Otto von Bismarck

"After my death, the crash will come."

"I have always found consolation in being among good books."

"A diplomat must be patient, methodical, and above all honest."

"The measure of a man is what he does when he thinks no one is watching."

"Fear is the parent of cruelty."

"Life is not meant to be easy; struggle strengthens us."

"The most dangerous lies are often truths slightly distorted."

"A man's worst enemy can not wish him more than he wishes for himself."

"Great events hang by a hair; whilst small facts are abundantly recorded."

"The future of German politics will be decided not by speeches, but by iron and blood."

"The Press is like the Air Force of modern warfare."

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."

"A state that relies on weapons instead of wisdom is destined to fall."

"Time and again throughout history, the strong have devoured the weak."

"The point is not to predict the future, but to shape it."

"In diplomacy, the three most important words are patience, persistence, and prayer."

"Genius is only two percent inspiration and ninety-eight percent perspiration."

"The function of criticism is to enlighten the way forward."

"A good diplomat does not believe in his own propaganda."

"Money is power, and power is corrupting."

"Whoever speaks of Europe is wrong; it is a geographic expression."

"I believe in providence, but not in idle waiting."

"Cowards fear tomorrow; wise men prepare for it."

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

"A lie is like a snowball; it gets bigger as it rolls along."

"Education is what remains when we have forgotten everything we learned."

"In difficult times, character is revealed, not created."

"The world may not revolve around you, but your world should."

"Slow men with fast horses will always lose to fast men on foot."

"History proves that mankind rarely achieves anything through reason alone."