Kaiser and Hindenburg

Kaiser Wilhelm II and Field-Marshall Paul von Hindenburg

This photograph was made near the imperial castle at Posen and published as a German Red Cross Picture in 1915.
The Kaiser and Oberste Kriegsherr Wilhelm II (left) has his standard cigarette in his hand. And, as usual, he hides his deformed left arm.
Hindenburg (1847) was already retired, but the Kaiser recalled him on the outbreak of the Great War. In 1916 he became Chief of Staff.
After the war Hindenburg retired again but he continued to take interest in politics. In 1925 he replaced Friedrich Ebert as President of Germany. Re-elected in 1932 he did not oppose the rise of Adolf Hitler who appointed him Chancellor in January 1933.
Hindenburg was so popular with the German people that Hitler was unable to overthrow constitutional government until his death in 1934.


   Click on the picture to see the next one in this Color Photographs series, or click here to go back to the summary page.