In the 1st German Civil War, following the end of WWI, city after city falls to the Reds as they defeat various Freikorps often hating each other as much as the Reds.
It is not made better by UK, France and USA not agreeing on who and how to fight the Reds.
On thing they can agree about however, and that is NOT supporting the Kaiser and Monarchist forces are thus relatively absent from the humiliating defeats to the Reds in 1919-20.
This and the Kaiser not being supported by the British, French and Americans reinforce the legitimacy of the Kaiser among many Germans and a circle of German industrialists start to agitate for rallying under Wilhelm. The motto goes: "Kaiser oder Chaos" (Kaiser or chaos).
They soon gain support from German socialdemocrats who are zealously prosecuted in the Red controlled areas of Germany.
In a bright and strongly advised moment Wilhelm promise a parliamentary democracy with strong social rights in future Germany and guarantee the states of Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Finland and the Baltic republics. Some of the more radical German nationalists of course are furious, but this rather just reinforce the Kaiser among more ordinary Germans.
In 1921 large areas of Germany is plagued by shortages of food closing on famine and although many of Germany's neighbors offer help it is extremely difficult to get it into Germany. General chaos is reigning, the Reds do not wan't foreigners moving around without control, and the foreigners do not want to be controlled.
In many of Germanys neighbors the Governments consider outright invading Germany but the Kaiser repeatedly claim: "Deutschland wird nicht befreit, Deutschland befreit sich selbst!" (Germany is not liberated, Germany liberates itself!). Millions of German refugees are housed in the neighboring countries however and Wilhelm loyal military units are raised with more or less open support from the neighboring countries.
At first the old victors of WWI, especially the French are extremely sceptical, but as Wilhelm denounce any claims on old German colonies and openly admit his challenge of UK on the seas as his biggest mistake the French find less and less support across the Channel.
After the conclusion of the Polish-Soviet War in 1921 it is clear that the Red Germans will have access to very little support from the Red Russians and on the 22nd of June 1921 Wilhelminian units enter Germany from Netherlands, Denmark and across the Baltic from Sweden.
Alongside Wilhelm secretly has negotiated with the Austrians and Hungarians. The first he has offered a place in the future constitutional German Empire (Incl. Sudeten and South Tyrolia) and the Hungarians are promised support in regaining Hungarian speaking areas of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Rumania.
Soon Austrian units are advancing into Bavaria and the Hungarians strongly warn the Czechoslovakians, Yugoslavians and Rumanians from interfering in German matters.
The second German civil war doesn't last long. The Reds are discredited from general mismanagement, terror and simple lack of glamour and in most places the Wilhelminian columns are welcomed by cheering Germans.
Soon things start to heat up in areas where many Germans has been left. Not at least in the Sudeten in Western Czechoslovakia where the Czechoslovakian government handles the situation with anything but velvet gloves.
In Germany however the Socialdemocrats and Union leaders who has been so instrumental in gaining Wilhelm broad support flatly refuse to have Germany engaged in sorting out the old Habsburg chaos and the industrialists would rather support the Socialdemocrats in sorting out the last communists in Germany than fighting Czechs.
Money is found however for supporting the ex-Emperor Karl who inspired from his German colleague has claimed the title of "Kaiser der Deutschösterreicher" (Emperor of the Germanaustrians) although the Republic of Austria long has been declared. Nobody however dare stop Karl when he in front of strong Austrian units seasoned in the 2nd German Civil War enters Czechoslovakia simultaneously with Polish units wanting their part of the cake (Karl has had secrets talks too).
His offer to occupy the Throne of Hungary has been met with some interest in Hungary, but has so far been thwarted by Admiral Horthy. With Karl so successfully teaching the arrogant Czechoslovakians a lesson and openly supporting Hungarian revanchism things suddenly goes fast. Horthy feel obliged to enter Czechoslovakia too and next Yugoslavia and Rumania feel it best to join the war in an "Anti-Revanchist League". The Czechs had initially trusted the French to protect their integrity, but with Karl very cleverly providing the world press with examples of Czechoslovakian atrocities and Wilhelm "reaching out my hand to my French brothers so we can find peace to give the world excellent coal and steel" it never goes beyond a few words here and there. The Czechoslovakian army, based on the newly returned veterans of The Czech Legion fights valiantly, but in the end is overwhelmed.
1st of April 1922 Horthy suddenly dies from an acute lead infection and Karl is crowned King of Hungary son after. In Vienna the republican government steps back after some quite violent riots lead by Monarchists and the new government recognizes Karl as "Kaiser der Deutschösterreicher", annexes the Sudeten and declare war on Yugoslavia and Rumania. Austria and Hungary still are two independent states, they just have the same head of state, but anyway Yugoslavia soon fall back to being just Serbia and by late year Rumania really doesn't find it worthwhile to fight any more for Transylvania.
In Italy the growing anxiety over Habsburg revanchism puts an upstart newspaper editor and former socialist in power about the same time as Rumania quits, but as Karl so far hasn't openly claimed the Italian gains from WWI nothing more happens, but it is obvious to most that the present European powder keg is at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea.
In the 1923 elections in Germany the Social Democrats have 39 % of the votes and the main Monarchist party (Kaiserliche Deutsche Union) only 25%. It is a great disappointment to the Kaiser but in another of his brighter and strongly advised moments he appoints a Socialdemocratic Kanzler (PM) backed by a coalition of Socialdemocrats and Monarchists. In 1925 a new German constitution is voted yes to by the voters in a referendum. It firmly establish a parliamentary and federal democracy but with the Kaiser in a very prominent formal role. Many devout Monarchist try to convince Wilhelm that he should not tolerate this, but increasingly he just enjoy his glamorous but simple position.
The question over the status of the Danzig corridor become increasingly hot however. The area had been granted to Poland after WWI to giver her access to the Baltic, but it is mainly populated by Germans. Initially Germany has very little support outside Germany for reclaiming the Corridor, but the increasingly authoritarian Polish regime and the stable Socialdemocratic governments in Germany by the early 30's has put the idea of a plebiscite in the Corridor on the serious international agenda.
The final drop comes in 1935 when Mussolini's dreams of a new Roman Empire has him invade Abyssinia. Kaiser Karl make a very famous radio speech where he warns about "misplaced colonial ambitions" and urge the British to "restore international order and the right of nations to have their own governments, in Abyssinia as well as in Danzig and in South Tyrolia".
The British of course could see that these ideas should not be taken outside Abyssinia, Danzig and South Tyrolia, but the Americans find the words absolutely fabulous. Not at least because the son of Karl and heir to his titles Otto, in 1934 had married an American girl from a very rich family. In these years it is rare to find a newspaper or magazine cover without an image of Otto and his American Princess.
So at an international conference international plebiscites are arranged in Danzig and South Tyrol, and Saarland as well. And BTW Mussolini is kicked out by King Umberto of Italy.
In the next years Europe find itself in a happy state of "peace in our time", but occasionally disturbed by communist riots and growing concerns about the Soviet Union. Sometimes other persons disturb the public order too. In Nuremberg for instance an unemployed painter of Austrian origin is arrested for having painted a silly little mustache on a poster of the Kaiser.
But back to important people and matters France and Germany are increasingly united in worrying about the "Red danger". The Brits are too, but are as unwilling to invest in a big army as the Germans are in building a big navy. The Poles for the moment are the "Bulwark against the Reds" and as much as possible try to utilize that situation, but the Socialdemocratic governments of Germany and France really doesn't have the legitimacy to make an actual alliance with a very authoritarian Poland, and the Poles still are pissed about being forced to hand over Danzig to the Germans.
Rearmament take speed by the late 30's however and unofficial staff meetings are held with the Poles, as reports of Soviet rearmaments reach Warsaw, Berlin and Paris.
4th of June 1941 Kaiser Wilhelm dies peacefully while on a visit in Netherlands. In one of the obituaries it says: "He finally had peace in his time, but it probably won't last much longer..."
OK, ok - I know it all a bit stretched, but it was fun writing
And in case you say: "What on earth has Kaiser Bill been smoking?"
I really can't say yet, but I'm looking if there is more
