662.00/365: Telegram
The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 30—8:15 p.m.]
5322. Wolff,4 Berlin, telegram:
“In order to put an end to misunderstandings which have arisen concerning abdication, Emperor William has now formally in constitutionally unimpeachable document resigned rights to Prussian and German imperial crowns. Text as follows.
‘Hereby for all time I resign the rights to the crown of Prussia and rights to the German Imperial crown connected with this. At the same time I release all officials of the German Empire and Prussia as well as all officers now commissioned officers and men of the navy and Prussian army and the federal contingents from the oath of allegiance which they have made to me as their kaiser, king and commander-in-chief. I expect of them they will assist those who are now possessed of actual power until the new institution of the German empire and protecting the German people against the threatened danger of anarchy, famine and foreign domination. In witness whereof this document under our own signature and accompanied by the Imperial seal given at Amerongen the 28th day of November, 1918. Signed Wilhelm.’”
- Theodor Wolff, chief editor of the Berliner Tageblatt. ↩