Otto von Bismarck

"There is a God, and He rewards not only in the next world, but already in this one."

"If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned silly thing in the Balkans."

"True patriotism is love of country, not love of government."

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

"A man does what he must—in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures."

"Preventive war is like committing suicide for fear of death."

"I learned more from one street brawl than from all my teachers."

"The man who has a religion is not the man who takes it seriously."

"People are disturbed not by things but by the views they take of them."

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

"Civilization is not inherited; it must be learned and earned by each generation anew."

"Law is the crystallized prejudice of the powerful."

"Nations without self-confidence cannot survive."

"If you defeat your enemy, be generous in victory."

"The more you know about your enemies, the better you can negotiate with them."

"Money and women are the two rocks upon which most men founder."

"A man can be very industrious and still be a complete scoundrel."

"In life, it is important to have a definite notion of what you want to accomplish."

"Ambition without ability is like a car in a ditch."

"The memory of the great vanishes, because we have the liberty to forget."

"Fools say they learn from personal experience; I prefer to learn from the experience of others."

"Real statesmanship is the art of the possible."

"A secret in the mouth of another is like a bird in another man's hand."

"The Balkans are not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier."

"Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense."

"Iron does not hear complaints; it only respects strength."

"The wise man learns from the mistakes of others; the fool learns only from his own."

"You can do anything if you have the will and persistence."

"Control your emotions, and you control your destiny."

"Ideas are more dangerous than weapons."