International Rabbit 5/24/12

An Emperor's Grave

By Henk van Kampen

The Dutch Rabbit

In the Netherlands, in the Dutch village Doorn, is an old manor house, known as Huis Doorn (Doorn Manor). Its history goes back all the way to the 13th century, though the house was largely rebuilt a few times, most recently in the 18th century. Despite its long history, Doorn Manor is now only remembered for its last inhabitant, who settled here in 1920.

Two years earlier, in the last days of the Great War (1914-1918), it became clear that the war would end disastrous for Germany. The Germans blamed Emperor Wilhelm II for the bad situation. Uprisings in Berlin and mutiny in the imperial navy turned into a full scale revolution in November 1918, and the emperor was forced to abdicate and flee his country.

Wanted for war crimes in the allied countries, and not safe in his own country, he fled to The Netherlands, a country that was neutral during and after the war. He sought for, and got, asylum. In 1919 he bought Doorn Manor, where he settled in 1920 and would live until his death in 1941.

The emperor's grave is on the manor. He is buried, temporarily, in a mausoleum in the gardens. There he will remain until the German monarchy is restored - which is not going to happen anytime soon.

On the roof of the mausoleum is a copper globe with a cross on top. When the emperor died, in 1941, The Netherlands were occupied by nazi-Germany.  Possession of copper was illegal at the time, all copper was confiscated to make weapons and ammunition. Apparently the copper globe and cross were made secretly and illegally, from old copper pots and pans that were still in the kitchen of the manor house.

The mausoleum is not the only grave on the manor. There are also five small graves of the emperor's beloved dachshund dogs. His favorite dog, Senta, died in 1927, 20 years old. The German inscription on the gravestone reads: The loyal Senta, 1907-1927. Accompanied His Majesty the Emperor in the world war 1914-1918.

The manor house is left largely as it was when the emperor lived here, and is now a museum and open to the public.
 
I have, of course, a few photos of the manor and especially of the mausoleum to share. From top to bottom you can see a bust of the emperor in front of the manor house, the German eagle with the imperial mausoleum in the background, two photos of the mausoleum where emperor Wilhelm II is buried, the copper cross on the roof of the mausoleum, the manor chapel where the funeral service took place, and two of the dachshund graves, one of Senta, the other of Wai-Wai.