ABDICATION OF THE KAISER IN A KRUPP FACILITY IN BERLIN

[RICHARD1959]

[charlie2]

It is not the abdicaction of the Kaiser but a speech made to the Krupp employees.  The Kaiser formally abdicated on the 28th November while in exile. The text of the speech

„In December 1916, I made an open, clear and unequivocal offer of peace on behalf of the German Reich and my allies to the enemy. Scorn and derision and contempt have been the response. The above knows my sense of responsibility. Repeatedly in recent months responsible leaders from the Government of the Reich have made it clear in no uncertain terms to anyone who would understand that we are ready to offer our hand for peace. The answer is a pronounced will to annihilate, to divide up and crush Germany. It takes two to make peace. If both do not want to, one cannot, provided that it does not crush the other. Thus the absolute will to annihilation of our adversaries confronts us, and to the absolute will to annihilation we must oppose the absolute will to preserve our existence. Our brave army has shown you this will and the deed, be it in the advance, be it in the retreat, be it in the battle of positions. These incomparable heroic deeds of our army and navy must be backed up, not only in work, but also in the minds and thoughts of our people. It is not only a question of supplying our brave army and our good navy with material and replacements, but it is a question of every German knowing that we are fighting and struggling for our existence, that we must do our utmost to defend ourselves victoriously [... Now it comes down to the last efforts; the whole thing is at stake, and because our enemies know, because they have the greatest respect for the German army, because they realise that they cannot force down our army and our navy, that is why they are trying to disintegrate us internally, to wear us down with false rumours and fluff. This does not come from the circles of the German people, these are artificial machinations. But anyone who listens to such rumours, anyone who passes on unconfirmed news in railways, workshops or elsewhere, sins against the fatherland; he is a traitor and liable to severe punishment, regardless of whether he is a count or a worker. What is our duty? To free our fatherland. Consequently, we also have the obligation to endure with all our strength in the struggle against its enemies. Each of us is assigned his task from above, you at your hammer, you at your lathe and I on my throne. But we must all rely on God's help. And doubt, that is the greatest ingratitude against the Lord. And now I ask you simply and honestly: do we actually have reason to doubt? Just look at the four years of war, what tremendous achievements we have had. Half the world stood up against us and our loyal allies, and now we have peace with Russia, peace with Romania, Serbia and Montenegro are finished. Only in the West are we still fighting, and there should the good Lord abandon us at the last moment? We should be ashamed of our pusillanimity, but that only comes when you believe rumours. From the facts that you yourselves have experienced, forge a firm belief in the future of your fatherland. [...] My request and my appeal to you and through you to the entire working class, which has proven itself so excellently and efficiently, and through you to the entire German people, is this: for me and my relationship to my people, my words of August 4, 1914 are decisive: "I know no parties, I know only Germans." Now is not the time for parties; we must now all unite into a bloc, and here the word is probably the most appropriate: become strong as steel, and the German people's bloc, welded together into steel, shall show its strength to the enemy. So whoever among you is determined to comply with this appeal of mine, whoever has his heart in the right place, whoever wants to remain loyal, let him stand up now and promise me on behalf of the entire German working class: we want to fight and hold out to the last. God help us to do so. And whoever wants that, answer with Yes! (The assembled answer with a loud Yes!) I thank you,. With this yes, I now go to the Field Marshal. It is now up to each of us to fulfil the duty we have pledged and to use our mental and physical strength to the utmost for the Fatherland. Every doubt must be banished from our hearts and minds. Now it is time: Germans, swords high, hearts strong and muscles taut to fight against everything that stands against us, even if it takes a long time! God help us! Amen. And now farewell, people!“