Men Around the Kaiser: The Makers of Modern Germany by Frederic William Wile

Original early 20th-century hardcover edition of Men Around the Kaiser: The Makers of Modern Germany by Frederic W. Wile, published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company (Indianapolis). Bound in bright red cloth with gilt titles to spine and front cover.

This volume offers an essential English-language perspective on the personalities shaping Imperial Germany in the years before and during World War I. Wile, an American journalist who served as Berlin correspondent for the London Daily Mail and New York Times, profiles military leaders, diplomats, and intellectuals in Wilhelm II's circle. Portrait plates throughout the book add visual interest, including frontispiece photo of Kaiser Wilhelm II with facsimile signature and additional photographic illustrations of major figures such as Prince Henry of Prussia and Professor Hans Delbrück.

Includes chapters devoted to high-ranking officers, political advisors, and cultural influencers, providing a contemporary analysis of the Imperial German power structure as seen through Allied eyes. This kind of wartime publication was intended both as a source of intelligence and a means of shaping public understanding of Germany’s ruling elite.

Condition:
Good overall condition for age. Bright red cloth boards retain strong color but show corner and spine-end wear. Spine gilt still clear. Binding sound though text block shows typical toning and light handling. Inner hinge secure. Plates in good shape with tissue guards intact where issued. Some page edge wear and small margin tears (as pictured), consistent with 100+ years of handling.

Dimensions:
Approx. 8 x 5.5 inches (octavo)

Historical Context:
Published during the First World War, Men Around the Kaiser reflects the Allied interest in understanding and interpreting Germany’s military-political leadership. Its profiles, while sometimes colored by wartime propaganda, remain valuable primary-source insights into how contemporaries viewed the Kaiser’s entourage. Books like this were widely read in Britain and America to help explain the motivations and personalities behind Germany’s wartime strategy.