Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) remains one of the most fascinating and simultaneously controversial figures in German and European history. But who was this man really? What did he achieve, and what is his greatness? Additionally, what did he do wrong, and what remains of him and the era he shaped? With a sovereign and balanced judgment, Hans-Christof Kraus explores these and other questions. Knowledgeable and engaging, he depicts the life and political career of a nearly failed existence that ultimately founded the German Empire. The author also thoroughly reveals the darker side of Bismarck's political greatness, giving voice to those political opponents who were long underestimated in historical accounts due to the posthumous fame Bismarck himself fostered. No other statesman of the 19th century.