“Bismark is known as an iron chancellor in history.”
Otto von Bismarck is one of the most famous political figures in German and European history. He was a politician diplomat and a bure-create of Germany. He was a tall, attractive, and wise person and was the person who unified the states of Germany and formed a German Federation. Bimark is known as the father of Germany and was the first German chancellor. He strengthened the German army and defense of Germany and predicted World War twenty-five years before it happened. His words are,
“ One day a great European war will come out of some damn foolish things in Balkaan.”
Early Life of Bismark:
Otto von Bismark was born into an elite family of Prussian in 1815, His father was a landlord. His mother was from a bourgeoise family. So, Bismark was born with a good fortune. His mother admitted him to an elite-class school in Berlin where he studied with the best families in Berlin. After five years in school, he joined a gymnasium for physical training and exercise. On the advice of his mother, he got his degree in law from the University of Gottingen. After doing law, he joined civil services but left it to assist his father. He married Johanna from a conservative family in Berlin.
Political and diplomatic career:
In 1894, Bismark was elected as a member of the Prussian Chamber of Deputies. King Willian IV appointed Bismark in Frankfurt. At that time Austria had a great influence on Prussia. He spent eight years in Frankfurt and came to know the culture of Austria. He opposed ties of Prussia with Austria because it suppressed Prussian identity. Prussian domination and breaking Austrian hegemony in Northern Europe shaped his mind while living in Frankfurt. After that, he was appointed as the ambassador for Russia. There he made friends with the Russian King. After that, he was appointed in Paris.
King Wiliam wanted to pass a budget for the military but the Prussian parliament opposed it. So King called Bismark and he passed that budget without parliament. He then unified more than thirty German states and became the first chancellor of German States from 1871 to 1890.
Foreign Policy of Bismark:
Bismark was extraordinary in his foreign policy. After working as a German diplomat in Frankfurt, Petersburg, and Paris, he got a lot of experience in foreign policy. First, he started a war against Austria to make the German states a unified Germany. After the war, he made a good relationship with Austria to make a good neighborhood.
Bismarck was the person who managed the balance of power in Europe to avoid a war. He avoided a war between France and Austria by making an alliance with Austria, Germany, and Russia. He convinced Russia to shake hands with Austria. The tensions between Austria and Italy were controlled by making a triple alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italy.
Criticism on Bismark:
Bismark is known as a controversial figure. He was an anti-democratic and depressed worker movement in Germany. He unified Germany and spent a lot on strengthening the German military. Max Weber is considered the biggest critique of Bismarck.
Final Words:
Some people change the history of their nations but Bismark is among those who changed the history of the world. Through his wisdom and diplomacy, he keeps Europe out of war for many years. He also unified his country. Therefore he is known as the iron chancellor of Germany. He died in 1998.
