102502 | GERMANY. Wilhelm II silver Medal.

102502  |  GERMANY. Wilhelm II silver Medal. Issued 1914. World War I series: The German Emperor's "speech from the throne," opening the Reichstag (33mm, 13.83 g, 12h). By L. C. Lauer in Nürnberg.

 

WILHELM II DEUTSCHER KAISER–KÖNIG v PREUSSEN, bare head left // Throne and three swords dividing date; in nine lines below. UNS TREIBT NICHT EROBERUNGSLUST / UNS BESEELT DER UNBEUGSAME WILLE- / DEN PLATZ ZU BEWAHREN-AUF / DEN GOTT UNS GESTELLT HAT- / FÜR UNS UND ALLE KOMMEN= / DEN GESCHLECHTER! / WILHELM II / V D KGL SCHLOSS Z BERLIN / A 4 AUG 1914 (we are not driven by the desire to conquer, we are instead inspired by the unbendable will to preserve the place where God has placed us and all future generations). Edge: 990.

 

Zetzmann 2017 (R). PCGS SP-64. Extremely vibrant and brilliant, with some enchanting iridescent toning; a minor die crack running through Wilhelm's head is noted merely for completeness. The single finest graded example of this rarer type in the PCGS census.

 

Not originally in line to ever become the King of Prussia and, more importantly, the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II ascended to the thrones following the rather brief reign of his father, Friedrich III, who passed away from cancer at the relatively young age of 56 and after ruling just three months. Unlike his father, who would have likely been a liberal reformer heading into the 20th century, Wilhelm was more autocratic and bellicose in his tendencies. It was on account of this aspect that the events that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I and, by extension, World War II, became much more likely with his rule as opposed to that of his father.

 

In early August 1914, he opened the Reichstag with a rousing speech (the topic of this medal) that sought to unify the various factions within the German Empire, with the hope for a swift end to war which would, in the end, last just over four long years and ultimately cause the Kaiser his throne.

 

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Upload: 15 August 2024.

 

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