WI Germany keeps it's monarchy after WWI.

In OTL Kaiser Wilhelm II resigned at the end of the great war, and prohibited his son from being crowned Wilhelm II while also lifting the loat of honour to the Kaiser that the German army had to do. What if Wilhelm II had resigned, but called a constitutional convention to rewritte the 1871 constitution into a more democratic one to appease the people and allowed Willy 3 to be crowned Kaiser? Would this strategy work? What would be the long therm effects in Germany?
 
Assuming the Allies would have allowed it, I'd guess that it would move the German Right--especially the major industrialists who would do anything to oppose the Communists--towards the Monarchists. Thus, fascism never gains the foothold and momentum in the more unified German Right than it did IOTL, and the Nazis never emerge to leech lower-middle class votes away from the KPD. It is possible, after the Great Depression, that the KPD takes power either electorally or less so in Germany, or for the Kaiser to form a much stronger police state to "guard against bolshevism". In the former case, I'd expect to see a WWII between the US, France, and Britain vs. Germany and the Soviets, in the latter, I imagine a three-way cold war between communists, monarchists, and liberals developing.
 
Assuming the Allies would have allowed it, I'd guess that it would move the German Right--especially the major industrialists who would do anything to oppose the Communists--towards the Monarchists. Thus, fascism never gains the foothold and momentum in the more unified German Right than it did IOTL, and the Nazis never emerge to leech lower-middle class votes away from the KPD. It is possible, after the Great Depression, that the KPD takes power either electorally or less so in Germany, or for the Kaiser to form a much stronger police state to "guard against bolshevism". In the former case, I'd expect to see a WWII between the US, France, and Britain vs. Germany and the Soviets, in the latter, I imagine a three-way cold war between communists, monarchists, and liberals developing.

I highly doubt it. Even before the Nazis became significant on the national level in 1930, the KPD's best result was 12.6% of the vote in the May 1924 German federal election.
 
Mein Kaiser, since you are here, can you oh great majesty ruler of die Deutsche Kaiserreich enlight us, mortals, about what do you think that would happen in such scenario?

Danke schön.

For the Hohenzollerns to stick around, they're going to have to accept a true constitutional monarchy, I'd guess.
 
I highly doubt it. Even before the Nazis became significant on the national level in 1930, the KPD's best result was 12.6% of the vote in the May 1924 German federal election.

Yes but if the Reds can pick up on some of the Nazi's base--which given the makeup of the party pre-Long Knives is IMO eminently possible--the KPD capitalizing on the Depression to the point of essentially pulling the same trick as the Nazis IOTL. This is especially true if the Kaiser remaining in power in 1919 persuades the Spartacists that the time isn't quite ripe, and gives them more competent leadership that is more willing to stand up to the Moscow line and thus become more politically viable.
 
Yes but if the Reds can pick up on some of the Nazi's base--which given the makeup of the party pre-Long Knives is IMO eminently possible--the KPD capitalizing on the Depression to the point of essentially pulling the same trick as the Nazis IOTL. This is especially true if the Kaiser remaining in power in 1919 persuades the Spartacists that the time isn't quite ripe, and gives them more competent leadership that is more willing to stand up to the Moscow line and thus become more politically viable.

Pulling in some of the Nazi support base will, perhaps, give them 15% of the vote. The KPD couldn't even get the entire working solidly behind them, never mind convincing the middle class, the farmers, the industrial barons, the Junkers and the aristocratic officers corps. Communist Germany has to happen in 1918-'19, or it's not happening at all.
 
For the Hohenzollerns to stick around, they would have to win.

After the Franco-Prussian War, countries that lost wars got rid of their monarchies if they had them. The only exception I can think of was Bulgaria. Monarchies that didn't lose wars had something like a fifty-fifty chance of survival.

Also didn't the Americans want the Hohenzollerns gone?
 
If the eldest son of Wilhelm II did come to the throne, what would be his regnal name? He is listed in Wikipedia as "Crown Prince Wilhelm" but he actual name was Friedrich Wilhelm, as was the case with his father and it seems with all the male Hohenzollerns. But the regnal names were either Friedrich, Wilhelm, or Friedrich Wilhelm with some alteration. Any idea on what it would have been?
 
Pulling in some of the Nazi support base will, perhaps, give them 15% of the vote. The KPD couldn't even get the entire working solidly behind them, never mind convincing the middle class, the farmers, the industrial barons, the Junkers and the aristocratic officers corps. Communist Germany has to happen in 1918-'19, or it's not happening at all.

Better leadership if the 1918-19 Revolutions don't happen means that the KPD can actually grow as a party without being hamstrung by the Moscow line. Thus, they can actually start to break into the SPD's base, particularly if butterflies result in the SPD being in power in ~1930 when the Depression hits and the KPD can absorb most of the left of the SPD's support and build that into KPD control.

Do I think this is the only possible outcome? no. But I do think it is a possible outcome.
 
The territorial losses and subsequent economic crises would weaken Germany, as much as it did to the Weimar Republic. I'd expect the German right to take a more forceful tone towards the Soviet Union, or work with them to eliminate Poland. WWII with the United States involved is not assured either, as we could expect a militaristic regime to be far more competent than the messy taint of ideology-driven policies. The KPD coming to power electorally is virtually impossible without civil war, the military would make damn well sure the Communists are nowhere to be seen within the halls of government. Fascism would certainly influence this militaristic regime too, as most Junkers would probably seek to avoid revolution and chaos via class collaboration - as most German elites had done previously.

Sure, but after military industry is dismantled--and with the Entente keeping a much harder eye on the Kaiser's regime as I imagine they would--its basically only the Soviets who are willing and able to collaborate with the Germans. I imagine that Germany will attempt to take advantage of the Polish Soviet War to yoink back Danzig--this could either be by a Freikorps invasion whilst the Poles have their backs to the Vistula, or by supporting the Soviets in exchange for the corridor. From there, industrial collaboration leads to a German-Soviet...accord developing IMO, the price of which may be allowing the KPD to emerge in Germany. Germany can't do too much to cheese off the Reds when the Reds are their only possible allies, after all.

Unless of course the Entente supported them as a "bulwark against bolshevism", but I imagine the French left especially would prefer Bolshevism to a rearmed Prussian Menace.
 
Only way keep German monarchy around is that Germany either wins war or loses that much faster, perhaps in 1916. In 1918 there wasn't enough of support for monarchy.
 

Deleted member 94680

If the eldest son of Wilhelm II did come to the throne, what would be his regnal name? He is listed in Wikipedia as "Crown Prince Wilhelm" but he actual name was Friedrich Wilhelm, as was the case with his father and it seems with all the male Hohenzollerns. But the regnal names were either Friedrich, Wilhelm, or Friedrich Wilhelm with some alteration. Any idea on what it would have been?

Wilhelm III. The Kronprinz Wilhelm thing is your best indicator of his intended regnal name. If Wilhelm II had been identified as an unsuccessful or 'bad' monarch he may have gone for Friedrich IV to 'discontinue' continuity with his father, but Wilhelm was a 'good' German/Prussian regnal name (Wilhelm der Große is a national hero after all). I think - and I may be completely wrong - going for Friedrich Wilhelm V would be 'big boots to fill' and 'too Prussian' as opposed to German. Just my thoughts.
 
Wilhelm III. The Kronprinz Wilhelm thing is your best indicator of his intended regnal name. If Wilhelm II had been identified as an unsuccessful or 'bad' monarch he may have gone for Friedrich IV to 'discontinue' continuity with his father, but Wilhelm was a 'good' German/Prussian regnal name (Wilhelm der Große is a national hero after all). I think - and I may be completely wrong - going for Friedrich Wilhelm V would be 'big boots to fill' and 'too Prussian' as opposed to German. Just my thoughts.

I once met the grandgrandgrandson of a german soldier who fought in WWI, he said that on his ancestor diary he first called Wilhelm II as the great, but after he resigned he began to call him as "The bitter".
 
Top