Bismarck: A Political History

Routledge Historical Biographies

by Edgar Feuchtwanger

Arguably one of the most important figures in nineteenth-century European history, Otto von Bismarck is well known for being the architect of the German Empire and for his fiery speechs. In addition, this dynamic statesman is also credited with developing for Germany a common currency and central bank, a single code of commercial and civil law and introducing the world's first modern welfare scheme to provide benefits to the sick, accident victims and the elderly.

This new biography, brings Bismarck alive as a person, as well as analyzing his significance as a historical figure. It traces his development from a typical junker, a reactionary and conservative, into the so-called white revolutionary who recast European affairs more drastically than anyone since Napoleon. A political genius, Bismarck had a wonderful command of language, which might have made him a literary figure of distinction. But most of the time the more poetic side of his personality was overshadowed by his brutal will to power, modified only by his legendary ability to calculate political risks and make alliances. This book will leave the reader with a strongly etched portrait of one of the significant characters of the modern age.

Genres: History, Biography, Politics, Germany

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2002

About the author

Edgar Joseph Feuchtwanger is a German-British historian. born in Germany, as a boy Feuchtwanger escaped with his family to Britain prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. From 1944 to 1947, Edgar studied at Magdalene College in Cambridge, where he received his doctorate in 1958. From 1959, he taught history at University of Southampton, until he retired in 1989.

Reviews

[Kersplebedeb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This may be a great book, if the reader already knows a lot about Bismarck and 19th century Germany. However, as i picked it up hoping to learn about both -- and also hoping for an enjoyable read -- i was really disappointed. The author glides over events and details, mentioning things in a very quick and cursory manner, and then moves on. It is not so much a "political history" in the sense of a history of Bismarck's life in its political context, and looking at his political impact, as it is an overview of the issues and events that Bismarck was involved in politically, giving just enough background information to let the reader know what s/he is reading about, but if you don't have any background knowledge about the significance of these events ... well, you'll be hard pressed to get it here

i mean, reading the book, i did get a clear sense of what kind of person Bismarck was in his professional life -- a master-manipulator, a brilliant orator, a vindictive and spiteful opponent -- but really i also knew that just from the introduction, where the author seems to have tried to balance the exclusive focus on Bismarck's career in later chapters with a bunch of psychological theories about the man. But even that is bizarre -- like the claim that he was driven in life by hatred of his mother, made in the introduction ... and then in the entire book i don't think his mother appears even once! This is typical.

i would recommend this book for people who already have read a good biography of the Iron Chancellor, and are already familiar with the story of 19th century Europe and Germany's formation and place in it. With all of that background, i imagine this book would serve as a useful summary and reference guide as to the former's place within the latter. But for everyone else, i would suggest looking elsewhere first...

[Mark Singer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "great man" theory of history is widely discredited these days, but if there was any one person of whom it could be said "drove" European events in the mid to late 19th century, then it would be Otto von Bismarck. Edgar Feuchtwanger has managed to write a brief yet thorough biography of the "Iron Chancellor" of Prussia and the Second German Empire, and there is just enough detail to inform the reader without being overwhelming. This was a required text for a recently completed course on 19th century European diplomatic history, and I would recommend this book to anyone interested in that subject, German history and diplomacy in general.

[Abdul-Latif Halimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive history of Bismarck's life, which is generally well-written and is broken down into distinct phases of his life that are easy to follow.

Despite that, it is not an easy book to read if you have little background knowledge of 19th century European politics and the political map of the time. So will require more time to get through than the book's length would suggest, and would also recommend looking up personalities and German terminology in the text that might not be familiar to the reader.

Overall, enjoyed it and would be interested in seeing what similar books are offered in this Routledge series.