Friedrich Wilhelm (born 6 May 1882), known popularly as simply Wilhelm, is the current Crown Prince (German: Kronprinz) of the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. As the eldest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, he is first in the line of succession.
Biography[]
Wilhelm was born in 1882, six years before the accession of his father to the German throne. In 1888, Wilhelm went from being fourth in the Prussian succession line to first, becoming the German Kronprinz. Raised within Prussian military circles, he married in 1905 to Cecilie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and had the passenger liner SS Kronprinz Wilhelm named after him; the ship was sunk in 1919 by a British vessel on the Eastern Atlantic. Assuming a few military command during the Weltkrieg, the Kronprinz did not really have much influence on German politics after the Weltkrieg, other than for his friends, General Fedor von Bock and General Kurt von Schleicher, and the role of protector of arts fulfilled by his wife. By now, the Crown Prince is a rather peaceful man, only waiting for his father passing away to accomplish his duty.
Personal life[]
Parents[]
The Kronprinz with his father
The Kronprinz is the eldest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and his first wife, Kaiserin Augusta Viktoria von Schleswig-Holstein. Thus, he and his children are the first in line of succession for both German and Prussian throne. The Kronprinz appears to be ran by his own father: each time Wilhelm tried to intervene in German politics, the Kaiser forced him to be kept apart. An example among others: he failed to convince his father to name his friend Kurt von Schleicher as State Secretary for Interior for the government of Kuno von Westarp.
Marriage[]
In June, 6 1905, the Kronprinz married the youngest daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III von Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the Duchess Cecilie Auguste Marie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who was finally known as Princess Cecilie von Mecklenburg-Schwerin (born 20 September 1886). Despite the well-known unfaithfulness of her husband, she is known as a dignifed woman: Cecilienhof Palace, known as the shelter of most artists in Germany looking for a patron, such as famous architect Albert Speer, was built for her.
Children[]
The Kronprinz with his wife, his two eldest sons and Generalfeldmarschall August von Mackensen
- Prince Wilhelm (born Wilhelm Friedrich Franz Joseph Christian Olaf on 4 July 1906), second in line.
- Prince Ludwig Ferdinand (born Louis Ferdinand Viktor Eduard Albert Michael Hubertus on 9 November 1907), still unmarried.
- Prince Hubertus (born Hubertus Karl Wilhelm on 30 December 1909), still unmarried.
- Prince Friedrich (born Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph on 19 December 1911), still unmarried.
- Princess Alexandrine (born Alexandrine Irene on 7 April 1915), mentally disabled.
- Princess Cecilie (born 5 September 1917), still unmarried.
Military career[]
The Kronprinz during the Weltkrieg, with the Totenkopf shako of the Prussian hussars
Raised as his relatives and ancestors had been in the Prussian military tradition, he had little command experience before he was given charge of the 5th Army in August 1914, leading this unit until November 1916, having his headquarters near Charleville (Ardennes). Thus, he participated to the Verdun offensive, successfully taking Fort Vaux: he later advocated for ending the bloodbath engineered by this senseless battle, with this only being fulfilled on September, 2 1916. He later nominally led the Germano-Austro-Hungarian offensive in Italy, becoming the first German officer to enter into Rome.
His major post-Weltkrieg achievements were to help his personal friend, Fedor von Bock, hero of the intervention in China, to become Generalfeldmarschall in 1935, and also launching the political career of General Kurt von Schleicher, main rival of the current Reichskanzler, Kuno von Westarp.