‘Dear Kaiser Bill, may you never live to see this card’: Hate mail patriotic Brits sent to Wilhem II during the First World War belittling him as the ‘clown prince’ are discovered a century later
- One Brit told the Kaiser that his lying would see the German people turn on him
- Some of the 30 postcards and letters discovered include powerful cartoons
Hate mail that patriotic Brits sent to the hated Kaiser Wilhelm II during the First World War has been discovered a century later.
Despite being the grandson of Queen Victoria, the German king was public enemy number one while Britain and Germany were at war.
It was the chance for Brits to vent their frustrations at the great foe during the hardship of the conflict.
He received a torrent of abusive and derogatory letters and postcards by the British public who called him ‘the clown prince’ and ‘king of the baby killers’.
One person sent the Kaiser his happy returns but added that ‘may you never live to see this card’.
Thirty postcards and letters sent during the First World War to Kaiser Wilhem II have been discovered a century later
![Despite being the grandson of Queen Victoria, the German monarch was the subject of a torrent of abuse](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255453-12602681-image-a-5_1696608513830.jpg)
Despite being the grandson of Queen Victoria, the German monarch was the subject of a torrent of abuse
![Frustrated Brits sent a barrage of letters dubbing Wilhem the 'clown prince' and the 'king of the baby killers'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255459-12602681-image-a-6_1696608528184.jpg)
Frustrated Brits sent a barrage of letters dubbing Wilhem the ‘clown prince’ and the ‘king of the baby killers’
![One letter addressed to the Kaiser told him that he 'may you never live to see this card'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255405-12602681-image-a-9_1696608799504.jpg)
One letter addressed to the Kaiser told him that he ‘may you never live to see this card’
![Other postcards included powerful cartoons, including a picture of a boy on a cannon along with the British flag above him, captioned with the words 'who's afraid?'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255377-12602681-image-a-12_1696608843162.jpg)
Other postcards included powerful cartoons, including a picture of a boy on a cannon along with the British flag above him, captioned with the words ‘who’s afraid?’
Another addressed his postcard to ‘Kaiser Bill and the Clown Prince’, and put down the destination as ‘king of the baby killers headquarters Berlin’.
A passionate Brit told the Kaiser his ‘blasphemy and lying’ would not fool the German people for much longer and they would soon turn on him.
Another wrote: ‘I shall be only too happy to send you a few shrapnel shells to make things a bit lively for you.’
Some of the postcards had powerful cartoons on them, including one of a young boy on top of a cannon with the British flag above him and the words ‘who’s afraid’.
The collection of about 30 postcards and letters has emerged for sale at C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent.
The auctioneers believe the material may have been sent to a mail sorting office and a postal worker took them home as they found them amusing.
It then passed into the hands of a Sussex museum before being acquired by the vendor, a British private collector.
![The collection of letters and postcards was discovered after they were put on sale at an auction in Ashford, Kent](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255383-12602681-image-a-11_1696608835060.jpg)
The collection of letters and postcards was discovered after they were put on sale at an auction in Ashford, Kent
![Auctioneers believe that the letters may have been taken home by a mail sorting office worker who found them amusing](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255381-12602681-image-a-10_1696608828972.jpg)
Auctioneers believe that the letters may have been taken home by a mail sorting office worker who found them amusing
![Letters to the German king are often addressed to his propaganda name of Kaiser Bill](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/06/17/76255385-12602681-image-a-7_1696608735624.jpg)
Letters to the German king are often addressed to his propaganda name of Kaiser Bill
Matthew Tredwen, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: ‘The postcards and letters are often addressed to his propaganda name of Kaiser Bill and some to the Emperor of Germany.
‘They are of a derogatory nature or mocking him, providing an interesting insight into the expected bad feeling between the British public and the leader of the German Empire at the time.
‘The most likely theory is that these were sent to a mail sorting office and someone working there kept hold of them.’
The sale of the collection, which is valued at £250, takes place on October 11. ends
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