Oscar fled from Wilhelm II's office in embarrassment. Under the Kaiser's fury, he dared not linger; provoking him further would do no good.
If Wilhelm II, in a fit of anger, expelled him from the Hohenzollern family, the consequences would be dire. A prince cast out of the dynasty would lose all status in Germany and even across Europe, becoming the object of scorn and ridicule.
"Am I really to waste four years at the Kiel Naval Academy? Wouldn't that squander precious time?" Oscar muttered angrily once he returned to his chambers.
"No… I must think of another way." He clenched his fists and began racking his brain.
The Kaiser's order had been clear: within one week he must report to the Naval Academy, and without imperial permission, he was not to return to the palace. Wilhelm's disappointment was evident.
"If I can persuade Dean Ludwig von Birkenhagen to grant me special privileges, then even at the Academy I might find freedom to pursue my own plans."
But convincing Birkenhagen would be no easy task. Germans were famed for their discipline and rigidity, and Birkenhagen, who had long served as the Academy's dean, embodied these traits. Having trained generations of officers, he was highly trusted by Wilhelm II. To expect him to bend rules for personal gain was nearly impossible.
Still, oscar resolved to try. "If I do nothing, then four years at the Academy will be nothing more than a prison sentence!"
"Karl, buy two train tickets to Kiel," oscar ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness," Carl von Jonneret replied from outside the door, breathing a sigh of relief.
Rumors of Wilhelm II's fury at his son had already spread throughout the palace. Carl, whose future was tied to oscar, feared his proximity to a disfavored prince would destroy his own career. To see oscar apparently yielding to his father's will — heading for the Naval Academy — reassured him greatly.
Germany's railway network was already among the most advanced in Europe. Almost every city was connected by rail, and in an age before aircraft, the train was the most convenient means of travel.
Using their rank, oscar and Carl easily secured two first-class tickets to Kiel. Yet even the finest carriages of 1904 were far inferior to the trains oscar remembered from his previous life. Still, for this era, it was luxury enough.
The journey from Potsdam to Kiel was barely over 300 kilometers, but at the speed of the trains of the time, it was evening by the time they arrived.
"Find us a place to rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll call on Dean Birkenhagen,". Oscar instructed.
Carl nodded silently. They quickly found a hotel, took a simple supper, and went to bed.
But oscar lay awake. His mind turned over possibilities again and again until, an hour later, a smile spread across his face — he had thought of a solution. Only then did he fall asleep.
The next morning, after breakfast, they went straight to the Kiel Naval Academy.
Kiel itself was a small city, but almost everything there revolved around the navy. The Academy was located alongside one of the Imperial Navy's most important bases. Facing Britain's mighty Royal Navy, the German fleet used Kiel as a secure Baltic stronghold. In the event of war, the fleet could use the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal (today's Kiel Canal) to move swiftly to Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea and confront the British.
In addition, Kiel was home to major shipyards: the Kaiserliche Werft Kiel (Imperial Shipyard) and the Germaniawerft, both capable of constructing battleships. These yards would later build dreadnoughts and U-boats for the Kaiserliche Marine.
After presenting their papers, oscar and Carl were shown into Dean Birkenhagen's office.
"Your Highness, welcome to the Kiel Naval Academy. Are you here to report for study?" the dean asked coldly. His rigid face betrayed no warmth. The news of oscar's earlier defiance had clearly reached him.
In Birkenhagen's eyes, the young prince already embodied the stereotype of spoiled, indolent royals. Were it not for oscar's status, he would scarcely have bothered to address him.
"Yes, Your Excellency," oscar replied. "However, I hope you might grant me one small request."
"A request?" The dean's brow furrowed. "Speak."
"During my enrollment at the Academy, I wish to be excused from daily study. I ask only to sit the examinations at the end of each term, without time constraints."
Birkenhagen's expression darkened instantly, black as the bottom of a pot. The Kiel Naval Academy was the cradle of Germany's naval leadership; cadets here studied rigorously to prepare for service to the Empire. For a prince of the Hohenzollern family — who ought to set the standard for duty and sacrifice — to demand exemption from study was an insult.
His eyes filled with contempt. To him, this "Prince Oscar" was unworthy of the Academy.
Carl, standing by, was stunned. He had never imagined oscar would make such an outrageous request.
"Your Highness, if you do not wish to study at the Naval Academy, I will not compel you," Birkenhagen said icily. "To be frank, your admission was His Majesty's will, not mine. I can telegraph the Kaiser immediately and ask him to revoke it!"
---
Historical Notes
1. Kiel Naval Academy – Founded in 1866, it trained naval officers of the Imperial German Navy. Many commanders of World War I were educated here.
2. Kaiser Wilhelm Canal (Kiel Canal) – Completed in 1895, it connected the Baltic Sea with the North Sea, allowing German ships to bypass Denmark.
3. Kaiserliche Werft Kiel – The Imperial Shipyard, established in the 1860s, specialized in warship construction.
4. Germaniawerft – A private shipyard in Kiel (founded 1867), it built U-boats and capital ships for the Imperial Navy.
5. First-class train travel (1904) – Though luxurious for its time, it was slow compared to modern rail, averaging 40–50 km/h.