Intelligence and education, conscientiousness and modesty, and even a friendly closeness to his subjects: King Wilhelm II (1848–1921) was a modern ruler, interested in the developments of his time. He saw himself as a citizen among citizens.
The king paid attention to all people.
Even as a child, his teachers taught him that all people deserved respect, regardless of their status and origin. And that was how Wilhelm II acted as king. Again and again, he would speak with passerby on his walks without being recognized. When people in need turned to him with their problems, he tried to help them. The people of Württemberg called the king "e gueter Ma", or "a good man."
The king loved his two dogs.
No matter where he was, he loved to go on long walks with his two dogs, Ali and Rubi. At his private stud farm in Weil, close to Esslingen, he dedicated himself to raising horses, and to racing. He was also a passionate hunter, a passion that he shared with Queen Charlotte. Between 1886 and 1921, the monarch killed 244 deer in Bebenhausen alone. His many hunting trophies still characterize the interior of the palace today.
He was a passionate hunter.
As for hunting, their majesties had a shared interest in theater and opera. Wilhelm himself was musically gifted and loved to play music with Charlotte, who liked to play the piano while the king sang along.
No devotee of elegant cuisine.
Even though there were often large dinners with many important guests, Wilhelm II was no particular devotee of fine and elegant cuisine. Instead, he loved hearty food. The king particularly loved to eat Liptauer cheese, a spicy cheese spread paired with bread. Red sausage with potato salad was another of the king's favorite dishes.
The grave of the king, who died in 1921, in Ludwigsburg.
After the end of World War I, the German empire broke apart, and with it, the monarchy. On November 9, 1918, revolutionaries stormed the Wilhelm's Palace, the residence of the king in Stuttgart, and flew the red flag. The royal couple had to leave the city and fled to Bebenhausen. A few days later, the King of Württemberg abdicated. He was deeply disappointed by his residential city of Stuttgart. He never returned there, and even chose to be buried in Ludwigsburg.
