The President Prince...

[lohengrin]

I though I will share this interesting photo with all of you...

A private photo of Crown Prince Wilhelm!

Note the German-English text on the reverse!

I can't decipher all the German writing, but the English text is just awesome!

[lohengrin]

Back

[randy@treadways]

He looked a lot like the Duke of Windsor looked in his later years.

[lohengrin]

You are right, Randy...

Well, Wilhelm's grandmother was Princess Victoria. And I think she was a great-grandaunt of Edward... They do share some of the same genes...

[Yeoman]

'This is the coming man !' '- the coming president' - that's an interesting postcard indeed. I like it but can only wonder why the English on a German postcard sent within Germany ?
I can't quite read the date on the stamp lohengrin, do you know what the date is ?

[lohengrin]

I very much agree!

It is interesting that the text is both in German and English...

The English text reads....

This is the coming man!

The man on this picture -
Is to be our commander -
The coming president
Loves and greetings....

Perhaps someone could help us with the German text!

The stamp is as follows:

I think it may be 1930s? The stamp shows the Presidents of the German Empire - Friedrich Ebert (1871-1925) and this particular stamp was issued in January 1932.

[Br. James]

While I can't make out the date the stamp was cancelled, the date of the stamp's issue coupled with the writer's sentiment seem to point toward the 1932 Presidential Election in Germany, and the writer seems to have some insider knowledge that Crown Prince Wilhelm was interested in running against von Hindenburg for the presidency in that election, representing the conservative political wing. (Hindenburg was a centerist.) As we now know, this did not come to pass and the right-wing candidate turned out to be Hitler; the Crown Prince's father apparently discouraged him from running against his old general, Hindenburg.

The Crown Prince's facial features do resemble 'David Windsor,' much like the resemblance shared between his father, King George V of Great Britain, and his father's two first cousins, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia -- with Queen Victoria very present in the mix!

Br. James

[lohengrin]

While I can't make out the date the stamp was cancelled, the date of the stamp's issue coupled with the writer's sentiment seem to point toward the 1932 Presidential Election in Germany, and the writer seems to have some insider knowledge that Crown Prince Wilhelm was interested in running against von Hindenburg for the presidency in that election, representing the conservative political wing. (Hindenburg was a centerist.) As we now know, this did not come to pass and the right-wing candidate turned out to be Hitler; the Crown Prince's father apparently discouraged him from running against his old general, Hindenburg.

The Crown Prince's facial features do resemble 'David Windsor,' much like the resemblance shared between his father, King George V of Great Britain, and his father's two first cousins, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia -- with Queen Victoria very present in the mix!

Br. James

Thank you for the comment!

This seems very plausible. Perhaps the Crown Prince was indeed interested in running and discussed this issue with the writer of this note at Heiligendamm, the famous German seaside resort where this photo was taken.
Then again, Hindenburg was pretty ill by 1932, so perhaps the Prince did not think that he will run at all...

... also, I think it was not commonly known that the Prince was considering German presidency and that may be the reason why the card is written partially in English. There were not many people who spoke English in Germany in 1932...

Is there anyone who can decipher the German text?
Thank you!

[Br. James]

You're quite welcome. I did not know that the Crown Prince was interested in running for the German presidency either, until I Googled "William, German Crown Prince" and read the bio provided by Wikipedia. The deposed Kaiser was ever an astute politician, which stood him in good stead when he could have dug in his heels against the Red uprising within Germany and its military in 1918; if he had done so, he probably wouldn't have survived to enjoy his 'retirement' at Haus Doorn! Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands also had her bout with communist insurrection during WWI, but she managed to overcome it, unlike her neighbor, the Kaiser. But the Crown Price apparently listened to his father's advice and did not stand for election...even though he could probably taste the presidency, knowing that that would be as close to reigning as he could ever get!

Br. James

[lohengrin]

You're quite welcome. I did not know that the Crown Prince was interested in running for the German presidency either, until I Googled "William, German Crown Prince" and read the bio provided by Wikipedia. The deposed Kaiser was ever an astute politician, which stood him in good stead when he could have dug in his heels against the Red uprising within Germany and its military in 1918; if he had done so, he probably wouldn't have survived to enjoy his 'retirement' at Haus Doorn! Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands also had her bout with communist insurrection during WWI, but she managed to overcome it, unlike her neighbor, the Kaiser. But the Crown Price apparently listened to his father's advice and did not stand for election...even though he could probably taste the presidency, knowing that that would be as close to reigning as he could ever get!

Br. James

Thank you for these comments... most interesting.

One of the other users - Pauke - suggested that the rest of the text (in German) says that the Prince is not a moderate type like "N." or overly diplomatic like "von "Schl." and further suggested that the later could refer to Kurt von Schleicher, a future Chancellor of Germany under Hindenburg...

Any idea who "N" is?

[Br. James]

Sorry but "N" does not ring any bells for me at this moment, though "von Schl" surely does refer to the ill-fated Kurt von Schleicher.

Br. James

[pauke]

name

Konstantin von Neurath is the only "N" I can think of who was not a Nazi and then went with the Party.

[Br. James]

Of course! Don't know why Neurath's name didn't pop into my mind immediately! He was well-known nationally and well-connected politically, as a moderate. That's got to be it! Thanks, Pauke, for jarring my memory!

Br. James

[pauke]

N.

Shaken, not stirred, I presume...