Bismarck’s Last Warning to the Kaiser Wilhelm II
German newspapers, as a result of the news about the Russo-Franco Alliance and the Tzars' visit to
Paris, begin to run articles blaming Bismarck for the failure to renew the treaty with Russia. Bismarck
writes a newspaper editorial detailing precisely where the fault lies. Kaiser Wilhelm is furious. Even so
he send Admiral Tirpitz to Bismarck in an effort to get him to say something positive about the rising
German Navy. He refuses seeing the danger of challenging Britain. Then Wilhelm visits him uninvited.
Bismarck is confined to a wheelchair, but his mind is still sharp. Over dinner he wonders how he can
warn Wilhelm of the dangers to his crown and Germany that his policies are creating. He attempts to
discuss world policy with him for the first tie in several years. Wilhelm turns his comments into a jest.
Bismarck ties again and is rebuffed by another silly witticism. Even Wilhelm's staff is shocked at
Wilhelm's rudeness. Finally he tells Wilhelm in a strong voice that all can here, "Your Majesty! So long as
you have the present officer's corps, you can, indeed, do as you please. But when this is no longer the
case, matters will be very different." Wilhelm prattles on and ignores his warning. After Wilhelm leaves,
he continues to issue warnings of amazing accuracy. "If the country is well ruled, the coming war may be
averted; if it is badly ruled, that war may become a Seven Years War! The wars of the future will be
decided by artillery. Troops can be replaced in case of need; big guns must be made in time of peace. ....
In Russia, the coming of a republic is perhaps nearer than most people suppose. .... In the fight between
labour and capital, labour has won most of the victories, and that will happen everywhere as soon as the
workers possess the vote. When the final victory comes it will be that of labour." [Ludwig, p. 632.]
Ludwig, Emil. Bismarck: The Story of a Fighter (Little, Brown, and Company, 1927).