Who Was the Last German Emperor?

William II, king of Prussia and last German emperor - he ruled the German Empire for 30 years before being toppled from the throne. But who was Emperor William II? Born in the Royal Palace in Potsdam, from the start of his life William was confronted with his country's history and the legacy of his ancestors. He was raised in the Prussian tradition, learning a sense of duty, accuracy and discipline. He grew up loving everything military, a consummate pupil of pomp and ceremony. It's said that sometimes he would change his clothes up to as many as six times a day. But even the best uniform couldn't hide one shortcoming. He tried to hide his withered arm, a birth defect that was a constant source of trauma for him throughout his entire life.

He preferred to compose his correspondence here at this desk, where Prussian King Friedrich I had once sat. But William is more than just a king. He possesses the imperial seal and has the right to call himself German emperor. He's determined to make his mark and constructs the Berlin Cathedral as the Protestant rival to St Peter's Cathedral in Rome. A monumental mosaic inside the cathedral, the emperor and his wife Auguste Victoria are portrayed as holy figures.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries all of Germany was turned into a stage for a ruler who many say was more enamored with appearances than reality. A tax on sparkling wine is instituted to help him realize his grandiose vision: expanding his naval fleet. Huge sums are channelled into building larger ships - ever faster battleships with ever more fire power and ever more formidable armor. With every ship launched he would bandy about the slogan "Our future lay on the sea." Influenced heavily by weapons manufacturer Krupp, the emperor unrelentingly builds up military armaments. And the German Empire isn't the only nation in a frenzy to stockpile weapons. None of the major powers wants to fall behind in the contest to build the largest canons and the fastest battleships.

In 1914 war is in the air, and William senses this. The emperor writes letters to his relatives, who are possible wartime opponents. "Dear Niki, I will never let it come to that," he writes to the Russian tsar. He sends an appeal for peace to the English king as well. When his letters goes unanswered the German kaiser heightens the chances of war by encouraging the Austro-Hungarian Empire to continue to pursue its aggressive policies towards Serbia. This is a prelude to the First World War. The German Empire follows suit and declares war on France and Russia. And what about the emperor? William withdraws leaving the decisions to his generals.

In 1918 Emperor William II is dethroned. The German chancellor announced that the emperor and his heirs had abdicated. William was forced into exile. He was responsible for one of the most horrific wars in human history. In the autumn of 1918 his train reached its final destination, Doorn in the Netherlands. Where, in 1941, in exile, he would die.