The Iron Chancellor: Otto von Bismarck

"If you don't read as much as you should, you won't have as much to write as you could later on." -
Otto von Bismarck

Once upon a time there was a man who entered the political stage of the 19th century with a cigar in his mouth and a sly grin on his face – Otto von Bismarck. This guy was like the James Bond of German history, only without the fancy suits and with more cheese. Let's take a look at his adventures as he played Europe like a chessboard.

The Ascension: Steps to Glory

1815: Born in Brandenburg, Prince Otto grows up and early on discovers his love for the diplomatic game – he calls it “politics”.
1847: Bismarck becomes a member of the Prussian state parliament. He quickly realizes that politics is a bit like chess, only with more intrigue and less board.
1862: Otto grabs the job as Prime Minister of Prussia and says: "Let the games begin!" He unfolds his strategy: Realpolitik - diplomatic move meets "I make my own rules".
1864: The King of Denmark dies, leaving behind a pile of territory. Bismarck grabs his game pieces and initiates the German-Danish War. Result: Prussia and Austria share the spoils.

Greatest Achievements: Checkmate in World Politics

1866: Bismarck starts the German War against Austria, and before you can say "Battle Plate", Austria is out of the German Confederation. Prussia now rules the shed.
1870-1871: Franco-Prussian War. Bismarck provokes France and then pulls a Houdini by overrunning the French and proclaiming the German Empire. Kaiser Wilhelm I of Prussia suddenly becomes Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany – Checkmate!

The Failures: Sometimes the plans go wrong

1878: Bismarck is trying to tame the Social Democrats, but they are tougher than an old piece of chewing gum. His anti-socialist laws sound good on paper, but the boys are not easily intimidated.

The importance for the historical stage: The Architect of Europe

Otto von Bismarck was like the master builder who plowed up the European map. His political tricks and tactics transformed Germany from a collection of small states into a powerful nation. But beware, his Balance of Power games have also laid the groundwork for future conflicts, and it's like leaving a horde of kids with cotton candy in a china shop.

Overall, Otto von Bismarck is a colorful character in the history books who proved that there is more to politics than just boring contracts and stiff suits. He kept Europe in suspense with his diplomatic chess game and showed us that sometimes the best moves are made when you have a cigar in your hand and a mischievous smile on your face.

Cheers, Otto!

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Kohli

Passionate "phone clipper". Currently with mine Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. A great phone with XNUMX TB of storage. Lots of space for experiments. My favorite subjects are plants, Eat & drink, animals, Buildings and Landscapes.

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