Otto von Bismarck

Early Years

Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, Born April 1, 1815 in Schoenhausen, Prussia Father – Ferdinand von Bismarck-Schoenhausen – a

fifth generation Junker (landowning noble) Mother – Wilhelmine Mencken came from a family of

successful academics

(history.com/topics/Otto-von-Bismarck)

(www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/bismarck)

Today- Schoenhausen belongs to Germany

Schloss (castle) Schoenhausen -This was Bismarcks place of birth

Education

His Mother enrolled Otto von Bismarck to Progressive Plamann institute in Berlin at age 7

After 5 years at the institute he went to Frederick Wilhelm Gymnasium for 3 years and took his abitur (university entrance exam) in 1832

His mother encouraged him to go to university of Goettingen in the Kingdom of Hannover to take the study of law

I lived in Hannover. The city today has a street named after Otto von Bismarck (Bismarckstrasse)

www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/Bismarck

As a young man he was known as a heavy drinker with no real direction in life

In his early 30s he changed from being an atheist to being religious.

He got married in 1847 and got involved in politics

He became a substitute member of the Prussian Parliament

(history1800s.about.com/od/leaders/a/bismarck.bio.htm)

(History.com/topics/Otto-von-Bismarck)

Germany became a modern,unified nation under the leadership of “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898)

He first ruled Prussia and than all Germany between 1862 and 1890

Blood and Iron Speech

His statement of his Blood and Iron speech of late September 1862 became notorious

“The great Question of the day will not be decided by speeches and resolutions but by blood and Iron.”

He later complained that his words were taken out of context.

Blood and iron became a popular nickname for his politics

(history1800s.about.com/od/leaders/a/bismarckbio.htm)

Unification of Germany

From 1851 to 1862 Bismarck served a series of ambassadorships at German confederation in Frankfurt, St Petersburg and Paris

Wilhelm I became Prussia King in 1861 and made Bismarck his chief minister a year later

1864 – Bismark began a series of wars to get Prussian power in europe

1864 – attacked Denmark to gain German speaking territories and 2 years later provoked Kaiser Franz Joseph I into starting the Austro-Prussian war (1866)

Austrian Empire was defeated

Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)

Bismarck stirred political tensions between France and Prussia

He edited a telegram from Wilhelm the first to make both countries feel insulted by the other.

France declared war – Prussians and Germans won

Prussia annexed the French border provinces of Alsace and Lorraine and crowned Wilhelm emperor of unified Germany (second Reich) in the Hall of Mirrors in Versialle

(History.com/topics/Otto-von-Bismarck)

Germany before unification

Germany after unification

Germany was unified

Wilhelm and Bismarck turned to entrenching their power

1870 Bismarck pursued a Kulturkampf (culture war) against catholics who made up 36 percent of Germany's population

He placed parochial schools under state control and expelled the Jesuits

1880s – Bismarck set aside his conservative impulses to counter socialists

He created Europe's first modern welfare state

He established national healthcare (1883) accident insurance (1884) and old age pensions (1889)

1885 Bismarck hosted the Berlin Conference which ended the scramble of Africa

This divided the continent between European powers and established German colonies in Cameroon, Togoland and East and Southwest Africa.

(History.com/topics/Otto-von Bismarck)

Germany and social insurance

Germany became the first nation in the world to adopt an old age social insurance program in 1889 designed by Otto von Bismarck

Idea was first put forward, at Bismarcks behest, in 1881 by Germany's Emperor Wilhelm the first in a letter to the parliament

Letter states: Those who are disabled from work by age and invalidity have a well grounded claim to care from the state

Bismarck was motivated to introduce social insurance in Germany in order to promote well being of workers to keep the German economy in maximum efficiency.

Germany and social insurance

The social insurance system provides contributory retirement and disability benefits.

Participation is mandatory Contribution is taken from Employee,

employer and the government 1927 an unemployment insurance was added

to the system to make it complete (www.ssa.gov/history/ottob.html).

Bismarcks Final Years

His wife Johanna died 1894

He lived in Friedrichsruh, alone, resentful and bored

The Kaiser came to see him in 1897

By than, Bismarck was confined to a wheelchair

1898 he developed an inflammation of the lungs

He had difficulty breathing and laid in bed most of the time

July 30th 1898 – He had a relapse and his family gathered round his bed

At last, he drank off a glass and cried “vorwaerts” (forward) and sank down his pillow. At about 11 o clock, his daughter saw he was no longer breathing

(www.Historytoday.com)

The city Friedrichsruh were Otto von Bismarck died

Schloss (castle) Friedrichsruh and a memorial of Otto von Bismarck

references

www.History.com/topics/Otto-von-Bismarck www.History1800s.about.com/od/leaders/a/Bismarckbio.htm

www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/bismarck

www.ssa.gov/history/ottob.html

http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/death-bismarck