Otto von Bismarck: the architect of German unification

The Minister-President of Prussia, who won the wars that unified the territory, creating the German Empire.

Bismark was not only a military strategist. Initially, he allied himself with the free-trade liberals, but during the economic crisis of 1879, he joined with the conservatives, adopting protectionism and favoring the Industrial Revolution. Understanding that the growing socialism was not going to be repressed so easily, he promoted three major labor reforms: the creation of health insurance, accident insurance, and the first retirement pension system.

In foreign policy, he sought to consolidate German unity. He forged a network of diplomatic alliances with Austria, Russia, and Italy to isolate France and avoid retaliation for the Franco-Prussian War. On the other hand, it kept Germany away from the imperialism of the European powers, something that Kaiser Wilhelm II did not like, who wanted to strengthen German power with an overseas empire.