Quote#Work
But there have been those who did not want to work, but wanted to…
Quote byWilhelm II · 1859–1941
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Address to Officials and Workers at Krupp's (11 September 1918), quoted in W. W. Coole (ed.), Thus Spake Germany (London: George Routledge & Sons, 1941), p. 114.
English (original)
But there have been those who did not want to work, but wanted to rest on their laurels. They were our enemies. We angered them through our prosperous development, our industry and science, our art and popular education, social legislation, etc. That raised our nation to a high place, and then came envy. Envy caused our opponents to fight, and so the war came over us who had no idea of it.
— Wilhelm II
More from Wilhelm II
You [recruits] have sworn loyalty to me. You have only one enemy and that is my enemy. In the present social confusion, it may come about that I order you to shoot down your own relatives, brothers or parents but even then you must follow …
The soldier and the army, not Parliamentary majorities and decisions, have welded the German Empire together. I put my trust in the army.
When I have to act or think I always ask myself the question: What does the Bible say in similar circumstances? The Bible is for me a spring whence I draw strength and light.
There is only one person who is master in this Empire and I am not going to tolerate any other.
I regard every Social Democrat as an enemy of the Empire and Fatherland.
I am just now not reading but devouring Captain Mahan's book and am trying to learn it by heart. It is a first-class book and classical on all points.