1 - Auguste Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (last German Empress and Queen of Prussia; 1858-1921). Program for the journey to Constantinople, Palestine, and Syria. October 11 to November 16, 1898. 50 leaves, of which 41 pages contain handwritten entries by the Empress (mostly in pencil). Small octavo. Contemporary flexible leather binding (signed 'W. Collin. Hofbuchbinder. Berlin') with gilt title on the cover and crowned monogram 'AV', gilt edges, gilt inner edges, and matching decorative paper endpapers (somewhat rubbed and faded).

Auguste Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (last German Empress and Queen of Prussia; 1858-1921). Program for the journey to Constantinople, Palestine, and Syria. October 11 to November 16, 1898. 50 leaves, of which 41 pages contain handwritten entries by the Empress (mostly in pencil). Small octavo. Contemporary flexible leather binding (signed 'W. Collin. Hofbuchbinder. Berlin') with gilt title on the cover and crowned monogram 'AV', gilt edges, gilt inner edges, and matching decorative paper endpapers (somewhat rubbed and faded). The second state visit of Wilhelm II and his wife to the Ottoman Empire took the imperial couple to the capital Constantinople in October 1898, then via Haifa, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Damascus, and other places, finally to Beirut, where the journey ended on November 12. The handwritten entries recount experiences and travel impressions in diary-like fashion: 'Wednesday, November 16. The Hohenzollern is coaling, we are going over to the Hel. W. inspects English ships, has breakfast with the Admiral. I am ashore visiting the beautiful Government House, very Italian... most interesting...'. On the front white endpapers are handwritten Turkish translations of important phrases ('thank you', 'good morning', 'mount up', 'gallop', 'come here', etc.). - The printed text includes a calendar, a travel itinerary for the imperial couple's entourage on their journey to Palestine, and a list of accompanying persons. - A castle library stamp is on the verso of the title page.