The Kaiser Hanged

British politicians demanded rhetorically that the Kaiser be hanged.

Is there any way that could have happened?

If so what would have been the consequences?

I don't eben know if Liebknecht and Luxembourg would have contemplated hanging the kaiser if he had fallen into their hands, so the only possibilities are
1) mob rule
2) out-of-control allied soldiers
3) supremely vindictive allied court

1) is unlikely since the kaiser doesn't walk around on his own, and OTL moved from his HQ to the Dutch border unmolested. If he had tried to go back to Berlin maybe things would have turned out worse and he might have fallen into the hands of a revolutionary mob

2) requires the allies to cross the border, which in OTL isn't remotely likely as they have to go through the German army to do this

3) would require agreement to establish a war guilt court, or some such, probably needing US agreement, and for Britain to have a stronger position than simply rhetoric

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
Fascism and Nazism are as similair as Communism and Stalinism and to a lesser extent as Socialims and Communism.

At least, Fascism and Nazism are both brands of Far-Right, as Stalinism and Communism are then Far-Left.

Not much a change for those discussions, so...
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
At least, Fascism and Nazism are both brands of Far-Right, as Stalinism and Communism are then Far-Left.

Not much a change for those discussions, so...

Then say that instead of claiming Nazism and Fascism are the same. Personally I think that Right/Left is a silly way to divide the political spectrum but I can see what benefits people see in it.
 
Then say that instead of claiming Nazism and Fascism are the same. Personally I think that Right/Left is a silly way to divide the political spectrum but I can see what benefits people see in it.

It's like Dogs and Wolves. Distinct species? Maybe, maybe not. Close enough to hybridise and all.

Nazism remains a form of Fascism, I say. Germany strong men flavored, local pecularities.
 
Anybody else discussing the issue at hand?

Unless he makes some vain-glorious attempt to get back to Berlin and falls into the hands of a revolutionary mob, I can only see the idea of an allied court working, and even then he needs to be in their hands - maybe the Dutch turn him back at the border? But even then he's not in anyone's hands. Maybe they arrest him (on what charge?)

Assuming that agreement can be reached (somehow) on creating this court, its going to seem to be a much more partial enterprise than Nuremburg was, and basically a way for the other powers to vent their feelings, rather than any real concept of justice

Of course, in theory such a court COULD ACQUIT and in this the Wili-Niki telegrams could help - ie show how he tried to stop the war at the last minute.

But for the sake of this thread he'd have to be found guilty and hanged, and its hardly going to be just him - Ludendorff, Tirpitz, Scheer, for a start would all be there swinging beside him

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
I vaguely recall a short story in which it was the French who pressed for the execution of the Kaiser but were voted down by the British, Italians and Americans. Undaunted, a few years after Versailles the French launched an Eichmann type extraction of Wilhelm from the Netherlands and introduced him to Madame Guillotine. After much huffing and puffing, war broke out between France and Britain/Italy/Japan. In the end France was defeated and occupied but not before her forces had laid waste to much of the Rhineland and Baden.

I can't remember the author or title but wonder whether anyone else came across the story?
 
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HJ Tulp

Donor
Anybody else discussing the issue at hand?

Unless he makes some vain-glorious attempt to get back to Berlin and falls into the hands of a revolutionary mob, I can only see the idea of an allied court working, and even then he needs to be in their hands - maybe the Dutch turn him back at the border? But even then he's not in anyone's hands. Maybe they arrest him (on what charge?)

Assuming that agreement can be reached (somehow) on creating this court, its going to seem to be a much more partial enterprise than Nuremburg was, and basically a way for the other powers to vent their feelings, rather than any real concept of justice

Of course, in theory such a court COULD ACQUIT and in this the Wili-Niki telegrams could help - ie show how he tried to stop the war at the last minute.

But for the sake of this thread he'd have to be found guilty and hanged, and its hardly going to be just him - Ludendorff, Tirpitz, Scheer, for a start would all be there swinging beside him

Best Regards
Grey Wolf


If the Queen forbids Kaiser Wilhelm to enter the Netherlands that might very well have effect on Troelstra's Revolution of 1918.
 

HJ Tulp

Donor
In a way favourable to it or preventative of it?

Best Regards
Grey Wolf


To be honest I'm not sure. I don't recall any opposition to the Emperors arrival but even though the Dutch population was pretty pro-Germany because of the Boer Wars the Belgian occupation negated that somewhat. If the refusal makes the Queen less popular that might make the socialist more able to gain the upperhand before they reveal themselves to be all talk and no action.
 
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