Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 290, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1913 — KAISER WILHELM’S LEFT ARM [ARTICLE]

KAISER WILHELM’S LEFT ARM

Something That All Germany Knows and None Dare Mention. Berlin.—On January 27, 1859, Berlin watted for the guns which were to announce the birth of the first baby to the princess royal of Great Britain, who married Prince Frederick William of Prussia, in 1858. For an heir 101 guns are fired and for a daughter only twenty-two. At the twenty-third report all Berlin went mad with delight. The crowd near the palace captured old Field Marshal Wrangel, clamoring for particulars. “Children,” he said, “all is well. It is as fine and sturdy a recruit as one could wish." Thus was the birth of the present kaiser. But the public little knew of the tragedy which almost had happened, and which might have resulted in the death of the baby prince and his mother. It la related in a biograhphy of the Empress Frederick, just published, that the bedroom of the princess at the old schloss, the royal palace in Berlin, was next to the death chain-/ ber where a previous king had died. This was kept in the same state as on the day of bis death, and the princess had to pass through it to her bedroom or dressing room It was in circumstances like these that the present kaiser was born, and his defect at' birth—a helpless left arm —was the result of a most unfortunate mischance. The letter summoning Doctor Martin, the English doctor that Queen Victoria desired to officiate at the birth, was put by a stupid servant into the post instead of being sent direct, and it was this delay that catosed all the trouble. Both mother and baby were for a time in imminent* danger, No anaesthetic was administered, aDd the princess, with characteristic courage, looked up to her husband, who held her in his arms the whole Mine. None of them about Her thought ber strength would hold out, and one of the German doctors actually said In h«r presence that she would die, and her baby, too. Fortunately, jhis dismal prophecy was not fulfilled, and as the years #ent by the young prince grew up to be a fine, manly boy, in spite of the fact that he was permanently crippled tc his icit arm. ■*