Bismarck: some secret pages of his history (Vol. 3 of 3). Being a diary kept by Dr. Moritz Busch during twenty-five years' official and private intercourse with the great Chancellor

In Short

This volume serves as the concluding chapter of a long-running diary kept by a close political aide to Otto von Bismarck. It documents the late-career machinations of the Chancellor, his bitter feuds with court rivals, and his eventual displacement by the young Emperor William II. Through unfiltered conversations and private observations, the record strips away the formal veneer of nineteenth-century European diplomacy. It remains a vital document for students of history because it provides a granular, behind-the-scenes perspective on how an architect of modern Germany managed his public image, his enemies, and his own complex legacy.

The Story

The narrative arc of this volume centers on the slow dissolution of Bismarck’s undisputed authority. The book opens with the Chancellor still firmly in control of the diplomatic machinery, obsessively managing the press, navigating the complexities of the tobacco monopoly, and sparring with the "Progressist" political opposition. There is an undercurrent of tension, however, as the aging statesman finds himself increasingly alienated by a younger generation of courtiers and the shifting loyalties of the royal family.

As the diary progresses into the 1880s, the focus shifts to the mounting friction between Bismarck and the evolving German court. The Chancellor’s deep-seated suspicions regarding the English influence of the Crown Princess—and later the Empress Augusta—frequently boil over into petty, vitriolic outbursts. The diary tracks the rise of new figures, such as Count Herbert Bismarck, whom the Chancellor attempts to groom as his successor, and the slow, inevitable rise of William II.

The middle chapters detail the strategic defensive alliances Bismarck constructs to protect German interests, particularly his complex maneuvers regarding Russia and Austria. Yet, even as he secures these geopolitical blocks, his domestic position crumbles. The reader witnesses the Chancellor’s growing isolation as he realizes the young Emperor intends to govern independently. The climax of the work is not a grand battle, but the quiet, painful realization of his own obsolescence. The final pages cover his forced retirement, his frustrated attempts to dictate his own history through incomplete and sometimes inaccurate memoirs, and his lingering resentment toward those who replaced him. The volume concludes with a portrait of a man who, though still commanding, finds himself confined to the sidelines, watching as his policies are dismantled by the very house he helped build.

How It Unfolds

The machinery of state The text begins by detailing the daily administration of the Foreign Office, where the Chancellor obsessively controls articles, leaks, and political narratives. Every minor diplomatic incident is treated as a tactical opportunity to manipulate public opinion or undermine a rival.

The rising tide of opposition As the diary moves into the 1880s, the focus transitions to the internal court factions that slowly turn against the Chancellor. Bismarck becomes increasingly preoccupied with the "English clique" surrounding the royal family and the perceived incompetence of his subordinates.

The transition of power The narrative culminates in the accession of the young Emperor, whose desire to govern alone renders Bismarck’s decades of experience irrelevant. The final movements track the inevitable, unceremonious exit of the Chancellor from the seat of power.

The final reflection In his retirement, the Chancellor attempts to curate his own memory by dictating memoirs. The diary concludes with a stark look at the difficulty of capturing truth when the subject is determined to minimize his own failures and maximize his singular importance.

The People

The book is dominated by the imposing figure of Otto von Bismarck, who emerges as a man of immense intellect and iron will, yet one prone to deep-seated prejudices and flashes of sharp, cruel humor. He is constantly seeking to consolidate his control over state policy, viewing every colleague and foreign diplomat through the lens of utility. His frustration with the "stupidity" of those around him defines his later years.

The Chancellor’s primary foil is the Crown Princess (later Empress), whom he views with profound hostility. He characterizes her as an "Englishwoman" at heart, working against German interests, and his dislike for her often manifests in petty personal grievances. Opposite them is the young Emperor William II, whose ambition to be the sole master of the German state turns him from a protégé into a cold, indifferent successor.

Moritz Busch, the diarist, acts as a loyal yet unflinching observer. He captures the Chancellor’s casual remarks and raw reactions without the filter of official state records. Alongside them are figures like Bucher, the Chancellor’s trusted, weary confidant who provides a bridge between the inner sanctum and the outside world. Through these characters, the reader sees how Bismarck’s inability to mentor a successor and his contempt for those who did not share his vision ultimately left him alone at the end of his career.

In Its Own Voice

“He knows how to impress people with his importance--through his silence.”

The Chancellor delivers a cutting critique of a diplomat he considers entirely hollow and incapable.

“It is not alone that his memory is defective, and he has little interest in what we have done--up to the present he has looked through very few of my packets--but he begins also intentionally to misrepresent even plain and well-established matters of fact.”

A weary aide describes the growing difficulty of helping the retired Chancellor assemble his memoirs, as Bismarck’s vanity begins to override his commitment to historical accuracy.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is a study of power and the corrosive effect it has on the human spirit when that power begins to vanish. It explores the tension between pragmatism and ego, questioning whether a leader can ever truly maintain a clear-eyed view of their own actions. The narrative asks whether the state is built upon the genius of a single individual, or whether that individual is merely a temporary steward who, in his arrogance, forgets that institutions must eventually move beyond him. It is a portrait of the loneliness of command, showing how the same intensity that allows a statesman to unify a nation can simultaneously alienate him from the people and the institutions he serves.

Why Read It Today

This volume is essential for readers who prefer their history unvarnished. It does not provide a polished, textbook narrative; instead, it offers the raw material of political life: the petty squabbles, the manipulation of newspapers, and the bitter resentments that fueled the engine of the German Empire. Readers will find it a challenging but deeply rewarding experience. The prose is that of a nineteenth-century bureaucrat—precise, dry, and occasionally dense—and the period attitudes toward politics and foreign nations reflect a worldview that is distinctly of its time.

You will enjoy this book if you appreciate the "fly-on-the-wall" perspective that often uncovers more truth than a formal biography ever could. It feels like stepping into a smoke-filled room where the real decisions were made, only to find that the men making them were just as flawed and prone to bad moods as anyone else. What stays with you long after reading is the contrast between the world-altering decisions described and the human, often pathetic, nature of the people making them. It is a sobering look at how a great legacy can be eroded by time and the simple, human desire to be remembered as infallible.