AN EXTREMELY RARE AND WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF THE PERSONAL STANDARD USED BY KAISER WILHELM II, EMPEROR OF GERMANY 1888-1918

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The following two lots were recovered in dramatic circumstances at the outbreak of revolution in Germany, the day the Kaiser fled to exile in Holland. The following account is a translation of a letter of provenance which accompanies the first lot, a copy of which is available for lot 57. THE KAISER'S AND CROWN PRINCE'S STANDARDS WERE THE SYMBOLS OF MAJESTY OF THE KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE AS FOREMOST REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GERMAN REICH AT SEA. A description of how I saved the two standards on the 9th November 1918 on the day of revolution before the Fall (of the Empire). On the day of the revolution I was with eleven comrades in the theatre of war in Wilhelmshaven acting as soldier and artist. I became aware that Revolutionary sailors (Communists) on the morning of the 10th November, wanted to set the two standards alight in public in Prince Adalbert Square in front of the citizens and the soldiers. I conferred with my comrades what on earth we could do about this shocking act in order to save the standards from this dismal fate and came to the decision to commandeer both standards even if that meant with force. At 2a.m. we attacked with seven men, the brave ones listed below:- Bootsmannsmaats: Willie Rugitan, Alfred Schröder, Curt Born; Obermatrose: Georg Weidemann, Hans Geyer, Willie Tomada; Matrose: Karl Höhn. The Communist shipyard watch pursued the seven [of us] out of the guardroom.. but we got the two standards to the up[sea]-lock of the shipyard. HG; WR & I sailed in a fish cutter into the night with our precious cargo. Our pursuers at this time discovered through the betrayal of a lily-livered comrade what route the standards were going. In their limitless cowardice and witlessness, the traitors tried to follow us but were unsuccessful as we had already destroyed the barricade [?to the lock] so a chase using a steam boat was out of the question. Now the cowards decided to shoot indiscriminately into sea with guns and machine guns. Without further trouble, we landed on the other side of the [bay] and hid our priceless treasure with a brave innkeeper in an old wine barrel. I'd like at this point to thank that brave man. Both standards lay for a whole year long in the old wine barrel until times became quieter when I brought the standards to my home on the Rhine. For two whole years the standards hung over my bed and I slept under this Imperial canopy in the knowledge of having accomplished a good deed. Now today ownership of the standards is being transferred to a true German and I hope that they both remain German for ever and ever. With a squeeze of this priceless material, I take my leave. Köln/Rhine December 1922. Wilie Tomada.

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AN EXTREMELY RARE AND WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE OF THE PERSONAL STANDARD USED BY KAISER WILHELM II, EMPEROR OF GERMANY 1888-1918
printed on linen, painted and heightened in gold where appropriate -- 156in. (396cm.) square; together with orginal letter of provenance and service book for Willie Tomada.

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