German history 1890-1918

1890- bismarck dismissed 

1898- naval league is formed, first german naval law 

1908- daily telegraph affair 

1912- social democrats become largest party in the reichstag 

1913- the zabern affair produces protests against the military 

1914- germany declares war on russia then france and world war one breaks out 

1918- october, prince max becomes chancellor, keil mutiny and workers revolt, social distress 

1918- november decleration of republic with Ebert, Kaiser Wilhelm 2nd abdictes, armistice signed

The Daily Telegraph Affair of 1908 was a major diplomatic blunder by German Kaiser Wilhelm II that increased European tensions in the years before the First World War. Historians agree that it was his most damaging personal mistake and cost him much of his prestige and power and that it had a far greater impact in Germany than overseas.

Wilhelm had seen the interview as an opportunity to promote his views and ideas on Anglo-German friendship, but due to his emotional outbursts during the course of the interview, he ended up further alienating not only the British, but also the French, Russians, and Japanese.^[5] He implied, among other things, that the Germans cared nothing for the British; that the French and Russians had attempted to incite Germany to intervene in the Second Boer War; and that the German naval buildup was targeted against the Japanese, not Britain

The Zabern or Saverne Affair was a crisis of domestic policy which occurred in the German Empire at the end of 1913. It was caused by political unrest in Zabern (now Saverne) in Alsace-Lorraine, after a second-lieutenant insulted the Alsatian population. The military reacted to the protests with arbitrary illegal acts.

These infringements led to a debate in the GermanReichstag about the militaristic structures of German society, as well as the position of the leadership of the Empire in relationship to KaiserWilhelm II.

The affair not only put a severe strain on the relationship between the imperial state of Alsace-Lorraine and the remainder of the German Empire, but also led to a considerable loss of prestige of the Kaiser.

The Kiel mutiny was a major revolt by sailors of the German High Seas Fleet on 3 November 1918. The revolt triggered the German revolution which was to sweep aside the monarchy within a few days. It ultimately led to the end of the German Empire and to the establishment of the Weimar Republic.