When the German troops entered the Netherlands many visited the ex-Kaiser and were perceived as being friendly with each other by the Nazis. Likely due to Wilhelm’s lifelong obsession with the army and his hopes that they were still loyal to him and the soldiers’ curiosity and sometimes sympathies (particularly amongst the officers).

Therefore he was almost immediately placed under guard by Wehrmacht troops under an SS officer and was essentially kept isolated from the rest of the military to prevent any sort of conspiracy, until his death in June 1941.