Good read with my Sunday morning coffee. After I read your book Blood and Iron and Christopher Clark’s Iron Kingdom I read a couple of biographies of Bismarck. I discovered that he was an extraordinary politician, very driven. I think the contrast between the young man, the “crazy junker” and the later staid almost literal pillar of the establishment is remarkable. You are of course correct one should read autobiographical memoirs with a degree of caution.
Danke für diese interessanten Betrachtungen zu Otto von Bismark, über den wir sogar kaum etwas in der Schule gelernt haben. Wissen Sie vielleicht was es mit den Bismarck Türmen auf sich hat? Ich bin diesen das erste Mal während eines Besuchs in Spremberg begegnet. Meine Bekannten sagten mir das es diese wohl öfters gibt. Nur wusste niemand die Geschichte oder den eigentlichen Nutzen zu erklären? Eventuell können sie das Rätsel lösen?
He really was a man of his time, a fine diplomat a true statesman juggling alsorts of situations and a weird Kiaser. No surprise there are so many statues they even named a ship after him ,ok that didn't end so well .I wonder what Bismarck would make of modern day German politics.
Interesting details, especially about the difficulty in publishing his memoirs. The Kaiser had to lose a war and abdicate before they felt comfortable revealing Bismarck’s comments about him.
I’ve always had mixed feelings about Bismarck. He was clearly an intelligent and experienced statesman, “effective at realpolitik,” which we need more of in global politics today.
On the other hand, he was “ruthless” and “resolutely ambitious,” a dangerous combination which we need less of in global politics today.
Good read with my Sunday morning coffee. After I read your book Blood and Iron and Christopher Clark’s Iron Kingdom I read a couple of biographies of Bismarck. I discovered that he was an extraordinary politician, very driven. I think the contrast between the young man, the “crazy junker” and the later staid almost literal pillar of the establishment is remarkable. You are of course correct one should read autobiographical memoirs with a degree of caution.
Guten Morgen 🌞 Frau Hoyer,
Danke für diese interessanten Betrachtungen zu Otto von Bismark, über den wir sogar kaum etwas in der Schule gelernt haben. Wissen Sie vielleicht was es mit den Bismarck Türmen auf sich hat? Ich bin diesen das erste Mal während eines Besuchs in Spremberg begegnet. Meine Bekannten sagten mir das es diese wohl öfters gibt. Nur wusste niemand die Geschichte oder den eigentlichen Nutzen zu erklären? Eventuell können sie das Rätsel lösen?
Alles Gute, Thomas
He really was a man of his time, a fine diplomat a true statesman juggling alsorts of situations and a weird Kiaser. No surprise there are so many statues they even named a ship after him ,ok that didn't end so well .I wonder what Bismarck would make of modern day German politics.
Interesting piece nice one 👍
Interesting details, especially about the difficulty in publishing his memoirs. The Kaiser had to lose a war and abdicate before they felt comfortable revealing Bismarck’s comments about him.
I’ve always had mixed feelings about Bismarck. He was clearly an intelligent and experienced statesman, “effective at realpolitik,” which we need more of in global politics today.
On the other hand, he was “ruthless” and “resolutely ambitious,” a dangerous combination which we need less of in global politics today.
I enjoyed that 👏👏