Bismarck

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This biography delves into the life of a remarkable political genius who reshaped Europe and united Germany from 1862 to 1890 through the sheer force of his personality. The narrative provides intimate insights from his secretaries, friends, neighbors, enemies, and the press, presenting a figure of almost superhuman abilities. Otto von Bismarck, known for 'making' Germany without ever truly 'ruling' it, served as prime minister for twenty-eight years without a party. His speeches were intellectually brilliant yet delivered with hesitation, and he seldom addressed public gatherings. He orchestrated three wars and, later in his career, donned a military uniform despite lacking any military claim. The 'Iron Chancellor,' emblematic of Prussian militarism, battled hypochondria and hysteria, with contemporaries labeling him a 'dictator' and attributing 'demonic' powers to him. His formidable presence intimidated even the emperor, William I, who found it challenging to reign under Bismarck's shadow. This biography examines the complexities of his character—combining creativity with destructiveness, generosity with pettiness, and tolerance with fierce enmity—making him not only a pivotal statesman of the nineteenth century but also an exceptionally entertaining figure.