On August 30, 1914, around 2 p.m. Kaiser Wilhelm II, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Preußen (1859-1941), arrives in Luxembourg by train from Coblenz, Germany. He establishes his residence at the home of the German envoy von Buch. His entourage includes, among others, Reich Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg; Chief of Staff, Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke (1848-1916); Minister of War, Erich von Falkenhayn (1861-1922); the former envoy to Luxembourg, Gottlieb von Jagow (1863-1935), now serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs; Grand Admiral, Alfred von Tirpitz (1849-1930); Karl Georg von Treutler (1858-1933), intimate of the Kaiser (Nickname: Die graue Exzellenz); Hans Georg von Plessen (1841-1929), Generaloberst, Kommandant des Kaiserlichen Hauptquartiers; Georg Alexander von Müller (1854-1940), Admiral, Chef des Marinekabinetts; Dr. Frederick W. K. von Ilberg, the Kaiser’s personal physician and close friend (? –1916) and many more, all in all some 1000 people. For the coming weeks Luxembourg is the base of operation of the Grosses Hauptquartier, the brains of the whole German fighting organism. The official word in Germany however is Unser Kaiser ist bei seinen Soldaten an der Front Our Emperor is with his soldiers on the front. Upon his arrival, the Kaiser pays his respects to Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide (1894-1924). Could she have refused to receive him? Undeniably not, besides a face-to-face meeting with the Kaiser would provide her with the fitting opportunity to voice her protest to the highest authority. Would she be vilified for it later on? Indeed, she would. Excerpted from: Storms Over Luxembourg (an e-book by Fausto Gardini)
Image of the German Emperor visiting Luxemburg