Abstract

Bismarck was forced to resign in 1890, two years into the reign of Wilhelm II. Here, we see a weary Bismarck descending the ladder of the German “ship of state,” which he had steered for almost 20 years as chancellor. A young Wilhelm II looks on from the deck. This famous cartoon, entitled “Dropping the Pilot,” was published in the British magazine Punch on March 29, 1890.

“Dropping the Pilot” (1890)

Source

Source: Dropping the Pilot. Cartoon by Sir John Tenniel, Punch, 29 March 1890.

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Recommended Citation

“Dropping the Pilot” (1890), published in: German History in Documents and Images, <https://germanhistorydocs.org/en/wilhelmine-germany-and-the-first-world-war-1890-1918/ghdi:image-1691> [September 26, 2025].