Monday, Dec. 31, 1923
Top Dog
The ex-Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany brought a suit against Herr von der Heydt, Editor-in-Chief of the Lokal Anzeiger, for having published a story to the effect that the Kaiser in 1895 caused a young lieutenant named von Hahnke to commit suicide.
The story said that when the Imperial yacht Hohenzollern was lying off the Scandinavian coast the Kaiser insulted von Hahnke who struck him in the face and later had to kill himself.
Vice Admiral Count Platen-Hallermund, who said he was officer of the watch at the time the face of the ex-All Highest was injured, related that the injury occurred by a rope striking the Kaiser in the course of some manoeuvres and that no altercation occurred between him and von Hahnke. He said that the Lieutenant went ashore for a spin on a bicycle and on descending a mountain path lost control of his machine, ran over the edge of a cliff, was dashed into the sea and killed.
The Court found Herr von der Heydt guilty of deliberate libel and fined him 300 gold marks ($72).
At Doom, the ex-Kaiser and his wife are sitting for portraits. The "Kaiser of Doom" was reported dressed as Supreme War Lord--a Generalfeld-marschall's uniform and all his many decorations and orders.