Karl Rosner, during the first German war, was attached as
representative of a Berlin newspaper to German head- quarters. He was an observant man, and it fascinated him to watch the relations between the Emperor, Hindenburg and Ludendorff. Marshal Hindenburg would go down- stairs when the Kaiser arrived ; General Ludendorff would remain upstairs ; the Emperor would be annoyed and frightened by the bad manners of his Quartermaster-General. Herr Rosner detected a Hamlet drama beneath this curious triangle. He determined to describe it. And in Der Kiirug he has given a really astonishing description of the tragedy which ensued. As his exhibit of this long-drawn malady he has chosen the ten days of July, 1918, which in fact decided the fortunes of the war. The Germans had thought fit to launch a great offensive in Champagne. This was to be one of the decisive battles of the world. It must be staged accordingly; it must be no ordinary offen- sive ; it must be an Imperial battle, a Kaiserschlacht. The All Highest for this purpose was removed from Spa and brought in his train to Avesnes and then to a few kilometres from the front. He was induced to inform the troops that their Emperor was directing the operations in person. (He was not directing them ; he was merely observing them from a safe distance.)
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