DOCSLIB.ORG

Two the SS SYSTEM and NAZI IDEOLOGY

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Two the SS SYSTEM and NAZI IDEOLOGY Two THE SS SYSTEM AND NAZI IDEOLOGY In a well-known but now aging book, Gerald Reitlinger claimed that the key for understanding the origins of the SS lay in the Freikorps: to him, there were no clear-cut boundaries between the end of the Freikorps and the beginning of SA and SS (Reitlinger, 1957, p. 4). This claim had the merit to stress some ideological continuities in a defeated and humiliated Germany, given that the Freikorps were animated by the same spirit that would give rise to Nazism. To some extent, however, the origins of the SS were a by-product of some of the Great War’s field tactics. Per se, they had little to do with ideology. 1. The Origins of the SS Late in the Great War, General Erich Ludendorff envisaged a series of attacks, in order to break through the Western front. To that purpose, he set up his assault divisions, spearheaded by shock units: the Stosstruppen, made of fighters able to use all kinds of weapons. These units were inspired by a model that had appeared empirically, on the battlefield, in 1915 (Jardin, 2005, p. 182). And precursors of such units had existed already in 1914. In fact, the inspiration for the SS came from that battlefield culture with which many people were familiar at that time. According to an official account prepared by the Archivamt des SS- Hauptamtes (SS Archive Office), early in the history of the movement, the necessity arose to create a small elite troop, made of tough and trustworthy elements. In this perspective, in March 1923, a Stabswache was set up, under the authority of Marine Lieutenant Klintzsch. After Klintzsch had gone back to his Navy Brigade, Josef Berchtold created the “Stosstrupp Hitler”, which included the Stabswache. The Stosstrupp was made of seasoned veterans, on whom Hitler could count. In 1925, after the re-foundation of the Party, the Schutzstaffel (Protection Squad) proper was created, with a limited number of reliable and faithful Party comrades. The founder and first leader was Julius Schreck, who, in 1926, handed his leadership over to Berchtold. The numbers stood around 200, and growth was slow (BA NSD 41 / 77 a). According to Heinz Höhne, Julius Schreck had undertaken to increase SS unit numbers, but he had imposed restrictions on recruiting, so as to preserve the elitist character of the new Protection Squad, before he was replaced with Berchtold. The latter could use the title of Reichsführer SS, although he remained nominally subordinated to SA Supreme Leader Franz 22 SS THINKING AND THE HOLOCAUST Pfeffer von Salomon. Berchtold would have a hard time trying to protect his organization against Party hacks who were discontent with the “aristocratic” claims of the SS. Ultimately, he had to resign. In March 1927, he was replaced with his assistant Erhard Heiden, who showed some concern for ethics, by issuing instructions about the correct behavior expected from SS members during meetings (Höhne, 1972, pp. 22-25). On 6 January 1929, Heinrich Himmler was appointed Reichsführer SS by Hitler, over a troop of 270 men. Later in the year, at the Party Congress in Nuremberg, Himmler could display twice that number. Under Himmler, the SS had to put out some revolts within the Party, including the Stennes incident, when it received its motto from Hitler: “SS-Mann, Deine Ehre heisst Treue” (SS man, your honor is your faithfulness). Early in 1933, the Leibstandarte (body-guard regiment) was created, followed by units of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (troop at disposal). And schools were set up, in Tölz and Braunschweig (BA NSD 41 / 77 a, pp. 9-13). Himmler lost no time in asserting his vision of the SS, based on the key role devoted to ideology. He was quick to issue a few basic principles. According to him: “only noble blood, only real race could guarantee real performances, in the long run”. Whence, the necessity of selection for recruiting the best in terms of blood and character. And selection had to be guided by four principles and virtues: the racial idea proper, bound to attract those who were as close as possible to Nordic humanity, in height and general look; the fighter’s spirit or the commitment to struggle; faithfulness and honor; plus, of course, obedience. SS men were essentially committed to protect Nazi thinking inside, as well as toward the outside (BA NSD 41 / 61, pp. 9, 11-13). Himmler changed drastically the small SS force, not only because he was a skilled organizer who carried a vision, but also and mostly because he saw himself as a thinker, especially in the field of natural philosophy and ethics. In his mind, the SS was bound to become a powerful organization, which would command respect and admiration in society at large, and especially in Hitler. But it would be devoted also to develop the Nazi way of thinking, with the explicit intent to actualize Nazi thinking into praxis. 2. Himmler and the Great War Like Hitler and most Nazis of the early days, Heinrich Himmler was also a by-product of the Great War, although in a different sense. His political engagement and his ideological roots stemmed from an imaginary World War I, from a mental system of fantasies about the war and about his own relationship to it. Many SS top leaders, born also in the early twentieth century, would display a comparable set of mind. According to Guido Knopp, Himmler had experienced a normal childhood in a normal well-to-do family, under the strong influence of .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • What Do Students Know and Understand About the Holocaust? Evidence from English Secondary Schools
    CENTRE FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION What do students know and understand about the Holocaust? Evidence from English secondary schools Stuart Foster, Alice Pettigrew, Andy Pearce, Rebecca Hale Centre for Holocaust Education Centre Adrian Burgess, Paul Salmons, Ruth-Anne Lenga Centre for Holocaust Education What do students know and understand about the Holocaust? What do students know and understand about the Holocaust? Evidence from English secondary schools Cover image: Photo by Olivia Hemingway, 2014 What do students know and understand about the Holocaust? Evidence from English secondary schools Stuart Foster Alice Pettigrew Andy Pearce Rebecca Hale Adrian Burgess Paul Salmons Ruth-Anne Lenga ISBN: 978-0-9933711-0-3 [email protected] British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A CIP record is available from the British Library All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purposes of criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permissions of the publisher. iii Contents About the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education iv Acknowledgements and authorship iv Glossary v Foreword by Sir Peter Bazalgette vi Foreword by Professor Yehuda Bauer viii Executive summary 1 Part I Introductions 5 1. Introduction 7 2. Methodology 23 Part II Conceptions and encounters 35 3. Collective conceptions of the Holocaust 37 4. Encountering representations of the Holocaust in classrooms and beyond 71 Part III Historical knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust 99 Preface 101 5. Who were the victims? 105 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Hitler Und Bayern Beobachtungen Zu Ihrem Verhältnis
    V V V V V V V V Druckerei C. H . Beck V V V V Medien mit Zukunft V Ziegler, Phil.-hist. Klasse 04/04 V V V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV V .....................................VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Erstversand, 20.07.2004 BAYERISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN PHILOSOPHISCH-HISTORISCHE KLASSE SITZUNGSBERICHTE · JAHRGANG 2004, HEFT 4 Erstversand WALTER ZIEGLER Hitler und Bayern Beobachtungen zu ihrem Verhältnis Vorgetragen in der Sitzung vom 6. Februar 2004 MÜNCHEN 2004 VERLAG DER BAYERISCHEN AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN In Kommission beim Verlag C. H. Beck München V V V V V V V V Druckerei C. H . Beck V V V V Medien mit Zukunft V Ziegler, Phil.-hist. Klasse 04/04 V V V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV V .....................................VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Erstversand, 20.07.2004 ISSN 0342-5991 ISBN 3 7696 1628 6 © Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften München, 2004 Gesamtherstellung: Druckerei C. H. Beck Nördlingen Gedruckt auf säurefreiem, alterungsbeständigem Papier (hergestellt aus chlorfrei gebleichtem Zellstoff) Printed in Germany V V V V V V V V Druckerei C. H . Beck V V V V Medien mit Zukunft V Ziegler, Phil.-hist. Klasse 04/04 V V V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV V .....................................VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Erstversand, 20.07.2004 Inhalt 1. Zur Methode ............................... 8 2. Hitlers Aufstieg in Bayern ...................... 16 3. Im Regime ................................ 33 4. Verhältnis zu den bayerischen Traditionen ........... 73 5. Veränderungen im Krieg ....................... 94 Bildnachweis ................................. 107 V V V V V V V V Druckerei C. H . Beck V V V V Medien mit Zukunft V Ziegler, Phil.-hist. Klasse 04/04 V V V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV V .....................................VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Erstversand, 20.07.2004 Abb. 1: Ein bayerischer Kanzler? Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler bei seiner Wahlrede am 24.
    [Show full text]
  • Guides to German Records Microfilmed at Alexandria, Va
    GUIDES TO GERMAN RECORDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXANDRIA, VA. No. 32. Records of the Reich Leader of the SS and Chief of the German Police (Part I) The National Archives National Archives and Records Service General Services Administration Washington: 1961 This finding aid has been prepared by the National Archives as part of its program of facilitating the use of records in its custody. The microfilm described in this guide may be consulted at the National Archives, where it is identified as RG 242, Microfilm Publication T175. To order microfilm, write to the Publications Sales Branch (NEPS), National Archives and Records Service (GSA), Washington, DC 20408. Some of the papers reproduced on the microfilm referred to in this and other guides of the same series may have been of private origin. The fact of their seizure is not believed to divest their original owners of any literary property rights in them. Anyone, therefore, who publishes them in whole or in part without permission of their authors may be held liable for infringement of such literary property rights. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 58-9982 AMERICA! HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE fOR THE STUDY OP WAR DOCUMENTS GUIDES TO GERMAN RECOBDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXAM)RIA, VA. No* 32» Records of the Reich Leader of the SS aad Chief of the German Police (HeiehsMhrer SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei) 1) THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION (AHA) COMMITTEE FOR THE STUDY OF WAE DOCUMENTS GUIDES TO GERMAN RECORDS MICROFILMED AT ALEXANDRIA, VA* This is part of a series of Guides prepared
    [Show full text]
  • Fascism Rises in Europe
    3 Fascism Rises in Europe MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW TERMS & NAMES POWER AND AUTHORITY In These dictators changed the •fascism •Nazism response to political turmoil and course of history, and the world • Benito • Mein Kampf economic crises, Italy and is still recovering from their Mussolini • lebensraum Germany turned to totalitarian abuse of power. • Adolf Hitler dictators. SETTING THE STAGE Many democracies, including the United States, Britain, and France, remained strong despite the economic crisis caused by the Great Depression. However, millions of people lost faith in democratic govern- ment. In response, they turned to an extreme system of government called fas- cism. Fascists promised to revive the economy, punish those responsible for hard times, and restore order and national pride. Their message attracted many people who felt frustrated and angered by the peace treaties that followed World War I and by the Great Depression. TAKING NOTES Fascism’s Rise in Italy Comparing and Contrasting Use a chart Fascism (FASH•IHZ•uhm) was a new, militant political movement that empha- to compare Mussolini's sized loyalty to the state and obedience to its leader. Unlike communism, fascism rise to power and his had no clearly defined theory or program. Nevertheless, most Fascists shared goals with Hitler's. several ideas. They preached an extreme form of nationalism, or loyalty to one’s country. Fascists believed that nations must struggle—peaceful states were Hitler Mussolini doomed to be conquered. They pledged loyalty to an authoritarian leader who Rise: Rise: guided and brought order to the state. In each nation, Fascists wore uniforms of a certain color, used special salutes, and held mass rallies.
    [Show full text]
  • Leibstandarte Ss Ado
    40 LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLF HITLER - PREHISTORY DATE LOCATION ACTIVITY CHAIN OF COMMAND 1923/03/00 Berlin Formation of "Stabswache" 1923/05/00 Designated "Stosstrupp Hitler" 1923/11/09 Munich March to the "Feldherrnhalle" 1925/04/00 Berlin Founding of the SS C.O.: Fuehrer Julius Schreck, 1925/00/00-1936/05/16 (Schutzstaffel) Fuehrer Joseph Berchtold 1926/08/00 Guard duty (Fuehrerschutz) 150 SS men strong 1929/01/06 Guard duty, 270 SS men strong Reichsfuehrer der SS, Heinrich Himmler 1931/01/14 "Eingliederung der SS in SA" Subordinate to: SA (Sturmabteilung) LEIBSTANDARTE SS ADOLF HITLER - UNIT HISTORY 1933/01/30 Berlin Nazi seizure of power, Hitler became Reich Chancellor 1933/03/00 Formation of C.O.: SS Gruppenfuehrer Josef (Sepp) Dietrich, Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" 1933/03/00-1939/03/01 1933/05/12 Zossen, Jueterbog Training, guard duty 1933/07/07 Berlin-Lichterfelde Training, indoctrination, expansion of SS Standarten 1933/11/09 Munich Parades, swearing-in ceremony of SS men, party rallies, guard duties, political indoctrination, recruiting of SA men and HJ for LSSAH [email protected] 41 DATE LOCATION ACTIVITY CHAIN OF COMMAND 1934/07/00 Formation of SS-Oberabschnitte, SS-Standarten, SS-Totenkopf (Wachverbaende), SS-Verfuegungs truppen, Junkerschulen 1935/01/13 Saargebiet Alerts, guard duty during "Volksabstimmung" (plebiscite), 1938/03/00 Linz, Austria Fuehrer proclamation, 1938/09/24 Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia political unrest 1939/03/00 Berlin-Lichterfelde Guard duty, political indoctrination, parades, training, Redesignated 1. SS PzD "LSSAH" Record items of LSSAH 1-175 are listed in Guide No. 27, p. 10-13, reproduced on rolls 192-237 of NARS Microfilm Publication T354 and are described following the unit history.
    [Show full text]
  • Erich Ludendorff's Concept of Total War
    Erich Ludendorff's Concept of Total War : General Erich Ludendorff, the ‘Brains’ of the Imperial German war machine for the last two years of the war and progenitor of the German concept of ‘Total War’. He implemented gas at Flanders, as an extension of the idea that the war had to be fought with every tool, every tactic, every strategy that could be put forth for the very survival of the nation. "The military staff must be composed of the right men, of the best and ablest men, efficient in the domain of war on land, on the sea, and in the air, in propaganda, war techniques, economics and politics, and they must be intimately acquainted with national life... They have no right to give orders." - Erich Ludendorff The last two years of the Great War for Germany are a great illustrative example as to the Ludendorff concept of ‘total war’.By late 1916, both Ludendorff and Hindenburg had effectively phased Wilhelm II and much of the Reichstag and diplomatic elements of the government from the decision making processes and were unilaterally making said decisions devoid of a clear chain of responsibility. They were, in effect, the perpetual military dictators of Imperial Germany for the remainder of the war. In Ludendorff’s concept of ‘total war’, the military was the goto, be all for any and all decisions, both political and diplomatic, as they had the chance, whether minute or massive, of influencing the war effort. In effect, the civilian aspects of the government only made policy in response to the needs of the military, not vice-versa, whatever the military needed it received.
    [Show full text]
  • Kurt Von Schleicher the Soldier and Politics in the Run-Up to National Socialism: a Case Study of Civil-Military Relations
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2013-06 Kurt von Schleicher the soldier and politics in the run-up to national socialism: a case study of civil-military relations Bitter, Alexander B. Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/34631 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS KURT VON SCHLEICHER—THE SOLDIER AND POLITICS IN THE RUN-UP TO NATIONAL SOCIALISM: A CASE STUDY OF CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS by Alexander B. Bitter June 2013 Thesis Co-Advisors: Donald Abenheim Carolyn Halladay Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202–4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704–0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED June 2013 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS KURT VON SCHLEICHER—THE SOLDIER AND POLITICS IN THE RUN-UP TO NATIONAL SOCIALISM: A CASE STUDY OF CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Origin and Ideology of the Freikorps Movement- Predecessor and Forerunner of the SA?
    Trinity College Dublin Department of Modern History The Weimar Republic Dr. Alan Kramer 1998/99 Origin and ideology of the Freikorps movement- Predecessor and forerunner of the SA? 2nd. Essay Florian Leuthner XXX XXX XXX 2 Index 1. Introduction Page 3 2. Origins of the Freikorps movement 3 2.1 The German pre-war Youth movement – the ‘Wandervögel’ 4 2.2 The raising of the ‘Storm’ or ‘Shock’ battalions 5 3. The contradiction in the ideology of the Freikorps movement 7 3.1 The first phase – a helper in the hour of need 8 3.2 The second phase – the attempted disbandment of the Freikorps 11 3.3 The third phase – Politics of murder 11 4. The Freikorps movement as predecessor of the SA and forerunner 13 of the Nazi movement 5. Conclusion 14 6. List of references 15 3 1. Introduction The picture of the German Freikorps movement during the Weimar Republic is not very clear one. Even nowadays it is surrounded by several mysteries and uncertainties. Where lay the origins of this strange movement, which should shape the first German democracy in such a destructive way? Did they have any kind of ideology, and if they had one, on what kind of ideology they were based. Or were they nothing more than gangs of “[...] psychopathic killers with a primitive and brutal set of half-baked ideas” 1 who believed in the ‘stab in the back myth’ and the betray of the army by the politicians. Is it possible to say that the Freikorps movement was the predecessor of the SA and the forerunner of the Nazi movement; Hitler as the heir to the Freikorps heritage? These questions I will try to answer in this essay.
    [Show full text]
  • The Soviet-German Tank Academy at Kama
    The Secret School of War: The Soviet-German Tank Academy at Kama THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Ian Johnson Graduate Program in History The Ohio State University 2012 Master's Examination Committee: Jennifer Siegel, Advisor Peter Mansoor David Hoffmann Copyright by Ian Ona Johnson 2012 Abstract This paper explores the period of military cooperation between the Weimar Period German Army (the Reichswehr), and the Soviet Union. Between 1922 and 1933, four facilities were built in Russia by the two governments, where a variety of training and technological exercises were conducted. These facilities were particularly focused on advances in chemical and biological weapons, airplanes and tanks. The most influential of the four facilities was the tank testing and training grounds (Panzertruppenschule in the German) built along the Kama River, near Kazan in North- Central Russia. Led by German instructors, the school’s curriculum was based around lectures, war games, and technological testing. Soviet and German students studied and worked side by side; German officers in fact often wore the Soviet uniform while at the school, to show solidarity with their fellow officers. Among the German alumni of the school were many of the most famous practitioners of mobile warfare during the Second World War, such as Guderian, Manstein, Kleist and Model. This system of education proved highly innovative. During seven years of operation, the school produced a number of extremely important technological and tactical innovations. Among the new technologies were a new tank chassis system, superior guns, and - perhaps most importantly- a radio that could function within a tank.
    [Show full text]
  • Robert Kirchubel on the First Nazi: Erich Ludendorff, the Man
    William Brownell, Denise Drace-Brownell. The First Nazi: Erich Ludendorff, The Man Who Made Hitler Possible. Berkeley: Counterpoint, 2016. 356 pp. $30.00, cloth, ISBN 978-1-61902-609-4. Reviewed by Robert Kirchubel Published on H-War (December, 2017) Commissioned by Margaret Sankey (Air University) Members of H-War and students of Erich Lu‐ connection, either. Granted, the two men had dendorff, World War I and Hitler will benefit very some common attitudes and ideas. Ludendorff little from this book. A committee made up of Will and Hitler both had irrational faith in ultimate Brownell, his wife, Denise, and wealthy Czech victory against long odds, but The First Nazi does businessman Alexander Rovt have written a hob‐ not show that the general led to the führer. Post- byist’s view combining these three topics. Al‐ WWI Ludendorff was an opportunist who at‐ though all authors have a doctorate of some sort tached his name to any number of anti-Weimar (two PhDs and one JD), their qualifications are causes and happened to be in Munich in Novem‐ otherwise indeterminate. Most telling, despite a ber 1923, but that does not make him a great many assertions of fact and hundreds of di‐ Parteigenosse. Additionally, the Nazi Party pro‐ rect quotes, the book contains no footnotes or ci‐ gram in those early days was morphing. While it tations. The best the authors can muster are a few surely had many anti-republican, anti-Semitic, in-text references to pertinent book titles, Life and revanchist features with which the general magazine, the Eugene [Oregon] Guard-Register (and many post-WWI Germans) would have newspaper (!), plus some “As Professor Isabel V.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise of the Nazis Revision Guide
    Rise of the Nazis Revision Guide Name: Key Topics 1. The Nazis in the 1920s 2. Hitler becomes Chancellor, 1933 3. Hitler becomes Dictator, 1934 @mrthorntonteach Hitler and the early Nazi Party The roots of the Nazi party start in 1889, with the birth of Adolf Hitler but the political beginnings of the party start in 1919 with the set up of the German Workers Party, the DAP. This party was one of the many new parties that set up in the political chaos after the First World War and it was the joining of Adolf Hitler that changed Germanys future forever. The early life of Hitler Hitler wanted to In 1913, he moved to Hitler was shocked by become an artists but Munich and became Germanys defeat in WWI was rejected by the obsessed with all things and blamed the Weimar Vienna Art School German Republic Hitler was born Between 1908- He fought in the First In 1919, Hitler begins to spy in Austria in 13, he was World War, winning the on the German Workers 1889 to an homeless and Iron Cross but was Party (DAP) but then joins abusive father. sold paintings wounded by gas in 1918 the party, soon taking over. Who were the DAP? The DAP were national socialists: The German Workers Party Nationalists – believed that all policies should should (DAP) was set up by Anton be organised to make the nation stronger Drexler in 1919 in Munich. Socialists – believed that the country's land, industry At first there were only a small and wealth should below to the workers.
    [Show full text]
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II and the First World
    GCSE History – Democracy and Dictatorship: Germany 1890-1945 Kaiser Wilhelm II and the First World War KEY WORDS KEY INDIVIDUALS AND KEY GROUPS Prussia: Former Kingdom in Northern Europe and the dominant state of the German Empire stretching from France Kaiser Wilhelm II: Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia and Supreme commander of the German Army and the Baltic Sea to Poland. 1888 - 1918 Militarism: Belief that a country should maintain a strong armed force and be prepared to use it Kaiser Friedrich III: AKA ‘Fritz’ was the Kaisers Father, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia for only 99 aggressively. days 9th March 1988- 15th June 1988. Kaiserreich: A state being ruled by the Kaiser with very little input from anyone else. The Kaiser had final Princess Royal Victoria: Kaisers Wilhelm II mother. She was the first daughter of Queen Victoria I of say on what happened in their country. Britain and Prince Albert of Copenhagen. Weltpolitik: In English means World Policy. The Kaiser built up his army, navy and wanted to grow his Queen Victoria I: Queen of Great Britain 1837 -1901. Kaiser Wilhelm II, King George V and Tsar Nicholas II Empire. He wanted to turn Germany into a world power. were her Grandchildren. The Kaiser loved his Grandmother dearly. A place in the sun: The Kaiser wanted to grow his Empire, he started in sunny countries like on the King George V: King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India 1910 – 1936. continent of Africa. Tsar Nicholas II: Leader of Russia 1894 – 1917, Kaiser Wilhelm II’s cousin.
    [Show full text]