William II, German Emperor, 1859-1941

T. R. in Europe

Manuscript about Theodore Roosevelt’s travels in Europe in 1910, submitted to The Reader’s Digest by his personal secretary, Frank Harper. The article describes how Harper came to work for Theodore Roosevelt, his first meeting with him at Sagamore Hill before his departure on his African safari in 1909, and meeting him again next in Rome a year later. Harper then details the controversy over whether Roosevelt would be able to meet the pope (which meeting Harper describes as being blocked by Cardinal Merry del Val), Roosevelt’s meeting with the King of Italy, his visit to Porto Maurizio to see his wife’s sister Emily Carow, his address at the Sorbonne in Paris (which was translated for him into French by Jules Jusserand), an offer from Count Zeppelin to visit Germany in one of his Zeppelins, the hospitality of the German Kaiser in Berlin, and Roosevelt’s service as the special ambassador representing the United States at the funeral of Edward VII.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

Unknown

Creator(s)

Harper, Frank, 1882-1971

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt writes to Henry White that he mourns the death of German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg, a man he regarded highly. Roosevelt will likely be presented to King Edward VII of Great Britain as a private citizen while he is visiting Oxford, and if requested he will also visit William II, the German Emperor, so as not to offend him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David Jayne Hill

President Roosevelt thanks Ambassador Hill for the write-up of the funeral of his good friend and former German Ambassador, Hermann Speck von Sternburg. In the future Roosevelt may ask Hill to enquire about accommodations for hunting in German East Africa, in case his safari brings him to that region. While he is abroad Roosevelt will likely be presented, as a private citizen, to King Edward VII of Great Britain while visiting Oxford University. Should the German Emperor William II expressly request a visit, he would also visit Berlin.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt details to Senator Lodge the difficulties in renominating New York Governor Charles Evans Hughes. Roosevelt has accepted George Nathaniel Curzon’s invitation to present the Romanes Lecture at the University of Oxford upon returning from Africa. He sends his regards to Anna Cabot Mills Davis Lodge.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt requests that Ambassador Reid explain to Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes that his African trip is a scientific expedition to collect specimens for the National Museum, not “a game butchering trip.” However, if given the opportunity, Roosevelt may collect some trophies. The invitation from the chancellor of Oxford, George Nathaniel Curzon, to present the Romanes lecture gives Roosevelt a genuine reason to visit England on his return from Africa. He details his travel itinerary, plans for appropriate formal attire, and people to call upon. Roosevelt is interested in what the Japanese minister for foreign affairs Jutarō Komura says and includes his letter to Japanese ambassador Kogoro Takahira and the reply. Reid’s full statement on the incidents of the Olympics pleases Roosevelt, who believes intense international matches inevitably result in misunderstandings.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt summarizes two letters he has received from Oscar K. Davis for Elihu Root. The letters, from Times reporter William Bayard Hale, describe an interview Hale had with German Emperor William II. In the first letter, Hale describes the two-hour interview itself, in which William makes several incendiary statements regarding England, Russia, China, Japan, the United States, and the Catholic Church. In the second letter, Hale reports that after showing the interview to the German Foreign Office and American Ambassador David Jayne Hill, both decided it would be unwise and improper to quote the emperor. Roosevelt told Davis that he strongly discouraged making the interview public. In domestic news, Roosevelt is making a “quiet canvass” of feeling regarding the re-nomination of Charles Evans Hughes for governor of New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Henry Schofield

President Roosevelt congratulates literature professor William Henry Schofield on his upcoming marriage and thanks him for sending a copy of English Literature. Currently, Roosevelt is busy and prefers not to see anyone in person. He asks Schofield to convey his appreciation to German Emperor William II for working to strengthen the relationship between Germany and the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt tells German Ambassador Sternburg to thank German Emperor William II for his message, and he is sorry Sternburg could not ride with him yesterday, but hopes for better luck in the future.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charlemagne Tower

President Roosevelt tells Ambassador Tower how much he appreciates the message from German Emperor William II, and would like him to express to William II the desire Roosevelt has for a better relationship between the two nations. Roosevelt had sent tariff experts to Germany on the suggestion of William II and is sure that good will result from it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt advises Ambassador Reid against showing correspondence between Roosevelt and German Emperor William II to King Edward VII, as doing so may cause Roosevelt to lose the Emperor’s trust. Roosevelt nevertheless wishes for Reid to have the letters so that he can clear up any confusion that arises related to the matter. Roosevelt expresses his confidence in Reid’s attendance at the upcoming Pilgrims dinner being hosted for British Ambassador to the United States James Bryce.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-14

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt tells Ambassador Reid that he has heard from Andrew Carnegie, who heard from members of the British parliament, who heard from the British ambassador to Germany, who heard from Emperor William II that he is building Germany’s navy up against the United States. This story “did not impress [Roosevelt] in the least.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from William W. Wotherspoon to Theodore Roosevelt

William W. Wotherspoon received Theodore Roosevelt’s message to German Emperor William II and was able to deliver it personally. The Emperor was pleased with the message and sends Roosevelt his personal regards. He also recommends that no concessions should be made regarding the Panama Canal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-14

Creator(s)

Wotherspoon, William W. (William Wallace), 1850-1921

Letter from Charlemagne Tower to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Tower encloses his entire correspondence regarding Edwin Lefevre’s desire to interview German Emperor William II. Lefevre wants to write an article in an American newspaper about the character and personality of William II and hoped to personally meet with the German emperor. Although it was not possible because William II was traveling, Tower informs Roosevelt that the Imperial Foreign Office was sympathetic to Lefevre’s intentions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-17

Creator(s)

Tower, Charlemagne, 1848-1923

Letter from Alvey A. Adee to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

Acting Secretary of State Adee informs German Ambassador Sternburg that he has received Sternburg’s letter regarding Emperor William II’s presentation of busts of Frederick II and Helmuth Moltke to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Adee promises to ensure that the busts are forwarded to their destination.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-17

Creator(s)

Adee, Alvey A. (Alvey Augustus), 1842-1924

Letter from Edwin Lefevre to Charlemagne Tower

Edwin Lefevre thanks Ambassador Tower for attempting to arrange an audience with German Emperor William II for Lefevre and only regrets that he probably put Tower to “some trouble.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-14

Creator(s)

Lefevre, Edwin, 1871-1943

Note from Friedrich Pourtalès to Charlemagne Tower

Ambassador Pourtalès informs Ambassador Tower that Edwin Lefevre cannot be received by German Emperor William II because the emperor is traveling extensively and can only receive official visits. Pourtalès, however, does appreciate Lefevre’s kind intentions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-13

Creator(s)

Pourtalès, Friedrich, Graf, 1853-1928

Letter from Charlemagne Tower to Edwin Lefevre

Ambassador to Germany Tower informs Edwin Lefevre that he brought Lefevre’s request to have a personal audience with Emperor William II to German Minister for Foreign Affairs Heinrich Leonhard von Tschirschky und Bögendorff, and provided him with copies of Lefevre’s correspondence. The German minister did not reply, except to state that William II does not intend to return to Berlin in the near future. Tschirschky und Bögendorff planned to write Tower in a few days.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-11

Creator(s)

Tower, Charlemagne, 1848-1923

Letter from Hermann Speck von Sternburg to Elihu Root

German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg informs Secretary of State Root that German Emperor William II is presenting the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, with the busts of Frederick II and Helmuth Moltke to show the emperor’s interest in the American Army. Sternburg tells Root that he forwarded the busts through the Consulate General at New York and asks him to ensure they reach their destination.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-08

Creator(s)

Sternburg, Hermann Speck von, Freiherr, 1852-1908

Letter from Edwin Lefevre to Charlemagne Tower

Edwin Lefevre informs Ambassador to Germany Tower that he plans to write an appreciation of German Emperor William II as a companion study to one about President Roosevelt that will be released soon. He is visiting Germany in the hopes of speaking with William II in order to gain a personal impression of him. Lefevre compares his study to H. G. Wells’s study of Roosevelt, which brought him great admiration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-07

Creator(s)

Lefevre, Edwin, 1871-1943

Letter from Andrew Carnegie to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt’s letter gives Andrew Carnegie “profound satisfaction.” He wishes he knew how to be of further service and hopes Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carrow Roosevelt will visit his Scottish estate one day.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-29

Creator(s)

Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919