Bismarck 1862 - 1898

Overview

This film serves as a sequel to Ernst Wendt’s 1925 film about Bismarck, which concluded in 1862. The cast remains largely the same in both films. Following his appointment as Minister-President of Prussia by King Wilhelm I in 1862, Bismarck initiates a series of domestic reforms—most notably regarding the military—as well as various foreign policy measures. The first part of the film focuses primarily on the ultimate confrontation with Prussia’s greatest rival within the German Confederation, the Austrian Empire, which culminates in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Another significant historical event placed at the heart of the narrative is the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, which ultimately leads to the founding of the German Empire, with King Wilhelm proclaimed as German Emperor.