Is the term Kaiser seen as offensive?
Upvote:0
The German title of Kaiser comes from Caesar and is pronounced similarly. During WWI, the monarchs of the German Empire and Austria-Hunary had the title of Kaiser, and the monarch of Bulgaria the title of tsar. On the other side the monarch of Russia had the title of tsar, and the KIng of the UK as Emperor of India had the title of Kaiser-i-Hind. So both sides in WWI had kaisers and tsars.
So it would have beene extrmely illogical during WWI for someone to object to the title of kaiser (or tsar) and consider it objectionable because a monarch on the other side used the title of kaiser, since a monarch on their own side also had the title of kaiser.
World War I was a long time ago and by now most people in the various Euorpean countries have mostly forgiven their former enemies in the more recent World War II.
So I don't think that many people find the title "kaiser" objectionable.
I don't think that anyone would object to someone playing or singing the Kaiserhymne of Austria, for example.
Upvote:1
In German it is not considered offensive, since most can distinguish between the title itsself and a single person who once held that title.
The term itsself comes from Caesar (pronounced as [ˈkae̯sar] in latin).
In the german version of the Wikipedia page (which incorporates the english pages of Kaiser and Emperor) it explains where the term comes from in a more predominant manor than the english page.
Kaiser
Herrschaftstitel, abgeleitet vom lateinischen Eigennamen des Gaius Iulius Caesar
Die deutsche Titelbezeichnung Kaiser (weiblich Kaiserin) leitet sich vom Namen des römischen Politikers Gaius Iulius Caesar ab, der am Ende der römischen Republik als De-facto-Staatsoberhaupt fungierte. Die Herrschaft und selten auch der Herrschaftsbereich werden entsprechend als Kaisertum bezeichnet. In der Antike hießen seit der Zeit des Augustus, des Großneffen Caesars, die Herrscher des Römischen Reichs Imperator Caesar Augustus (siehe auch Prinzipat und Spätantike). Während im Oströmisch-Byzantinischen Reich das Kaisertum bis 1453 existierte, erlosch das weströmische Kaisertum je nach Standpunkt im Jahre 476 oder 480.
Kaiser
Reign title, derived from the Latin proper name of Gaius Iulius Caesar
The German title Kaiser (female Kaiserin) is derived from the name of the Roman politician Gaius Iulius Caesar, who served as de facto head of state at the end of the Roman Republic. The dominion and rarely also the dominion are accordingly referred to as empire. In ancient times, since the time of Augustus, Caesar's great-nephew, the rulers of the Roman Empire were called Imperator Caesar Augustus (see also Principate and Late Antiquity). While in the Eastern Roman-Byzantine Empire the empire existed until 1453, the Western Roman empire died out in 476 or 480, depending on your point of view.
Sources:
Upvote:2
It's not offensive to use the word, but it has negative connotations.
Although "Kaiser" is (or was) used for the rulers of several Germanic countries, in the English speaking world the word is primarily associated with the WWI ruler of Germany. Using it in another context (except for historical contexts of rulers who actually used that title) would be unusual.
Since WWI Germany and its ruler are popularly regarded as aggressive and militaristic (regardless of the truth of that view) to call someone a "Kaiser" would in effect be to call them aggressive and militaristic. In that sense the connotations of the word are negative.
In North America the Kaiser roll (or Kaiser bun) is a kind of crusty bread roll, and in that sense the term is neither offensive or negative.
Mere use of the word, as opposed to calling someone by it, is not offensive.
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