Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . sevenyears, stopped. Bismarck felt that he was growinglonely ; he had to accustom himself to the thoughtthat the men who had formerly been both politicallyand personally his close friends, and who had oncewelcomed him whenever he returned to Berlin, nowdesired to see him kept at a distance. In one ofhis last letters to Gerlach, he writes: I used to bea favourite ; now all that is changed. His Majestyhas less often the wish to see me ; the ladies of theCourt have a cooler smile than formerly ; the gentle-men press my hand less warmly. The high
Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . sevenyears, stopped. Bismarck felt that he was growinglonely ; he had to accustom himself to the thoughtthat the men who had formerly been both politicallyand personally his close friends, and who had oncewelcomed him whenever he returned to Berlin, nowdesired to see him kept at a distance. In one ofhis last letters to Gerlach, he writes: I used to bea favourite ; now all that is changed. His Majestyhas less often the wish to see me ; the ladies of theCourt have a cooler smile than formerly ; the gentle-men press my hand less warmly. The high opinionof my usefulness is sunk, only the Minister [Man-teuffel] is warmer and more friendly. Somethingof this was perhaps exaggerated, but there was nodoubt that a breach had begun which was to widenand widen: Bismarck was no longer a member ofthe party of the Krcuz Zeitung. It was fortunatethat a change was imminent in the direction of thePrussian Government; the old figures who hadplayed their part were to pass away and a new erawas to CHAPTER VI. ST. PETERSBURG AND IN the autumn of 1857 the health of the King ofPrussia broke down ; he was unable to conductthe affairs of State and in the month of Septem-ber was obliged to appoint his brother as his repre-sentative to carry on the Government. There wasfrom the first no hope for his recovery ; the com-mission was three times renewed and, after a longdelay, in October of the following year, the Kingsigned a decree appointing his brother Regent. Atone time, in the spring of 1858, the Prince had, it issaid, thought of calling on Bismarck to form a Min-istry. This, however, was not done. It was, how-ever, one of the first actions of the Prince Regentto request Manteuffels resignation ; he formed aMinistry of moderate Liberals, choosing as Presidentthe Prince of HohenzoUern, head of the Catholicbranch of his own family. The neiv era, as it was called, was welcomed withdelight by all parties except the most
Size: 2160px × 1156px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbismarckottofrstvon1
