Ball in the Berlin Opera House (c. 1875) Conspicuous consumption and the equally conspicuous display of wealth, status, and power were as necessary for Germany’s upper classes as they were for the monarchy. It was important to see and be seen in Berlin society of the 1870s – and, if possible, next to Kaiser Wilhelm I, who is shown here at left. This woodcut is based on a drawing by Knut Ekwall.