Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04

body will be inferred temporarily |
in a little chapel on the Doom |
estate, sinceno mausoleum or crypt |
has been built.
Wilhelm was said to have ex-
pressed the wish that the only |
mourners at his funeral be inner
most members of his family circle,
but DNB said some delegations
from the Reich are expected"
The German press declared that
postwar research had absolved the
Kaiser of World War guilt, but
DienSt aus Deutschland, Nazi news
commentary. added that he carried
a great deal of responsibility for
loss of the war"
At a crucial time, 1t said the
German people had TO leave full
power and far-reaching decisions to
weak stomach"
13 of Family in Uniform.
The 'old man of Doorn." who in
his time commanded the worlds
mightiest military machine. re-
garded the ascendancy of Hitler TO
the leadership of the Reich in 1888
as "a step in the right direction"
When Hitler picked up the saber
dropped in 1918 by the Kaiser and
turned it into terrifying blitzkrieg in
1899, Is of Wilhelm's family were
in Nazi uniform. One son, Prince
Oscar of Prussia, II grandsons and
l granddaughter of the Kaiser
marched with the eray-green le-
gions. Two of the grandsons since
have fallen in battle. Another
grandson was interned by the
British.
Rumor on rumor had cropped up
since 1888 that the kaiser was
actively behind the-scenes" of re-
juvenated Germany and that he
would one day triumphantly return
to Berlin to claim his divine right"
as emperor. All such reports were
quickly spiked.
odd trees cannot be trans
planted" the kaiser often remarked.
seemingly content in his orderly life
at the Doom estate.
breakfast at 845 am, morning
wood-chopping, tea. correspondence
period, lunch, nap, tea again, a walk.
dinner and lights out at 10 pm. had
been disturbed by attacks of rheu-
matism or colds.
Followed War Closely.
| He followed the present war pains
takingly as though he had a COM
manding position at the Nazi general
I headquarters. He marked the prog
reSs OF the Nazi war machine by
aftlxing tiny flags on detailed maps
OF European countries and by main
tanning a remarkably complete in
dex of naval and merchant shipping
losses.
The only change at his estate was
the substituting of Dutch guards
by German soldiers after the four
day conquest of Holland last spring.
There even seemed to have been
a reconciliation between the former
Kaiser and Hitler, who in frequent
public speeches had criticized Will
helms regime
The two exchanged messages on
conclusion of the Polish campaign
in September, 1899, Wilhelm express
ing admiration for the army, which
had always been dear to his heart,
Only once was Wilhelm apparently
ready to break this self-imposed
rule. That was in 1887, when his
VIE. Hermlne, was seriously ill in
Germany. He then arranged quietly
to make the trip incognito, but only
in case her condition became hope
less, and this proved not to be the
case
Despite countless rumors to the
contrary, it can be said authorita-
lively that Wilhelm never revisited
the Fatherland.
Dreaded Long Illness.
His own death came as he wished
without long suffering. An active
man. he dreaded nothing more than
long illness. While he gradually
had grown weaker during the past
winter he appeared vigorous when he
observed his Sind birthday ami
versary January 81.
1t was only on May Is that the
intestinal trouble and lung embolv
which resulted in death became evil
dent.
The family has an ironclad law
OF succession whereby the head of
the house has control of the family
fortune.
Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm
now succeeds to this control, with
Prince Louis Ferdinand next in
line.
Biggest Landholder In Reich.
The family still is Germany's
largest landholder. although under
Hitler's back-to-the-farm move
ment large sections of their big
estates have been turned over to
settlers.
The Hohenzollerns also own
palaces in various parts of Ger
many, factories, forests and city
properties. The crown prince, who,
it is said, never personally abdicated,
would be in line for succession to
the throne if the dynasty ever were
reinstated. He seems resigned, how
ever, to never becoming King or
Emperor.
He has kept almost entirely 10
Cecilienhof Castle at Potsdam since
IL