Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse

The Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was a German steamship launched in the late 1890s by the North German Lloyd Steamship Company. It was designed as a Blue Riband-class liner, competing for speed on the North Atlantic passenger route. This ship, with an overall length of 655 feet and a displacement of 23,760 tons, was equipped with twin screws.1

In the fall of 1897, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse won the Blue Riband on its third eastbound voyage, initiating a speed race among steamship companies. This competition was part of a broader trend in the late 19th century where steamship companies focused on building larger, faster vessels to attract passengers, particularly emigrants seeking passage to North America. The ship's namesake, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was the German emperor from 1888 to 1918 and pursued militaristic policies, including building up German naval power.123