Monday 30 March 2015

Huis Doorn: home of the last Kaiser of Germany

Huis Doorn is a manor house not far from Utrecht.

Not long ago I read the excellent Geert Mak's In Europa, which I warmly recommend, and discovered that Wilhelm II, the German emperor during WWI, used the palace as his residence-in-exile from the end of the war till the 1940s when he died.

Although it is still occasionally a destiantion for nostalgic German monarchists, it has now been converted into a national museum with running exhibitions on WWI and military history in general.

During the coming Easter weekend for instance, they are showcasing precious enamelled eggs from their collection while kids can go on a Easter Eggs hunt in the English landscape gardens.

At the end of  May they will host a big living history event on WWI with the grounds and palace filled with "soldiers", original vehicles and equipment, demonstrations and classes and there's an interesting programme on King's Day too.


http://www.huisdoorn.nl/eng/

http://www.huisdoorn.nl/


Huis Doorn. Image copywright: huisdoorn.nl