Famous Quotes by Otto von Bismarck
On Germany and Unification
1. 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.
2. Let us lift Germany, so to speak, into the saddle. It will certainly be able to ride.
3. An appeal to fear never finds an echo in German hearts.
On Foreign Policy
4. So clobbeth the Poles so that they despair; they have my deepest sympathy for their situation, but, if we want to exist, we have no choice but to wipe them out ('ausrotten'); the wolf cannot help it that he was created by God the way he is, but one shoots him yet, if one can.
5. I must protest that I would never seek foreign conflicts just to get over domestic difficulties; that would be frivolous. I was speaking of conflicts that we could not avoid, even though we do not seek them.
6. A conquering army on the border will not be stopped by eloquence.
7. 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. (Hint: This one deals with European colonies)
8. God has a special providence for fools, drunks, and the United States of America.
On Politics
9. He who has his thumb on the purse has the power.
10. With bad laws and good civil servants it's still possible to govern. But with bad civil servants even the best laws can't help.
11. A government must not waiver once it has chosen it's course. It must not look to the left or right but go forward.
12. I have seen three emperors in their nakedness, and the sight was not inspiring.
13. Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.