ottovon bismarck 1
TRANSCRIPT
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