Otto von Bismarck

A conquering army on the border will not be stopped by eloquence.

Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans (1888).

That which is imposing here on earth has always something of the quality of the fallen angel who is beautiful but without peace, great in his conceptions and exertions but without succes, proud and lonely.

In both cases his love of combat and delight in battles were a great support to me in carrying out the policy I regarded as necessary, in opposition
to the intelligible and justifiable aversion in a most influential quarter. It proved inconvenient to me in 1867, in the Luxemburg question, and in 1 875 and afterwards on the question whether it was desirable, as regards a war which we should probably have to face sooner or later, to bring it on anticipando before the adversary could improve his preparations. I have always opposed the theory which says ' Yes'; not only at the Luxemburg period, but likewise subsequently for twenty years, in the conviction that even victorious wars cannot be justified unless they are forced upon one, and that one cannot see the cards of Providence far enough ahead to anticipate historical development according to one's own calculation.

Politics ruins the character

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.

An appeal to fear never finds an echo in German hearts.

In order to retain a certain respect for sausages and laws, one must not see them being made.

What we learn from history is that no one learns from history

Lord takes care of babes, fools, and the United States.

Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.

It is the destiny of the weak to be devoured by the strong.

man cannot control the current of events. he can only float with them and steer

People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt.