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By the mid-19th century, as Germany began to unify under Prussian leadership, sentiments for reclaiming Heligoland intensified. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s reign brought forth a strategic outlook: control of Heligoland would facilitate naval ambitions and challenge British dominance.
The Anglo-German Agreement of 1890, sometimes referred to as the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty, saw Britain relinquish control of the island in exchange for dominance over East Africa— a deal met with mixed reactions at home. Queen Victoria herself was displeased, while military figures cautioned against the exchange's decision-making process, emphasizing the island’s strategic significance.