Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wilhelm of Urach - King of Lithuania

September 1, 1918

The following is based on a dispatch from the Exchange Telegraph in Copenhagen, and reported by the New York Times:

Duke Wilhelm of Urach has been selected to be the King of Lithuania and that Vilnius is to be the country's capital.
Wilhelm was first offered the crown last March, and it was stated "at that time that he probably would accept it." Later criticism from German sources noted that the Duke's selection "has aroused strong criticism in Germany."
The official government newspaper, the Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, "declared that the selection was made without asking the permission of Germany." The newspaper also stated that the German government "would not allow Lithuania to come to any decision on the crown independently of Germany."

No comments: