable
farm house of the second class. 1t
contains many relics of Frederick Will
lam and is shown to tourists With
touching gravity by the guardians.