Otto von Bismarck is without a shadow of a doubt the most influential politician of the 19th century. The "Iron Chancellor" of Prussia unified Germany, transforming a conglomerate of small provincial kingdoms and principalities into a powerful empire. He started and won wars. He reshaped Europe almost as radically as Napoleon - and easily imposed his will on Emperor William I. Many contemporaries considered him a genius and a great man, and many considered him a dictator and despot. But who was he really? Jonathan Steinberg, in his stunning study, created primarily on the basis of letters and diaries of both Bismarck's relatives, friends and allies, and his enemies and ill-wishers, demonstrates to the reader the psychological complexity and inconsistency of this extraordinary man and tries to unravel the mystery almost magical power of the “iron chancellor” over people and events... Translation: I. Lobanov