862.00/396: Telegram

The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett ) to the Acting Secretary of State

5464. My 6463 [5463] today. The text reads as follows:6

“I am in a position to [make] the following statement of facts about the veracity and exactness of which I do not entertain the slightest doubt. The former German Emperor has no political relations whatever with Germany. Indeed he possesses hardly any means of communication with Germany at all. The only correspondence that takes place consists in very short family news forwarded to his children through the German Foreign Office, and even these are few and far between. On his arrival in Holland—and twice since—the former Emperor has expressed to me his very clear opinion that there are no chances whatever of his regaining the throne of Prussia or of Germany. He does not in any way entertain such a desire. His religious conviction leads him to believe firmly that what has occurred to him is a decree of Providence, the ultimate object of which he cannot understand, but which it is his duty to submit to in Christian humility. He has daily expressed similar views to the gentlemen of his entourage. Among the gentlemen who accompanied the former Emperor to Holland there were three whose influence might be considered as doubtful. [These were:] General Oberst von Plessen, Oberst Leutnant von Moltke and Admiral Graf Platen. These gentlemen have some time ago been removed from the Emperor’s suite and have gone back to Germany. Those remaining with the Emperor at Amerongen have no tendency whatever to lend themselves to any political intrigue”.

Paris informed.

Garrett
  1. The text has been corrected on the basis of a photographic copy forwarded with the Minister’s despatch No. 2279 of Dec. 28, 1918; received Jan. 24, 1919 (763.72/12683).