Opinion of Otto von Bismarck?

[Green Line]

Possibly the greatest statesman of all time.  Also made some eerily accurate predictions relating to the early 20th century.

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[The Last Northerner]

An absolute hero - major FF. His realpolitik and statesmenship should be a model for any country.

[politicus]

As a Dane I am obliged to hate the bastard, but he was pretty good at what he was doing.

[SWE]

Garbage

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

As a DanePole I am obliged to hate the bastard, but he was pretty good at what he was doing.

[Antonio the Sixth]

As a Dane Pole French I am obliged to hate the bastard, but he was pretty good at what he was doing.

[Rob Bloom]

The fact that he united Germany was probably Bismarck's best achievement. Bismarck waged war to get there and thus initialized the overwhelming role of the military in Germany during the following decades. But you also have to keep in mind that the other powers like France under Napoleon III were equally ready for war.

But Germany could have been united under more peaceful and democratic circumstances in 1848. And Bismarck was one of the fiercest enemies of the revolution of 1848. That's why to me he was on the wrong side of history.

Bismarck was a very gifted politician and the Reich he created wasn't set for WWI from the beginning. The social reforms that became law under his administration are basically still in place today.  But he was unable or rather didn't want to overcome the deep frictions that existed in the German society between industry and labor, between Protestants and Catholics.

[rob in cal]

   Also, wasn't he a big proponent of a pro-Russia foreign policy?  One wonders if he could have safely maneuvered Germany away from getting in a big war had someone like him still been in leadership in the 20th century.

[Kingpoleon]

   Also, wasn't he a big proponent of a pro-Russia foreign policy?  One wonders if he could have safely maneuvered Germany away from getting in a big war had someone like him still been in leadership in the 20th century.

No, he encouraged isolating Russia. He originally chiefly wanted a German-Spanish alliance, with Italy and the U. K. being bonuses. Realpolitik intervened.

[Cranberry]

As a Dane Pole French Austrian I am obliged to hate the bastard, but he was pretty good at what he was doing.

[RR]

FF

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Imagine someone of his class had been his successor? No Hitler

[Miles]

FF and great statesman, though he was anti-Catholic, IIRC, which I don't appreciate.

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Look next to the "Reply" button at the top-right of the thread - there should be a "New Poll" button.

[Kingpoleon]

Bismarck is second only to Napoleon in terms of affecting post-Renaissance pre-WWII history. If he'd stayed on a little longer, I'm not sure the German Empire would have ever fallen. Keep in mind that one more marriage with the British monarch line would have meant no  Triple Entente. The Danzig Corridor might have been conceded via a post-Cold War referendum to a Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom under a Hohenzollern monarch.

Very fortunate for democracies and very unfortunate for empires that Wilhelm II didn't like him or his sons.

[Zioneer]

Whether good or bad, definitely an example of a "Great Man of History".

[Cory]

Freedom Fighter. One of the greats.

[Kingpoleon]

Whether good or bad, definitely an example of a "Great Man of History".

Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar being the others?