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Quotes of the Day for 1 April 2005 - Bismarck

Otto Edward Leopold von Bismarck was born at Schönhausen, Prussia on this day in 1815 into the aristocratic class known as Junker. He studied law at Hanover at the University of Göttingen where he excelled only at beer drinking and dueling, then transferred to the University of Berlin. He briefly pursued both military and diplomatic careers but bridled at authority and soon was back on the family estate reading. He entered politics in 1847 and his extremely conservative positions alienated many but his support of the king earned him a seat in the Diet, the parliament of the German federation. By his political understanding and ability to manipulate King (later Kaiser) Wilhelm, he drove Austria out of the federation and created the German nation out of Prussia and 17 smaller kingdoms, earning him the sobriquet Founder of Germany. He developed the single currency, a single legal code, and the first social security programs.

To retain respect for sausages and laws, one must not watch them in the making.

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.

When you say you agree to a thing in principle you mean that you have not the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice.

When you want to fool the world, tell the truth.

There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children, and the United States of America.

I have seen three emperors in their nakedness, and the sight was not inspiring.
     - All from Otto von Bismarck, 1815 - 1898

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