LIV Berlin 29/I/1906

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WWI Document Archive > Pre - 1914 Documents > Willy-Nicky Letters between the Kaiser and the Czar > 'Willy-Nicky' Letters XLIX - LXXV (22 August 1905 - 26 March 1914) > LIV Berlin 29/I/1906


LIV
Berlin 29/I/1906


Dearest Nicky

General v. Jacobi brought me your letter and wishes for which best thanks. He was most happy at the kind reception he met at your hands as well as in society, I am glad to hear from him that you are quite well as also are Alix and the children. He was most impressed by the good looks and "tenue" the Regiments showed, which were inspected by you, at which ceremony he was allowed to assist. But he was very sorry he cut such a miserable figure at the shooting party, not having his own guns, and beeing only an indifferent marksman.

The idea of a swaggering "aide-de-camp" from our "Collegue" the woodcutters von Fallieres[1] following about in your "suite" caused me unlimited amusement. But besides being awfully funny it is in some respects at least also a useful idea. The more closely France is drawn over to you -- provided it succeeds -- the more it gets out of mischief. The Moroccan business[2] will as far as I can see come out all right without war. The decisive point is that hitherto no other Power has shown any disposition for eventually lending France armed support, in case she wants to invade Morocco. Without the certainty of armed support France is not likely to risk such an invasion. Some arrangement will ultimately be agreed upon ensuring Peace for all the parties concerned with honour assuring at the same time for the trade of the whole world the maintenance of the open Door in Morocco. That the French refused a loan to Russia now,[3] has not so much to do with the Moroccan Affair, as she has much calmed down since the opening of the Conference of Algesiras, but to the reports of the Jews from Russia -- who are the leaders of the Revolt[4] -- to their kinsmen in France who have the whole Press under their nefarious influence. Berlin is quite full of Russians and noble families fled from the Baltic Provinces. Over 50,000 of your subjects are here. 20,000 about at Königsberg and other thousands in the small Provincial towns of Prussia, Posen and Silesia. Especially the Nobles from the Baltic Provinces are in dire distress, having lost all their castles burnt and their properties pillaged and their forests partly destroyed. Many a baroness has gone in for simple housekeeping in other families, and young comtesses and baronesses have had to enter "Magazine" as simple shopgirls, only to save themselves and their mothers from starving!! Our great landed proprietors have volunteered to harbour some families in their country houses, and even the Empress has taken girls into her seminary to relieve the poor mothers! You have no idea of the terrible loss and distress reigning in the best of your Courland and Livland Nobility. As many of my officers serving in the army have married young ladies from these families, receiving their main means of subsistence from their parents-in-law these poor fellows are also suddenly placed vis-a-vis de rien, as they cannot live on their pay. To my opinion many millions will be necessary for reestablishing these poor people and helping to rebuild their destroyed homes, which sums I trust your Government will readily place at their disposal; an order from you to that effect would make an excellent impression in the whole of Europe, and rally the dropping spirits of these lamentable people.

While I am writing these lines I just receive the sudden and quite unexpected news of your dear grandfathers death.[5] What a noble ideal and chivalrous monarch has passed away! Beloved by his family and his subjects who looked upon him as their fatherl I deeply sympathize with you in this great loss, which we monarchs all feel and deplore, as we have lost one of our best among us! Your poor mother will be in an awful distress, but thankful that she was there to spend the last moments with her adored father! I of course intend going to the funeral.

General Saionzkowsky[6] was presented to me and made an excellent impression upon me; I was glad to be able to congratulate him on the brilliant achievemeets of my brave Regiment of Viborg, that fought so gallantly for its Emperor and Country.

Now goodbye dearest Nicky, best love to Alix and the children from

Your aff-ate friend and cousin
Willy


Notes

  1. Falliereo had a fortnight before been elected President of France. The Kaiser's "woodcutters" joke is not clear.
  2. The conference at Algeciras had opened on January I6th, under the Presidency of the Duke of Almodovar.
  3. The new Russian loan of 800,000,000 francs proposed at the moment, was rejected by the French Government, but the French banks were willing to advance funds to strengthen the gold reserve of the Imperial Bank.
  4. The revolutionary outbreaks in the Baltic Provinces in the fall of 1905.
  5. King Christian IX. of Denmark died this day. He was the father of the Czar's mother.
  6. In the Russo-Japanese War he commanded the 8th Viborg Infantry Regiment, of which the Kaiser was Honorary Colonel.

WWI Document Archive > Pre - 1914 Documents > Willy-Nicky Letters between the Kaiser and the Czar > 'Willy-Nicky' Letters XLIX - LXXV (22 August 1905 - 26 March 1914) > LIV Berlin 29/I/1906