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Bismarck

(1815-1898)

Otto von Bismarck was a German statesman who
dominated European affairs from the 1860s to his dis- I
missal in 1890 by Emperor Wilhelm II.

ou could believe that a of Varzin, which nowadays is located Petersburg. In January 1861 Frede-
political map of Germany well within Poland. Bismarck often rick Wilhelm IV died and his brother
in the middle of the nine- suffered from nervous exhaustion, now became King Wilhelm I. A mili-
y teenth century illustrated sleeplessness and psychosomatic tary man by training, he wished to
the geology of the North German problems. His preferred method of increase the strength of the army. A
Plain. The territory consisted of an recovery was to camp by himself in struggle began between the king and
irregular and colourful scatter of the beech forests of Varzin in the the Reichstag about how this increase
kingdoms, grand duchies, principa- summertime. would be financed. Wilhelm I was
lities and free cities -- altogether urged to make Bismarck his prime
twenty-seven separate sovereign Back in 1847 Bismarck had been minister, but neither the king nor
states. The largest of these fede- elected to the representative body Bismarck were ready for this move.
ral states, then known as Prussia, which the King of Prussia, Frede- Nevertheless, Bismarck was recal-
sprawled untidily from the border rick Wilhelm W, used to approve his led from St Petersburg and sent as
of the Netherlands eastward across finances. He immediately stood out ambassador to Paris in March 1862,
the south Baltic coast almost as far as a provocative spokesman of brutal where he became acquainted with
as Lithuania. frankness. At this point the 1848 Re- the French Emperor Napoleon III.
volution swept across Europe, one of
The reason for this chaotic situation several attempts to create a modern However, by September of that year
is that, in 1815, after the final defeat German state. By 1851 the Revolu- events in Berlin had reached a crisis.
of Napoleon, the German princes tion had failed and Bismarck was The Reichstag would only autho-
and free cities had established a elected to the federal Diet or parlia- rize the increase in military expen-
loose confederation, with each state ment in Frankfurt as the representa- diture if the period of service was
retaining its sovereignty. In contrast, tive of Prussia, entering the service reduced from three to two years.
by 1890 the map of Germany would of the state that would last for the On 22 September 1862 at the age of
be homogenous, largely due to the next thirty-nine years. 47 Bismarck was made head of the
actions of one man --the daring and government and moved to the stor-
Machiavellian Prussian Chancellor At this time central European poli- my centre of Prussian politics.
Otto von Bismarck. tical affairs were dominated by
Austria. Bismarck believed that this Upon his return to Berlin, he was
Bismarck came from the Junker presented an obstacle to German given the objective of pushing through
class of old Prussian nobility. As a unification and he saw Prussia as the the king's military programme. In
young man after studying law, he leader of the German states against direct violation of the constitution,
entered the Prussian civil service Austria. He believed that Austria Bismarck dissolved parliament and
and was appointed administrator of should treat Prussia as an equal assembled the revenue to finance
Aachen, famous for its hot springs. A partner, and he therefore began a the army from other sources, thus
romantic adventure with an English relentless personal feud with succes- rendering the parliament futile and
tourist led to him resigning in 1840 sive Austrian representatives. irrelevant. Three small wars with
and returning to manage his family's victories over Denmark, Austria and
debt-ridden estates. In 1847 he mar- In 1858, the King of Prussia, Frede- France would bring Wilhelm I to
ried Johanna von Puttkamer; they rick Wilhelm IV became insane and the position of Emperor of a united
would have three children. Later, in his more liberal brother Wilhelm Germany. Nevertheless, Bismarck
1867, after leasing his two existing took his place as regent. Bismarck preferred diplomacy and only went
estates, he purchased the vast estate was dispatched as ambassador to St to war to achieve limited aims.

42 History