Wilhelm II, German Emperor despite appeals from the Allies. King George V wrote that he looked on his cousin as "the greatest criminal in history", but opposed Prime Minister David Lloyd George's proposal to "hang the Kaiser". President Woodrow Wilson of the United States opposed extradition, arguing that prosecuting Wilhelm would destabilize international order and lose the peace. Wilhelm first settled in Amerongen, where on 28 November he issued a belated statement of abdication from both the Prussian and imperial thrones, thus formally ending the Hohenzollerns' 400-year rule over Prussia. Accepting the reality that he had lost both of his crowns for good, he
SMS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse 19 February 1901, followed by acceptance trials that started on 18 March. These were completed by May, and she was formally commissioned on 5 May. That year, Erich Raeder—who went on to command the "Kriegsmarine" in World War II—was promoted to serve as a watch officer aboard her. After commissioning in 1901, "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" joined her sister ships in the I Squadron of the "Heimatflotte" (Home Fleet). After her sister ran aground and had to be docked for repairs, "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" replaced her as the I Squadron flagship, which was commanded by Prince Heinrich, the brother