"I shall soon be compelled to undertake the conduct of the Prussian Government. My first care will be to reorganise the army, with or without the help of the Landtag. ... As soon as the army shall have…"

"A statesman cannot create anything, he must wait and listen until he hears the footsteps of God sounding through events, and then spring and seize the hem of His garment."

"The only way to avoid war is to be strong enough to deter it."

"The great questions of the day will not be settled by speeches and majority decisions... but by blood and iron."

"Trust no one, not even yourself."