Jonathan Steinberg

This riveting, New York Times bestselling biography illuminates the life of Otto von Bismarck, the statesman who unified Germany but who also embodied everything brutal and ruthless about Prussian culture.Jonathan Steinberg draws heavily on contemporary writings, allowing Bismarck's friends and foes to tell the story. What rises from these pages is a complex giant of a man: a hypochondriac with the constitution of an ox, a brutal tyrant who could easily shed tears, a convert to an extreme form of evangelical Protestantism who secularized schools and introduced civil divorce. Bismarck may have been in sheer ability the most intelligent man to direct a great state in modern times. His brilliance and insight dazzled his contemporaries. But all agreed there was also something demonic, diabolical, overwhelming, beyond human attributes, in Bismarck's personality. He was a kind of malign genius who, behind the various postures, concealed an ice-cold contempt for his fellow human beings and a drive to control and rule them. As one contemporary noted: "the Bismarck regime was a constant orgy of scorn and abuse of mankind, collectively and individually."In this comprehensive and expansive biography--a brilliant study in power--Jonathan Steinberg brings Bismarck to life, revealing the stark contrast between the "Iron Chancellor's" unmatched political skills and his profoundly flawed human character.

A Life

Bismarck:A Life

Esta é a história do gênio político que, entre 1862 e 1890, unificou a Alemanha. Seu impacto na história europeia foi tão marcante quanto o de Napoleão fora outrora e o de Hitler viria a ser nas décadas seguintes, porém com uma diferença: ele reuniu diferentes territórios germânicos sem deter o mesmo controle do Estado, tampouco o comando de grandes exércitos. Ele sempre esteve, até o fim, a serviço da monarquia. Jonathan Steinberg articula de forma brilhante um vasto material de pesquisa – diários e cartas do próprio Bismarck, mas também de subordinados, amigos, vizinhos e inimigos, bem como artigos da imprensa e documentos da época – para retratar aquele que é talvez o mais notável personagem do século XIX. Amarilys, um selo da Editora Manole

uma vida

Bismarck

German and Italian fascist armies in the Second World War treated the Jews quite differently. Jews who fell into the hands of the German army ended up in concentration camps; none of those taken by the Italians suffered the same fate. Yet the protectors of the Jews were no philo-Semites, nor were they (often) great respecters of human life. Some of those same officers had sanctioned savage atrocities against Ethiopians and Arabs in the years before the war. Jonathan Steinberg uses this remarkable and poignant story to unravel the motives and forces underpinning both Fascism and Nazism. As a renowned historian of both Germany and Italy, he is uniquely placed to answer the underlying question; why?

The Axis and the Holocaust 1941-43

All or Nothing

Yesterday's Deterrent

Tirpitz and the Birth of the German Battle Fleet

A comprehensive resource for novice and experienced fountain pen collectors and admirers of handsome writing instruments profiles the collectible pens of such manufacturers as Montblanc, Conklin, Kaweco, Omas, and Waterman.

The New Compact Study Guide and Identifier

Identifying Fountain Pens

Examines the full range of fountain pen design providing an at-a-glance guide to hundreds of models. Technical terms are explained and distinguishing marks pinpointed. Includes a comprehensive directory of key manufacturers.

A Collector's Guide

Fountain Pens

Attempts to explain why two fascist armies treated Jews differently during the war, and why few German officers protested the immorality of the death camps

Jonathan Steinberg

About

Books

Join the club