| He studied law as a young man, then served in the Prussian civil service and military. He stated in 1862 that German problems must be solved through "Blut und Eisen" (blood and iron). He worked actively during the mid-1800s to consolidate the many German states into a union, first confederating the northern German states in 1866, and later the southern states. He became the first Chancellor of the new German Empire in 1871, serving until 1890. He implemented many economic and social reforms including workman's insurance and protective trade tariffs. Nicknamed the "Iron Chancellor". |
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