Bismarck the Blacksmith
Neil MacGregor charts the career of Otto von Bismarck (1815-98), known as the Iron Chancellor, who argued that the great questions of the day should be decided by 'iron and blood'.
Neil MacGregor charts the career of Otto von Bismarck (1815-98), known as the Iron Chancellor: he argued that the great questions of the day should be decided by 'iron and blood'.
Bismarck was disliked and feared by foreigners, and reviled by liberals at home for his authoritarianism, but among many sections of the German population, he was a hero.
At his death, monuments were erected across the whole country by public subscription, but Bismarck could also be brought into your own home. Small statues of Bismarck came in many guises, but few are more striking than the little bronze and plaster figure belonging to the German Historical Museum in Berlin, showing Bismarck the Blacksmith. Bald-headed, sleeves rolled up, wearing a leather apron and wielding his hammer, the middle-aged Bismarck is at his forge, the trusty village blacksmith.
Producer Paul Kobrak.
Last on
More episodes
![]()
See this portrait of Kaiser Wilhelm I and many other items that Neil MacGregor describes.
Clip
Broadcasts
- Mon 27 Oct 2014 09:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
- Mon 27 Oct 2014 19:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Tue 28 Oct 2014 00:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
Made in Germany: the stories of 10 fascinating objects
See photos and videos of this diverse collection of products and sculptures.
10 reasons we know Germans love beer and sausages
Beer riots and sausage snacks demonstrate a devotion to the national diet.
10 things you may not know about Germany
Degenerate art and other facts from this fascinating nation.
Podcast
-
![]()
Germany: Memories of a Nation
Neil MacGregor explores 600 years of Germany's complex and often challenging history.
