AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE
Reading edition
BY
JAMES WYCLIFFE HEADLAM
COPYRIGHT, 1899
PREFACE.
The greater portion of the following pages were completed before the death of Prince Bismarck; I take this opportunity of apologising to the publishers and the editor of the series, for the unavoidable delay which has caused publication to be postponed for a year.
During this period, two works have appeared to which some reference is necessary. The value of Busch's Memoirs has been much exaggerated; except for quite the last years of Bismarck's life they contain little new information which is of any importance. Not only had a large portion of the book already been published in Busch's two earlier books, but many of the anecdotes and documents in those parts which were new had also been published elsewhere.
Bismarck's own Memoirs have a very different value: not so much because of the new facts which they record, but because of the light they throw on Bismarck's character and on the attitude he adopted towards men and political problems. With his letters and speeches, they will always remain the chief source for our knowledge of his inner life.
The other authorities are so numerous that it is impossible here to enumerate even the more important. I must, however, express the gratitude which all students of Bismarck's career owe to Horst Kohl; in his Bismarck-Regesten he has collected and arranged the material so as infinitely to lighten the labours of all others who work in the same field. His Bismarck-Jahrbuch is equally indispensable; without this it would be impossible for anyone living in England to use the innumerable letters, documents, and anecdotes which each year appear in German periodicals. Of collections of documents and letters, the most important are those by Herr v. Poschinger, especially the volumes containing the despatches written from Frankfort and those dealing with Bismarck's economic and financial policy. A full collection of Bismarck's correspondence is much wanted; there is now a good edition of the private letters, edited by Kohl, but no satisfactory collection of the political letters.
For diplomatic history between 1860 and 1870, I have, of course, chiefly depended on Sybel; but those who are acquainted with the recent course of criticism in Germany will not be surprised if, while accepting his facts, I have sometimes ventured to differ from his conclusions.
J.W.H.
September, 1899.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE.
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
FOOTNOTES:
INDEX
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
BIRTH AND PARENTAGE........................1
CHAPTER II.
EARLY LIFE, 1821-1847.....................14
CHAPTER III.
THE REVOLUTION,
1847-1852.................................34
CHAPTER IV.
THE GERMAN PROBLEM
1849-1852.................................70
CHAPTER V.
FRANKFORT, 1851-1857......................86
CHAPTER VI.
ST. PETERSBURG AND
PARIS, 1858-1862.........................127
CHAPTER VII.
THE CONFLICT, 1862-1863..................162
CHAPTER VIII.
SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN,
1863-1864................................192
CHAPTER IX.
THE TREATY OF GASTEIN,
1864-1865................... ............226
CHAPTER X.
OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH
AUSTRIA, 1865-1866.......................240
CHAPTER XI.
THE CONQUEST OF GERMANY,
1866................................. ...259
CHAPTER XII.
THE FORMATION OF THE NORTH
GERMAN CONFEDERATION,
1866-1867................................291
CHAPTER XIII.
THE OUTBREAK OF WAR WITH
FRANCE, 1867-1870........................315
CHAPTER XIV.
THE WAR WITH FRANCE AND
THE FOUNDATION OF THE EMPIRE,
1870-1871................................346
CHAPTER XV.
THE NEW EMPIRE, 1871-1878................377
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE AND
ECONOMIC REFORM, 1878-1887 ..............405
CHAPTER XVII.
RETIREMENT AND DEATH, 1887-1898..........440
INDEX....................................465
ILLUSTRATIONS.
BISMARCK Frontispiece
[From a painting by F. Von Lenbach.]
BISMARCK'S COAT OF ARMS.....................2
SCHÖNHAUSEN CHURCH—INTERIOR......6
LUISE WILHELMINE VON BISMARCK..............10
Bismarck's Mother.
KARL WILHELM FERD. VON BISMARCK............12
Bismarck's Father.
BISMARCK IN 1834...........................18
SCHÖNHAUSEN CASTLE....................26
BISMARCK IN 1848...........................66
PRINCESS BISMARCK..........................88
BISMARCK IN 1860..........................130
GENERAL VON ROON..........................140
EMPEROR WILLIAM I.........................162
EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH....................194
BISMARCK..................................214
[From a painting by F. Von Lenbach.]
GENERAL VON MOLTKE........................248
THE CAPITULATION OF SEDAN.................250
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]
BISMARCK AND HIS DOGS.....................288
NAPOLEON III. AND BISMARCK
ON THE MORNING AFTER THE BATTLE OF SEDAN..352
[From a painting by Wilhelm Camphausen.]
KING WILLIAM OF PRUSSIA PROCLAIMED
EMPEROR OF GERMANY,
VERSAILLES, JANUARY 18, 1871..............370
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]
LOUIS ADOLPHE THIERS......................372
OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF BISMARCK IN BERLIN..388
THE CONGRESS OF BERLIN, 1878..............406
[From a painting by Anton Von Werner.]
FRIEDRICHSRUHE............................430
[From a photograph by Strumper & Co., Hamburg.]
EMPEROR FREDERICK.........................446
SARCOPHAGUS OF EMPEROR WILLIAM I.,
CHARLOTTENBURG............................454
SCHUECKENBERGE............................462
[Where Bismarck's Mausoleum will be erected.]
MAP OF GERMANY SHOWING
CHANGES MADE IN 1860.............................464