In a hundred years the memory of Prince Bismarck will take a place in the minds of our people next to that occupied by the Wittenberg doctor. The liberator of our political life from dependence upon foreigners will stand by the side of the reformer who freed our consciences from the oppression of Rome—the founder of the German State by the side of him who created German Christianity. Our Chancellor already holds this place in the hearts of many of his countrymen; his portrait adorns their walls, and they inspire the growing generation with the reverence which they themselves feel. These will be followed by the masses, and therefore I imagine I may safely take the risk of being told that I have preserved, not only the pearls, but also the shells in which they were found.
Many of the Chancellor’s expressions respecting the French may be regarded as unfair and even occasionally inhuman. It must not be forgotten, however, that ordinary warfare is calculated to harden the feelings, and that Gambetta’s suicidal campaign, conducted with all the passionate ardour of his nature, the treacherous tactics of his franctireurs, and the bestiality of his Turcos, was bound to raise a spirit in our camp in which leniency and consideration could have no part. Of course, in reproducing and in adding other and still more bitter instances of this feeling, now that all these things have long ago passed away, there can be no intention to hurt any one’s feelings. They are merely vivid contributions to the history of the campaign, denoting the momentary temper of the Chancellor, who was at that time sorely tried and deeply wounded by these and other incidents.
I trust my reasons for including a number of newspaper articles will commend themselves to the reader I do so in the first place to show the gradual development and change which certain political ideas underwent, and the forms which they assumed at various times. Furthermore the greater part of them were directly inspired by Prince Bismarck, and some were even dictated by him. By mentioning the latter articles I hope to do the newspapers in question a pleasure in so far as they will now learn that they once had the honour of having the most eminent statesman of the century as a contributor. All these articles furnish material for forming an opinion upon the journalistic activity of the Prince, which hitherto only Wagener of the Kreuzzeitung, Zitelmann, the Prince’s amanuensis during the years he spent as Ambassador at Frankfurt, and Lothar Bucher were in a position to do. On the 22nd of January, 1871, the Chancellor himself remarked, referring to the importance of the press for historians: “One learns more from the newspapers than from official despatches, as, of course, Governments use the press in order frequently to say more clearly what they really mean. One must, however, know all about the connections of the different papers.” This knowledge will in great part be found in the present work.
The reason for reproducing certain portions of my previous writings in this book is that they are essential for the purpose of completing the character portrait given in the diary. Without them it would be deficient in some parts, and unintelligible in others. The reproductions referred to are in almost every instance considerably altered and supplemented with additional matter, and they now occupy a more suitable position in the work than before.
MORITZ BUSCH.
Leipzig, July 30, 1898.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I | PAGE |
|---|---|
| MY APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICIAL IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE, AND MY FIRST AUDIENCE WITH BISMARCK—WORK AND OBSERVATIONS UP TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR WITH FRANCE | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| DEPARTURE OF THE CHANCELLOR FOR THE SEAT OF WAR—I FOLLOW HIM, AT FIRST TO SAARBRÜCKEN—JOURNEY FROM THERE TO THE FRENCH FRONTIER—THE FOREIGN OFFICE FLYING COLUMN | [64] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| FROM THE FRONTIER TO GRAVELOTTE | [76] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| COMMERCY—BAR LE DUC—CLERMONT EN ARGONNE | [103] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| WE TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH—THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CONFEDERATION AT REZONVILLE—THE BATTLE AND BATTLEFIELD OF BEAUMONT | [126] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| SEDAN—BISMARCK AND NAPOLEON AT DONCHERY | [141] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| FROM THE MEUSE TO THE MARNE | [163] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| BISMARCK AND FAVRE AT HAUTE-MAISON—A FORTNIGHT IN ROTHSCHILD’S CHÂTEAU | [191] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| THE JOURNEY TO VERSAILLES—MADAME JESSE’S HOUSE, AND OUR LIFE THERE | [227] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| AUTUMN DAYS AT VERSAILLES | [235] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| THIERS AND THE FIRST NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN ARMISTICE AT VERSAILLES | [274] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| GROWING DESIRE FOR A DECISION IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS | [310] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| REMOVAL OF THE ANXIETY RESPECTING THE BAVARIAN TREATY IN THE REICHSTAG—THE BOMBARDMENT FURTHER POSTPONED | [330] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| THE PROSPECTS OUTSIDE PARIS IMPROVE | [373] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| CHAUDORDY AND THE TRUTH—OFFICERS OF BAD FAITH—FRENCH GARBLING—THE CROWN PRINCE DINES WITH THE CHIEF | [392] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| FIRST WEEK OF THE BOMBARDMENT | [427] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| LAST WEEKS BEFORE THE CAPITULATION OF PARIS | [460] |
| CHAPTER XVIII | |
| DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS RESPECTING THE CAPITULATION OF PARIS | [492] |
| CHAPTER XIX | |
| FROM GAMBETTA’S RESIGNATION TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRELIMINARIES OF PEACE | [553] |
BISMARCK
SOME SECRET PAGES OF HIS HISTORY