BISMARCK-SCH6ENHAUSEN 



753 



BISMUTH 



plished. He foresaw, too, that a war with 

 France must come sooner or later, for Na- 

 poleon III, emperor of the French, fearful of 

 losing his leadership in European affairs, was 

 jealously watching every move in the great 



BISMARCK MEMORIAL IN HAMBURG 

 This is one of the most massive and most im- 

 pressive monuments on the continent of Europe. 



historic drama across the Rhine, and was 

 openly opposed to the unification of the Ger- 

 man states. 



In 1869 France and Prussia became involved 

 in a dispute over the succession to the throne 

 of Spain, and in 1870 they began war. The 

 states north and south of the Main joined 

 together under the standard of William I, and 

 in the triumph of the German arms in that 

 war Bismarck saw at last the realization of 

 the greatest dream of his life. 



The Iron Chancellor of the Empire. Just as 

 Bismarck's personality had dominated affairs 

 throughout the preceding period, so his was 

 the guiding hand in the organization of the 

 Empire, of which he became first chancellor, 

 with the title of prince. In this office he 

 revealed the same strength of will and purpose 

 that had characterized him as Prime Minister, 

 fittingly expressed in the title that historians 

 give him "The Iron Chancellor." 



His genius was conspicuous in home and 



foreign affairs. He originated those measures 



in behalf of the working classes that are the 



foundation of modern state socialism in Ger- 



48 



many, the system known as paternalism. He 

 inaugurated Germany's colonial policy and did 

 much to extend his country's trade throughout 

 the world; the conference which met at Berlin 

 in 1884 to arrange for the recognition of the 

 Congo Free State in Africa was suggested by 

 him. His one great mistake was his opposition 

 to the Catholic party in Germany, for in this 

 he took an extreme position from which he 

 had to recede. 



In foreign relations his policy was one of 

 peace. He kept Germany from becoming in- 

 volved in the troublesome Eastern Question, 

 and endeavored to promote its security by 

 forming the Triple Alliance, which guaranteed 

 him the support of Austria and Italy in case of 

 aggression on the part of Russia or France. 

 The Triple Alliance remained in force until 

 the great conflict that set all Europe aflame 

 in 1914, for in the War of the Nations Italy 

 joined the allies and fought against Germany 

 and Austria. 



Bismarck remained at the head of affairs 

 throughout the reign of William I and during 

 the short period when Emperor Frederick III 

 ruled. In 1888 William II came to the throne, 

 a ruler possessed of as dominating a per- 

 sonality as" Bismarck himself. Numerous dis- 

 agreements followed, and in 1890 Bismarck 

 tendered his resignation and retired to his 

 estates at Friedrichsruh. Later the two became 

 reconciled, and when in 1895 the great chan- 

 cellor's eightieth birthday was celebrated 

 throughout Germany, the emperor visited him. 

 Bismarck is one of the great characters of his- 

 tory, for the results of his achievements have 

 been lasting. The simple epitaph which he 

 wrote for himself reflects his own estimate of 

 his life and character "a faithful German 

 servant of the Emperor William I." There are 

 many statues of him in the cities of the Em- 

 pire. B.M.W. 



Related Subjects. The following articles in 

 these volumes will throw much light on the life 

 and work of Bismarck : 



Franco-German War Seven Weeks' War 



Germany, subhead Triple Alliance 



History William I 



Schleswig-Holstein William II 



BISMUTH, biz' muth, a grayish-white metal 

 with a slightly red tint. Small quantities are 

 found in the pure state, but most of that used 

 in the arts is obtained from the ores bismite 

 and bismuthinite and from cobalt. Bismuth is 

 purified by heating on an inclined shelf, so 

 that the metal will drain away from the impurii 



