The German Emperor was naturally a busy man. He needed to be always tended to. An average of 8-9 adjutants were always kept busy around him to run errands of all types.
During the era of Wilhem II. a new head quarter was created and run by his General Adjutants. Number one, the leading General Adjutant, was in charge responsible for the general day-to-day business, also always on the emperor’s site while traveling. Number two oversaw the military personnel and staffing of the German army. Number three was analog to number two responsible for the German Navy.
Besides those a General á la Suite was appointed to oversee up to six “Flügeladjutanten”.
Wilhelm II. liked his Adjutants to be tall in order be spotted easier during public event. He also employed those being of protestant faith and most were of royal pedigree.
The lower ranking “Flügeladjutanten” were recruited from the ranks of Captains to Colonels (a total of 99 during his reign), while the General á la Suite was recruited from General Majors (a total of 48). He only appointed a total of three General Adjutants.
All Adjutants received honors for their service when retiring. The “Flügeladjutanten” were mostly promoted to General Major, those General á la Suite became General Lieutenants or Navy equivalent when retiring. General Adjutants were never de-listed from the official lists of active officers in the Prussian Army.
Most of them were awarded the more unusual orders and order classes during their active service. Those for example were the House Order of Hohenzollern or the Crown to a Red Eagle Order.
Fig 1: Medal Bar of Flügeladjutanten Prince Heinrich of Schönburg Waldenburg, serving Wilhelm II. Awarded the Knight’s Coss of the House Order of Hohenzollern during his service to the emperor.
All retiring adjutants received the so called “commemorative badge for the adjutants of the emperor”. Thus, being a golden badge for the General Adjutants, a silver badge with golden Cypher and Crown for the Generals á la Suite and a silver badge for the “Flügeladjutanten”.
The badges were made by either Godet and Wagner in Berlin.
Here the Wagner made badge for “Flügeladjutanten” in silver:
Fig 2: Avers of the Adjutant Commemorative Badge for those having served WIlhelm II.
Fig 3: Reverse of the Adjutant Commemorative Badge for those having served WIlhelm II., with maker’s mark from Wagner & Sohn in Berlin. Replaced needle.
Based on “”Die Erinnerungsabzeichen für die Adjutanten der deutschen Kaiser“, Daniel Krause, August 2016, Orden und Ehrenzeichen – Das Magazin für Freunde der Phaleristik, Issue 104, pages 182 ff.
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