The last German kaiser Wilhelm once turned his to naval design. What was the reaction?

Answer: The last German kaiser, the volatile Wilhelm the second, who abdicated in 1918, owned no fewer than sixty-nine schlosser, or castles.

Even if he tried, he could not manage a full week’s stay in each one, in any given year.

Not having to work to earn a crust, the kaiser turned his very active mind to other matters.

He was passionate about Germany building a strong navy, even though this was deeply antagonistic towards Great Britain, which then had the largest navy in the world.

In fact, the kaiser, despite not having any qualifications, liked to design his own naval vessels.

What did one Italian admiral say about one of these designs?

“The ship your majesty has designed would be the mightiest, the most terrible, and also the loveliest battleship ever seen. She would surpass anything now afloat, her masts would be the tallest in the world, her guns would outrange all others. And the inner appointments are so well arranged that for the entire crew from the captain down to the cabin boy, it would be a real pleasure to sail on her. This wonderful vessel has only one fault: if she were put on the water, she would sink like a lump of lead.”

Source: Wilhelm the Impetuous by Giles MacDonogh

More at: History

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