Kaisersturz (2018) - full transcript
The New Palace in Potsdam.
Residence of the German Imperial Family.
It is the 9th of November, 1918.
The revolution reaches the Imperial castle.
In Berlin, the turmoil is already in full play.
The people on the streets celebrate the fall of the monarchy.
While Emperor Wilhelm is at the Great Headquarter,
Open up!
- his wife, Empress Auguste Viktoria [Augusta Victoria]
is at the mercy of the revolutionary troops.
Until the bitter end, she fought
for the preservation of her ruling house.
What can I do for you?
For more than four years,
the First World War has already been raging.
With millions of victims on all front lines.
Emperor Wilhelm II believes in a victory to the last.
Although the supremacy of Germany's opponents is growing stronger and stronger.
He knows that the war result
will also decide over his fate.
Because it rumbles among the people.
The parliament demands more power.
The leader of the strongest party in the Reichstags
the social-democrat Friedrich Ebert
fights for an involvement in government - a game with fire.
A prince who did not cut a fine figure at the front line
soars himself up a Germany's savior.
Max of Baden, an unloved cousin of The Emperor.
In the fall of 1918, the militarily situation sharpens.
The last great offense in the West,
the so-called Emperor's battle, has been lost.
The Supreme Army Command, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff,
bet on victory so far.
Only now they enlighten their commander-in-chief
about the real situation at the front line.
I won't stay in a defeated army.
Majesty!
And how should we explain this catastrophic setback
to the people after everything we promised, gentlemen?
Insolence!
Let's leave here! Go! Departure!
Damn, Berg!
In what an awful situation this Ludendorff
has blundered me into.
Something like this is impossible!
Ludendorff, this defector!
I can no longer see this sergeant gob.
Apologies, Majesty orders departure to Potsdam?
No, to Kassel to my wife.
Inform her that I'll be there tomorrow morning.
- To Kassel.
The Emperor's Fall
Oh Jesus Christ!
That was insolent, Berg.
They deceived me.
Lied to me, our genius generals.
Oh Dona.
Now come on.
- What is it?
Ludendorff does not want to guarantee
for anything at the Western front line anymore.
Maybe we should have breakfast first.
I'm tired. I have back pains
and my head is buzzing.
A bath for The Emperor!
They kept the truth from me the entire time.
Dona, how do I stand there now, hm?
As the commander-in-chief.
The people will blame me.
Preferably I would plunk down everything.
Wilhelm?
You are The Emperor.
The people believe in you.
But I always have to bear the responsibility.
Believe me, Dona.
I had to bend myself my whole life.
But at some point even The Emperor
has no strength anymore.
No, I don't want that.
In his residence at Lake Constance,
The Emperor's cousin, Prince Max of Baden,
is expecting visitors from Berlin in these days.
Hahn has arrived.
Kurt Hahn, his closest adviser and confidant,
brings news about the situation
in the imperial capital.
How nice to see you again.
With what can I rejoice you, my best? Tea?
Oh please.
Many thanks, my dear.
Highness, it is time for the crucial step.
It is seething in Berlin.
The government under the
current chancellor is near its end.
Parliament is already chafing at the bit.
We must proceed to action now.
As always there is no stopping you
due to being full of zest for action, my friend.
Write to The Emperor.
Present our plans to him.
Make it clear to him that he needs you now
because otherwise he is lost.
And tell him about Ebert and his attitude towards the monarchy.
Of course I am available when I am called
but I cannot put myself forward.
That is against the code of conduct.
What if I fail in Berlin?
I must absolutely forbid myself and my health
another catastrophe of that kind.
No, Hahn, I need more safety/security.
There is only one man in this country
who can arouse the nation to fend off
the deadly danger that Germany faces.
You know that.
You feel it.
You are destined to appear as the leading man
who the people yearn for in the hour of distress.
You could form a Germany that once again remembers itself,
that lets its values and virtues shine out
into the entire world.
A realm that is finally lead again by example of The Emperor.
Become his man of confidence.
and show our people, no, the entire world
which healing power the German mind
and the German nature has.
Who if not you, my beloved Prince,
should be able to achieve that?
You are right.
I...I must finally stop to only think about myself.
Yes, I will suggest a government of national defense to the sovereign.
Paper and ink, please.
I will write to The Emperor and to Ludendorff.
And then, my dear prince,
we must hit the road for Berlin.
Be assured, Hahn, I will not fail
and you will help me with that.
It is about the chancellorship and the search for allies.
Kurt Hahn arranges a secret meeting between
Prince Max and labour leader Friedrich Ebert.
You cannot believe how happy I am that
you agreed to this meeting, dear Mister Ebert.
The social democrats do not fail the fatherland,
you know that, Mister Hahn.
In this crisis, every possible solution has to be considered.
It could even be the solution for all of us.
Saving and new begin in one.
You can surely imagine
that a prince and the heir to the throne
of the House of Baden
does not meet with a socialist and a labour leader everyday.
That is meeting has to stay entirely secret,
I must be able to count on that.
Of course, Mister Ebert.
That suits us fine.
Mister Ebert, I am happy that you made the effort to come here.
I feel honored that you had me called, Highness.
Let us walk for a bit.
Unfortunately the growing unrest on the inside,
in my opinion constitutes
a similar great danger as our enemies at the front line.
If we do not counteract it resolutely,
we will soon face a revolutionary quake.
A revolution would plunge our people into chaos and in the end into doom.
You know as well as I do what is going on in Russia.
But the people must participate politically
as soon as possible of course.
Only that can prevent the riot of the masses.
Well Prince Max could imagine well a
participation of your party in a future government.
A government lead by me of course, dear Mister Ebert.
Only closer to the people than the one now.
But there must be clarity in one point:
With me as imperial chancellor, the monarchy
and my cousin, The Emperor, will stay unsolicited.
Our nations needs more than ever a steady footing,
according to my conviction that
can only be the German Imperial Throne.
But that will only be accepted if the crown
accommodates with the people's wishes.
And if the current emperor...
We urgently must put the German monarchy back
on the map with a government of national unity.
And we will only be able to do it with your help, Mister Ebert.
Forgive me the question, Highness,
but why do you want to jump into the shark pool
of the Berlin politics now out of all times?
A man of your standing does not have to do away with that.
I believe that destiny kept me for this saving act.
My dear Hahn.
I do not expect so much rapprochement.
This opens up entirely new perspectives.
How good that you arranged for this meeting.
It could be the beginning of a new policy in Germany.
There, here.
The poor children.
You left the house in the middle of the night again.
I met Prince Max of Baden this morning.
I thought we already had enough to worry about?
I wants to become imperial chancellor.
At least he beats the big drum for it
and offers himself up.
What does he want from you then, the mister prince?
He offers us to become part of his government.
The man is part of the high nobility, what advantage is he to us? And anyway, who enters into a bankrupt business?
Luise, when everything comes crashing down,
the workers will lose everything we achieved for them too.
So we must help to plug the leak.
- That others sprung into the ship.
The militarists. The entire imperial delusion of grandeur.
Yes, even if others sprung it.
The people in the streets are starving, they grow more furious everyday,
and you want to plug leaks in a sinking ship?
If you ask me, we need an entirely new ship
including a new captain and a new crew.
Nah, those are all just revolutionary pipe dreams.
But if a real prince reaches out to me for once
to participate in power for real
then I can't and I won't decline it.
Everything will be better, if we make a pact with the princes?
Well then I'm excited what your comrades will say about that.
They won't understand it immediately.
That is why I'll wait to tell them.
Fritz, what are you doing there?
Very tiny steps.
But in the right direction.
That's dangerous, Fritz.
Why do you risk it?
Because a revolution would be the most dangerous of all solutions.
The German people are tired of war.
Displeasure at the disastrous supply situation is spreading.
In Russia, The Czar has been overthrown.
Lenin and the Bolshevist took over power
during the October Revolution.
Is the German Imperial Realm now threatened
to fall into by Russian conditions too?
It always appears like a miracle to me
how Majesty is able to rise him up.
Oh dear Berg, I thank God to know you loyally by his side.
I think we should give him a task
as soon as possible that encourages him
and at the same time restores us
the needed support with the people.
But the...the people love him?
Majesty, we have to face the facts.
The people are unhappy, the mood for war is changing for the worse.
The blame for all the hardship
is pined on Wilhelm once again.
I allowed myself to prepare a speech to restore unity
among the ruler and those he protects and supports.
I have various stops in the realm on my mind.
An excellent idea, my dear Berg.
And if you once again let it appear as
his very own idea, this will be a great success.
Of course, Majesty.
A wonderful picture. Wilhelm!
Wilhelm, my beloved,
could you turn to me please?
Exactly like this, sublime!
The Emperor's first stop is Krupp in Essen,
the armory of the German Empire.
Here he wants to win back lost trust in the monarchy.
On this day of glory of our plant, I want to give a
very warm welcome to all who have assembled here.
A successful year is behind us.
With your effort, it was possible for us to...
The people now need the compassion of its Emperor most.
Majesty, assistance in times of distress.
Everything is written in here.
with pride and gratefulness, to be allowed to welcome
here and now most loyally His Majesty, Emperor Wilhelm.
May God preserve
- Well then let's go.
the strength for responsible decisions
for our king and father of our country.
Now we can only pray that he sticks to the manuscript.
...to assure the future of the German people.
My dear friends of Krupp plants.
Today it is regarded as imperative
to express my imperial thanks to you.
For that you so self-sacrificially fulfilled your duty
to your commander in chief
and a victorious...
My dear Kruppians.
No one should dare to presume that I don't know of your distress.
Oh no.
- What do ya up there know of our distress?
But I assure you
The distress to carry the heavy responsibility for
a people of 70 million is a much, much heavier burden.
Our children are starving.
Who do we owe our distress to?
No, no, no, no.
No.
Before all others, to these damn Anglo-Saxons
with their absolute hate of destruction.
We want peace.
- We need democracy.
Women and girls,
I ask you to listen to nothing but the inner voice of conscience.
You're bullshitting us, aren't ya?
- And together with me...
End this idle talk.
- to stick together through distress and death.
We've suffered enough.
- You at your anvil, I on my throne.
Well that was a hard piece of work.
But I brought them back in line, is it not so?
With all due respect, Majesty had noticed the turmoil in the audience?
The instigators the Reds have smuggled in?
No, no. But now you will take care that
my words will gain currency immediately.
Because then the defeatism will finally be finished off.
- Yes.
Oh by the way,
did I tell you who offered himself as savior of the nation to me?
No.
The Baden Max. Yes. Him of all things.
I should form a government of national unity
with a striking head [Literally: character head] at its head
who takes over the leadership of the people on my behalf.
Imagine that. Damn, Berg. Striking head.
Him of all things.
He has absolutely no idea of politics.
Yes, I heard that there people doing advertising for him in Berlin.
Some of our "people's representatives" appear to think he is the next imperial chancellor.
Such nonsense.
This man failed horribly in the field.
No, he is completely unsuitable.
And by the way, who become
the next imperial chancellor is my decision after all.
The speech. It will in no way be published
in this form. Not a word.
Not until I have reworked it.
- Yes, sir.
It is Wilhelm's last public appearance.
The people's approval will continue to fade.
But he demands fealty, even in the chancellor question, as it is his right.
But The Emperor does not notice how the reins
slip away from him more and more during the crisis.
The search for a chancellor who bypasses
the difference has already begun without him.
Here you go.
That must not be true.
Damn. Can't ya be careful?
- I'm truly sorry about that.
I don't here for my amusement.
- This right here is just so...
Now The Emperor already steals our color.
What ya don't say. They wallpapered the whole city with that.
This is sheer waste and our sorts
doesn't now how we should feed the brats.
He should meet us at night, the Mister Emperor.
Well for that ya can shove against me just again.
Morning.
- Good morning.
Fritz!
Mister Scheidemann, Mister Scheidemann, just a second, a signature, please.
- Not now. Fritz, wait!
Fritz! Just wait a moment!
I wanted to synchronize with you about the board meeting.
It is clear that we need a new
Imperial Chancellor as soon as possible.
We must get to peace as quickly as possible.
We have to contribute to that now.
But of course only under chancellor who deserves our trust.
And who recognizes as a real partner,
who knows that there is no way moving past us anymore.
Uh-huh. And someone like that exists?
Comrades.
The next government of the German Empire
must have social democrats in its ranks.
But this will only be the case if we act prudent and smart.
He buckles down like he hasn't in a long time.
- Dear Fritz,
those are wondrous ideas that you bring home to us.
But just why would we stoop to pull
the chestnuts out of the fire for someone else?
From The Emperor, his government, the military -
who constantly betray the people.
If we take up responsibility now we will be blamed alongside them for things we are not responsible for. One the contrary.
How credible does this make us a social democrats?
If we let the things run the way comrade Scheidemann suggests, we will leave our fate to the revolution.
Who wants that accepts Russian conditions.
A blood civil war.
This is why it is time now to take up responsibility.
I think no one here wants to call for revolution or provoke a civil war.
Right. And our problem is not the old men
who alternate at the top by The Emperor's mercy.
Our problems is the one who places them there.
Our real problem is this ineffable emperor.
Yes, exactly.
- Or not, comrade Ebert?
The people are jolly well fed up with him because
it has already understood what they/you have not yet.
With all due respect, Majesty, you suffered a stroke.
A relapse is possible at all times and
it would have drastic consequences for you.
And could someone explain to me what
this is supposed to mean? Read it, Dona, read it.
Ludendorff, again.
Now he already even summons his own
commander-in-chief to him in Belgium.
You must not put up with that any longer.
No, you can bet your life on that.
[Literally: you can take poison on that.]
I will give him the ice-cold runaround.
He will be marveled, you will see.
Get my car ready.
Majesty.
- Let it be, it is already alright again.
Formally, Wilhelm II is the commander-in-chief
but military command decides about the events all alone.
And they make him feel that.
Even as the as the situation sharpens.
Well my gentlemen, what is so urgent?
Did we lose the war?
- Majesty.
I am sorry to have to tell you that the
German army is at the ends of its tether.
We have no resistance to offer in reply to the enemy.
We must ask for a truce immediately.
The matter admits no delay anymore.
What?
What do you intend to say with that?
Oh, oh okay.
In consultation with the foreign ministry, I have to suggest something to His Majesty that could maybe save us.
A petition for peace will be direct at the Americans, at President Wilson who offered himself up as peacemaker.
To raise our chances of success, some concessions of the domestic politics kind are necessary.
A petition for peace.
Never.
With our diplomats we assume that Wilson only
react anyway if we, at least to the outside world,
Majesty forgive this expression,
are ready for democratic reforms.
- What nonsense are you talking there?
I still decide about the basis of our politics.
Furthermore, we require a new Imperial Chancellor.
Since time is pressing, I am suggesting a candidate to Your Majesty who already brought himself up for discussion.
Prince Max of Baden.
The Baden Max?
My cousin?
Only over my dead body.
Majesty.
We have prepared a corresponding decree
that Majesty only has to sign anymore.
Never.
They present me with a fait accompli again.
As if I was their jumping-jack.
Majesty, firstly it is about erecting a facade.
At least for some time.
We need this truce, we need it
to prevent the worst of the worst.
But now the Baden Max too?
As Imperial Chancellor?
You think I should sign that, yes?
This is theater. Everything is just a great theater.
This theater helps us for now to keep
the people in line and the labourites at heel.
The decree smooth the way for a government that for the
first time is supposed to include the social democrats too.
I know.
If you ask me that is nothing but theater
they have come up with at the Great Headquarter.
You are hopefully aware what a once in
a lifetime chance opens up for us with the decree?
Chance? We are supposed to obediently get the Supreme Army Command and The Emperor out of jam.
They gambled away, the gentlemen.
The war appears to be lost
and now they call for the people.
My friends, you read it.
Now they must work with us.
Or else they have gambled away the trust of the people entirely.
We must show us open for the new political possibilities.
Mister Scheidemann, here please.
Max of Baden is supposed to become the new Imperial Chancellor.
A cousin of The Emperor.
A prince in the flesh.
Those are the new political possibilities according to your opinion?
Yes, if we approaches us.
And he will.
But as always, we will discuss this calmly at our board meeting.
And that is in exactly one and half hours.
Until then, I may ask for peace and prudence.
I will be back in time.
Just approaching us is not enough.
We must insist on incisive democratic reforms more than ever.
So you want to give them hell now?
Absolutely. They are approaching us.
This means we have the upper hand.
[Literally: sit at the longer lever]
Cab man!
Ebert meets Max of Baden to seal
his pact with the new chancellor.
Good, good, good, this goes on the table right here, please.
Mister Ebert, nice that you could come immediately. Please.
Congratulations, Highness.
Ebert, how nice to see you.
Do you want to have breakfast with us?
No, thanks. I am a little charged up like you might figure.
Good.
Mister Ebert.
I want to ask you to become a member of my new government.
I must decline that unfortunately.
- What?
With all due respect, The chairman of the biggest labor party should in the current situation hold the reins from an independent position.
As a member of the government that would barely be possible. Someone else should do that.
This does not really argue of trust in our collaboration.
Can we count on your support despite that?
Absolutely.
- Well then.
To a fruitful collaboration,
to our fatherland.
And a honorable peace.
Yes, Highness.
We must take special care especially right now
that we will still be recognizable in the end.
As a party of the simple people,
for peace, democracy and social justice.
Fritz, we predominantly share the opinion to not become part of this new government, much less under a prince.
We believe that the hour has come now
for much more far reaching changes.
I just spoke to new Imperial Chancellor.
He offers us ministry chairs in his government.
I suggest that the comrade Scheidemann will become our main representative in this new government.
I can and will of course not force to do it
but I am convinced that you will be our best man on this post.
Slow, slow.
- Beside, dear comrades, I will of course resign
in case that an involvement of our party in the next government will not find a majority here today.
You want to do what?
- That cannot be true...
[Potsdam, New Palace]
By the way, I allowed myself to inform
The Empress of our journey to Potsdam.
Thank you, my friend.
Oh, Dona.
It was complete disaster.
Leave us alone.
They do everything over my head.
We must beg for peace and...
they speak of democratization.
I had no other choice but to sign everything.
Yes...
And then...
And then they also forced Max Baden as Imperial Chancellor upon me.
The Baden Max. Can you imagine that?
But Max, he is a...a homophile.
At the front line not man enough and who you also had to promote.
Yes or else he would have ruined his reputation entirely.
And this...this can pretty quickly endanger
the entire monarchy. It was necessary,
An officer would have handle it with his service pistol.
Yes, yes, sure.
But...but now he cannot endanger me anymore, can he?
He must be thankful to you for eternity.
No, Wilhelm, you must listen to this now.
They are taking one right after another from us
and want to hand it over to the common people.
But that cannot rule.
Only you can to that, and with God's help.
And if you now rely on Max Baden...
He will not protect us as weak and anxious as he is.
Dona.
I do not want anymore.
Wilhelm, stand up and fight
and do not let your crown be dragged through the mud
or else it will be lost to all of us.
Wilhelm?
Fritz, I know.
The prince invited me to be a member of his government.
I declined. Philipp will do it.
Scheidemann? And why not you?
I need to have free rein to be able to react to everything.
Additionally, I had to put everything
in the balance to bring them back in line.
I even threatened to step down.
But I did it, with one vote, but I did it.
Unity looks different.
Luise, for the first time in history representatives
of the labor movement will co-govern The Empire.
I asked around.
He failed miserable at the frontline,
your Max of Baden.
Got the panic.
The Emperor awarded him even an Iron Cross
so the embarrassment wouldn't be uncovered.
Additionally, without is young adviser and
bosom friend, what was his name again?
Hahn, Kurt Hahn.
Without him, he's supposedly politically completely helpless.
Luise, I know myself, it's a small line
I'm currently having to balance on.
But for heaven's sake there's no other way.
Fritz.
You know, I always held the belief that you were
doing the right thing during all disagreements.
But now I'm worried, Fritz, seriously worried.
if that is truly the right way.
Look, Luise, it's like this:
This awful war will no longer bring Germany
any of the things the propaganda promised to us.
But if all those terrible sacrifices that people - but
also we - made are not supposed to be for nothing
then it must at least free us from this horrible nightmare of political impotence in the end.
Believe me, I know what I'm doing.
Now come, let us go to bed.
I still need to sleep for some hours.
The Allies are close to pushing in the German front line.
Their superiority has become more dangerous
due to America's entry into the war,
"Hindenburg Line broken."
[Literally: Siegfried Line broken]
While the Western powers fill up their lines,
the German supply has long run out.
Redeployment of troops but immediately please.
Immediately!
Apologies, Majesty.
I was in Berlin when you called for me.
You know as soon as I see Christ crucified,
I see everything much clearer.
Take a seat.
I require your services, dear Father.
You know my 60th birthday is near.
And I wish for a service the evening before.
Just for The Emperor and for me.
His Majesty requires an urgent strengthening of the soul.
It will be an extraordinary honor to me.
The bible says
"But we are not of those who go back to destruction; but of those who have faith even to the salvation of the soul."
By the way, I know from a reliable source that The Emperor views Ludendorff's demand for a peace offering extremely critical as well.
Maybe that could be the leverage that pulls him on to our side.
Well then, let's do it.
Very nice.
Majesty.
- Very nice.
Well, my gentlemen?
Why are we so nervous here in Berlin, hm?
Take a seat.
Please, Mister Vice-Chancellor.
Your Majesty allows that first we welcome our designated Imperial Chancellor, His Grand Ducal Highness Prince of Baden, to our illustrious council.
Lets confine us to the bare essentials. Continue.
As Majesty knows,
the first official act of the new Imperial Chancellor will be the phrasing and immediate dispatch of a armistice petition
to The President of the United States, Wilson.
With all due respect, Majesty, I am an opponent
of the armistice petition.
Because it ends in a military declaration of bankruptcy.
To make it clear once and for all, Max, my dear:
You did not offered yourself up as Imperial Chancellor
to stand in the way of my Army Command's plans and by that my wishes. Yes, understood?
Mister Vice-Chancellor, continue.
Majesty, we allowed ourselves to draft a government policy statement for the new Imperial Chancellor.
Entirely in the sense of your most highest decree but also with clear signals of concession addressed towards President Wilson.
Well, and is there already a text version of our note?
"According to the imperial decree,
The German Empire has experience a fundamental reconstruction of its political leadership."
"As successor to Count of Hertling,
who rendered outstanding services to the fatherland,
I was appointed by The Emperor as the head of this new government."
I cannot believe it.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Nothing about that we want to refine the German Imperialism.
Nothing of a new moral leading role of the state government.
Nothing of...of The German Empire as
the first among the cultural nations!
Highness, this is not at all our government policy statement!
No.
But Highness.
How could you let it come this far?
You are The Imperial Chancellor,
you write the government policy statement!
Calm yourself, Hahn!
We have apparently overrated ourselves a bit.
Politics and mind,
they do not go well together in Berlin.
All of our ideas.
For which we worked so hard...
I know. It is more than just a bitter disappointment.
But we must make the best out of it now.
The best?
It is over, Prince Max.
We are completely and utterly at their mercy.
Do not desert me too. I beg you.
On October 5th, 1918, the new chancellor Max of Baden
reads the government policy statement
forced upon him aloud in parliament.
It takes into account the American President Wilson's peace ideas.
This way the public gets to know about
the German armistice petition for the first time.
With this it is clear.
The Empire can no longer win the World War.
As consolation, more democracy is held out in prospect.
And a speedy peace.
[The peace offering. Speech of the Imperial Chancellor Max of Baden in the German Reichstag on October 5th 1918]
Some think the new Imperial Chancellor to be a puppet by the grace of Ludendorff and condemn our blind confidence.
The others growl against the atypical German government
and speak of a shameful capitulation.
"Revolution immediately" or "Fight until doom."
Our country is currently being ripped apart, Fritz.
This way or another.
You're telling me.
However a terrific beginning of a splendid prince.
Unfortunately, that's not all.
Wilson's answer to our note.
With that, my dear Philip, all illusions that our country
still gets out of this war with a black eye end in smoke.
He demands that the military be deprived of its power.
That's good.
- The old authorities shall be abolished entirely.
Very good!
- And he demands proof
that the realm is now truly ruled by the people.
Otherwise: no peace negotiations.
Well then. Adieu, Emperor!
And then?
- Well then we will have exactly that
what we have been fighting for for an eternity.
- No, Philipp.
Then we will have a country in which the people tear each other apart.
The character of The Emperor is the greatest peace obstacle.
Is the chancellor aware of that?
- Well
But what should we do according to you?
We all know that neither the heir to the throne nor
any of his brother have the stature to succeed the father.
Maybe The Crown Prince's son would be the appropriate choice.
But he is only twelve. So we would first need
a regent who would administer the throne for him.
Precisely. A kind of substitute emperor.
A moment, please.
Ebert is here.
Mister Imperial Chancellor.
What can I do for you, my dear Ebert?
Highness,
we must turn a big wheel now.
What exactly do you mean?
You know what Wilson answered.
We must take care that Wilhelm II will not become a peace obstacle.
Did we not agree that we would not touch the imperial crown?
We won't.
But so we can preserve the monarchy, Wilhelm II has to step down.
In the people's eyes, he lost this war.
His abdication will take the wind out of the sails of those who want the revolution, and he himself will go down in history.
With his generous abdication.
Well fine.
Even if we assume for once I thought myself capable
of suggesting this outrageous step to my cousin...
With all due respect, Highness, this step could
become inevitable for the salvation of the country.
But what then?
Well since we, as you know best,
have no suitable heir to the throne among The Emperor's sons, then
maybe you as the future monarch in Baden
could preserve the interests of the imperial crown.
Let's say, until The Emperor's grandson has reached adulthood.
But my gentlemen, you must not be serious.
It was never my intention to take over from The Emperor
I love him.
I see my task in standing before him.
Not in overthrowing him.
Well, I have a lot of work to do.
There's something else: My fellow party members and I
share the opinion that Friedrich of Berg has to go.
I hope very much that His Majesty will soon feel better.
Uhm later. I must absolutely go to The Empress.
This goddamn sciatic.
Will this never end?
Oh, Max.
It is a deep desire of mine, Your Majesty,
to be allowed to look you into the eyes
and assure you of my unconditional loyalty
The new government with the democrats...
- Yes, yes, alright, Max. Please be brief.
Wilhelm.
Do you have the flu?
Distance, Max. Distance!
Wilhelm.
I believe a misunderstanding between us has to be eliminated.
I took over this position to support you in these tough times.
I want to save. Or else I would not have accepted this position.
I did it in the honest love for my emperor and The German Empire
The revolutionist and traitors to the Fatherland
are becoming cheekier everyday.
And now they are already sitting in your government.
I will not be surprise if this Ebert and Scheidemann
will hang one day as soon as the tables turn again.
Ebert is an extraordinary reasonable man
who one is able to make use of.
And a sincere patriot.
He lost two sons in the war.
The monarchy's preservation is without question for him.
Yes?
So you think I can rely on your labourites?
But I warn you.
I know they rumor in Berlin about my abdication.
Do not place me in a dilemma there.
Will you promise me that?
And you can tell your cabinet:
Whatever this impudent Wilson is writing there,
an abdication of mine is out of every discussion.
A descendant of Frederick the Great never deserts.
Self-evidently, Majesty.
But...
- Oh!
But now that we have begun the game with Wilson,
we will have to handle it somehow.
Wilhelm, I...
Dina, could you please call for the doctor?
The Emperor needs to rest, Max. Do you not see that?
I wanted to say goodbye in a moment, Majesty.
- Ja.
One last thing, my emperor
The new government professes itself unable to
collaborate any longer with your Chief of Cabinet.
I recommend, yes, I ask you,
to replace Friedrich of Berg with a man
who is better at understanding the signs of the time.
Well...
- Wilhelm!
How can you...
- Dona! I am deciding here.
Good.
If that ends the discussion about my person in return,
I am, if necessary, willing to agree to that.
Wilhelm.
On October 16th, the first mass protests happen in front of the Reichstag.
The mass follows the radical socialist who demand the immediate peace.
Thousands move to the Berlin castle.
From now on the political fight also takes place on the streets.
Down with The Emperor! Down with The Emperor!
Down with The Emperor!
Yes.
Yes!
Off with The Emperor!
Here.
We must not leave the streets to the radical left-wing, Fritz.
We too have to show more presence there.
The comrades on site basically hassle me
why we do not show ourselves anymore.
That are irresponsible forcings against our government
what these Bolshevik agitators are scheming.
And we should even support that as well?
Declined, comrade Scheidemann.
Coups will be quelled if necessary.
But Fritz...
- Who stirs up the works to senseless demonstration
complicates peace and Germany's democratization.
We have to do everything to show the people
that it was good and right to support this government.
And by that also the Imperial Chancellor.
Fritz, you must take care that one still recognizes what you actually stand for.
Without notice, General Ludendorff suddenly veers
in his opinion at the end of October 1918.
The war is now supposed to be continued until the very end.
The US president's armistice conditions are not acceptable for Ludendorff.
By that the general staff sabotages
the policy of peace of Max of Baden's government.
Highness, I know I myself ordered this relaxation to you.
And you do not believe how good that feels for me.
But Ebert is here. He does not let himself be put off.
Oh Ebert, yes, of course.
I will be there immediately.
Ludendorff is completely mad.
He destroys with his despotism everything that we have tried to build.
He pushes the people in swarms in the arms of the revolution.
Might be, dear Ebert, but what do you want from me?
I cannot kick him out.
Highness, with all due respect, are you aware
what I personally put on the line and risked
to make our alliance possible?
So I should advocate for that with His Majesty?
- Yeah, what else, Prince Max?
Ludendorff must go.
And preferable The Emperor goes with him.
Did you talk to your cousin about Wilson's demand?
An abdication is completely unthinkable.
I think we will advise his Majesty to dismiss Ludendorff.
Yes, we will do that.
Don't you feel what will come
towards us with Ludendorff prevails?
Yes, sure.
I hope my masseur has not left yet.
When The Lord confronts us with tasks
that appear to be insuperable in these difficult times
then, in his wisdom, he never leaves us without a light in the hand.
Our strong faith.
Because God, The Lord, is the one who placed everyone in their position
so that they may imperturbably fulfill their duty there.
Loyalty to loyalty.
May God protect you.
Amen.
[The Empress' 60th birthday]
My son, a word.
This peace begging at Wilson's and
then this democratic government in Berlin,
do not make me laugh. I want to tell you one thing:
It will come the time when only a firm hand
will be able to restore order.
When it comes to this, I will not hesitate to take measures.
And then I must be able to count on you 100 percent.
You mean a coup d'etat?
-Yes.
Then we will sweep out.
But with an iron broom.
Wilhelm, the world should know what
an amazing family we have stayed.
Although all the dark clouds on the horizon.
I want to use the rare opportunity to see my dear family gathered
to assure you that I am intent on facing
all hostilities against our glorious house.
You can be certain that for your safety
all necessary measures have been taken as well.
I protect you.
Just as I expect and put my firm trust in you standing by me and The Empress with imperturbable loyalty.
Together we will all...
Together, we will all defend the monarchy and
our glorious house until the last drop of blood.
God is with us.
To the table.
On October 26th, 1918, Emperor Wilhelm dismisses General Ludendorff
and appoints Wilhelm Groener as his successor to calm the situation.
The Emperor just kicked out Ludendorff, and now he is
already acting as if he had done it out of love for me.
And demands my unreserved loyalty even more.
You know, my dear, I believe The Empress
sets him against me more than ever before.
The newest response from Wilson.
This time he leaves no doubt.
No peace negotiations with this emperor.
But he can impossibly demand that.
Max of Baden asked for an appointment with The Emperor.
It is to be feared that he advises his to abdicate.
Oh Berg, dear friend, I cannot even tell you
how happy I am that you continue to be available to us.
This ineffable Max.
It cannot be ruled out that Wilhelm once again
will give in to the insidious guy.
Yes, I fear that too.
Abdication.
That would be the end of me.
The only thing left to do is to bring The Emperor to safety.
Spa. He must go to Hindenburg.
If not with his officers, where else would Wilhelm be safe?
Indeed.
But I am not convinced that he will agree to leave
his country especially in the current moment.
Leave that to me.
As a sign of loyalty and obedience,
our sons will solemnly swear to supplant you.
Go.
This world war has demanded nearly 17 million deaths already.
Entire tracts of lands are in ruins.
A generation of young people dies in the trenches.
Many survivors feel deserted by their leaders.
Yes, of course. Inform the party executives immediately.
That mustn't be true.
The Emperor clandestinely left the country last night.
He is in Spa. And what does Baden do?
He sends the Secretary of the Interior to advise Wilhelm to abdicate.
The Imperial Chancellor himself has to fucking
take care of The Emperor leaving.
The coffee is getting cold.
- Doesn't he know what's on the line?
The roof is in flames.
There goes the imperial splendor. By that he is ruined.
Yeah and the monarchy alongside him.
I can live with that.
Hello. Yes, the Reich Chancellery,
the Imperial Chancellor - urgent.
Calm yourself, Ebert.
Let us wait first what The Emperor...
No, I am indispensable here.
You know the gravity of the situation.
Yes!
Of course I am aware of that, yes.
Good day.
Ebert thinks he has to put me under pressure because of The Emperor.
Should I talk to him?
- No, no.
Well what is going on?
I just talked to the Secretary of the Interior.
The Emperor raged and had a real go at him in front of everyone.
The Emperor, he lets it be known that
he in no case at all considers to abdicate.
He called you a traitor and wants to bring you to justice.
Furthermore...
- Yeah, what else?
Furthermore, The Emperor openly threatened
to come to Berlin with troops to clean up here.
He wants a coup against me?
Wilhelm would (move) with force against
my government of people's trust...
Yes?
Majesty, of course, a moment.
Highness, I think, you should...
Yes.
- Is it you, Max?
Finally.
No, I do not want to hear a thing.
Spare me your mendacious explanations.
What you are currently planning is high treason - indeed.
You rotten, wicked wretch.
You...you never had anything else on your mind than ascending to our throne.
But do not believe at all that you will make it stick.
And do not believe that I will wait until history will one day judge you.
Oh no, I will take care of that beforehand.
We will open the eyes of the entire world
about your...your currish tendencies.
So everyone will see what despicable creature brings us to naught.
Hahn, please, you must help me.
Highness, there are no alternatives anymore.
If there is no other way, you must go to Spa yourself.
I will accompany you, of course.
We must keep a cool head.
Hahn!
- Prince!
Hahn!
- Max!
Hahn!
- Oh God, please!
A doctor!
A doctor!
At the beginning of November, the sailors in Kiel
refuse one last suicidal war deployment.
The mutiny quickly become a people's uprising.
In the entirety of Germany.
The revolution begins.
Here, The Emperor threatens to use force.
If that becomes public, Berlin will be in flames.
This very day.
- That is an empty threat!
Hindenburg will not play along with that.
We must concentrate on Kiel. That's more important.
Don't you understand?
As long as he doesn't go, he will make everything worse.
But if he abdicates, it would extinguish
the worst fires for now. Even in Kiel.
I must sedate him immediately.
Impossible. He is the Imperial Chancellor.
The country is descending into chaos. He must persevere.
If I do not put him in an induced coma instantly
he will collapse on us entirely with unforeseeable consequences.
Do you want to be responsible for that?
I must shoot them!
Fritz, there's shooting in Kiel!
- The Imperial Chancellor, immediately.
Excuse me?
Yes, sure.
Hahn, listen to me carefully.
That must not make the rounds in any case.
Of course not. No one will get to know about it.
I already declared it to be a severe influenza.
- My Empire is in danger!
Fritz? What's going on?
What about the Army Command?
They will not drop The Emperor. They fear
an uprising of the officers and the army falling apart.
And Kiel?
- The rioting sailors appear to win the upper hand, Fritz.
Tell me finally what's going on.
The Imperial Chancellor suffered a complete breakdown.
He is not responsive.
The realm is without a leader.
While the insurgents openly call for revolution
Ebert tries desperately to prevent an escalation.
Highness, officially I must tell you that
my party can only continue to back this government
if The Emperor abdicates in the next 24 hours.
This ultimatum will be published tomorrow.
Highness, you must save the monarchy.
You have no other choice. Take The Emperor's place.
Highness, if we immediately act together,
we can still prevent the worst.
The Emperor is incapable of politics.
So declare him with out delay as deposed now
and appoint me as Imperial Chancellor.
The monarchy stays.
But under a regent who represents the orphaned throne.
And of course only you come into question for it.
Oh my dear Ebert.
I feel more dead than alive.
The fate of the German monarchy is now solely in your hands.
Save what is still salvageable.
Well fine, Ebert.
We can do it this way.
But, I ask you, allow me just one more day of recovery.
But we have no more day at our disposal, Highness.
It is the eleventh hour.
You must talk him around, no matter the cost.
Or else we will leave the government.
- I know.
The wind tugs extremely on the mind
these days, doesn't it, master?
Here, don't be shy. Little pastilles.
Against all kinds of colds.
- Thank you very much, comrade.
"What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger,"
my lieutenant always said.
Nietzsche.
- What?
Take care of yourself.
- Yeah but you too. That will be a hot dance,
Mister Ebert.
24 hourse?
Are you mad, Fritz?
Why are you tagging along with this?
Tomorrow, half of Berlin will be on the streets.
Finally forget your prince.
It is now time to place oneself at the front of the movement.
Sure, we will do that.
But despite it, we will not lose our head.
Not everything is lost yet.
Yes? Of course.
The Supreme Army Comand in Spa.
General Groener.
Highness, ten-thousands of demonstrators are on their way here. They are becoming more and more every minute.
The troops have allied themselves
with the workers' councils all over the country.
The police has been disarmed. We have not time.
Groener? Yes.
No, no, no. What is that supposed to mean
"The abdication is being prepared?"
The only thing that can still help us are facts now.
No, we cannot wait until you have resolved the situation in Spa.
Do you want a civil war to break out?
That blood flows?
That it comes to socialist republic?
I am sorry, I am not in for that.
Yes.
Please immediately report it to me
when The Emperor has signed.
And hurry up, please.
Bravo.
Hahn, prepare the announcement.
The Emperor has abdicated,
Ebert new Imperial Chancellor,
replacement emperor and so on, you know.
And then send it out to all sites.
- Of course, immediately, Highness.
And I will call Ebert.
Quiet!
Comrades.
The Emperor has abdicated.
Quiet, comrades.
It is time to keep a cool head now.
I will go to the Imperial Chancellery immediately.
We will take over government!
Long live the social republic!
How can I help you?
I wish to tell you that I was drafted for your safety.
No one has to fear anything.
I...
I thank you.
What did he do?
The Imperial Chancellor May of Baden
has announced Your Majesty's abdication.
[Spa, Belgium]
After all.
He did dare it.
I must go to Berlin. I took precaution.
The traitors will all hang.
Majesty.
- Hm?
Field Marshal General Hindenburg
has ordered me to tell you that
the Army Command will not support you with such an enterprise.
What are you allowing yourself?
I order you to immediately (...) the Army Command...
- The Army Command will not risk a civil war.
That is what I was told. Furthermore there are
no reliable troops anymore for such a move.
The Field Marshall suggests that Majesty
brings himself to safety as soon as possible.
To bring to safety. What nonsense are you saying there?
I will stay on my post until the last breath.
I need my family. I must go to Potsdam.
My wife, my children.
As far as I am informed, they are well and safe.
Majesty?
The Queen of the Netherlands is willing to grant asylum.
Netherlands? What am I supposed to do in the Netherlands?
That would be...
Oh okay.
That is the way it is.
Well then.
Then the dog's life is over.
Is it not?
I am not a coward.
But I do not want to be nabbed.
Understood?
- Yes, sir.
The German people are a pack.
[Literally: a mob of pigs]
Since we have the power, I suggest
that the delegate Ebert accepts
the position of Imperial Chancellor.
Since The Emperor has abdicated now
and there is no regent yet
we will have no other choice than that the sitting chancellor informally hands over the office to the new one.
It is a difficult office but I will accept it.
I wish you the very best, Mister Ebert.
- Thank you, Highness.
We still have a lot to talk about but first
I would like to bring urgent measures on the way.
Of course. Your realm.
You can rely on our bureaucracy.
Prevent it from being shattered.
I would like to have an overview of the situation
in the city as soon as it is possible
and give a please to the people as new Imperial Chancellor.
So, to work!
Yes, sir!
It has been confirmed:
Ebert is Imperial Chancellor.
Scheidemann?
Damn, Mrs Ebert.
- Where is Fritz?
Your husband is Imperial Chancellor.
We did it. I must go to the Reichstag.
Supposedly, thousands of people are already standing there.
Now our time has come, Mrs Ebert.
Imperial Chancellor.
Scheidemann has proclaimed the republic in front of the Reichstag.
Long live the republic!
Yes!
Stop this nonsense, but immediately.
Nothing has been decided yet, nothing at all.
We will not begin like this.
We socialists are foremost democrats.
That is why not we but a National Assembly will decide
about how the future of this state will look like.
Democratic and not through screaming on the streets.
Until then, I refuse to tolerate such nonsense.
And now to work.
Everything must go, not just The Emperor!
Everything must go, not just The Emperor!
Where is Prince Max?
Democratic republic, red council dictatorship
or parliamentary monarchy?
Everything is still open.
Highness, what is going on here?
Oh Ebert.
Highness, it is time for the last step.
What?
You must finally declare that you will
take over the responsibility for the throne.
He insulted me as a scoundrel and a traitor.
Who?
Yes, The Emperor.
Just minutes ago.
But there is no emperor anymore.
But the monarchy, we could still preserve it.
That is your time now.
Please, do it for our Fatherland.
That is why you came to Berlin.
Oh Ebert, you do not understand.
He threatened me with the total destruction
if I assume the regency.
Yes, those were his words: complete destruction.
No, I have to leave here, just leave.
If you go, you will not only bury the monarchy irrevocably.
No, you will take the last foothold of a deeply torn people.
And additionally, running away is below you.
I have no choice.
Well then, Godspeed.
Long live the republic!
Fritz, finally.
At the Imperial Chancellery they told me
that I would find you here.
Imperial Chancellor, yes?
No reason to celebrate?
- Well. Depends on how you see it.
My predecessor however just bid farewell
to this story. Just eloped.
You were right, as always.
He was apparently not the right one, my prince.
I am so proud of you, Fritz.
And I know, if someone can do it, it will be you.
Yes. It will have to work without these people.
Yes, it will.
You are needed, Excellency.
Take care of yourself, Fritz.
On February 11th, 1919, Friedrich Ebert becomes
the president of the first democratic state in Germany,
the Weimar Republic.
A historical turning point that stirs up hope.
But also brings fanatic enemies of democracy to the scene.
Because from the beginning, the opponents of
the republic deploy and divide the country.
The first German democracy faces dramatic times.
Residence of the German Imperial Family.
It is the 9th of November, 1918.
The revolution reaches the Imperial castle.
In Berlin, the turmoil is already in full play.
The people on the streets celebrate the fall of the monarchy.
While Emperor Wilhelm is at the Great Headquarter,
Open up!
- his wife, Empress Auguste Viktoria [Augusta Victoria]
is at the mercy of the revolutionary troops.
Until the bitter end, she fought
for the preservation of her ruling house.
What can I do for you?
For more than four years,
the First World War has already been raging.
With millions of victims on all front lines.
Emperor Wilhelm II believes in a victory to the last.
Although the supremacy of Germany's opponents is growing stronger and stronger.
He knows that the war result
will also decide over his fate.
Because it rumbles among the people.
The parliament demands more power.
The leader of the strongest party in the Reichstags
the social-democrat Friedrich Ebert
fights for an involvement in government - a game with fire.
A prince who did not cut a fine figure at the front line
soars himself up a Germany's savior.
Max of Baden, an unloved cousin of The Emperor.
In the fall of 1918, the militarily situation sharpens.
The last great offense in the West,
the so-called Emperor's battle, has been lost.
The Supreme Army Command, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff,
bet on victory so far.
Only now they enlighten their commander-in-chief
about the real situation at the front line.
I won't stay in a defeated army.
Majesty!
And how should we explain this catastrophic setback
to the people after everything we promised, gentlemen?
Insolence!
Let's leave here! Go! Departure!
Damn, Berg!
In what an awful situation this Ludendorff
has blundered me into.
Something like this is impossible!
Ludendorff, this defector!
I can no longer see this sergeant gob.
Apologies, Majesty orders departure to Potsdam?
No, to Kassel to my wife.
Inform her that I'll be there tomorrow morning.
- To Kassel.
The Emperor's Fall
Oh Jesus Christ!
That was insolent, Berg.
They deceived me.
Lied to me, our genius generals.
Oh Dona.
Now come on.
- What is it?
Ludendorff does not want to guarantee
for anything at the Western front line anymore.
Maybe we should have breakfast first.
I'm tired. I have back pains
and my head is buzzing.
A bath for The Emperor!
They kept the truth from me the entire time.
Dona, how do I stand there now, hm?
As the commander-in-chief.
The people will blame me.
Preferably I would plunk down everything.
Wilhelm?
You are The Emperor.
The people believe in you.
But I always have to bear the responsibility.
Believe me, Dona.
I had to bend myself my whole life.
But at some point even The Emperor
has no strength anymore.
No, I don't want that.
In his residence at Lake Constance,
The Emperor's cousin, Prince Max of Baden,
is expecting visitors from Berlin in these days.
Hahn has arrived.
Kurt Hahn, his closest adviser and confidant,
brings news about the situation
in the imperial capital.
How nice to see you again.
With what can I rejoice you, my best? Tea?
Oh please.
Many thanks, my dear.
Highness, it is time for the crucial step.
It is seething in Berlin.
The government under the
current chancellor is near its end.
Parliament is already chafing at the bit.
We must proceed to action now.
As always there is no stopping you
due to being full of zest for action, my friend.
Write to The Emperor.
Present our plans to him.
Make it clear to him that he needs you now
because otherwise he is lost.
And tell him about Ebert and his attitude towards the monarchy.
Of course I am available when I am called
but I cannot put myself forward.
That is against the code of conduct.
What if I fail in Berlin?
I must absolutely forbid myself and my health
another catastrophe of that kind.
No, Hahn, I need more safety/security.
There is only one man in this country
who can arouse the nation to fend off
the deadly danger that Germany faces.
You know that.
You feel it.
You are destined to appear as the leading man
who the people yearn for in the hour of distress.
You could form a Germany that once again remembers itself,
that lets its values and virtues shine out
into the entire world.
A realm that is finally lead again by example of The Emperor.
Become his man of confidence.
and show our people, no, the entire world
which healing power the German mind
and the German nature has.
Who if not you, my beloved Prince,
should be able to achieve that?
You are right.
I...I must finally stop to only think about myself.
Yes, I will suggest a government of national defense to the sovereign.
Paper and ink, please.
I will write to The Emperor and to Ludendorff.
And then, my dear prince,
we must hit the road for Berlin.
Be assured, Hahn, I will not fail
and you will help me with that.
It is about the chancellorship and the search for allies.
Kurt Hahn arranges a secret meeting between
Prince Max and labour leader Friedrich Ebert.
You cannot believe how happy I am that
you agreed to this meeting, dear Mister Ebert.
The social democrats do not fail the fatherland,
you know that, Mister Hahn.
In this crisis, every possible solution has to be considered.
It could even be the solution for all of us.
Saving and new begin in one.
You can surely imagine
that a prince and the heir to the throne
of the House of Baden
does not meet with a socialist and a labour leader everyday.
That is meeting has to stay entirely secret,
I must be able to count on that.
Of course, Mister Ebert.
That suits us fine.
Mister Ebert, I am happy that you made the effort to come here.
I feel honored that you had me called, Highness.
Let us walk for a bit.
Unfortunately the growing unrest on the inside,
in my opinion constitutes
a similar great danger as our enemies at the front line.
If we do not counteract it resolutely,
we will soon face a revolutionary quake.
A revolution would plunge our people into chaos and in the end into doom.
You know as well as I do what is going on in Russia.
But the people must participate politically
as soon as possible of course.
Only that can prevent the riot of the masses.
Well Prince Max could imagine well a
participation of your party in a future government.
A government lead by me of course, dear Mister Ebert.
Only closer to the people than the one now.
But there must be clarity in one point:
With me as imperial chancellor, the monarchy
and my cousin, The Emperor, will stay unsolicited.
Our nations needs more than ever a steady footing,
according to my conviction that
can only be the German Imperial Throne.
But that will only be accepted if the crown
accommodates with the people's wishes.
And if the current emperor...
We urgently must put the German monarchy back
on the map with a government of national unity.
And we will only be able to do it with your help, Mister Ebert.
Forgive me the question, Highness,
but why do you want to jump into the shark pool
of the Berlin politics now out of all times?
A man of your standing does not have to do away with that.
I believe that destiny kept me for this saving act.
My dear Hahn.
I do not expect so much rapprochement.
This opens up entirely new perspectives.
How good that you arranged for this meeting.
It could be the beginning of a new policy in Germany.
There, here.
The poor children.
You left the house in the middle of the night again.
I met Prince Max of Baden this morning.
I thought we already had enough to worry about?
I wants to become imperial chancellor.
At least he beats the big drum for it
and offers himself up.
What does he want from you then, the mister prince?
He offers us to become part of his government.
The man is part of the high nobility, what advantage is he to us? And anyway, who enters into a bankrupt business?
Luise, when everything comes crashing down,
the workers will lose everything we achieved for them too.
So we must help to plug the leak.
- That others sprung into the ship.
The militarists. The entire imperial delusion of grandeur.
Yes, even if others sprung it.
The people in the streets are starving, they grow more furious everyday,
and you want to plug leaks in a sinking ship?
If you ask me, we need an entirely new ship
including a new captain and a new crew.
Nah, those are all just revolutionary pipe dreams.
But if a real prince reaches out to me for once
to participate in power for real
then I can't and I won't decline it.
Everything will be better, if we make a pact with the princes?
Well then I'm excited what your comrades will say about that.
They won't understand it immediately.
That is why I'll wait to tell them.
Fritz, what are you doing there?
Very tiny steps.
But in the right direction.
That's dangerous, Fritz.
Why do you risk it?
Because a revolution would be the most dangerous of all solutions.
The German people are tired of war.
Displeasure at the disastrous supply situation is spreading.
In Russia, The Czar has been overthrown.
Lenin and the Bolshevist took over power
during the October Revolution.
Is the German Imperial Realm now threatened
to fall into by Russian conditions too?
It always appears like a miracle to me
how Majesty is able to rise him up.
Oh dear Berg, I thank God to know you loyally by his side.
I think we should give him a task
as soon as possible that encourages him
and at the same time restores us
the needed support with the people.
But the...the people love him?
Majesty, we have to face the facts.
The people are unhappy, the mood for war is changing for the worse.
The blame for all the hardship
is pined on Wilhelm once again.
I allowed myself to prepare a speech to restore unity
among the ruler and those he protects and supports.
I have various stops in the realm on my mind.
An excellent idea, my dear Berg.
And if you once again let it appear as
his very own idea, this will be a great success.
Of course, Majesty.
A wonderful picture. Wilhelm!
Wilhelm, my beloved,
could you turn to me please?
Exactly like this, sublime!
The Emperor's first stop is Krupp in Essen,
the armory of the German Empire.
Here he wants to win back lost trust in the monarchy.
On this day of glory of our plant, I want to give a
very warm welcome to all who have assembled here.
A successful year is behind us.
With your effort, it was possible for us to...
The people now need the compassion of its Emperor most.
Majesty, assistance in times of distress.
Everything is written in here.
with pride and gratefulness, to be allowed to welcome
here and now most loyally His Majesty, Emperor Wilhelm.
May God preserve
- Well then let's go.
the strength for responsible decisions
for our king and father of our country.
Now we can only pray that he sticks to the manuscript.
...to assure the future of the German people.
My dear friends of Krupp plants.
Today it is regarded as imperative
to express my imperial thanks to you.
For that you so self-sacrificially fulfilled your duty
to your commander in chief
and a victorious...
My dear Kruppians.
No one should dare to presume that I don't know of your distress.
Oh no.
- What do ya up there know of our distress?
But I assure you
The distress to carry the heavy responsibility for
a people of 70 million is a much, much heavier burden.
Our children are starving.
Who do we owe our distress to?
No, no, no, no.
No.
Before all others, to these damn Anglo-Saxons
with their absolute hate of destruction.
We want peace.
- We need democracy.
Women and girls,
I ask you to listen to nothing but the inner voice of conscience.
You're bullshitting us, aren't ya?
- And together with me...
End this idle talk.
- to stick together through distress and death.
We've suffered enough.
- You at your anvil, I on my throne.
Well that was a hard piece of work.
But I brought them back in line, is it not so?
With all due respect, Majesty had noticed the turmoil in the audience?
The instigators the Reds have smuggled in?
No, no. But now you will take care that
my words will gain currency immediately.
Because then the defeatism will finally be finished off.
- Yes.
Oh by the way,
did I tell you who offered himself as savior of the nation to me?
No.
The Baden Max. Yes. Him of all things.
I should form a government of national unity
with a striking head [Literally: character head] at its head
who takes over the leadership of the people on my behalf.
Imagine that. Damn, Berg. Striking head.
Him of all things.
He has absolutely no idea of politics.
Yes, I heard that there people doing advertising for him in Berlin.
Some of our "people's representatives" appear to think he is the next imperial chancellor.
Such nonsense.
This man failed horribly in the field.
No, he is completely unsuitable.
And by the way, who become
the next imperial chancellor is my decision after all.
The speech. It will in no way be published
in this form. Not a word.
Not until I have reworked it.
- Yes, sir.
It is Wilhelm's last public appearance.
The people's approval will continue to fade.
But he demands fealty, even in the chancellor question, as it is his right.
But The Emperor does not notice how the reins
slip away from him more and more during the crisis.
The search for a chancellor who bypasses
the difference has already begun without him.
Here you go.
That must not be true.
Damn. Can't ya be careful?
- I'm truly sorry about that.
I don't here for my amusement.
- This right here is just so...
Now The Emperor already steals our color.
What ya don't say. They wallpapered the whole city with that.
This is sheer waste and our sorts
doesn't now how we should feed the brats.
He should meet us at night, the Mister Emperor.
Well for that ya can shove against me just again.
Morning.
- Good morning.
Fritz!
Mister Scheidemann, Mister Scheidemann, just a second, a signature, please.
- Not now. Fritz, wait!
Fritz! Just wait a moment!
I wanted to synchronize with you about the board meeting.
It is clear that we need a new
Imperial Chancellor as soon as possible.
We must get to peace as quickly as possible.
We have to contribute to that now.
But of course only under chancellor who deserves our trust.
And who recognizes as a real partner,
who knows that there is no way moving past us anymore.
Uh-huh. And someone like that exists?
Comrades.
The next government of the German Empire
must have social democrats in its ranks.
But this will only be the case if we act prudent and smart.
He buckles down like he hasn't in a long time.
- Dear Fritz,
those are wondrous ideas that you bring home to us.
But just why would we stoop to pull
the chestnuts out of the fire for someone else?
From The Emperor, his government, the military -
who constantly betray the people.
If we take up responsibility now we will be blamed alongside them for things we are not responsible for. One the contrary.
How credible does this make us a social democrats?
If we let the things run the way comrade Scheidemann suggests, we will leave our fate to the revolution.
Who wants that accepts Russian conditions.
A blood civil war.
This is why it is time now to take up responsibility.
I think no one here wants to call for revolution or provoke a civil war.
Right. And our problem is not the old men
who alternate at the top by The Emperor's mercy.
Our problems is the one who places them there.
Our real problem is this ineffable emperor.
Yes, exactly.
- Or not, comrade Ebert?
The people are jolly well fed up with him because
it has already understood what they/you have not yet.
With all due respect, Majesty, you suffered a stroke.
A relapse is possible at all times and
it would have drastic consequences for you.
And could someone explain to me what
this is supposed to mean? Read it, Dona, read it.
Ludendorff, again.
Now he already even summons his own
commander-in-chief to him in Belgium.
You must not put up with that any longer.
No, you can bet your life on that.
[Literally: you can take poison on that.]
I will give him the ice-cold runaround.
He will be marveled, you will see.
Get my car ready.
Majesty.
- Let it be, it is already alright again.
Formally, Wilhelm II is the commander-in-chief
but military command decides about the events all alone.
And they make him feel that.
Even as the as the situation sharpens.
Well my gentlemen, what is so urgent?
Did we lose the war?
- Majesty.
I am sorry to have to tell you that the
German army is at the ends of its tether.
We have no resistance to offer in reply to the enemy.
We must ask for a truce immediately.
The matter admits no delay anymore.
What?
What do you intend to say with that?
Oh, oh okay.
In consultation with the foreign ministry, I have to suggest something to His Majesty that could maybe save us.
A petition for peace will be direct at the Americans, at President Wilson who offered himself up as peacemaker.
To raise our chances of success, some concessions of the domestic politics kind are necessary.
A petition for peace.
Never.
With our diplomats we assume that Wilson only
react anyway if we, at least to the outside world,
Majesty forgive this expression,
are ready for democratic reforms.
- What nonsense are you talking there?
I still decide about the basis of our politics.
Furthermore, we require a new Imperial Chancellor.
Since time is pressing, I am suggesting a candidate to Your Majesty who already brought himself up for discussion.
Prince Max of Baden.
The Baden Max?
My cousin?
Only over my dead body.
Majesty.
We have prepared a corresponding decree
that Majesty only has to sign anymore.
Never.
They present me with a fait accompli again.
As if I was their jumping-jack.
Majesty, firstly it is about erecting a facade.
At least for some time.
We need this truce, we need it
to prevent the worst of the worst.
But now the Baden Max too?
As Imperial Chancellor?
You think I should sign that, yes?
This is theater. Everything is just a great theater.
This theater helps us for now to keep
the people in line and the labourites at heel.
The decree smooth the way for a government that for the
first time is supposed to include the social democrats too.
I know.
If you ask me that is nothing but theater
they have come up with at the Great Headquarter.
You are hopefully aware what a once in
a lifetime chance opens up for us with the decree?
Chance? We are supposed to obediently get the Supreme Army Command and The Emperor out of jam.
They gambled away, the gentlemen.
The war appears to be lost
and now they call for the people.
My friends, you read it.
Now they must work with us.
Or else they have gambled away the trust of the people entirely.
We must show us open for the new political possibilities.
Mister Scheidemann, here please.
Max of Baden is supposed to become the new Imperial Chancellor.
A cousin of The Emperor.
A prince in the flesh.
Those are the new political possibilities according to your opinion?
Yes, if we approaches us.
And he will.
But as always, we will discuss this calmly at our board meeting.
And that is in exactly one and half hours.
Until then, I may ask for peace and prudence.
I will be back in time.
Just approaching us is not enough.
We must insist on incisive democratic reforms more than ever.
So you want to give them hell now?
Absolutely. They are approaching us.
This means we have the upper hand.
[Literally: sit at the longer lever]
Cab man!
Ebert meets Max of Baden to seal
his pact with the new chancellor.
Good, good, good, this goes on the table right here, please.
Mister Ebert, nice that you could come immediately. Please.
Congratulations, Highness.
Ebert, how nice to see you.
Do you want to have breakfast with us?
No, thanks. I am a little charged up like you might figure.
Good.
Mister Ebert.
I want to ask you to become a member of my new government.
I must decline that unfortunately.
- What?
With all due respect, The chairman of the biggest labor party should in the current situation hold the reins from an independent position.
As a member of the government that would barely be possible. Someone else should do that.
This does not really argue of trust in our collaboration.
Can we count on your support despite that?
Absolutely.
- Well then.
To a fruitful collaboration,
to our fatherland.
And a honorable peace.
Yes, Highness.
We must take special care especially right now
that we will still be recognizable in the end.
As a party of the simple people,
for peace, democracy and social justice.
Fritz, we predominantly share the opinion to not become part of this new government, much less under a prince.
We believe that the hour has come now
for much more far reaching changes.
I just spoke to new Imperial Chancellor.
He offers us ministry chairs in his government.
I suggest that the comrade Scheidemann will become our main representative in this new government.
I can and will of course not force to do it
but I am convinced that you will be our best man on this post.
Slow, slow.
- Beside, dear comrades, I will of course resign
in case that an involvement of our party in the next government will not find a majority here today.
You want to do what?
- That cannot be true...
[Potsdam, New Palace]
By the way, I allowed myself to inform
The Empress of our journey to Potsdam.
Thank you, my friend.
Oh, Dona.
It was complete disaster.
Leave us alone.
They do everything over my head.
We must beg for peace and...
they speak of democratization.
I had no other choice but to sign everything.
Yes...
And then...
And then they also forced Max Baden as Imperial Chancellor upon me.
The Baden Max. Can you imagine that?
But Max, he is a...a homophile.
At the front line not man enough and who you also had to promote.
Yes or else he would have ruined his reputation entirely.
And this...this can pretty quickly endanger
the entire monarchy. It was necessary,
An officer would have handle it with his service pistol.
Yes, yes, sure.
But...but now he cannot endanger me anymore, can he?
He must be thankful to you for eternity.
No, Wilhelm, you must listen to this now.
They are taking one right after another from us
and want to hand it over to the common people.
But that cannot rule.
Only you can to that, and with God's help.
And if you now rely on Max Baden...
He will not protect us as weak and anxious as he is.
Dona.
I do not want anymore.
Wilhelm, stand up and fight
and do not let your crown be dragged through the mud
or else it will be lost to all of us.
Wilhelm?
Fritz, I know.
The prince invited me to be a member of his government.
I declined. Philipp will do it.
Scheidemann? And why not you?
I need to have free rein to be able to react to everything.
Additionally, I had to put everything
in the balance to bring them back in line.
I even threatened to step down.
But I did it, with one vote, but I did it.
Unity looks different.
Luise, for the first time in history representatives
of the labor movement will co-govern The Empire.
I asked around.
He failed miserable at the frontline,
your Max of Baden.
Got the panic.
The Emperor awarded him even an Iron Cross
so the embarrassment wouldn't be uncovered.
Additionally, without is young adviser and
bosom friend, what was his name again?
Hahn, Kurt Hahn.
Without him, he's supposedly politically completely helpless.
Luise, I know myself, it's a small line
I'm currently having to balance on.
But for heaven's sake there's no other way.
Fritz.
You know, I always held the belief that you were
doing the right thing during all disagreements.
But now I'm worried, Fritz, seriously worried.
if that is truly the right way.
Look, Luise, it's like this:
This awful war will no longer bring Germany
any of the things the propaganda promised to us.
But if all those terrible sacrifices that people - but
also we - made are not supposed to be for nothing
then it must at least free us from this horrible nightmare of political impotence in the end.
Believe me, I know what I'm doing.
Now come, let us go to bed.
I still need to sleep for some hours.
The Allies are close to pushing in the German front line.
Their superiority has become more dangerous
due to America's entry into the war,
"Hindenburg Line broken."
[Literally: Siegfried Line broken]
While the Western powers fill up their lines,
the German supply has long run out.
Redeployment of troops but immediately please.
Immediately!
Apologies, Majesty.
I was in Berlin when you called for me.
You know as soon as I see Christ crucified,
I see everything much clearer.
Take a seat.
I require your services, dear Father.
You know my 60th birthday is near.
And I wish for a service the evening before.
Just for The Emperor and for me.
His Majesty requires an urgent strengthening of the soul.
It will be an extraordinary honor to me.
The bible says
"But we are not of those who go back to destruction; but of those who have faith even to the salvation of the soul."
By the way, I know from a reliable source that The Emperor views Ludendorff's demand for a peace offering extremely critical as well.
Maybe that could be the leverage that pulls him on to our side.
Well then, let's do it.
Very nice.
Majesty.
- Very nice.
Well, my gentlemen?
Why are we so nervous here in Berlin, hm?
Take a seat.
Please, Mister Vice-Chancellor.
Your Majesty allows that first we welcome our designated Imperial Chancellor, His Grand Ducal Highness Prince of Baden, to our illustrious council.
Lets confine us to the bare essentials. Continue.
As Majesty knows,
the first official act of the new Imperial Chancellor will be the phrasing and immediate dispatch of a armistice petition
to The President of the United States, Wilson.
With all due respect, Majesty, I am an opponent
of the armistice petition.
Because it ends in a military declaration of bankruptcy.
To make it clear once and for all, Max, my dear:
You did not offered yourself up as Imperial Chancellor
to stand in the way of my Army Command's plans and by that my wishes. Yes, understood?
Mister Vice-Chancellor, continue.
Majesty, we allowed ourselves to draft a government policy statement for the new Imperial Chancellor.
Entirely in the sense of your most highest decree but also with clear signals of concession addressed towards President Wilson.
Well, and is there already a text version of our note?
"According to the imperial decree,
The German Empire has experience a fundamental reconstruction of its political leadership."
"As successor to Count of Hertling,
who rendered outstanding services to the fatherland,
I was appointed by The Emperor as the head of this new government."
I cannot believe it.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Nothing about that we want to refine the German Imperialism.
Nothing of a new moral leading role of the state government.
Nothing of...of The German Empire as
the first among the cultural nations!
Highness, this is not at all our government policy statement!
No.
But Highness.
How could you let it come this far?
You are The Imperial Chancellor,
you write the government policy statement!
Calm yourself, Hahn!
We have apparently overrated ourselves a bit.
Politics and mind,
they do not go well together in Berlin.
All of our ideas.
For which we worked so hard...
I know. It is more than just a bitter disappointment.
But we must make the best out of it now.
The best?
It is over, Prince Max.
We are completely and utterly at their mercy.
Do not desert me too. I beg you.
On October 5th, 1918, the new chancellor Max of Baden
reads the government policy statement
forced upon him aloud in parliament.
It takes into account the American President Wilson's peace ideas.
This way the public gets to know about
the German armistice petition for the first time.
With this it is clear.
The Empire can no longer win the World War.
As consolation, more democracy is held out in prospect.
And a speedy peace.
[The peace offering. Speech of the Imperial Chancellor Max of Baden in the German Reichstag on October 5th 1918]
Some think the new Imperial Chancellor to be a puppet by the grace of Ludendorff and condemn our blind confidence.
The others growl against the atypical German government
and speak of a shameful capitulation.
"Revolution immediately" or "Fight until doom."
Our country is currently being ripped apart, Fritz.
This way or another.
You're telling me.
However a terrific beginning of a splendid prince.
Unfortunately, that's not all.
Wilson's answer to our note.
With that, my dear Philip, all illusions that our country
still gets out of this war with a black eye end in smoke.
He demands that the military be deprived of its power.
That's good.
- The old authorities shall be abolished entirely.
Very good!
- And he demands proof
that the realm is now truly ruled by the people.
Otherwise: no peace negotiations.
Well then. Adieu, Emperor!
And then?
- Well then we will have exactly that
what we have been fighting for for an eternity.
- No, Philipp.
Then we will have a country in which the people tear each other apart.
The character of The Emperor is the greatest peace obstacle.
Is the chancellor aware of that?
- Well
But what should we do according to you?
We all know that neither the heir to the throne nor
any of his brother have the stature to succeed the father.
Maybe The Crown Prince's son would be the appropriate choice.
But he is only twelve. So we would first need
a regent who would administer the throne for him.
Precisely. A kind of substitute emperor.
A moment, please.
Ebert is here.
Mister Imperial Chancellor.
What can I do for you, my dear Ebert?
Highness,
we must turn a big wheel now.
What exactly do you mean?
You know what Wilson answered.
We must take care that Wilhelm II will not become a peace obstacle.
Did we not agree that we would not touch the imperial crown?
We won't.
But so we can preserve the monarchy, Wilhelm II has to step down.
In the people's eyes, he lost this war.
His abdication will take the wind out of the sails of those who want the revolution, and he himself will go down in history.
With his generous abdication.
Well fine.
Even if we assume for once I thought myself capable
of suggesting this outrageous step to my cousin...
With all due respect, Highness, this step could
become inevitable for the salvation of the country.
But what then?
Well since we, as you know best,
have no suitable heir to the throne among The Emperor's sons, then
maybe you as the future monarch in Baden
could preserve the interests of the imperial crown.
Let's say, until The Emperor's grandson has reached adulthood.
But my gentlemen, you must not be serious.
It was never my intention to take over from The Emperor
I love him.
I see my task in standing before him.
Not in overthrowing him.
Well, I have a lot of work to do.
There's something else: My fellow party members and I
share the opinion that Friedrich of Berg has to go.
I hope very much that His Majesty will soon feel better.
Uhm later. I must absolutely go to The Empress.
This goddamn sciatic.
Will this never end?
Oh, Max.
It is a deep desire of mine, Your Majesty,
to be allowed to look you into the eyes
and assure you of my unconditional loyalty
The new government with the democrats...
- Yes, yes, alright, Max. Please be brief.
Wilhelm.
Do you have the flu?
Distance, Max. Distance!
Wilhelm.
I believe a misunderstanding between us has to be eliminated.
I took over this position to support you in these tough times.
I want to save. Or else I would not have accepted this position.
I did it in the honest love for my emperor and The German Empire
The revolutionist and traitors to the Fatherland
are becoming cheekier everyday.
And now they are already sitting in your government.
I will not be surprise if this Ebert and Scheidemann
will hang one day as soon as the tables turn again.
Ebert is an extraordinary reasonable man
who one is able to make use of.
And a sincere patriot.
He lost two sons in the war.
The monarchy's preservation is without question for him.
Yes?
So you think I can rely on your labourites?
But I warn you.
I know they rumor in Berlin about my abdication.
Do not place me in a dilemma there.
Will you promise me that?
And you can tell your cabinet:
Whatever this impudent Wilson is writing there,
an abdication of mine is out of every discussion.
A descendant of Frederick the Great never deserts.
Self-evidently, Majesty.
But...
- Oh!
But now that we have begun the game with Wilson,
we will have to handle it somehow.
Wilhelm, I...
Dina, could you please call for the doctor?
The Emperor needs to rest, Max. Do you not see that?
I wanted to say goodbye in a moment, Majesty.
- Ja.
One last thing, my emperor
The new government professes itself unable to
collaborate any longer with your Chief of Cabinet.
I recommend, yes, I ask you,
to replace Friedrich of Berg with a man
who is better at understanding the signs of the time.
Well...
- Wilhelm!
How can you...
- Dona! I am deciding here.
Good.
If that ends the discussion about my person in return,
I am, if necessary, willing to agree to that.
Wilhelm.
On October 16th, the first mass protests happen in front of the Reichstag.
The mass follows the radical socialist who demand the immediate peace.
Thousands move to the Berlin castle.
From now on the political fight also takes place on the streets.
Down with The Emperor! Down with The Emperor!
Down with The Emperor!
Yes.
Yes!
Off with The Emperor!
Here.
We must not leave the streets to the radical left-wing, Fritz.
We too have to show more presence there.
The comrades on site basically hassle me
why we do not show ourselves anymore.
That are irresponsible forcings against our government
what these Bolshevik agitators are scheming.
And we should even support that as well?
Declined, comrade Scheidemann.
Coups will be quelled if necessary.
But Fritz...
- Who stirs up the works to senseless demonstration
complicates peace and Germany's democratization.
We have to do everything to show the people
that it was good and right to support this government.
And by that also the Imperial Chancellor.
Fritz, you must take care that one still recognizes what you actually stand for.
Without notice, General Ludendorff suddenly veers
in his opinion at the end of October 1918.
The war is now supposed to be continued until the very end.
The US president's armistice conditions are not acceptable for Ludendorff.
By that the general staff sabotages
the policy of peace of Max of Baden's government.
Highness, I know I myself ordered this relaxation to you.
And you do not believe how good that feels for me.
But Ebert is here. He does not let himself be put off.
Oh Ebert, yes, of course.
I will be there immediately.
Ludendorff is completely mad.
He destroys with his despotism everything that we have tried to build.
He pushes the people in swarms in the arms of the revolution.
Might be, dear Ebert, but what do you want from me?
I cannot kick him out.
Highness, with all due respect, are you aware
what I personally put on the line and risked
to make our alliance possible?
So I should advocate for that with His Majesty?
- Yeah, what else, Prince Max?
Ludendorff must go.
And preferable The Emperor goes with him.
Did you talk to your cousin about Wilson's demand?
An abdication is completely unthinkable.
I think we will advise his Majesty to dismiss Ludendorff.
Yes, we will do that.
Don't you feel what will come
towards us with Ludendorff prevails?
Yes, sure.
I hope my masseur has not left yet.
When The Lord confronts us with tasks
that appear to be insuperable in these difficult times
then, in his wisdom, he never leaves us without a light in the hand.
Our strong faith.
Because God, The Lord, is the one who placed everyone in their position
so that they may imperturbably fulfill their duty there.
Loyalty to loyalty.
May God protect you.
Amen.
[The Empress' 60th birthday]
My son, a word.
This peace begging at Wilson's and
then this democratic government in Berlin,
do not make me laugh. I want to tell you one thing:
It will come the time when only a firm hand
will be able to restore order.
When it comes to this, I will not hesitate to take measures.
And then I must be able to count on you 100 percent.
You mean a coup d'etat?
-Yes.
Then we will sweep out.
But with an iron broom.
Wilhelm, the world should know what
an amazing family we have stayed.
Although all the dark clouds on the horizon.
I want to use the rare opportunity to see my dear family gathered
to assure you that I am intent on facing
all hostilities against our glorious house.
You can be certain that for your safety
all necessary measures have been taken as well.
I protect you.
Just as I expect and put my firm trust in you standing by me and The Empress with imperturbable loyalty.
Together we will all...
Together, we will all defend the monarchy and
our glorious house until the last drop of blood.
God is with us.
To the table.
On October 26th, 1918, Emperor Wilhelm dismisses General Ludendorff
and appoints Wilhelm Groener as his successor to calm the situation.
The Emperor just kicked out Ludendorff, and now he is
already acting as if he had done it out of love for me.
And demands my unreserved loyalty even more.
You know, my dear, I believe The Empress
sets him against me more than ever before.
The newest response from Wilson.
This time he leaves no doubt.
No peace negotiations with this emperor.
But he can impossibly demand that.
Max of Baden asked for an appointment with The Emperor.
It is to be feared that he advises his to abdicate.
Oh Berg, dear friend, I cannot even tell you
how happy I am that you continue to be available to us.
This ineffable Max.
It cannot be ruled out that Wilhelm once again
will give in to the insidious guy.
Yes, I fear that too.
Abdication.
That would be the end of me.
The only thing left to do is to bring The Emperor to safety.
Spa. He must go to Hindenburg.
If not with his officers, where else would Wilhelm be safe?
Indeed.
But I am not convinced that he will agree to leave
his country especially in the current moment.
Leave that to me.
As a sign of loyalty and obedience,
our sons will solemnly swear to supplant you.
Go.
This world war has demanded nearly 17 million deaths already.
Entire tracts of lands are in ruins.
A generation of young people dies in the trenches.
Many survivors feel deserted by their leaders.
Yes, of course. Inform the party executives immediately.
That mustn't be true.
The Emperor clandestinely left the country last night.
He is in Spa. And what does Baden do?
He sends the Secretary of the Interior to advise Wilhelm to abdicate.
The Imperial Chancellor himself has to fucking
take care of The Emperor leaving.
The coffee is getting cold.
- Doesn't he know what's on the line?
The roof is in flames.
There goes the imperial splendor. By that he is ruined.
Yeah and the monarchy alongside him.
I can live with that.
Hello. Yes, the Reich Chancellery,
the Imperial Chancellor - urgent.
Calm yourself, Ebert.
Let us wait first what The Emperor...
No, I am indispensable here.
You know the gravity of the situation.
Yes!
Of course I am aware of that, yes.
Good day.
Ebert thinks he has to put me under pressure because of The Emperor.
Should I talk to him?
- No, no.
Well what is going on?
I just talked to the Secretary of the Interior.
The Emperor raged and had a real go at him in front of everyone.
The Emperor, he lets it be known that
he in no case at all considers to abdicate.
He called you a traitor and wants to bring you to justice.
Furthermore...
- Yeah, what else?
Furthermore, The Emperor openly threatened
to come to Berlin with troops to clean up here.
He wants a coup against me?
Wilhelm would (move) with force against
my government of people's trust...
Yes?
Majesty, of course, a moment.
Highness, I think, you should...
Yes.
- Is it you, Max?
Finally.
No, I do not want to hear a thing.
Spare me your mendacious explanations.
What you are currently planning is high treason - indeed.
You rotten, wicked wretch.
You...you never had anything else on your mind than ascending to our throne.
But do not believe at all that you will make it stick.
And do not believe that I will wait until history will one day judge you.
Oh no, I will take care of that beforehand.
We will open the eyes of the entire world
about your...your currish tendencies.
So everyone will see what despicable creature brings us to naught.
Hahn, please, you must help me.
Highness, there are no alternatives anymore.
If there is no other way, you must go to Spa yourself.
I will accompany you, of course.
We must keep a cool head.
Hahn!
- Prince!
Hahn!
- Max!
Hahn!
- Oh God, please!
A doctor!
A doctor!
At the beginning of November, the sailors in Kiel
refuse one last suicidal war deployment.
The mutiny quickly become a people's uprising.
In the entirety of Germany.
The revolution begins.
Here, The Emperor threatens to use force.
If that becomes public, Berlin will be in flames.
This very day.
- That is an empty threat!
Hindenburg will not play along with that.
We must concentrate on Kiel. That's more important.
Don't you understand?
As long as he doesn't go, he will make everything worse.
But if he abdicates, it would extinguish
the worst fires for now. Even in Kiel.
I must sedate him immediately.
Impossible. He is the Imperial Chancellor.
The country is descending into chaos. He must persevere.
If I do not put him in an induced coma instantly
he will collapse on us entirely with unforeseeable consequences.
Do you want to be responsible for that?
I must shoot them!
Fritz, there's shooting in Kiel!
- The Imperial Chancellor, immediately.
Excuse me?
Yes, sure.
Hahn, listen to me carefully.
That must not make the rounds in any case.
Of course not. No one will get to know about it.
I already declared it to be a severe influenza.
- My Empire is in danger!
Fritz? What's going on?
What about the Army Command?
They will not drop The Emperor. They fear
an uprising of the officers and the army falling apart.
And Kiel?
- The rioting sailors appear to win the upper hand, Fritz.
Tell me finally what's going on.
The Imperial Chancellor suffered a complete breakdown.
He is not responsive.
The realm is without a leader.
While the insurgents openly call for revolution
Ebert tries desperately to prevent an escalation.
Highness, officially I must tell you that
my party can only continue to back this government
if The Emperor abdicates in the next 24 hours.
This ultimatum will be published tomorrow.
Highness, you must save the monarchy.
You have no other choice. Take The Emperor's place.
Highness, if we immediately act together,
we can still prevent the worst.
The Emperor is incapable of politics.
So declare him with out delay as deposed now
and appoint me as Imperial Chancellor.
The monarchy stays.
But under a regent who represents the orphaned throne.
And of course only you come into question for it.
Oh my dear Ebert.
I feel more dead than alive.
The fate of the German monarchy is now solely in your hands.
Save what is still salvageable.
Well fine, Ebert.
We can do it this way.
But, I ask you, allow me just one more day of recovery.
But we have no more day at our disposal, Highness.
It is the eleventh hour.
You must talk him around, no matter the cost.
Or else we will leave the government.
- I know.
The wind tugs extremely on the mind
these days, doesn't it, master?
Here, don't be shy. Little pastilles.
Against all kinds of colds.
- Thank you very much, comrade.
"What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger,"
my lieutenant always said.
Nietzsche.
- What?
Take care of yourself.
- Yeah but you too. That will be a hot dance,
Mister Ebert.
24 hourse?
Are you mad, Fritz?
Why are you tagging along with this?
Tomorrow, half of Berlin will be on the streets.
Finally forget your prince.
It is now time to place oneself at the front of the movement.
Sure, we will do that.
But despite it, we will not lose our head.
Not everything is lost yet.
Yes? Of course.
The Supreme Army Comand in Spa.
General Groener.
Highness, ten-thousands of demonstrators are on their way here. They are becoming more and more every minute.
The troops have allied themselves
with the workers' councils all over the country.
The police has been disarmed. We have not time.
Groener? Yes.
No, no, no. What is that supposed to mean
"The abdication is being prepared?"
The only thing that can still help us are facts now.
No, we cannot wait until you have resolved the situation in Spa.
Do you want a civil war to break out?
That blood flows?
That it comes to socialist republic?
I am sorry, I am not in for that.
Yes.
Please immediately report it to me
when The Emperor has signed.
And hurry up, please.
Bravo.
Hahn, prepare the announcement.
The Emperor has abdicated,
Ebert new Imperial Chancellor,
replacement emperor and so on, you know.
And then send it out to all sites.
- Of course, immediately, Highness.
And I will call Ebert.
Quiet!
Comrades.
The Emperor has abdicated.
Quiet, comrades.
It is time to keep a cool head now.
I will go to the Imperial Chancellery immediately.
We will take over government!
Long live the social republic!
How can I help you?
I wish to tell you that I was drafted for your safety.
No one has to fear anything.
I...
I thank you.
What did he do?
The Imperial Chancellor May of Baden
has announced Your Majesty's abdication.
[Spa, Belgium]
After all.
He did dare it.
I must go to Berlin. I took precaution.
The traitors will all hang.
Majesty.
- Hm?
Field Marshal General Hindenburg
has ordered me to tell you that
the Army Command will not support you with such an enterprise.
What are you allowing yourself?
I order you to immediately (...) the Army Command...
- The Army Command will not risk a civil war.
That is what I was told. Furthermore there are
no reliable troops anymore for such a move.
The Field Marshall suggests that Majesty
brings himself to safety as soon as possible.
To bring to safety. What nonsense are you saying there?
I will stay on my post until the last breath.
I need my family. I must go to Potsdam.
My wife, my children.
As far as I am informed, they are well and safe.
Majesty?
The Queen of the Netherlands is willing to grant asylum.
Netherlands? What am I supposed to do in the Netherlands?
That would be...
Oh okay.
That is the way it is.
Well then.
Then the dog's life is over.
Is it not?
I am not a coward.
But I do not want to be nabbed.
Understood?
- Yes, sir.
The German people are a pack.
[Literally: a mob of pigs]
Since we have the power, I suggest
that the delegate Ebert accepts
the position of Imperial Chancellor.
Since The Emperor has abdicated now
and there is no regent yet
we will have no other choice than that the sitting chancellor informally hands over the office to the new one.
It is a difficult office but I will accept it.
I wish you the very best, Mister Ebert.
- Thank you, Highness.
We still have a lot to talk about but first
I would like to bring urgent measures on the way.
Of course. Your realm.
You can rely on our bureaucracy.
Prevent it from being shattered.
I would like to have an overview of the situation
in the city as soon as it is possible
and give a please to the people as new Imperial Chancellor.
So, to work!
Yes, sir!
It has been confirmed:
Ebert is Imperial Chancellor.
Scheidemann?
Damn, Mrs Ebert.
- Where is Fritz?
Your husband is Imperial Chancellor.
We did it. I must go to the Reichstag.
Supposedly, thousands of people are already standing there.
Now our time has come, Mrs Ebert.
Imperial Chancellor.
Scheidemann has proclaimed the republic in front of the Reichstag.
Long live the republic!
Yes!
Stop this nonsense, but immediately.
Nothing has been decided yet, nothing at all.
We will not begin like this.
We socialists are foremost democrats.
That is why not we but a National Assembly will decide
about how the future of this state will look like.
Democratic and not through screaming on the streets.
Until then, I refuse to tolerate such nonsense.
And now to work.
Everything must go, not just The Emperor!
Everything must go, not just The Emperor!
Where is Prince Max?
Democratic republic, red council dictatorship
or parliamentary monarchy?
Everything is still open.
Highness, what is going on here?
Oh Ebert.
Highness, it is time for the last step.
What?
You must finally declare that you will
take over the responsibility for the throne.
He insulted me as a scoundrel and a traitor.
Who?
Yes, The Emperor.
Just minutes ago.
But there is no emperor anymore.
But the monarchy, we could still preserve it.
That is your time now.
Please, do it for our Fatherland.
That is why you came to Berlin.
Oh Ebert, you do not understand.
He threatened me with the total destruction
if I assume the regency.
Yes, those were his words: complete destruction.
No, I have to leave here, just leave.
If you go, you will not only bury the monarchy irrevocably.
No, you will take the last foothold of a deeply torn people.
And additionally, running away is below you.
I have no choice.
Well then, Godspeed.
Long live the republic!
Fritz, finally.
At the Imperial Chancellery they told me
that I would find you here.
Imperial Chancellor, yes?
No reason to celebrate?
- Well. Depends on how you see it.
My predecessor however just bid farewell
to this story. Just eloped.
You were right, as always.
He was apparently not the right one, my prince.
I am so proud of you, Fritz.
And I know, if someone can do it, it will be you.
Yes. It will have to work without these people.
Yes, it will.
You are needed, Excellency.
Take care of yourself, Fritz.
On February 11th, 1919, Friedrich Ebert becomes
the president of the first democratic state in Germany,
the Weimar Republic.
A historical turning point that stirs up hope.
But also brings fanatic enemies of democracy to the scene.
Because from the beginning, the opponents of
the republic deploy and divide the country.
The first German democracy faces dramatic times.