Iron Chancellor of the Iron Reich. Historical Dictionary Why Bismarck is the Iron Chancellor

Worldview

They say that the German Chancellor Otto Bismarck hired a coachman on his way to St. Petersburg, but doubted that his horses could go fast enough. "Nothing!" - answered the driver and rushed along the road so much that Bismarck became worried: “You won’t throw me out?” - "Nothing!" - answered the coachman. Then the sleigh overturned, and Bismarck fell into the snow, bleeding his face on a stump. In a rage, he swung a steel cane at the driver, and he grabbed a handful of snow with his hands to wipe Bismarck’s bloody face, and kept saying: “Nothing... nothing!” In St. Petersburg, Bismarck ordered a ring with the inscription “Nothing!” And when the “Iron Chancellor” was reproached for being too soft towards Russia, he replied: “In Germany, I’m the only one who says “nothing!”, but in Russia - the whole people.”

There have been fierce debates about the personality and actions of Otto von Bismarck for more than a century. Attitudes towards this figure varied depending on the historical era. It is said that in German school textbooks the assessment of Bismarck's role changed no less than six times.

It is not surprising that both in Germany itself and in the world as a whole, the real Otto von Bismarck gave way to myth. The myth of Bismarck describes him as a hero or a tyrant, depending on the political views of the myth-maker. The "Iron Chancellor" is often credited with words that he never uttered, while many of Bismarck's truly important historical sayings are little known.

Otto von Bismarck was born on the family estate of Schönhausen on April 1, 1815, into a family of Prussian landowners. Representatives of this family served the rulers of the province of Brandenburg from the middle of the 17th century. The ancestors of the Bismarcks - conquering knights - settled in these places during the reign of Charlemagne. All generations of this family served the rulers of Brandenburg in peaceful and military fields.

Wilhelmina, Otto's mother, was from a family of civil servants and belonged to the middle class. Such marriages became more and more common in the 19th century, as the educated middle classes and the old aristocracy began to merge into a new elite. At the insistence of his mother, Otto and his brother were sent to Berlin to receive an education. During 10 years of study, he changed three gymnasiums, but did not show any particular interest in knowledge. And only in the gymnasium “At the Gray Monastery,” where Otto moved in 1830, did he feel freer than in previous educational institutions. Of all the subjects, the young cadet was most interested in the politics of past years, the history of military and peaceful rivalry between different countries.

At the age of 17, Bismarck entered the University of Göttingen, where he studied law. While a student, he gained a reputation as a reveler and brawler, excelling in duels (later he repeatedly boasted of victories in 27 duels). The future chancellor did not bother himself with science at all, devoting most of his time to fencing and beer. Having neglected his studies, Otto transferred to the University of Berlin, but even here he was more enrolled than studying, since he hardly attended lectures, but mainly used the services of tutors to help him improve before exams.

Nevertheless, he graduated from the university and immediately tried to enter the diplomatic service, but was refused - his “rubbish” reputation took its toll. And then Bismarck decided to start from the very bottom and became an official in the Berlin Judicial Department.

In 1837, Otto occupied the position of tax official in Aachen, and a year later - the same position in Potsdam. There he joined the Guards Jaeger Regiment. In the fall of 1838, Bismarck moved to Greifswald, where, in addition to fulfilling his military duties, he suddenly began studying animal breeding methods at the Elden Academy.

An innate disgust with the lifestyle of a Prussian official forced Bismarck to resign in September 1839 and take over the leadership of the family estates in Pomerania. In private conversations, Otto explained this by saying that his temperament was not suitable for the position of a subordinate. He did not tolerate any authority over himself: “My pride requires me to command, and not to carry out other people’s orders.”

In the nine years during which Otto ruled the ancestral lands, their value increased by more than a third!

True, sometimes in an evening Bismarck lost at cards everything that he had managed to save over months of painstaking management. And sometimes he liked to play pranks: for example, he notified his friends of his arrival by shooting shots at the ceiling. For his violent temper in those years, he received his first nickname - “mad Bismarck.”

However, intellectually, the “mad Bismarck” was far superior to his Junker neighbors. At the estate, Bismarck continued his education, taking up the works of Hegel, Kant, Spinoza, David Friedrich Strauss and Feuerbach. Otto studied English literature very well, since England and its affairs occupied Bismarck more than any other country.

Yet Bismarck could not be just a landowner. The dream of a political career began to be realized in 1847, when Otto von Bismarck became a deputy of the United Landtag of the Kingdom of Prussia.

The middle of the 19th century was a time of revolutions in Europe. Liberals and socialists sought to expand the rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution. Against this background, the appearance of a young politician, extremely conservative, but at the same time possessing undoubted oratorical skills, was a complete surprise. The revolutionaries greeted Bismarck with hostility, but those around the Prussian king noted an interesting politician who could benefit the crown in the future.

We must give Bismarck his due: he did not change his electoral platform for almost half a century. He defended the Prussian junkers and the king, who “alone has the power from God to decide the politics of the country.” His domestic policy would later be called “the constant duel between the people and the government.”

From 1851, Otto von Bismarck, the "mad deputy" as he was now called, represented Prussia in the Diet, which met in Frankfurt am Main. He continued to study diplomacy and successfully applied the knowledge he gained in practice.

In 1859, the king's brother Wilhelm, who was regent at the time, sent Bismarck as envoy to St. Petersburg. There he became close to the Russian Foreign Minister, Prince Gorchakov, who assisted Bismarck in his efforts to diplomatically isolate first Austria and then France. Gorchakov predicted a great future for Bismarck. One day he said, pointing to Bismarck: “Look at this man! Under Frederick the Great he could have become his minister.” In St. Petersburg, Otto von Bismarck not only mastered the Russian language, but managed to understand the character and mentality of the Russian people. It was from his time working in St. Petersburg that Bismarck’s famous warning would come out about the inadmissibility of a war with Russia for Germany, which would inevitably have disastrous consequences for the Germans themselves.

A new round of Otto von Bismarck’s career occurred after Wilhelm I ascended the Prussian throne in 1861. The ensuing constitutional crisis, caused by disagreements between the king and the Landtag over the issue of expanding the military budget, forced Wilhelm I to look for a figure capable of carrying out state policy “ with a hard hand." Otto von Bismarck, who by that time held the post of Prussian ambassador to France, became such a figure.

Bismarck's extremely conservative views made even Wilhelm I himself doubt such a choice. Nevertheless, on September 23, 1862, Otto von Bismarck was appointed head of the Prussian government. A week later, he made a famous speech in the Diet: “The great questions of the time are decided not by speeches or decisions of the majority, but by iron and blood.” Ignoring the liberal opposition, Bismarck completed military reform and strengthened the German army.

Over the next decade, Bismarck's policies aimed at unifying Germany and the rise of Prussia over all German states led to three wars: the war with Denmark in 1864, after which Schleswig, Holstein (Holstein) and Lauenburg were annexed to Prussia; Austria in 1866; and France (Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871). The result of these wars was the unification in 1867 of the German states into the North German Confederation, which, along with Prussia, included about 30 other countries.

All of them, according to the constitution adopted in 1867, formed a single territory with laws and institutions common to all. The foreign and military policy of the union was actually transferred to the hands of the Prussian king, who was declared its president. A customs and military treaty was soon concluded with the South German states. These steps clearly showed that Germany was rapidly moving towards its unification under the leadership of Prussia.

It should be noted that after the defeat of the Austrian troops, Bismarck managed to achieve the abandonment of the annexationist claims of Wilhelm I and the Prussian generals who wanted to enter Vienna and demanded large territorial acquisitions, and offered Austria an honorable peace (Prague Peace of 1866). Bismarck prevented Wilhelm I from "bringing Austria to its knees" by occupying Vienna.

The future chancellor insisted on relatively easy peace terms for Austria in order to ensure its neutrality in the future conflict between Prussia and France, which became inevitable year by year, since the southern German states of Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden remained outside the North German Confederation. France did everything possible to prevent Bismarck from including these lands in the North German Confederation. Napoleon III did not want to see a united Germany on his eastern borders. Bismarck understood that this problem could not be solved without war.

The Franco-Prussian War, which broke out in 1870, provoked by Bismarck and formally started by Napoleon III, ended in complete disaster both for France and for Napoleon himself, who was captured after the battle of Sedan. Not a single major European power stood up for France. This was the result of the preliminary diplomatic activities of Bismarck, who managed to achieve the neutrality of Russia and England. France had to give up Alsace and Lorraine and pay a large sum of reparations.

On January 18, 1871, Otto von Bismarck proclaimed the creation of the Second Reich (German Empire). In the hall of mirrors at Versailles, the Prussian King William I, who, thanks to Bismarck, became the German Emperor, wrote on the envelope the address “to the Chancellor of the German Empire,” thereby confirming Bismarck’s right to rule the empire that he created and which he proclaimed.

Assessing his role in the unification of the country, Bismarck said that he was always happy when he managed to get even one step closer to the unity of Germany in any way. The victorious wars and the formation of a unified empire reconciled Wilhelm and Bismarck with most of the opposition, which from that moment began to enthusiastically welcome the aggressive policy of the first chancellor.

“Iron Chancellor” - this is how Bismarck began to be called. He ruled the German Empire for almost 20 years. During this time, Bismarck carried out reforms of German law, management and finance systems, and educational reforms (it was the latter that led to conflict with the Roman Catholic Church). The struggle against the dominance of the Catholic Church (and German Catholics made up about a third of the country’s population and had an extremely negative attitude towards almost entirely Protestant Prussia) was called “Kulturkampf” (“struggle for culture”). During it, many bishops and priests were arrested, hundreds of dioceses were left without leaders. Church appointments now had to be coordinated with the state; clergy could not serve in the state apparatus.

At the same time, Bismarck passed social laws (on insurance of workers in case of illness and injury, on old-age and disability pensions), which laid the foundations for social insurance. At the same time, Bismarck opposed any legislation regulating the working conditions of workers.

In the field of foreign policy, Bismarck made every effort to maintain peace in Europe, but at the same time the German Empire had to remain one of the leaders in international politics.

Bismarck, strictly speaking, never rushed beyond the European continent. He once said that if Germany pursued colonies, it would become like a Polish nobleman who boasts of a sable coat without having a nightgown.

Bismarck skillfully maneuvered the European diplomatic theater. “Never fight on two fronts!” - he warned the German military and politicians. Bismarck managed to successfully achieve this goal until his resignation, but his cautious policy began to irritate the German elite. The new empire wanted to take part in the redivision of the world, for which it was ready to fight with everyone. The “Iron Chancellor” was beginning to interfere with the new generation of politicians who no longer dreamed of a united Germany, but of world domination.

The year 1888 went down in German history as the “year of the three emperors.” After the death of 90-year-old Wilhelm I and his son, Frederick III, who suffered from throat cancer, 29-year-old Wilhelm II, grandson of the first emperor of the Second Reich, ascended the throne.

The new Kaiser grew up an ardent admirer of the “Iron Chancellor,” but now the boastful Wilhelm II considered Bismarck’s policies too old-fashioned. Why stand aside while others share the world? Wilhelm considered himself a great geopolitician and statesman. At one of the banquets, he declared: “There is only one master in the country - that’s me, and I won’t tolerate another.”

In March 1890, 75-year-old Bismarck was sent into honorable retirement, and with him his policies went into retirement. Just a few months later, Bismarck's main nightmare came true - France and Russia entered into a military alliance, which England then joined.

Otto von Bismarck left Berlin, and crowds of people saw him off, recognizing his services to Germany - already during his lifetime he became the subject of worship and imitation.

Bismarck died on his Friedrichsruhe estate on July 30, 1898, before he could see Germany rushing at full speed towards a suicidal war. At that time, no one knew that Wilhelm II, having rejected all the advice and warnings of Bismarck, would drag Germany into the First World War, which would put an end to the empire created by the “Iron Chancellor.” The new Kaiser, who wanted to rule alone, only had 28 years to lose everything...

Otto von Bismarck is buried on his own estate. The inscription on the tombstone states that a devoted servant of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I rests here.

Monuments to Bismarck stand in all major cities of Germany; hundreds of streets and squares are named after him. He was called the “Iron Chancellor”, he was called Reichsmaher, but if this is translated into Russian, it will turn out - “ creator of the Reich" Sounds better - " empire creator" or " creator of the nation».

Quotes from Bismarck:

Even the most successful outcome of the war will never lead to the collapse of Russia, which rests on millions of Russian believers of the Greek faith. These latter, even if they are separated as a result of international treaties, will reconnect with each other as quickly as separated droplets of mercury find their way to each other.

The great questions of the time are decided not by speeches and resolutions of the majority, but by iron and blood!

Anyone who has ever looked into the glassy eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think twice before starting a war.

Don't expect that once you take advantage of Russia's weakness, you will receive dividends forever. Russians always come for their money. And when they come, do not rely on the Jesuit agreements you signed, which supposedly justify you. They are not worth the paper they are written on. Therefore, you should either play fairly with the Russians, or not play at all.

One and only one person must be responsible for every assigned task.

Politics is the science of the possible. Everything that lies beyond the bounds of the possible is pathetic literature for sad widows who have long lost hope of getting married...

The Russians cannot be defeated, we have been convinced of this for hundreds of years. But you can instill false values, and then they will defeat themselves!

Woe to the statesman who does not take the trouble to find a basis for war that will still retain its significance even after the war.

Even a victorious war is an evil that must be prevented by the wisdom of nations.

The press is not yet public opinion.

When the arguments run out, the guns start talking. Strength is the last argument of a stupid person.

The attitude of the state towards the teacher is a state policy that indicates either the strength of the state or its weakness.

The only healthy basis for a great state is state egoism, not romance, and it is unworthy of a great power to fight for a cause that does not concern its own interests.

The revolution is planned by romantics, carried out by fanatics, and scoundrels enjoy its fruits.

They never lie so much as during the war, after the hunt and before the elections.

Study as if you were to live forever; live as if you were going to die tomorrow.

With bad laws and good officials it is quite possible to rule the country.

Freedom is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

Life has taught me to forgive a lot, but even more to seek forgiveness.

Stupidity is a gift from God, but it should not be abused.

Otto von Bismarck, 1826

Otto von Bismarck was born on April 1, 1815 into a family of small landed nobles from the Brandenburg province of Prussia. The Bismarcks were junkers - descendants of conquering knights who founded German settlements east of the Vistula, where Slavic tribes had previously lived.

Otto, even while studying at school, showed interest in the history of world politics, military and peaceful cooperation of various countries. The boy was going to choose the diplomatic path, as his parents wanted.

However, in his youth, Otto was not distinguished by diligence and discipline, preferring to spend a lot of time having fun with friends. This was especially evident during his university years, when the future chancellor not only took part in merry parties, but also regularly fought duels. Bismarck had 27 of these, and only one of them ended in failure for Otto - he was wounded, the trace of which remained in the form of a scar on his cheek for the rest of his life.

"Mad Junker"

After university, Otto von Bismarck tried to get a job in the diplomatic service, but was refused - his “rubbish” reputation took its toll. As a result, Otto got a government job in the city of Aachen, which had recently been incorporated into Prussia, but after the death of his mother he was forced to take up the management of his own estates.

Here Bismarck, to the considerable surprise of those who knew him in his youth, showed prudence, showed excellent knowledge in economic matters and turned out to be a very successful and zealous owner.

But his youthful habits did not go away completely - the neighbors with whom he clashed gave Otto his first nickname “Mad Junker”.

The dream of a political career began to be realized in 1847, when Otto von Bismarck became a deputy of the United Landtag of the Kingdom of Prussia.

The middle of the 19th century was a time of revolutions in Europe. Liberals and socialists sought to expand the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.

Against this background, the appearance of a young politician, extremely conservative, but at the same time possessing undoubted oratorical skills, was a complete surprise.

The revolutionaries greeted Bismarck with hostility, but those around the Prussian king noted an interesting politician who could benefit the crown in the future.

Mr. Ambassador

When the revolutionary winds in Europe died down, Bismarck's dream finally came true - he found himself in the diplomatic service. The main goal of Prussian foreign policy, according to Bismarck, during this period should have been to strengthen the country’s position as a center for the unification of German lands and free cities. The main obstacle to the implementation of such plans was Austria, which also sought to take control of German lands.

That is why Bismarck believed that Prussia’s policy in Europe should be based on the need to help weaken the role of Austria through various alliances.

In 1857, Otto von Bismarck was appointed Prussian ambassador to Russia. The years of work in St. Petersburg greatly affected Bismarck's subsequent attitude towards Russia. He was closely acquainted with Vice-Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov, who highly appreciated Bismarck's diplomatic talents.

Unlike many foreign diplomats of the past and present working in Russia, Otto von Bismarck not only mastered the Russian language, but managed to understand the character and mentality of the people. It was from his time working in St. Petersburg that Bismarck’s famous warning would come out about the inadmissibility of a war with Russia for Germany, which would inevitably have disastrous consequences for the Germans themselves.

A new round of Otto von Bismarck’s career occurred after Wilhelm I ascended the Prussian throne in 1861.

The ensuing constitutional crisis, caused by disagreements between the king and the Landtag over the issue of expanding the military budget, forced William I to look for a figure capable of carrying out state policy with a “hard hand.”

Otto von Bismarck, who by that time held the post of Prussian ambassador to France, became such a figure.

Empire according to Bismarck

Bismarck's extremely conservative views made even Wilhelm I himself doubt such a choice. Nevertheless, on September 23, 1862, Otto von Bismarck was appointed head of the Prussian government.

In one of his first speeches, to the horror of liberals, Bismarck proclaimed the idea of unifying the lands around Prussia “with iron and blood.”

In 1864, Prussia and Austria became allies in a war with Denmark over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Success in this war greatly strengthened Prussia's position among the German states.

In 1866, the confrontation between Prussia and Austria for influence on the German states reached its climax and resulted in a war in which Italy took the side of Prussia.

The war ended with the crushing defeat of Austria, which finally lost its influence. As a result, in 1867, a federal entity, the North German Confederation, led by Prussia, was created.

The final completion of the unification of Germany was possible only with the annexation of the South German states, which France sharply opposed.

If Bismarck managed to resolve the issue diplomatically with Russia, concerned about the strengthening of Prussia, then the French Emperor Napoleon III was determined to stop the creation of a new empire by armed means.

The Franco-Prussian War, which broke out in 1870, ended in complete disaster both for France and for Napoleon III himself, who was captured after the battle of Sedan.

The last obstacle was removed, and on January 18, 1871, Otto von Bismarck proclaimed the creation of the Second Reich (German Empire), of which Wilhelm I became Kaiser.

January 1871 was Bismarck's main triumph.

The Prophet is not in his Fatherland...

His further activities were aimed at containing internal and external threats. By internal, the conservative Bismarck meant strengthening the position of the Social Democrats, by external - attempts at revenge on the part of France and Austria, as well as other European countries that had joined them, fearing the strengthening of the German Empire.

The foreign policy of the “Iron Chancellor” went down in history as the “Bismarck system of alliances.”

The main objective of the agreements was to prevent the creation in Europe of powerful anti-German alliances that would threaten the new empire with a war on two fronts.

Bismarck managed to successfully achieve this goal until his resignation, but his cautious policy began to irritate the German elite. The new empire wanted to take part in the redivision of the world, for which it was ready to fight with everyone.

Bismarck declared that as long as he was chancellor there would be no colonial policy in Germany. However, even before his resignation, the first German colonies appeared in Africa and the Pacific Ocean, which indicated the decline of Bismarck's influence in Germany.

The “Iron Chancellor” was beginning to interfere with the new generation of politicians who no longer dreamed of a united Germany, but of world domination.

At that time, no one knew that Wilhelm II, having rejected all the advice and warnings of Bismarck, would drag Germany into the First World War, which would put an end to the empire created by the “Iron Chancellor.”

In March 1890, 75-year-old Bismarck was sent into honorable retirement, and with him his policies went into retirement. Just a few months later, Bismarck’s main nightmare came true - France and Russia entered into a military alliance, which England then joined.

The “Iron Chancellor” passed away in 1898, without seeing Germany rushing at full speed towards a suicidal war. The name of Bismarck both during the First World War and at the beginning of the Second World War would be actively used in Germany for propaganda purposes.

But his warnings about the destructiveness of the war with Russia, about the nightmare of a “war on two fronts,” will remain unclaimed.

The Germans paid a very high price for such selective memory regarding Bismarck.

It is generally accepted that Bismarck's views as a diplomat were largely formed during his service in St. Petersburg under the influence of the Russian vice-chancellor Alexander Gorchakov. The future “Iron Chancellor” was not very happy with his appointment, taking it for exile.

Gorchakov prophesied a great future for Bismarck. Once, when he was already chancellor, he said, pointing to Bismarck: “Look at this man! Under Frederick the Great he could have become his minister.” In Russia, Bismarck studied the Russian language, spoke it very well and understood the essence of the characteristic Russian way of thinking, which greatly helped him in the future in choosing the right political line in relation to Russia.

Source: wikipedia.org

He took part in the Russian royal pastime - bear hunting, and even killed two bears, but stopped this activity, declaring that it was dishonorable to take a gun against unarmed animals. During one of these hunts, his legs were so severely frostbitten that there was a question of amputation.

Otto von Bismarck. Russian love

Twenty-two-year-old Ekaterina Orlova-Trubetskaya. (wikipedia.org)

At the French resort of Biarritz, Bismarck met the 22-year-old wife of the Russian Ambassador to Belgium, Ekaterina Orlova-Trubetskoy. A week in her company almost drove Bismarck crazy. Catherine's husband, Prince Orlov, could not take part in his wife's festivities and bathing, as he was wounded in the Crimean War. But Bismarck could. Once she and Catherine almost drowned. They were rescued by the lighthouse keeper. On this day, Bismarck would write to his wife: “After several hours of rest and writing letters to Paris and Berlin, I took a second sip of salt water, this time in the harbor when there were no waves. Swimming and diving a lot, dipping into the surf twice would be too much for one day.” This incident became, as it were, a divine hint so that the future chancellor would not cheat on his wife again. Soon there was no time left for betrayal - Bismarck would be swallowed up by politics.

Ems dispatch

In achieving his goals, Bismarck did not disdain anything, even falsification. In a tense situation, when the throne became vacant in Spain after the revolution in 1870, William I’s nephew Leopold began to lay claim to it. The Spaniards themselves called the Prussian prince to the throne, but France intervened in the matter, which could not allow such an important throne to be occupied by a Prussian. Bismarck made a lot of efforts to bring the matter to war. However, he was first convinced of Prussia’s readiness to enter the war.

Source: wikipedia.org

To push Napoleon III into conflict, Bismarck decided to use the dispatch sent from Ems to provoke France. He changed the text of the message, shortening it and giving it a harsher tone that was insulting to France. In the new text of the dispatch, falsified by Bismarck, the end was composed as follows: “His Majesty the King then refused to receive the French ambassador again and ordered the adjutant on duty to tell him that His Majesty had nothing more to say.” This text, offensive to France, was transmitted by Bismarck to the press and to all Prussian missions abroad and the next day became known in Paris. As Bismarck expected, Napoleon III immediately declared war on Prussia, which ended in the defeat of France.

Caricature from Punch magazine. Bismarck manipulates Russia, Austria and Germany. (wikipedia.org)

Bismarck, Russia and “nothing”

Bismarck continued to use Russian throughout his political career. Russian words slip into his letters every now and then. Having already become the head of the Prussian government, he even sometimes made resolutions on official documents in Russian: “Impossible” or “Caution.” But the Russian “nothing” became the favorite word of the “Iron Chancellor”. He admired its nuance and polysemy and often used it in private correspondence, for example: “Alles nothing.”

Resignation. The new Emperor Wilhelm II looks down from above. (wikipedia.org)

An incident helped Bismarck to understand this word. Bismarck hired a coachman, but doubted that his horses could go fast enough. "Nothing!" - answered the driver and rushed along the uneven road so briskly that Bismarck became worried: “You won’t throw me out?” "Nothing!" - answered the coachman. The sleigh overturned, and Bismarck flew into the snow, bleeding his face. In a rage, he swung a steel cane at the driver, and he grabbed a handful of snow with his hands to wipe Bismarck’s bloody face, and kept saying: “Nothing... nothing!” Subsequently, Bismarck ordered a ring from this cane with the inscription in Latin letters: “Nothing!” And he admitted that in difficult moments he felt relief, telling himself in Russian: “Nothing!”

200 years ago, on April 1, 1815, the first Chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, was born. This German statesman went down as the creator of the German Empire, the “Iron Chancellor” and the de facto leader of the foreign policy of one of the greatest European powers. Bismarck's policies made Germany the leading military-economic power in Western Europe.

Youth

Otto von Bismarck (Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen) was born on April 1, 1815 at Schönhausen Castle in the Brandenburg Province. Bismarck was the fourth child and second son of a retired captain of a small nobleman (they were called Junkers in Prussia) Ferdinand von Bismarck and his wife Wilhelmina, née Mencken. The Bismarck family belonged to the ancient nobility, descended from the knights who conquered the Slavic lands on Labe-Elbe. The Bismarcks traced their ancestry back to the reign of Charlemagne. The Schönhausen estate has been in the hands of the Bismarck family since 1562. True, the Bismarck family could not boast of great wealth and was not one of the largest landowners. The Bismarcks have long served the rulers of Brandenburg in peaceful and military fields.

From his father, Bismarck inherited toughness, determination and willpower. The Bismarck family was one of the three most self-confident families of Brandenburg (Schulenburg, Alvensleben and Bismarck), whom Frederick William I called “bad, disobedient people” in his “Political Testament”. My mother came from a family of government employees and belonged to the middle class. During this period in Germany there was a process of merging of the old aristocracy and the new middle class. From Wilhelmina, Bismarck received the liveliness of the mind of an educated bourgeois, a subtle and sensitive soul. This made Otto von Bismarck a very extraordinary person.

Otto von Bismarck spent his childhood on the family estate of Kniephof near Naugard, in Pomerania. Therefore, Bismarck loved nature and retained a sense of connection with it throughout his life. He received his education at the Plamann private school, the Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium and the Zum Grauen Kloster Gymnasium in Berlin. Bismarck graduated from his last school at the age of 17 in 1832, having passed the matriculation exam. During this period, Otto was most interested in history. In addition, he was fond of reading foreign literature and learned French well.

Otto then entered the University of Göttingen, where he studied law. Study attracted little attention from Otto at that time. He was a strong and energetic man, and gained fame as a reveler and fighter. Otto took part in duels, various pranks, visited pubs, chased women and played cards for money. In 1833, Otto moved to the New Metropolitan University in Berlin. During this period, Bismarck was mainly interested, apart from “pranks,” in international politics, and his area of interest went beyond the borders of Prussia and the German Confederation, within the framework of which the thinking of the overwhelming majority of young nobles and students of that time was limited. At the same time, Bismarck had high self-esteem; he saw himself as a great man. In 1834 he wrote to a friend: “I will become either the greatest scoundrel or the greatest reformer of Prussia.”

However, Bismarck's good abilities allowed him to successfully complete his studies. Before exams, he visited tutors. In 1835 he received a diploma and began working in the Berlin Municipal Court. In 1837-1838 served as an official in Aachen and Potsdam. However, he quickly became bored with being an official. Bismarck decided to leave public service, which went against the will of his parents, and was a consequence of his desire for complete independence. Bismarck was generally distinguished by his craving for complete freedom. The career of an official did not suit him. Otto said: “My pride requires me to command, and not to carry out other people’s orders.”

Bismarck, 1836

Bismarck the landowner

Since 1839, Bismarck has been developing his Kniephof estate. During this period, Bismarck, like his father, decided to “live and die in the countryside.” Bismarck studied accounting and agriculture on his own. He proved himself to be a skillful and practical landowner who knew well both the theory of agriculture and practice. The value of Pomeranian estates increased by more than a third during the nine years that Bismarck ruled them. At the same time, three years fell during the agricultural crisis.

However, Bismarck could not be a simple, albeit intelligent, landowner. There was a power hidden within him that did not allow him to live peacefully in the countryside. He still gambled, sometimes in an evening he lost everything that he had managed to accumulate over months of painstaking work. He campaigned with bad people, drank, and seduced the daughters of peasants. He was nicknamed “mad Bismarck” for his violent temper.

At the same time, Bismarck continued his self-education, read the works of Hegel, Kant, Spinoza, David Friedrich Strauss and Feuerbach, and studied English literature. Byron and Shakespeare fascinated Bismarck more than Goethe. Otto was very interested in English politics. Intellectually, Bismarck was an order of magnitude superior to all the Junker landowners around him. In addition, Bismarck, a landowner, participated in local government, was a deputy from the district, deputy landrat and a member of the Landtag of the province of Pomerania. He expanded the horizons of his knowledge through travel to England, France, Italy and Switzerland.

In 1843, a decisive turn took place in Bismarck's life. Bismarck made acquaintance with Pomeranian Lutherans and met the fiancée of his friend Moritz von Blankenburg, Maria von Thadden. The girl was seriously ill and dying. The personality of this girl, her Christian beliefs and fortitude during her illness struck Otto to the depths of his soul. He became a believer. This made him a staunch supporter of the king and Prussia. Serving the king meant serving God for him.

In addition, there was a radical turn in his personal life. At Maria's, Bismarck met Johanna von Puttkamer and asked for her hand in marriage. Marriage to Johanna soon became Bismarck's main support in life, until her death in 1894. The wedding took place in 1847. Johanna gave birth to Otto two sons and a daughter: Herbert, Wilhelm and Maria. A selfless wife and caring mother contributed to Bismarck's political career.

Bismarck and his wife

"Raging Deputy"

During the same period, Bismarck entered politics. In 1847 he was appointed representative of the Ostälb knighthood in the United Landtag. This event was the beginning of Otto's political career. His activities in the interregional body of class representation, which mainly controlled the financing of the construction of the Ostbahn (Berlin-Königsberg road), mainly consisted of delivering critical speeches directed against the liberals who were trying to form a real parliament. Among conservatives, Bismarck enjoyed a reputation as an active defender of their interests, who was able, without delving too deeply into substantive argumentation, to create “fireworks”, distract attention from the subject of the dispute and excite minds.

Opposing the liberals, Otto von Bismarck helped organize various political movements and newspapers, including the New Prussian Newspaper. Otto became a member of the lower house of the Prussian parliament in 1849 and the Erfurt parliament in 1850. Bismarck was then an opponent of the nationalist aspirations of the German bourgeoisie. Otto von Bismarck saw in the revolution only the “greed of the have-nots.” Bismarck considered his main task to be the need to point out the historical role of Prussia and the nobility as the main driving force of the monarchy, and the defense of the existing socio-political order. The political and social consequences of the 1848 revolution, which engulfed large parts of Western Europe, had a profound impact on Bismarck and strengthened his monarchical views. In March 1848, Bismarck even planned to march with his peasants on Berlin to end the revolution. Bismarck occupied ultra-right positions, being more radical even than the monarch.

During this revolutionary time, Bismarck acted as an ardent defender of the monarchy, Prussia and the Prussian Junkers. In 1850, Bismarck opposed a federation of German states (with or without the Austrian Empire), as he believed that this unification would only strengthen the revolutionary forces. After this, King Frederick William IV, on the recommendation of King Adjutant General Leopold von Gerlach (he was the leader of an ultra-right group surrounded by the monarch), appointed Bismarck as Prussia's envoy to the German Confederation, in the Bundestag meeting in Frankfurt. At the same time, Bismarck also remained a deputy of the Prussian Landtag. The Prussian conservative debated so fiercely with the liberals over the constitution that he even fought a duel with one of their leaders, Georg von Vincke.

Thus, at the age of 36, Bismarck took the most important diplomatic post that the Prussian king could offer. After a short stay in Frankfurt, Bismarck realized that further unification of Austria and Prussia within the framework of the German Confederation was no longer possible. The strategy of the Austrian Chancellor Metternich, trying to turn Prussia into a junior partner of the Habsburg Empire within the framework of “Middle Europe” led by Vienna, failed. The confrontation between Prussia and Austria in Germany during the revolution became obvious. At the same time, Bismarck began to come to the conclusion that war with the Austrian Empire was inevitable. Only war can decide the future of Germany.

During the Eastern Crisis, even before the start of the Crimean War, Bismarck, in a letter to Prime Minister Manteuffel, expressed concern that the policy of Prussia, which fluctuates between England and Russia, if deviated towards Austria, an ally of England, could lead to war with Russia. “I would be careful,” noted Otto von Bismarck, “to moor our elegant and durable frigate to an old, worm-eaten warship of Austria in search of protection from a storm.” He proposed to wisely use this crisis in the interests of Prussia, and not England and Austria.

After the end of the Eastern (Crimean) War, Bismarck noted the collapse of the alliance of the three eastern powers - Austria, Prussia and Russia, based on the principles of conservatism. Bismarck saw that the gap between Russia and Austria would last a long time and that Russia would seek an alliance with France. Prussia, in his opinion, had to avoid possible alliances opposing each other, and not allow Austria or England to involve it in an anti-Russian alliance. Bismarck increasingly took anti-British positions, expressing his distrust in the possibility of a productive union with England. Otto von Bismarck noted: “The security of England’s island location makes it easier for her to abandon her continental ally and allows her to abandon him to the mercy of fate, depending on the interests of English politics.” Austria, if it becomes an ally of Prussia, will try to solve its problems at the expense of Berlin. In addition, Germany remained an area of confrontation between Austria and Prussia. As Bismarck wrote: “According to the policy of Vienna, Germany is too small for the two of us... we both cultivate the same arable land...”. Bismarck confirmed his earlier conclusion that Prussia would have to fight against Austria.

As Bismarck improved his knowledge of diplomacy and the art of statecraft, he increasingly moved away from the ultra-conservatives. In 1855 and 1857 Bismarck made “reconnaissance” visits to the French Emperor Napoleon III and came to the conclusion that he was a less significant and dangerous politician than Prussian conservatives believed. Bismarck broke with Gerlach's entourage. As the future “Iron Chancellor” said: “We must operate with realities, not fictions.” Bismarck believed that Prussia needed a temporary alliance with France to neutralize Austria. According to Otto, Napoleon III de facto suppressed the revolution in France and became the legitimate ruler. Threatening other states with the help of revolution is now “England’s favorite pastime.”

As a result, Bismarck began to be accused of betraying the principles of conservatism and Bonapartism. Bismarck answered his enemies that “... my ideal politician is impartiality, independence in decision-making from sympathy or antipathy towards foreign states and their rulers.” Bismarck saw that stability in Europe was more threatened by England, with its parliamentarism and democratization, than by Bonapartism in France.

Political "study"

In 1858, the brother of King Frederick William IV, who suffered from a mental disorder, Prince Wilhelm, became regent. As a result, Berlin's political course changed. The period of reaction was over and Wilhelm proclaimed a "New Era", ostentatiously appointing a liberal government. Bismarck's ability to influence Prussian policy fell sharply. Bismarck was recalled from the Frankfurt post and, as he himself bitterly noted, sent “to the cold on the Neva.” Otto von Bismarck became envoy to St. Petersburg.

The St. Petersburg experience greatly helped Bismarck as the future Chancellor of Germany. Bismarck became close to the Russian Foreign Minister, Prince Gorchakov. Gorchakov would later assist Bismarck in isolating first Austria and then France, which would make Germany the leading power in Western Europe. In St. Petersburg, Bismarck will understand that Russia still occupies key positions in Europe, despite the defeat in the Eastern War. Bismarck studied well the alignment of political forces around the tsar and in the capital's "society", and realized that the situation in Europe gives Prussia an excellent chance, which comes very rarely. Prussia could unite Germany, becoming its political and military core.

Bismarck's activities in St. Petersburg were interrupted due to a serious illness. Bismarck was treated in Germany for about a year. He finally broke with the extreme conservatives. In 1861 and 1862 Bismarck was twice presented to Wilhelm as a candidate for the post of Foreign Minister. Bismarck outlined his view on the possibility of uniting a “non-Austrian Germany.” However, Wilhelm did not dare to appoint Bismarck as minister, since he made a demonic impression on him. As Bismarck himself wrote: “He considered me more fanatical than I really was.”

But at the insistence of War Minister von Roon, who patronized Bismarck, the king nevertheless decided to send Bismarck “to study” in Paris and London. In 1862, Bismarck was sent as envoy to Paris, but did not stay there long.

To be continued…

The collector of German lands, the “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck, was a great German politician and diplomat. The unification of Germany in 1871 was completed with his tears, sweat and blood.

In 1871, Otto von Bismarck became the first Chancellor of the German Empire. Under his leadership, Germany was unified through a “revolution from above.”

This was a man who loved to drink, eat well, fight duels in his spare time, and make a couple of good fights. For some time, the Iron Chancellor served as Prussia's ambassador to Russia. During this time, he fell in love with our country, but he really didn’t like expensive firewood, and in general he was a miser...

Here are Bismarck's most famous quotes about Russia:

The Russians take a long time to harness, but they travel quickly.

Don't expect that once you take advantage of Russia's weakness, you will receive dividends forever. Russians always come for their money. And when they come, do not rely on the Jesuit agreements you signed, which supposedly justify you. They are not worth the paper they are written on. Therefore, you should either play fairly with the Russians, or not play at all.

Even the most favorable outcome of the war will never lead to the disintegration of Russia's main strength. The Russians, even if they are dismembered by international treatises, will just as quickly reunite with each other, like particles of a cut piece of mercury. This is the indestructible state of the Russian nation, strong with its climate, its spaces and limited needs.

It is easier to defeat ten French armies, he said, than to understand the difference between perfect and imperfect verbs.

You should either play fairly with the Russians, or not play at all.

A preventive war against Russia is suicide due to fear of death.

Presumably: If you want to build socialism, choose a country that you don’t mind.

“The power of Russia can only be undermined by the separation of Ukraine from it... it is necessary not only to tear off, but also to contrast Ukraine with Russia. To do this, you just need to find and cultivate traitors among the elite and, with their help, change the self-awareness of one part of the great people to such an extent that they will hate everything Russian, hate their family, without realizing it. Everything else is a matter of time.”

Of course, the great Chancellor of Germany was not describing today, but it is difficult to deny his insight. The European Union must stand on the borders with Russia. By any means. This is an important part of the strategy. It is not for nothing that the United States was so sensitive to these desperate vacillations of the Ukrainian leadership. Brussels has entered into this, its first significant geopolitical battle.

Never plot anything against Russia, because it will respond to every cunning of yours with its unpredictable stupidity.

This interpretation, more expanded, is common in RuNet.

Never plot anything against Russia - they will find their own stupidity for any of our cunning.
The Slavs cannot be defeated, we have been convinced of this for hundreds of years.
This is the indestructible state of the Russian nation, strong with its climate, its spaces and limited needs.
Even the most favorable outcome of an open war will never lead to the disintegration of the main strength of Russia, which is based on millions of Russians themselves...

Reich Chancellor Prince von Bismarck to Ambassador in Vienna Prince Henry VII Reuss
Confidentially
No. 349 Confidential (secret) Berlin 05/03/1888

After the arrival of the expected report No. 217 of the 28th of last month, Count Kalnoki has a tinge of doubt that the officers of the General Staff, who assumed the outbreak of war in the fall, may still be wrong.
One could argue on this topic if such a war would possibly lead to such consequences that Russia, in the words of Count Kalnoki, “will be defeated.” However, such a development of events, even with brilliant victories, is unlikely.
Even the most successful outcome of the war will never lead to the collapse of Russia, which rests on millions of Russian believers of the Greek faith.
These latter, even if they are subsequently corroded by international treaties, will reconnect with each other as quickly as separated droplets of mercury find their way to each other.
This is the indestructible State of the Russian nation, strong in its climate, its spaces and its unpretentiousness, as well as through the awareness of the need to constantly protect its borders. This State, even after complete defeat, will remain our creation, an enemy seeking revenge, as we have in the case of France today in the West. This would create a situation of constant tension for the future, which we would be forced to take upon ourselves if Russia decides to attack us or Austria. But I am not ready to take on this responsibility and be the initiator of creating such a situation ourselves.
We already have a failed example of the “Destruction” of a nation by three strong opponents, a much weaker Poland. This destruction failed for a full 100 years.
The vitality of the Russian nation will be no less; we will, in my opinion, have greater success if we simply treat them as an existing, constant danger against which we can create and maintain protective barriers. But we will never be able to eliminate the very existence of this danger.
By attacking today's Russia, we will only strengthen its desire for unity; waiting for Russia to attack us can lead to the fact that we will wait for its internal disintegration before it attacks us, and moreover, we can wait for this, the less we stop it from sliding into a dead end through threats.
f. Bismarck.

All the activities of the outstanding German politician, the “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck, were closely connected with Russia.

A book was published in Germany “Bismarck. Magician of Power”, Propylaea, Berlin 2013 under authorship Bismarck biographer Jonathan Steinberg.

The popular science 750-page tome entered the list of German bestsellers. There is enormous interest in Otto von Bismarck in Germany. Bismarck stayed in Russia as the Prussian envoy for almost three years, and his diplomatic activities were closely connected with Russia all his life. His statements about Russia are widely known - not always unambiguous, but most often benevolent.

In January 1859, the king's brother Wilhelm, who was then regent, sent Bismarck as envoy to St. Petersburg. For other Prussian diplomats this appointment would have been a promotion, but Bismarck took it as an exile. The priorities of Prussian foreign policy did not coincide with Bismarck’s beliefs, and he was removed from the court further, sending him to Russia. Bismarck had the diplomatic qualities necessary for this post. He had natural intelligence and political insight.

In Russia they treated him favorably. Since during the Crimean War, Bismarck opposed Austrian attempts to mobilize German armies for war with Russia and became the main supporter of an alliance with Russia and France, who had recently fought with each other. The alliance was directed against Austria.

In addition, he was favored by the Empress Dowager, née Princess Charlotte of Prussia. Bismarck was the only foreign diplomat who communicated closely with the royal family.

Another reason for his popularity and success: Bismarck spoke Russian well. He began to learn the language as soon as he learned about his new assignment. At first I studied on my own, and then I hired a tutor, law student Vladimir Alekseev. And Alekseev left his memories of Bismarck.

Bismarck had a fantastic memory. After just four months of studying Russian, Otto von Bismarck could already communicate in Russian. Bismarck initially hid his knowledge of the Russian language and this gave him an advantage. But one day the tsar was talking with Foreign Minister Gorchakov and caught Bismarck’s eye. Alexander II asked Bismarck head-on: “Do you understand Russian?” Bismarck confessed, and the Tsar was amazed at how quickly Bismarck mastered the Russian language and gave him a bunch of compliments.

Bismarck became close to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince A.M. Gorchakov, who assisted Bismarck in his efforts aimed at diplomatic isolation of first Austria and then France.

It is believed that Bismarck’s communication with Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov, an outstanding statesman and Chancellor of the Russian Empire, played a decisive role in the formation of Bismarck’s future policy.

Gorchakov predicted a great future for Bismarck. Once, when he was already chancellor, he said, pointing to Bismarck: “Look at this man! Under Frederick the Great he could have become his minister.” Bismarck studied the Russian language well and spoke very decently, and understood the essence of the characteristic Russian way of thinking, which greatly helped him in the future in choosing the right political line in relation to Russia.

However, the author believes that Gorchakov’s diplomatic style was alien to Bismarck, who had the main goal of creating a strong, united Germany. TO when the interests of Prussia diverged from the interests of Russia, Bismarck confidently defended Prussia's positions. After the Berlin Congress, Bismarck broke up with Gorchakov.Bismarck more than once inflicted sensitive defeats on Gorchakov in the diplomatic arena, in particular at the Berlin Congress of 1878. And more than once he spoke negatively and disparagingly about Gorchakov.He had much more respect forGeneral of the Cavalry and Russian Ambassador to Great BritainPyotr Andreevich Shuvalov,

Bismarck wanted to be aware of both the political and social life of Russia, so I read Russian bestsellers, including Turgenev’s novel “The Noble Nest” and Herzen’s “The Bell,” which was banned in Russia.Thus, Bismarck not only learned the language, but also became familiar with the cultural and political context of Russian society, which gave him undeniable advantages in his diplomatic career.

He took part in the Russian royal sport - bear hunting, and even killed two, but stopped this activity, declaring that it was dishonorable to take a gun against unarmed animals. During one of these hunts, his legs were so severely frostbitten that there was a question of amputation.

Stately, representative,two meters tall andwith a bushy mustache, a 44-year-old Prussian diplomatenjoyed great success with“very beautiful” Russian ladies.Social life did not satisfy him; the ambitious Bismarck missed big politics.

However, only one week in the company of Katerina Orlova-Trubetskoy was enough for Bismarck to be captured by the charms of this young attractive 22-year-old woman.

In January 1861, King Frederick William IV died and was replaced by former regent William I, after which Bismarck was transferred as ambassador to Paris.

The affair with Princess Ekaterina Orlova continued after his departure from Russia, when Orlova’s wife was appointed Russian envoy to Belgium. But in 1862, at the resort of Biarritz, a turning point occurred in their whirlwind romance. Katerina’s husband, Prince Orlov, was seriously wounded in the Crimean War and did not take part in his wife’s fun festivities and bathing. But Bismarck accepted. She and Katerina almost drowned. They were rescued by the lighthouse keeper. On this day, Bismarck would write to his wife: “After several hours of rest and writing letters to Paris and Berlin, I took a second sip of salt water, this time in the harbor when there were no waves. A lot of swimming and diving, dipping into the surf twice would be too much for one day.” Bismarck accepted I took this as a sign from above and did not cheat on my wife again. Moreover, King William I appointed him Prime Minister of Prussia, and Bismarck devoted himself entirely to “big politics” and the creation of a unified German state.

Bismarck continued to use Russian throughout his political career. Russian words regularly slip into his letters. Having already become the head of the Prussian government, he even sometimes made resolutions on official documents in Russian: “Impossible” or “Caution.” But the Russian “nothing” became the favorite word of the “Iron Chancellor”. He admired its nuance and polysemy and often used it in private correspondence, for example: “Alles nothing.”

One incident helped him penetrate into the secret of the Russian “nothing.” Bismarck hired a coachman, but doubted that his horses could go fast enough. "Nothing!" - answered the driver and rushed along the uneven road so briskly that Bismarck became worried: “You won’t throw me out?” "Nothing!" - answered the coachman. The sleigh overturned, and Bismarck flew into the snow, bleeding his face. In a rage, he swung a steel cane at the driver, and he grabbed a handful of snow with his hands to wipe Bismarck’s bloody face, and kept saying: “Nothing... nothing!” Subsequently, Bismarck ordered a ring from this cane with the inscription in Latin letters: “Nothing!” And he admitted that in difficult moments he felt relief, telling himself in Russian: “Nothing!” When the “Iron Chancellor” was reproached for being too soft towards Russia, he replied:

In Germany, I’m the only one who says “nothing!”, but in Russia – the whole people!

Bismarck always spoke with admiration about the beauty of the Russian language and knowledgeably about its difficult grammar. “It is easier to defeat ten French armies,” he said, “than to understand the difference between perfect and imperfect verbs.” And he was probably right.

The “Iron Chancellor” was firmly convinced that a war with Russia could be extremely dangerous for Germany. The existence of a secret treaty with Russia in 1887—the “reinsurance treaty”—shows that Bismarck was not above acting behind the backs of his own allies, Italy and Austria, in order to maintain the status quo in both the Balkans and the Middle East.

Rivalry between Austria and Russia in the Balkans meant that Russia needed support from Germany. Russia needed to avoid aggravating the international situation and was forced to lose some of the benefits of its victory in the Russian-Turkish war. Bismarck presided over the Berlin Congress devoted to this issue. The Congress turned out to be surprisingly effective, although Bismarck had to constantly maneuver between representatives of all the great powers. On July 13, 1878, Bismarck signed the Treaty of Berlin with representatives of the great powers, which established new borders in Europe. Then many of the territories transferred to Russia were returned to Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina were transferred to Austria, and the Turkish Sultan, filled with gratitude, gave Cyprus to Britain.

After this, a sharp pan-Slavist campaign against Germany began in the Russian press. The coalition nightmare arose again. On the verge of panic, Bismarck invited Austria to conclude a customs agreement, and when she refused, even a mutual non-aggression treaty. Emperor Wilhelm I was frightened by the end of the previous pro-Russian orientation of German foreign policy and warned Bismarck that things were moving toward an alliance between Tsarist Russia and France, which had become a republic again. At the same time, he pointed out the unreliability of Austria as an ally, which could not deal with its internal problems, as well as the uncertainty of Britain’s position.

Bismarck tried to justify his line by pointing out that his initiatives were taken in the interests of Russia. On October 7, 1879, he concluded a “Mutual Treaty” with Austria, which pushed Russia into an alliance with France. This was Bismarck's fatal mistake, destroying the close relations between Russia and Germany. A tough tariff struggle began between Russia and Germany. From that time on, the General Staffs of both countries began to develop plans for a preventive war against each other.

P.S. Bismarck's legacy.

Bismarck bequeathed to his descendants never to directly fight with Russia, since he knew Russia very well. The only way to weaken Russia according to Chancellor Bismarck is to drive a wedge between a single people, and then pit one half of the people against the other. For this it was necessary to carry out Ukrainization.

And so Bismarck’s ideas about the dismemberment of the Russian people, thanks to the efforts of our enemies, came true. Ukraine has been separated from Russia for 23 years. The time has come for Russia to return Russian lands. Ukraine will only have Galicia, which Russia lost in the 14th century and it has already been under anyone, and since then has never been free.That’s why Bendera’s people are so angry with the whole world. It's in their blood.

To successfully implement Bismarck's ideas, the Ukrainian people were invented. And in modern Ukraine, a legend about a certain mysterious people is being circulated - ukrah, who supposedly flew from Venus and are therefore an exceptional people. TO of course, none ukrov and Ukrainians in ancient times It never happened. Not a single excavation confirms this.

It is our enemies who are implementing the idea of the iron chancellor Bismarck to dismember Russia. Since the beginning of this process, the Russian people have already endured six different waves Ukrainization:

from the end of the 19th century until the Revolution - in the occupied Austrians of Galicia;
after the Revolution of 17 - during the “banana” regimes;
in the 20s - the bloodiest wave of Ukrainization, carried out by Lazar Kaganovich and others. (In the Ukrainian SSR in the 1920s - 1930s, the widespread introduction of the Ukrainian language and culture. Ukrainization in those years can be considered as an integral element of the all-Union campaign indigenization.)
during the Nazi occupation of 1941-1943;
during the time of Khrushchev;
after the rejection of Ukraine in 1991 - permanent Ukrainization, especially aggravated after the usurpation of power by Orangeade. The process of Ukrainization is generously financed and supported by the West and the United States.

Term Ukrainization is now used in relation to state policy in independent Ukraine (after 1991), aimed at the development of the Ukrainian language, culture and its implementation in all areas at the expense of the Russian language.

It should not be understood that Ukrainization was carried out periodically. No. Since the beginning of the 20s, it has been and is ongoing continuously; the list reflects only its key points.