Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Birthday of Prince Bismarck

It was on this day in 1815 that Prince Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the unification of Germany under Prussia was born. In recognition of that, we have a list of some of the more memorable phrases of the "Iron Chancellor":

Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them being made.

Preventative war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.

Universal suffrage is like the government of a house by its nursery.

I have seen three kaisers in their nakedness and the sight was not inspiring.

With a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and when I have to do with a pirate I try to be a pirate and a half.

Your map of Africa is really quite nice. But my map of Africa lies in Europe. Here is Russia, and here... is France, and we're in the middle — that's my map of Africa.

He who has his thumb on the purse has the power.

Let us lift Germany, so to speak, into the saddle. It will certainly be able to ride.

Politics is not an exact science, it is the art of the impossible.

A conquering army on the border will not be stopped by eloquence.

Not by speeches and votes of the majority, are the great questions of the time decided — that was the error of 1848 and 1849 — but by iron and blood.

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