Figure 1.--.

Wilelm was a handicapped child that through strength of character became a capable horesman and marksman. The German doctors at first thought it was a temprary impairment. They recomended exercise and massage which had no effect. As an infant his good hand would be tied down to force him to use his disabled left arm. In 1863 when Wilhelm was about 4 years old a special device was employed. It consisted of a leather belt around the waist. An irin bar rinning up his back was afixed to the belt with an object rather like a horse bridele attached. Into this Wilhelm's head was strapped and turned as recommended by the doctors. The iron bar was moved by a screw determining how his head was turned.

Diagnosis

The German doctors at first thought it was a temprary impairment.

Early Procedures

They recomended exercise and massage which had no effect. As an infant his good hand would be tied down to force him to use his disabled left arm.

Halter Device

In 1863 when Wilhelm was about 4 years old a special device was employed. It consisted of a leather belt around the waist. An irin bar rinning up his back was afixed to the belt with an object rather like a horse bridele attached. Into this Wilhelm's head was strapped and turned as recommended by the doctors. The iron bar was moved by a screw determining how his head was turned. With the head held firmly in the straps, Wilhelm had to the left. The doctors felt that this would strach the mussles on the right side of his neck, preventting the head from being held to the right. The doctors prescribed wearing the halter for an hour a day. [Van der Kriste, 1999, p. 12.]

Doctor Wegner advised Victoria that it would no matter if the boy was seen wearing the halter. The Crown Princess was, however, adament that no one outside the household be allowed to see him in the aparatus.

The halter aparatus does not appear to have had any discenable affect. Wilhelm hated it. The very sight of the aparatus, according to one historian, caused trrible tantrums and made him very difficult to control. Probably it helped build a determination in the boy to overcome his disability.

Operation

Doctors told the royal family that if there was no clear improvement within about a month of wearing the halter, than an operation would be necessary. It would have involved surgically severing some of the neck sinews. The opertion was never conducted. Probably the doctors had second thoughts about what would happen to their careers if they had further damaged the future King of Prussia.

Exercises

The exercise program began as an effort were regularized as an older boy. They were designed to help him hold his head upright and use his left arm to a greater extent. Left alone he only used his good right arm. A seargent came to the nursery every day to supervise his exercises. Sometimes he ried to get out of doing the exercises by saying he needed to say his prayers or recite poetry. [Victoria, 1968, p. 216]

Tutor

Impairment

Significance

Sources

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.

Victoria. Dearest Mama: Letters between Queenn Victoria and the Crown Princess of Prussia, 1862-1864, ed. Roger Fulford (Ecands Books, 1968).

Created: June 6, 1998
Last updated: July 1, 2001