"Iron Chancellor" Otto von Bismarck. Otto von Bismarck - iron chancellor with a human face

200 years ago, on April 1, 1815, the first chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, was born. This German statesman went down in history as the creator of the German Empire, " iron chancellor» and the actual leader foreign policy one of the great European powers. Bismarck's policy made Germany a leading military and economic power Western Europe.

Youth

Otto von Bismarck (Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen) was born on April 1, 1815 at Schönhausen Castle in the province of Brandenburg. Bismarck was the fourth child and second son of a retired captain of a small estate nobleman (they were called junkers in Prussia) Ferdinand von Bismarck and his wife Wilhelmina, nee Mencken. The Bismarck family belonged to the ancient nobility, descended from the conquering knights of the Slavic lands on Labe-Elbe. The Bismarcks traced their lineage all the way back to the reign of Charlemagne. Schönhausen Manor has been in the hands of the Bismarck family since 1562. True, the Bismarck family could not boast of great wealth and did not belong to the largest landowners. Bismarcks have long served the rulers of Brandenburg in peace and military fields.

Bismarck inherited toughness, determination and willpower from his father. The Bismarck family was one of the three most self-confident Brandenburg families (Schulenburgs, Alvenslebens and Bismarcks), Friedrich Wilhelm I called them “bad, recalcitrant people” in his “Political Testament”. The mother was from a family of civil servants and belonged to the middle class. During this period, Germany was in the process of merging the old aristocracy and the new middle class. From Wilhelmina Bismarck received the liveliness of the mind of an educated bourgeois, a subtle and sensitive soul. This made Otto von Bismarck a very extraordinary person.

Otto von Bismarck spent his childhood in the Kniphof family estate near Naugard, in Pomerania. Therefore, Bismarck loved nature and retained a sense of connection with it all his life. Received education in private school Plaman, the Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium and the Zum Grauen Kloster Gymnasium in Berlin. Bismarck graduated from the last school at the age of 17 in 1832, having passed the matriculation exam. During this period, Otto was most interested in history. In addition, he was fond of reading foreign literature, studied well French.

Otto then entered the University of Göttingen, where he studied law. Study then attracted Otto little. He was a strong and energetic man, and gained fame as a reveler and a fighter. Otto participated in duels, in various tricks, visited pubs, dragged women and played cards for money. In 1833 Otto moved to the New Capital University in Berlin. During this period, Bismarck was interested mainly, except for "tricks", international politics, and the area of ​​​​his interests went beyond Prussia and the German Confederation, within which the thinking of the vast majority of young nobles and students of that time was limited. At the same time, Bismarck had a high conceit, he saw himself as a great man. In 1834 he wrote to a friend: "I will become either the greatest scoundrel or the greatest reformer of Prussia."

However, good abilities allowed Bismarck to successfully complete his studies. Before exams, he attended tutors. In 1835 he received a diploma and began working at the Berlin Municipal Court. In 1837-1838. served as an official in Aachen and Potsdam. However, being an official quickly bored him. Bismarck decided to leave public service, which went against the will of the parents, and was the result of the desire for complete independence. Bismarck was generally distinguished by a craving for full will. The career of an official did not suit him. Otto said: "My pride requires me to command, and not to fulfill other people's orders."

Bismarck the landowner

From 1839, Bismarck was engaged in the arrangement of his estate Kniphof. During this period, Bismarck, like his father, decided to "live and die in the countryside". Bismarck studied accounting and agriculture on his own. He proved to be a skillful and practical landowner who knew well how the theory Agriculture as well as practice. The value of the Pomeranian estates increased by more than a third during the nine years that Bismarck ruled them. At the same time, three years fell on the agricultural crisis.

However, Bismarck could not be a simple, albeit intelligent, landowner. There was a strength in him that did not allow him to live in peace in the countryside. He continued to gamble, sometimes in the evening he lowered everything that he managed to accumulate after months of painstaking work. He led a campaign with bad people, drank, seduced the daughters of peasants. For violent temper he was nicknamed "mad Bismarck".

At the same time, Bismarck continued to educate himself, read the works of Hegel, Kant, Spinoza, David Friedrich Strauss and Feuerbach, and studied English literature. Byron and Shakespeare fascinated Bismarck more than Goethe. Otto was very interested in English politics. Intellectually, Bismarck was an order of magnitude superior to all the Junker landowners around him. In addition, Bismarck - the landowner participated in local government, was a deputy from the district, deputy landrat and a member of the Landtag of the province of Pomerania. Expanded the horizons of his knowledge through travels to England, France, Italy and Switzerland.

In 1843 Bismarck's life took a decisive turn. Bismarck made acquaintance with the Pomeranian Lutherans and met the bride of his friend Moritz von Blankenburg, Maria von Thadden. The girl was seriously ill and dying. The personality of this girl, her Christian convictions and fortitude during her illness struck Otto to the core. He became a believer. This made him a staunch supporter of the king and Prussia. Serving the king meant serving God for him.

In addition, there was a radical change in his personal life. Bismarck met Johanna von Puttkamer at Maria and asked for her hand in marriage. Marriage to Johanna soon became Bismarck's mainstay in life, until her death in 1894. The wedding took place in 1847. Johanna bore Otto two sons and a daughter: Herbert, Wilhelm and Maria. A selfless wife and caring mother contributed to Bismarck's political career.

"Mad Deputy"

In the same period, Bismarck enters politics. In 1847 he was appointed representative of the Ostelbe knighthood in the United Landtag. This event was the beginning of Otto's political career. His activities in the inter-regional body of estate representation, which mainly controlled the financing of the construction of the Ostbahn (Berlin-Konigsberg road), mainly consisted of delivering critical speeches directed against the liberals who were trying to form a real parliament. Among the conservatives, Bismarck enjoyed a reputation as an active defender of their interests, who was able, without really delving into substantive argumentation, to arrange a "firework", divert attention from the subject of the dispute and excite the minds.

Opposing the liberals, Otto von Bismarck helped organize various political movements and newspapers, including the New Prussian Newspaper. Otto became a member of the lower house of the Prussian Parliament in 1849 and of the Erfurt Parliament in 1850. Bismarck was then opposed to the nationalist aspirations of the German bourgeoisie. Otto von Bismarck saw in the revolution only "the greed of the have-nots." Bismarck considered his main task to be the need to point out historical role Prussia and the nobility as the main driving force monarchy, and the protection of the existing socio-political order. The political and social consequences of the 1848 revolution, which engulfed much of Western Europe, had a profound effect on Bismarck and strengthened his monarchist views. In March 1848, Bismarck even planned to make a march on Berlin with his peasants in order to put an end to the revolution. Bismarck occupied the far right positions, being more radical even than the monarch.

During this revolutionary time, Bismarck acted as an ardent defender of the monarchy, Prussia and the Prussian Junkers. In 1850, Bismarck opposed the federation of German states (with Austrian Empire or without it), since he believed that this association would only strengthen the revolutionary forces. After that, King Frederick William IV, on the recommendation of the Adjutant General of the King Leopold von Gerlach (he was the leader of the ultra-right group surrounded by the monarch), appointed Bismarck as Prussian envoy to the German Confederation, in the Bundestag, which met in Frankfurt. At the same time, Bismarck also remained a member of the Prussian Landtag. The Prussian conservative debated the constitution with the liberals so vehemently that he even had a duel with one of their leaders, Georg von Vincke.

Thus, at the age of 36, Bismarck assumed the most important diplomatic post that the Prussian king could offer. After a short stay in Frankfurt, Bismarck realized that the further unification of Austria and Prussia within the framework of the German Confederation was no longer possible. The strategy of the Austrian Chancellor Metternich, trying to turn Prussia into a junior partner of the Habsburg Empire under the " Central Europe”, led by Vienna, failed. The confrontation between Prussia and Austria in Germany during the revolution became clear. At the same time, Bismarck began to come to the conclusion that war with the Austrian Empire was inevitable. Only war can decide the future of Germany.

During the Eastern Crisis, even before the outbreak of the Crimean War, Bismarck, in a letter to Prime Minister Manteuffel, expressed the fear that the policy of Prussia, which oscillates between England and Russia, if it deviates towards Austria, an ally of England, could lead to war with Russia. “I would be careful,” Otto von Bismarck noted, “in search of protection from the storm, to moor our elegant and durable frigate to the old, worm-eaten warship of Austria.” He proposed to use this crisis wisely in the interests of Prussia, and not of England and Austria.

After the end of the Eastern (Crimean) War, Bismarck noted the collapse of the alliance based on the principles of conservatism of the three Eastern powers - Austria, Prussia and Russia. Bismarck saw that the gap between Russia and Austria would last for a long time and that Russia would seek an alliance with France. Prussia, in his opinion, had to avoid possible opposing alliances, and not allow Austria or England to involve her in an anti-Russian alliance. Bismarck increasingly took an anti-English position, expressing his distrust of the possibility of a productive alliance with England. Otto von Bismarck noted: “The security of the island location of England makes it easier for her to abandon her continental ally and allows her to leave him to the mercy of fate, depending on her interests. English politics". Austria, if it becomes an ally of Prussia, will try to solve its problems at the expense of Berlin. In addition, Germany remained an area of ​​confrontation between Austria and Prussia. As Bismarck wrote: “According to the policy of Vienna, Germany is too small for the two of us ... we both cultivate the same arable land ...”. Bismarck confirmed his earlier conclusion that Prussia would have to fight against Austria.

As Bismarck perfected his knowledge of diplomacy and the arts government controlled, he increasingly moved away from the ultra-conservatives. In 1855 and 1857 Bismarck paid "reconnaissance" visits to the French emperor Napoleon III and came to the conclusion that he was a less significant and dangerous politician than the Prussian conservatives believed. Bismarck broke with Gerlach's entourage. As the future "Iron Chancellor" said: "We must operate with realities, not fiction." Bismarck believed that Prussia needed a temporary alliance with France to neutralize Austria. According to Otto, Napoleon III de facto suppressed the revolution in France and became the legitimate ruler. The threat to other states with the help of the revolution is now "England's favorite pastime."

As a result, Bismarck was accused of betraying the principles of conservatism and Bonapartism. Bismarck answered his enemies that "... my ideal politician is impartiality, independence in decision-making from sympathies or antipathies to foreign states and their rulers." Bismarck saw that the stability in Europe was more threatened by England, with her parliamentarism and democratization, than by Bonapartism in France.

Political "study"

In 1858, the mentally ill brother of King Frederick William IV, Prince Wilhelm, became regent. As a result political course Berlin has changed. The period of reaction was over and Wilhelm proclaimed " new era by defiantly appointing a Liberal government. Bismarck's ability to influence Prussian policy declined sharply. Bismarck was recalled from the Frankfurt post and, as he himself bitterly noted, sent "to the cold on the Neva." Otto von Bismarck became an envoy in St. Petersburg.

Petersburg experience greatly helped Bismarck as the future Chancellor of Germany. Bismarck became close to the Russian Foreign Minister, Prince Gorchakov. Later, Gorchakov would help Bismarck isolate first Austria and then France, making Germany the leading power in Western Europe. In Petersburg, Bismarck will realize that Russia still occupies a key position in Europe, despite the defeat in Eastern war. Bismarck studied the arrangement well political forces surrounded by the king and in the metropolitan "light", and realized that the position in Europe gives Prussia great chance, which is very rare. Prussia could unite Germany, becoming its political and military core.

Bismarck's activities in St. Petersburg were interrupted due to a serious illness. For about a year, Bismarck was treated in Germany. He finally broke with the extreme conservatives. In 1861 and 1862 Bismarck was twice introduced to Wilhelm as a candidate for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Bismarck outlined his view on the possibility of unifying "non-Austrian Germany". However, Wilhelm did not dare to appoint Bismarck as a minister, as he made a demonic impression on him. As Bismarck himself wrote: "He found me more fanatical than I really was."

But at the insistence of the War Minister von Roon, who patronized Bismarck, the king nevertheless decided to send Bismarck "to study" in Paris and London. In 1862, Bismarck was sent as an envoy to Paris, but did not stay there long.

To be continued…

German politician who unified the German Empire and became its chancellor. Defender of the "iron and blood" policy. Prince, since 1890 - Duke of Lauenburg. Otto Bismarck was born on April 1, 1815 in Schönhausen. A native of the Pomeranian Junkers. Studied law in Göttingen and Berlin.

For some time he was an opponent of the unity of Germany and a supporter of Austria. In 1847-1848, Bismarck was one of the most reactionary deputies of the 1st and 2nd United Landtags of Prussia, a supporter of the use of armed force to suppress the revolution. Since 1849 - a member of the Prussian Chamber of Deputies, since 1850 - a member of the Erfurt Parliament. In 1851-1859, Bismarck was the representative of Prussia in the Bundestag in Frankfurt am Main, after which he turned into an enemy of Austria and a supporter of German unity under the hegemony of Prussia.

In 1859-1862 Bismarck served as the Prussian envoy in Russia, in 1862 - in France. Since 1862 - Minister-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Prussia. In 1865 he was elevated to the dignity of a count. After the creation of the North German Confederation in 1867, he became the Bundeschancellor. After the war of 1870-1871, the formation of a new German Empire followed, Bismarck became its chancellor (while retaining the post of Prussian minister of the president) and was elevated to princely dignity. In 1871-1890 he served as Reich Chancellor of the German Empire.

In the years 1872-1875, Bismarck carried out activities of the so-called "Kulturkampf": on his initiative and under his pressure, laws directed against the Catholic Church were adopted to deprive the clergy of the right to supervise schools, to prohibit the Jesuit order in Germany, to obligate civil marriage, to abolish articles of the constitution providing for the autonomy of the church. In 1878, he passed through the Reichstag an "exceptional law" against the socialists, which prohibited the activities of social democratic organizations. In 1879, he achieved the adoption by the Reichstag of a protectionist customs tariff. In 1879-1883, with his participation, the triple alliance of Germany with Austria and Italy was created. Since 1879, he embarked on the path of increased protectionism. In 1881-1889 he spent " social laws"(on insurance of workers in case of illness and injury, on old-age and disability pensions), which laid the foundations for the social insurance of workers. At the same time, he demanded a tougher anti-worker policy and during the 1880s successfully sought the extension of the "exceptional law".

In March 1890, due to political disagreements with Emperor Wilhelm II, Bismarck was dismissed from all positions with the elevation to the dignity of a duke. Having settled in his estate Friedrichsruhe (near Hamburg), where he spent the last 8 years of his life, he sharply criticized the activities of the government. In 1892 he was elected to the German Diet, but never appeared in it. There were two attempts on Bismarck's life: Blind in 1866 and Kuhlmann in 1874. Otto Bismarck died on July 30, 1898 in Friedrichsruh. Thanks to him, the German regions of Austria were excluded from Germany and the non-German regions of Alsace-Lorraine and part of Schleswig were included.

Bibliography

Encyclopedic resource rubricon.com (Great Soviet Encyclopedia, encyclopedic Dictionary"The World History")

Project "Russia congratulates!"

The "Iron Chancellor" was born in the family estate of Schönhausen on April 1, 1815 in a family of Prussian landowners. Representatives of this family from the middle of the 17th century served the rulers of the province of Brandenburg. The ancestors of the Bismarcks - conquering knights settled in these places during the reign. At the urging of his mother, Otto and his brother were sent to Berlin for education. For 10 years of study, he changed 3 gymnasiums, but did not find much interest in knowledge. He was attracted only by the history of politics, both modern and past. After graduating from high school, Otto entered the university. Law became his specialty.

As a student, Bismarck did not distinguish himself by any talents. He led a wild life, played cards and drank heavily. However, he completed his studies and received a position at the Berlin Municipal Court. For three years, Bismarck held the post of tax official in Aachen and Potsdam. There he joined the Jaeger Regiment. In 1838, Bismarck moved to Greifswald, where he continued to carry out military service and at the same time study animal breeding. After the death of his mother, Otto von Bismarck returns to his Pomeranian estates and begins to lead the life of an ordinary landowner. His character in those years was so explosive and uncontrollable that the neighbors considered him mad.

Deciding to marry, he was refused. The girl's mother did not want to give her daughter to such a groom. To calm down, he goes to travel. Having visited England and France, Bismarck became more restrained and made many friends. After the death of his father, he became the sole owner of the Pomeranian estates, during this period he married. Among his friends were the von Gerlach brothers, who had influence at court. Soon the "mad deputy" Bismarck began to play a prominent role in the Berlin Landtag. Since 1851, Otto von Bismarck has represented Prussia in the Allied Diet, which met in Frankfurt am Main. He continues to study diplomacy and successfully apply the acquired knowledge in practice.

In 1859, Bismarck was envoy to St. Petersburg. Three years later he was sent to France. Upon his return, he heads the Prussian government. Then he becomes Minister-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The policy pursued by him during these years was aimed at the unification of Germany and the rise of Prussia over all German lands. For the same purpose, he tried to provoke France to start a war. The cunning politician managed to get his way. On July 19, 1870, war was declared in Paris with the North German Confederation.

A month later, the fleeting was completed with the victory of Germany. After another 4 months, on behalf of Emperor Wilhelm I, Otto von Bismarck became the chancellor of the empire, which he himself created. Until 1890, the "Iron Chancellor" ruled the country. During this time, peace was signed with France, which was very humiliating for Paris, a struggle was waged against the dominance of the Catholic Church, and the persecution of socialists began. After the accession to the throne of Emperor Wilhelm II, Bismarck lost his influence and resigned, which was accepted on March 18, 1890. However, he did not retire completely. He continued to give his opinion on current politicians, and was a member of the Reichstag. Otto von Bismarck died in 1898 and is buried in his own estate. The inscription on the tombstone said that a devoted servant of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I was buried here.

Gorchakov's student

It is generally accepted that in many respects Bismarck's views as a diplomat were formed during his service in St. Petersburg under the influence of the Russian Vice-Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov. The future "Iron Chancellor" was not very pleased with his appointment, taking him for a link.

Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov

Gorchakov prophesied a great future for Bismarck. Once, already being chancellor, he said, pointing to Bismarck: “Look at this man! Under Frederick the Great, he could have been his minister." In Russia, Bismarck studied the Russian language, spoke it very decently and understood the essence of the way of thinking characteristic of Russians, which greatly helped him in the future in choosing the right political line in relation to Russia.

He took part in the Russian royal fun - bear hunting, and even killed two bears, but stopped this activity, saying that it was dishonorable to act with a gun against unarmed animals. In one of these hunts, he had frostbite on his legs so badly that there was a question of amputation.

Russian love

Twenty-two-year-old Ekaterina Orlova-Trubetskaya

In the French resort of Biarritz, Bismarck met the 22-year-old wife of the Russian ambassador to Belgium, Ekaterina Orlova-Trubetskaya. A week in her company almost drove Bismarck crazy. Catherine's husband, Prince Orlov, could not take part in the festivities and bathing of his wife, as he was wounded on Crimean War. But Bismarck could. Once, she and Ekaterina almost drowned. They were rescued by the lighthouse keeper. On that day, Bismarck would write to his wife: “After several hours of rest and writing letters to Paris and Berlin, I took another sip of salt water, this time in the harbor when there were no waves. A lot of swimming and diving, twice dipping into the surf would be too much for one day. This incident became, as it were, a divine hint that the future chancellor would no longer cheat on his wife. Soon there was no time left for betrayals - Bismarck would be swallowed up by politics.

Ems dispatch

In achieving his goals, Bismarck did not disdain anything, even falsification. In a tense situation, when the throne was vacated in Spain after the revolution in 1870, Leopold, the nephew of Wilhelm I, began to claim it. The Spaniards themselves called the Prussian prince to the throne, but France intervened, which could not allow a Prussian to take such an important throne. Bismarck put in a lot of effort to bring things to war. However, he was first convinced of the readiness of Prussia to enter the war.

Battle of Mars-la-Tour

To push Napoleon III into conflict, Bismarck decided to use the dispatch sent from Ems to provoke France. He changed the text of the message, shortening it and giving it a harsher, more offensive tone for France. In the new text of the dispatch, falsified by Bismarck, the end was composed as follows: “His Majesty the King then refused to receive the French ambassador again and ordered the adjutant on duty to tell him that his Majesty had nothing more to report.” This text, insulting to France, was transmitted by Bismarck to the press and to all Prussian missions abroad, and the next day became known in Paris. As Bismarck expected, Napoleon III immediately declared war on Prussia, which ended in the defeat of France.

Cartoon from Punch magazine. Bismarck manipulates Russia, Austria and Germany

"Nothing"

Bismarck continued to use the Russian language throughout his political career. Russian words now and then slip through his letters. Already becoming the head of the Prussian government, he even resolutions on official documents sometimes he did in Russian: "Impossible" or "Caution." But the favorite word of the "Iron Chancellor" was the Russian "nothing". He admired its nuance, ambiguity and often used it in private correspondence, for example, like this: "Alles is nothing."

Resignation. The new emperor Wilhelm II looks from above

Bismarck was inspired by this word by chance. Bismarck hired a coachman, but doubted that his horses could go fast enough. "Nothing-oh!" - answered the driver and rushed along the rough road so briskly that Bismarck became worried: “But you won’t throw me out?”. "Nothing!" replied the coachman. The sleigh overturned, and Bismarck flew into the snow, breaking his face until it bled. In a rage, he swung at the driver with a steel cane, and the latter scooped up a handful of snow with his hands to wipe Bismarck's bloodied face, and kept saying: "Nothing ... nothing, oh!" Subsequently, Bismarck ordered a ring from this cane with an inscription in Latin letters: "Nothing!" And he admitted that in difficult times he was relieved, saying to himself in Russian: “Nothing!”

Otto von Bismarck (Eduard Leopold von Schönhausen) was born on April 1, 1815 in the family estate of Schönhausen in Brandenburg northwest of Berlin, the third son of the Prussian landowner Ferdinand von Bismarck-Schönhausen and Wilhelmina Mencken, at birth he received the name Otto Eduard Leopold.

Schönhausen Manor was located in the heart of the province of Brandenburg, which occupied a special place in the history of early Germany. Five miles to the west of the estate was the Elbe River, the main waterway of Northern Germany. Schönhausen Manor has been in the hands of the Bismarck family since 1562.

From beer become lazy, stupid and powerless.

Bismarck Otto von

All generations of this family served the rulers of Brandenburg in peace and military fields.

Otto von Bismarck in his youth

The Bismarcks were considered Junkers, descendants of the conquering knights who founded the first German settlements in the vast lands east of the Elbe with a small Slavic population. Junkers belonged to the nobility, but in terms of wealth, influence and social status, they could not be compared with the aristocrats of Western Europe and the Habsburg possessions. The Bismarcks, of course, did not belong to the ranks of the land magnates; they were also pleased with the fact that they could boast of a noble origin - their genealogy can be traced back to the reign of Charlemagne.

Wilhelmina, Otto's mother, came from a family of civil servants and belonged to the middle class. Such marriages increased in the nineteenth century as the educated middle classes and the old aristocracy began to coalesce into a new elite.

One and only one person should be responsible for every assigned task.

Bismarck Otto von

At the urging of Wilhelmina, Bernhard, the older brother, and Otto were sent to study at the Plamann School in Berlin, where Otto studied from 1822 to 1827. At the age of 12, Otto left school and moved to the Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium, where he studied for three years. In 1830, Otto moved to the gymnasium "At the Gray Monastery", where he felt freer than in previous educational institutions. Neither mathematics, nor the history of the ancient world, nor the achievements of the new German culture attracted the attention of the young cadet. Most of all, Otto was interested in the politics of past years, the history of military and peaceful rivalry between different countries.

After graduating from high school, on May 10, 1832, at the age of 17, Otto entered the University of Göttingen, where he studied law. When he was a student, he gained a reputation as a reveler and a fighter, and excelled in duels. Otto played cards for money and drank a lot. In September 1833, Otto moved to the New Capital University in Berlin, where life turned out to be cheaper. To be more precise, Bismarck was only listed at the university, since he hardly attended lectures, but used the services of tutors who attended him before exams. In 1835 he received a diploma and was soon enlisted to work at the Berlin Municipal Court. In 1837, Otto took up the post of tax official in Aachen, a year later - the same post in Potsdam. There he joined the Guards Jaeger Regiment. In the autumn of 1838, Bismarck moved to Greifswald, where, in addition to performing his military duties, he studied animal breeding methods at the Elden Academy.

With a gentleman, I always try to be one and a half times the big gentleman, and with a swindler, I try to be one and a half times the big swindler.

Bismarck Otto von

Bismarck is a landowner.

On January 1, 1839, Otto von Bismarck's mother, Wilhelmina, died. The death of his mother did not make a strong impression on Otto: only much later came to him a true assessment of her qualities. However, this event resolved for some time an urgent problem - what should he do after the end of his military service. Otto helped his brother Bernhard manage the Pomeranian estates, and their father returned to Schönhausen. His father's financial loss, together with an innate distaste for the lifestyle of a Prussian official, forced Bismarck to resign in September 1839 and take over the management of the family estates in Pomerania. In private conversations, Otto explained this by the fact that, due to his temperament, he was not suitable for the position of a subordinate. He did not tolerate any superiors over himself: "My pride requires me to command, and not to fulfill other people's orders." Otto von Bismarck, like his father, decided to "live and die in the countryside".

Otto von Bismarck himself studied accounting, chemistry, and agriculture. His brother, Bernhard, took almost no part in the management of the estates. Bismarck proved to be a quick-witted and practical landowner, winning the respect of his neighbors both with his theoretical knowledge of agriculture and with his practical successes. The value of the estates rose by more than a third in the nine years Otto ruled them, with three of the nine years experiencing a widespread agricultural crisis. And yet Otto could not be just a landowner.

Politics is the science of the possible. Everything that lies beyond the bounds of the possible is pathetic literature for yearning widows who have long lost hope of getting married ...

Bismarck Otto von

Johanna von Puttkamer - wife of Otto von Bismarck

He shocked his junker neighbors by driving around their meadows and forests on his huge stallion Caleb, not caring who these lands belonged to. In the same way, he acted in relation to the daughters of neighboring peasants. Later, in a fit of remorse, Bismarck admitted that in those years he "did not shy away from any sin, making friends with bad company of any kind." Sometimes during the evening Otto lost at cards everything that he managed to save after months of painstaking management. Much of what he did was pointless. So, Bismarck used to notify friends of his arrival by shooting at the ceiling, and one day he appeared in a neighbor's living room and brought a frightened fox on a leash, like a dog, and then released her to loud hunting cries. For violent temper, the neighbors nicknamed him "mad Bismarck."

On the estate, Bismarck continued his education, taking up the works of Hegel, Kant, Spinoza, David Friedrich Strauss and Feuerbach. Otto was an excellent student of English literature, for Bismarck was more interested in England and her affairs than in any other country. Intellectually, the "mad Bismarck" was far superior to his neighbors - the junkers.

The Russians cannot be defeated, we have seen this for hundreds of years. But you can instill false values, and then they will defeat themselves!

Bismarck Otto von

In mid-1841, Otto von Bismarck wanted to marry Ottoline von Puttkamer, the daughter of a wealthy Junker. However, her mother refused him, and in order to unwind Otto went traveling, visiting England and France. This vacation helped Bismarck to dispel the boredom of rural life in Pomerania. Bismarck became more sociable and made many friends.

Bismarck's entry into politics.

After his father's death in 1845, the family property was divided and Bismarck received the Schönhausen and Kniephof estates in Pomerania. In 1847 he married Johanna von Puttkamer, a distant relative of the girl he courted in 1841. Among his new friends in Pomerania were Ernst Leopold von Gerlach and his brother, who not only were at the head of the Pomeranian pietists, but were also part of a group of court advisers.

Woe to that statesman who does not bother to find a basis for war, which will still retain its significance after the war.

Bismarck Otto von

Friedrich Wilhelm IV (1795-1861), Prussian king from 1840, from the Hohenzollern dynasty

Bismarck, a student of Gerlach, became known for his conservative stance during the constitutional struggle in Prussia in 1848-1850. From a "mad junker" Bismarck turned into a "mad deputy" of the Berlin Landtag. Opposing liberals, Bismarck contributed to the creation of various political organizations and newspapers, including the "New Prussian newspaper" ("Neue Preussische Zeitung"). He was a member of the lower house of the Prussian parliament in 1849 and of the Erfurt parliament in 1850, when he opposed a federation of German states (with or without Austria), because he believed that this union would strengthen the revolutionary movement that was gaining strength. In his Olmutz speech, Bismarck spoke in defense of King Frederick William IV, who capitulated to Austria and Russia. The satisfied monarch wrote about Bismarck: "An ardent reactionary. Use later."

In May 1851, the King appointed Bismarck as Prussian representative to the Allied Diet in Frankfurt am Main. There, Bismarck almost immediately concluded that Prussia's goal could not be a German confederation under Austrian dominance, and that war with Austria was inevitable if Prussia were to dominate a united Germany. As Bismarck improved in the study of diplomacy and the art of government, he increasingly moved away from the views of the king and his camarilla. For his part, the king began to lose confidence in Bismarck. In 1859, the king's brother Wilhelm, who was then regent, relieved Bismarck of his duties and sent him as an envoy to St. Petersburg. There, Bismarck became close to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince A.M. Gorchakov, who assisted Bismarck in his efforts to diplomatically isolate first Austria and then France.

Even a victorious war is an evil that must be prevented by the wisdom of the nations.

Bismarck Otto von

Otto von Bismarck - Minister-President of Prussia. His diplomacy.

In 1862, Bismarck was sent as an envoy to France at the court of Napoleon III. He was soon recalled by King William I to resolve the contradictions on the issue of military appropriations, which was vigorously discussed in the lower house of parliament.

Wilhelm I of Hohenzollern (1797-1888), King of Prussia from 1861 and German Emperor from 1871

In September of the same year, he became the head of the government, and a little later - the minister-president and minister of foreign affairs of Prussia.

A militant conservative, Bismarck announced to the liberal middle-class majority in parliament that the government would continue to collect taxes in accordance with the old budget, because parliament, due to internal contradictions, would not be able to pass the new budget. (This policy continued in 1863-1866, which allowed Bismarck to carry out military reform.) At a meeting of the parliamentary committee on September 29, Bismarck emphasized: "The great questions of the time will not be decided by speeches and majority resolutions - this was a blunder in 1848 and 1949 - but iron and blood." Since the upper and lower houses of parliament were unable to develop a unified strategy on the issue of national defense, the government, according to Bismarck, should take the initiative and force parliament to agree to its decisions.

Even the most favorable outcome of the war will never lead to the decomposition of the main force of Russia, which is based on millions of Russians ... These latter, even if they are dissected by international treatises, just as quickly reconnect with each other, like particles of a cut piece of mercury ...

Bismarck Otto von

Alexander II the Liberator (1818-81), Russian Emperor from 1855

By limiting the activities of the press, Bismarck took serious measures to suppress the opposition.

For their part, the liberals sharply criticized Bismarck for offering to support the Russian Emperor Alexander II in suppressing the Polish uprising of 1863-1864 (the Alvensleben convention of 1863). Over the next decade, Bismarck's policies led to three wars: the war with Denmark in 1864, after which Schleswig, Holstein (Holstein) and Lauenburg were annexed to Prussia; Austria in 1866; and France (the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871).

On April 9, 1866, the day after Bismarck signed a secret agreement on a military alliance with Italy in the event of an attack on Austria, he submitted to the Bundestag his draft of a German parliament and universal secret suffrage for the country's male population. After the decisive Battle of Ketiggrätz (Sadova), in which the German troops defeated the Austrian ones, Bismarck managed to get the annexationist claims of Wilhelm I and the Prussian generals, who wanted to enter Vienna and demanded large territorial acquisitions, to be abandoned, and offered Austria an honorable peace (Prague Peace of 1866) . Bismarck did not allow Wilhelm I to "bring Austria to its knees" by occupying Vienna. The future chancellor insisted on relatively easy peace terms for Austria in order to ensure her neutrality in the future conflict between Prussia and France, which year by year became inevitable. Austria was expelled from the German Confederation, Venice joined Italy, Hanover, Nassau, Hesse-Kasel, Frankfurt, Schleswig and Holstein went to Prussia.

The press is not yet public opinion.

Bismarck Otto von

One of the most important consequences of the Austro-Prussian war was the formation of the North German Confederation, which, along with Prussia, included about 30 more states. All of them, according to the constitution adopted in 1867, formed a single territory with laws and institutions common to all. The foreign and military policy of the union was actually transferred into the hands of the Prussian king, who was declared its president. A customs and military treaty was soon concluded with the South German states. These steps clearly showed that Germany was rapidly moving towards its unification under the leadership of Prussia.

The southern German lands of Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden remained outside the North German Confederation. France did everything possible to prevent Bismarck from including these lands in the North German Confederation. Napoleon III did not want to see a united Germany on his eastern borders. Bismarck understood that this problem could not be solved without a war.

Moltke (Senior) Helmut Karl (1800-91), Count (1870), German Field Marshal General (1871) and military theorist. Since 1858 the chief of the Prussian, in 1871-88 the German General Staff, in fact the commander in chief in the wars with Denmark, Austria and France

When the arguments end, the guns start talking. Strength is the last argument of a dumbass.

Bismarck Otto von

In the next three years, Bismarck's secret diplomacy was directed against France. In Berlin, Bismarck introduced a bill to Parliament exempting him from liability for unconstitutional acts, which was approved by the Liberals. French and Prussian interests kept clashing on various issues. In France at that time militant anti-German sentiments were strong. Bismarck played on them.

The appearance of the "Ems dispatch" was caused by the scandalous events around the nomination of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern (nephew of Wilhelm I) to the Spanish throne, vacated after the revolution in Spain in 1868. Bismarck correctly calculated that France would never agree to such an option, and in the event of Leopold's accession in Spain, he would begin to rattle weapons and make belligerent statements against the North German Confederation, which would sooner or later end in war. Therefore, he vigorously promoted the candidacy of Leopold, assuring, however, Europe that the German government was completely uninvolved in the claims of the Hohenzollerns to the Spanish throne. In his circulars, and later in his memoirs, Bismarck denied his participation in this intrigue in every possible way, arguing that the nomination of Prince Leopold to the Spanish throne was a "family" affair of the Hohenzollerns. In fact, Bismarck and Minister of War Roon and Chief of Staff Moltke, who came to his aid, spent a lot of effort to convince the reluctant Wilhelm I to support Leopold's candidacy.

The attitude of the state towards the teacher is a state policy that indicates either the strength of the state or its weakness.

Bismarck Otto von

As Bismarck had hoped, Leopold's bid for the Spanish throne caused an uproar in Paris. On July 6, 1870, the French Foreign Minister, the Duke de Gramont, exclaimed: "This will not happen, we are sure of it ... Otherwise, we would be able to fulfill our duty without showing any weakness or hesitation." After this statement, Prince Leopold, without any consultation with the king and Bismarck, announced that he was renouncing his claims to the Spanish throne.

This step was not included in Bismarck's plans. Leopold's refusal destroyed his hopes that France herself would unleash a war against the North German Confederation. This was fundamentally important for Bismarck, who sought to secure the neutrality of the leading European states in a future war, which he later succeeded largely due to the fact that France was the attacking side. It is difficult to judge how sincere Bismarck was in his memoirs when he wrote that upon receiving the news of Leopold's refusal to take the Spanish throne, "my first thought was to resign" (Bismarck repeatedly submitted his resignations to Wilhelm I, using them as one from the means of pressure on the king, who, without his chancellor, meant nothing in politics), however, another of his memoirs dating back to the same time looks quite authentic: “I already at that time considered the war a necessity, which we could not avoid with honor ".

the only healthy foundation of a great state is state egoism, not romance, and it is unworthy of a great power to fight for a cause that does not concern its own interest.

Bismarck Otto von

While Bismarck was thinking about other ways to provoke France into declaring war, the French themselves gave an excellent reason for this. On July 13, 1870, the French ambassador Benedetti came to William I, who was resting on the Ems waters, in the morning and conveyed to him a rather brazen request from his minister Gramont - to assure France that he (the king) would never give his consent if Prince Leopold again put forward his candidacy for Spanish throne.

Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon Bonaparte) (1808-73), French Emperor from 1852-1870
The king, outraged by such a trick that was really daring for the diplomatic etiquette of those times, answered with a sharp refusal and interrupted Benedetti's audience. A few minutes later, he received a letter from his ambassador in Paris, which stated that Gramont insisted that Wilhelm, in his own hand, assure Napoleon III that he had no intention of harming the interests and dignity of France. This news completely pissed off William I. When Benedetti asked for a new audience for a conversation on this topic, he refused to receive him and conveyed through his adjutant that he had said his last word.

The Russians harness slowly, but then quickly gallop.

Bismarck Otto von

Bismarck learned about these events from a dispatch sent that afternoon from Ems by adviser Abeken. The dispatch to Bismarck was delivered at lunchtime. Roon and Moltke dined with him. Bismarck read the dispatch to them. The dispatch made the most difficult impression on the two old soldiers. Bismarck recalled that Roon and Moltke were so upset that they "neglected food and drink." Having finished reading, after some time Bismarck asked Moltke about the state of the army and about its readiness for war. Moltke replied in the spirit that "an immediate outbreak of war is more advantageous than a delay." After that, Bismarck immediately dining table edited the telegram and read it to the generals. Here is its text: "After the news of the abdication of the Crown Prince of Hohenzollern was officially communicated to the French imperial government by the Spanish royal government, the French ambassador presented an additional demand to His Royal Majesty in Ems: to authorize him to telegraph to Paris that His Majesty the King undertakes for all future times never give his consent if the Hohenzollerns return to their candidacy. His Majesty the King refused to receive the French ambassador again and ordered the adjutant on duty to tell him that his majesty had nothing more to tell the ambassador. "

Revolutions are prepared by geniuses, made by romantics, and crooks use its fruits.

Bismarck Otto von

Even Bismarck's contemporaries suspected him of falsifying the Ems dispatch. The German Social Democrats Liebknecht and Bebel were the first to speak about this. Liebknecht in 1891 even published the pamphlet "The Ems Despatch, or How Wars Are Made". Bismarck, in his memoirs, wrote that he only crossed out "something" from the dispatch, but did not add "not a word" to it. What crossed out of the "Ems dispatch" BismarckN First of all, something that could point to the true mastermind behind the appearance of the king's telegram in print. Bismarck crossed out the wish of Wilhelm I to submit "to the discretion of your Excellency, i.e. Bismarck, the question of whether our representatives and the press should be informed of the new demand of Benedetti and the refusal of the king." To reinforce the impression of the French envoy's disrespect for William I, Bismarck did not include in the new text the mention that the king had responded to the ambassador "rather harshly." The rest of the reductions were not significant. The new edition of the Ems dispatch brought Roon and Moltke, who dined with Bismarck, out of depression. The latter exclaimed: "That sounds different; before it sounded like a signal to retreat, now it's a fanfare." Bismarck began to develop his future plans for them: “We must fight if we do not want to take on the role of the defeated without a fight. But success depends largely on the impressions that the origin of the war will cause in us and others; it is important that we are those who who was attacked, and Gallic arrogance and resentment will help us in this ... "

If you want to build socialism, choose a country that you don't mind.

Bismarck Otto von

Further events unfolded in the most desirable direction for Bismarck. The publication of the "Ems dispatch" in many German newspapers caused an uproar in France. Foreign Minister Gramont shouted indignantly in parliament that Prussia had slapped France in the face. On July 15, 1870, the head of the French cabinet, Emile Olivier, demanded a loan of 50 million francs from Parliament and announced the government's decision to call up reservists into the army "in response to the call to war." The future President of France, Adolphe Thiers, who in 1871 would make peace with Prussia and drown the Paris Commune in blood, was still a member of parliament in July 1870, and was perhaps the only sensible politician in France in those days. He tried to convince the deputies to refuse credit to Olivier and to call up reservists, arguing that since Prince Leopold had renounced the Spanish crown, French diplomacy had achieved its goal and that one should not quarrel with Prussia over words and bring matters to a rupture on a purely formal occasion. Olivier replied to this that he was "with a light heart" ready to bear the responsibility that henceforth fell on him. In the end, the deputies approved all the proposals of the government, and on July 19, France declared war on the North German Confederation.

Never lie so much as during the war, after the hunt and before the election.

Bismarck Otto von

Bismarck meanwhile communicated with the deputies of the Reichstag. It was important for him to carefully hide from the public his painstaking behind-the-scenes work to provoke France into declaring war. With his usual hypocrisy and resourcefulness, Bismarck convinced the deputies that in the whole story with Prince Leopold, the government and he personally did not participate. He shamelessly lied when he told the deputies that he learned about Prince Leopold's desire to take the Spanish throne not from the king, but from some "private person", that the North German ambassador left Paris himself "for personal reasons", but was not recalled by the government (in fact, Bismarck ordered the ambassador to leave France, being annoyed by his "softness" towards the French). Bismarck diluted this lie with a dose of truth. He did not lie when he said that the decision to publish the dispatch about the negotiations in Ems between William I and Benedetti was made by the government at the request of the king himself.

William I himself did not expect that the publication of the Ems Dispatch would lead to such a quick war with France. After reading Bismarck's edited text in the papers, he exclaimed: "This is war!" The king was afraid of this war. Bismarck later wrote in his memoirs that William I should not have negotiated with Benedetti at all, but he "left his person as a monarch to the shameless processing of this foreign agent" largely due to the fact that he succumbed to the pressure of his wife Queen Augusta with "her justified in a feminine way by timidity and the national feeling that she lacked. Thus, Bismarck used Wilhelm I as a front for his behind-the-scenes intrigues against France.

If you want to fool the world, tell it the truth.

Bismarck Otto von

When the Prussian generals began to win victory after victory over the French, not a single major European power stood up for France. This was the result of the preliminary diplomatic activity of Bismarck, who managed to achieve the neutrality of Russia and England.

Frederick III - German emperor and Prussian king after Wilhelm I, reigned 99 days

He promised Russia neutrality in the event of its withdrawal from the humiliating Treaty of Paris, which forbade it to have its own fleet in the Black Sea, the British were outraged by the draft treaty published at the direction of Bismarck on the annexation of Belgium by France. But the most important thing was that it was France that attacked the North German Confederation, despite the repeated peace-loving intentions and small concessions that Bismarck made towards her (withdrawal of Prussian troops from Luxembourg in 1867, statements of readiness to abandon Bavaria and create from it a neutral country, etc.). In editing the Ems dispatch, Bismarck did not impulsively improvise, but was guided by the real achievements of his diplomacy and therefore emerged victorious. And the winners, as you know, are not judged. The authority of Bismarck, even in retirement, was so high in Germany that it never occurred to anyone (except the Social Democrats) to pour tubs of dirt on him when, in 1892, the original text of the Ems dispatch was made public from the Reichstag rostrum.

Learn as if you were to live forever; live like you're going to die tomorrow

Bismarck Otto von

Otto von Bismarck - Chancellor of the German Empire.

Exactly one month after the outbreak of hostilities, a significant part of the French army was surrounded German troops under Sedan and capitulated. Napoleon III himself surrendered to William I.
In November 1870, the South German states joined the Unified German Confederation, which had been transformed from the North. In December 1870, the Bavarian king offered to restore the German Empire and the German imperial dignity, destroyed in his time by Napoleon. This proposal was accepted, and the Reichstag turned to Wilhelm I with a request to accept the imperial crown. In 1871, at Versailles, Wilhelm I inscribed on an envelope an address to the "Chancellor of the German Empire", thus confirming Bismarck's right to rule the empire that he created, and which was proclaimed on January 18 in the mirror hall of Versailles. On March 2, 1871, the Treaty of Paris was concluded - difficult and humiliating for France. The border regions of Alsace and Lorraine were ceded to Germany. France had to pay 5 billion indemnities. Wilhelm I returned to Berlin as a triumph, although all the merit belonged to the Chancellor.

Never fight the Russians. They will respond to your every stratagem with unpredictable stupidity.

Bismarck Otto von

The "Iron Chancellor", representing the interests of the minority and absolute power, ruled this empire in 1871-1890, relying on the consent of the Reichstag, where from 1866 to 1878 he was supported by the National Liberal Party. Bismarck reformed German law, administration and finance. The educational reforms he carried out in 1873 led to a conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, but the main reason for the conflict was the growing distrust of German Catholics (who accounted for about a third of the country's population) in Protestant Prussia. When these contradictions surfaced in the activities of the Catholic "Centre" party in the Reichstag in the early 1870s, Bismarck was forced to take action. The struggle against the dominance of the Catholic Church was called "kulturkampf" (Kulturkampf, struggle for culture). During it, many bishops and priests were arrested, hundreds of dioceses were left without leaders. Now church appointments had to be coordinated with the state; church employees could not be in the service of the state apparatus. Schools were separated from the church, civil marriage was introduced, the Jesuits were expelled from Germany.

Bismarck built his foreign policy on the basis of the situation that developed in 1871 after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian war and the capture of Alsace and Lorraine by Germany, which became a source of constant tension. By using complex system alliances that ensured the isolation of France, the rapprochement of Germany with Austria-Hungary and the maintenance good relations with Russia (alliance of three emperors - Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia in 1873 and 1881; Austro-German alliance in 1879; " Triple Alliance"between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882; the "Mediterranean agreement" of 1887 between Austria-Hungary, Italy and England and the "reinsurance agreement" with Russia in 1887) Bismarck managed to maintain peace in Europe. The German Empire under Chancellor Bismarck became one of the leaders of international politics.

The phrase: "In principle I agree" - means that you do not intend to allow this at all.

Bismarck Otto von

In foreign policy, Bismarck made every effort to consolidate the gains of the Peace of Frankfurt in 1871, contributed to the diplomatic isolation of the French Republic, and sought to prevent the formation of any coalition that threatened German hegemony. He chose not to participate in the discussion of claims for weakened Ottoman Empire. When at the Berlin Congress of 1878, under the chairmanship of Bismarck, the next phase of the discussion of the "Eastern Question" ended, he played the role of an "honest broker" in the dispute between the rival parties. Although the "Triple Alliance" was directed against Russia and France, Otto von Bismarck believed that a war with Russia would be extremely dangerous for Germany. The secret treaty with Russia in 1887 - the "treaty of reinsurance" - showed Bismarck's ability to act behind the backs of his allies, Austria and Italy, to maintain the status quo in the Balkans and the Middle East.

Until 1884, Bismarck did not give clear definitions of the course of colonial policy, mainly because of friendly relations with England. Other reasons were the desire to preserve Germany's capital and keep government spending to a minimum. Bismarck's first expansionist plans provoked vigorous protests from all parties - Catholics, statesmen, socialists and even representatives of his own class - the Junkers. Despite this, under Bismarck, Germany began to turn into a colonial empire.

With bad laws and good officials, it is quite possible to rule the country.

Bismarck Otto von

In 1879, Bismarck broke with the liberals and henceforth relied on a coalition of large landowners, industrialists, senior military and government officials.

August Bebel (1840-1913), one of the founders (1869) and leader of the German Social Democratic Party and the 2nd International. Critic of Bismarck's policies

In 1879, Chancellor Bismarck secured the adoption by the Reichstag of a protectionist customs tariff. Liberals were forced out of big politics. The new course of German economic and financial policy corresponded to the interests of large industrialists and large farmers. Their union took a dominant position in political life and in public administration. Otto von Bismarck gradually moved from the Kulturkampf policy to the persecution of socialists. In 1878, after an attempt on the life of the emperor, Bismarck passed through the Reichstag an "exceptional law" against the socialists, which prohibited the activities of social democratic organizations. On the basis of this law, many newspapers and societies, often far from socialism, were closed. The constructive side of his negative prohibitive stance was the introduction of a system of state insurance for sickness in 1883, in case of injury in 1884 and an old-age pension in 1889. However, these measures could not isolate the German workers from the Social Democratic Party, although they diverted them from the revolutionary methods of solving social problems. At the same time, Bismarck opposed any legislation regulating the working conditions of workers.

Freedom is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

Bismarck Otto von

Conflict with Wilhelm II and the resignation of Bismarck.

With the accession of Wilhelm II in 1888, Bismarck lost control of the government.

Wilhelm II of Hohenzollern (1859-1941), German Emperor and King of Prussia 1888-1918, grandson of Wilhelm I. Deposed by the November Revolution of 1918

Under Wilhelm I and Frederick III, who ruled for less than six months, Bismarck's position could not be shaken by any of the opposition groups. The self-confident and ambitious Kaiser refused to play a secondary role, declaring at one of the banquets in 1891: "There is only one master in the country - this is me, and I will not tolerate another"; and his strained relationship with the Reich Chancellor became increasingly strained. Differences manifested themselves most seriously in the question of amending the "Exceptional Law Against Socialists" (in force in 1878-1890) and in the question of the right of ministers subordinate to the chancellor to a personal audience with the emperor. Wilhelm II hinted to Bismarck that his resignation was desirable and received a letter of resignation from Bismarck on March 18, 1890. The resignation was accepted two days later, Bismarck received the title of Duke of Lauenburg, he was also awarded the rank of Colonel General of the cavalry.

Life has taught me a lot to forgive, but even more to seek forgiveness.

Bismarck Otto von

Bismarck's removal to Friedrichsruhe was not the end of his interest in political life.
Retired "Iron Chancellor"

He was especially eloquent in his criticism of the newly appointed Chancellor and Minister-President Count Leo von Caprivi. In 1891, Bismarck was elected to the Reichstag from Hanover, but never took his seat there, and two years later refused to run for re-election. In 1894, the emperor and the already aging Bismarck met again in Berlin - at the suggestion of Clovis Hohenlohe, Prince Schillingfürst, Caprivi's successor. In 1895, all of Germany celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Iron Chancellor. In June 1896, Prince Otto von Bismarck participated in the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Bismarck died in Friedrichsruhe on July 30, 1898. The "Iron Chancellor" was buried at his own request in his Friedrichsruhe estate, on the tombstone of his tomb was engraved with the inscription: "Devoted servant of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I." In April 1945, the house in Schönhausen, where Otto von Bismarck was born in 1815, was burned down by Soviet troops.

Bismarck's literary monument is his Thoughts and Memoirs (Gedanken und Erinnerungen), while Die grosse Politik der europaischen Kabinette (1871-1914, 1924-1928) in 47 volumes serves as a monument to his diplomatic art.

Otto von Bismarck - quotes

It happens to every person that he is lucky, and happiness flies very close to him. It is important to see him in time and be able to grab the edge of the clothes of fortune flying past him.

I was destined by nature to become a diplomat: I was born on the first of April.

When you want to fool the whole world, tell the truth.

Life has taught me a lot to forgive, but even more to seek forgiveness.

With a gentleman I will always be half a great gentleman, with a swindler I will always be a half big swindler.