Figure 1.--.

Wilhelm at the age of 7 years in January 1866 was removed from the nursery and his formal education began. Henry joined him 2 years later. Captain von Schrotter of the Guards Artillery became Wihelm's governor and his formal education in a schoolroom. We are not sure how von Schrotter and the others involved in Wilhelm's education were chosen and to what extent the parents or grandparents made the selection. Von Schrotter became a military attaché in London. A seargent taught him to play the drum. A Potsdam school teacher was engaged to teach reading and writing. It was Georg Hinzpeter who was to have the greatest influence on Wilhelms character. Hinzpeter in mid-1866 was chosen as a civil tutor. Hinzpeter was a severe bachelor aged 38 when he behan to work with Wilhelm. He had a doctorate in philosphy and clasical philology. Just as another German tutor, Johann Christoph Florschütz who worked with the future Prince Consort Albert, may have been one of the most successful teachers of the 19th century, Hinzpeter despite some worthy approaches may be considered one of the least successfull teachers given the disaster that Wilhelm brought on Germany and Europe. Hinzpeter worked tondiabuse the young Prince of the liberalmviews his father and mother were promoting and promoted Prussian autocratic ideas that hismgrandfather and Bismarck held.

Victoria's Role

Some historian's assert that Friedrich left the upbringing of his children in the hands of his wife. [Kohut, 1982, p. 68.] Wilhelm's memories of his father were good, but Friedrich and his son in fact had no close relationship. Despite this, Wilhelm glorified his father. Friedrich's presence in his son's life, however, was not strong enough to play a strong paternal role. Some authors postulate that his attitude toward his mother as an adult were influences by the fact that Victoria in many ways dominated Friedrich, which Wilhelm could not accept. Historians speculate that he longed to win back his father from his mother's influence. [Kohut, 1982, p. 279] We susdpect that this was an idea that Hinzpeter either directly or indirctky put in his head. Wilhelm came to think that his mother undermined the position he wanted his father to have. This may have had a signifiucant influence on Wilhelm's selection of his entourage as Kaiser. Dr. Georg Hinzpeter was appointed Wilhelm's tutor in 1866, when Victoria thought the boy needed a male person around him. Both Victoria and Friederich were very impressed with Hinzpeter and his educational system. Wilhelm looking back at Hinzpeter's classroom regretted the harsh routien and largely blamed his mother. [Kohut, 1982, p. 43. ] But he admired him as acholr bd used him s an dviser when he became Kiser,

Governor

Wilhelm at the age of 7 years in January 1866 was removed from the nursery and his formal education began. Captain von Schrotter of the Guards Artillery became Wihelm's governor and his formal education in a schoolroom. I'm not sure how von Schrotter and the others involved in Wilhelm's education were chosen and to what extent the parents or grandparents made the selection. Von Schrotter became a military attaché in London.

Drumming

A seargent taught him to play the drum.

Teacher

A Potsdam school teacher was engaged at first to teach reading and writing.

Tutor

It was Dr. Georg Hinzpeter who was to have the greatest influence on Wilhelms character. Hinzpeter in mid-1866 was chosen as a civil tutor. Hinzpeter was a severe bachelor aged 38 when he behan to work with Wilhelm. He had a doctorate in philosphy and clasical philology. While a brilliant scholar, he had no concept of childhood and how to approach children. Just as another German tutor, Florschütz who worked with the future Prince Consort Albert, may have been one of the most successful teachers of the 19th century, Hinzpeter despite some worthy appraoches may be considered one of the least successfull teachers. One of Prince Albert's trusted advisors, Ernst von Stockmar, a son of Florschütz, was not impressed with Hinzpeter when he met him, sensing that "he wants of heart and is a hard Spartan idealist". [Morier II, 1911, p. 97]

Educational System

Dr. Hinzpeter's educational system consisted of 12 hours a day of study and physical exercize. It sounds's earher demanding today for a boy only 7 years old. Hinzpeter based his system on a formidable sence of duty and service. What was called noblese oblige in a eralier age. Wilhelm's character was to be built on what Hinzpeter called "renunciation". The prince's life was to be based on "Prussian simplicity," a modern version of harsh Spartan discipline. The Crown Prince and Princess were very impressed with Hinpeter. [Van der Kiste, 1999, p. 14] Dr. Hinzpeter's approach was never to praise Wilhelm and Henry or give them any approval or encouragement. Apparently the goal was perfection and because perfection was never achieved, praise was never in order. [Wilhelm II, 1926, pp.31-32.] One wonder's if Wilhelm love of adulation as Kaiser was not influenced by the lack of praise from Hinzpeter. Their phyiscal regime was also spartan. At breakfast theywere only given dried bread and for tea only bread and butter. When they hosted therir cousins they had to play correct hosts, offering them tasty cakes while they only ate bread.

Excursions

Dr. Hinzpeter's system included excursions every Wednesday and Saturday to museums, art galleries, and work sites. Visits to museums and galleries were rotien for tutors, but visits to work sites were a novel appraoch. He took the boys to factories, foundaries, workshops, farms, and mines. The goal was show the young princes what life was like for working men and acquaint the boys with social inequities. After each visit, Wilhelm was taught to appraoch the man in charge, remove his hat, and give a short speech thanking him for his hospitality. Later in life Wilhelm was to say that the galleries and museums board him, but that the visits to work sites provided an insight into social and labor consitions. [Van der Kiste, 1999, p. 14] Dr. Hinzpeter's approach is an example of some interesting aspects of Prussian amd later Imperial German policies. While the Prussian monarchy was very conservative and was able with Bismarck's help to limit the growth of German democracy, they did persue progressive social reform far beyond that of more democratic Britain. The Prussian's promoted free public edcation at a time that many in Britain had doubts about public education. Under Bismarck a social security system was implemented decades before the Goverment took similar steps in Britain or America. One wonders, however, about the impact of Hinzpeter's excursions on Wilhelm. His belicose behavior before World War I began and his lack of empathy for the suffering of the German people during the War suggests that these visits developed little empathy for his subjects.

Learning to Ride

Perhaps the best example of Hinzpeter's approach was how he taught Wilhelm to ride. Wilhelm looking back reports that nOne of the most torturing experiences of his life was when at the age of 8 1/2 his tutor insisted that he laern to ride. This was no small matter for a fiture Prussian king. Reviewing troops and other martial exercises were a major task he would have to perform. Yet at age 8 he still could not ride because of his inefectual left arm and poor sence of balance, another result of the doctor's mishandling of his birth. Hinzpeter ordered him to try again and again to mount a pony and try to keep his balance. When he fell off, he was ordered back on to the pony again without pause. The weeping Wilhelm was made to sit on the pony without stirups and take the reins in his strong right hand. It took some weeks, but finally Wilhelm learned to ride despite his disabilities. [Wilhelm II, 1926, p.37.] In fact he became quite an accomplished horseman.

Marksmanship

Wihelm overcame another disability without Hinzpeter. Hunting was a popular diversion for the airistocracy. Markmanship was a sign of manhood in the 19th century. It was at Balmoral in 1866 while visting Queen Victoria that he began to develop his skills. One day he walked into the ghillies (estate workers) room where they were cleaning rifles. Wilhelm tried to pick one up, but it was too heavy for a boy with only one good arm. He started to throw a tantrum, but one of the gillies handed him a small gun that had been made for the Prince of Wales when he was a boy. He then showed Wilhelm how to use it. [Van der Kiste, 1999, p. 15]

Later Life

Prince Wilhelm continued to associate with Hinzpeter as a yung adult into his 20s. When he assended to the throne in 1888, Hinpeter was one of his closest advisers. In conversations with Bismarck, he lauds Hinzpeter highly. Interestingly, as a older man the Kaiser in his memoirs has virtually nothing positive to say abouty his old tutor. [Wilhelm II] Bismarck is wary of Hinzpeter, thunking him under the control of Wilhelm's English mother, Victoria. [Ludwig, p. 578.]

Sources

Kohut, Thomas A. Kaiser Wilhelm II and his parents, in John C. G. Röhl and Nicolaus Sombart (eds). Kaiser Wilhelm II. New Interpretations. The Corfu Papers (Cambridge, 1982).

Ludwig, Emil. Bismarck: The Story of a Fighter (Little, Brown, and Company, 1927).

Morier, Sir Robert. Memoirs and Letters, (Edward Arnold, 1911), 2 volumes.

Röhl, John C.G. Young Wilhelm : the Kaiser's early life, 1859-1888, translated by Jeremy Gaines and Rebecca Wallach.

Van der Kriste, John. Kaiser Wihelm II: Germany's Last Kaiser (Bodmin: Sutton Publishing, 1999), 244p.

Wilhelm II. My Early Life (New York, 1926).

Created: July 2, 2001
Last updated: 3:44 PM 1/29/2022