Background

German Emperor Wilhelm II (1859-1941), during whose time the First World War took place, considered helping the Zionist movement that was just beginning to wake up. The Land of Israel was then under Ottoman rule, and there were many German citizens (mainly Templars).
In the months of October-November 1898, the emperor came to visit Israel, when the official reason was the dedication of the church of the Redeemer in the Old City of Jerusalem. It seems that the real purpose of the visit was to strengthen the Ottoman rule, and the Christian settlers in Israel.
The emperor’s journey was by sea, having previously visited the Sultan in Constantinople.
Benjamin Ze’ev Herzl tried to harness the emperor who had influence on the Ottoman Sultan to promote the Zionist idea of ​​a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, and tried to hold a meeting with the emperor. And indeed he was able to meet him initially at a stop in Constantinople, and then at the Mikve Israel and in Jerusalem .

The visit

The visit began in Haifa, where the emperor’s ship docked, and during the visit, the emperor stopped at several places: at Khan Burge near Binyamina, where he camped for the night , the next day he continued to Jaffa where there was a Templar colony, and there the emperor’s slept, from there He stopped to visit the agricultural school in Mikve Israel, where he met Herzl for a short meeting , the emperor who was riding a horse, noticed Herzl, stopped his horse and had a short conversation with him .
Then the emperor continued to Jerusalem, the destination of the visit.
The city of Jerusalem prepared for the visit, 4 gates of honor were erected along the Jaffa Road and in other places

The emperor made the way back from Jerusalem in a special and festive train, which was operated especially for him and his entourage

One of the Bnei Atarot Templar colonies established in 1902 was named ""Hamidia-Wilhelma"", ​​after the Turkish Sultan, and after the emperor who visited Israel 4 years earlier.