ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

The first major exhibition of the German Historical Museum focuses on a key figure of modern German history. At the same time, however, it also deals with an entire age, an age of upheaval and realignment in practically every sphere of life: the nineteenth century and the transition into the modern world as it occurred in Germany and vast parts of Europe. In Germany and in Europe as a whole, the problems that this transition raised and the usually short-lived solutions initially found for them are linked in many ways to the person and impact of Otto von Bismarck. Accordingly, both he and his achievements were the subject of heated debate and controversy among his contemporaries. This controversy has always encompassed far more than the disagreement over the assessment of a man, over his individual decisions and conduct. It is itself a reflection and expression of the contention between various historical forces, of the clash over the right road to take into the future. An exhibition that puts the figure of Bismarck in the center thus provides an opportunity to explore and come to grips with those key questions, problems, and solutions that - as the events of recent months have shown - remain highly relevant in Germany and Europe.

The exhibition was planned with this in mind long before developments in eastern Europe and the German Democratic Republic led to a situation tbat sharpened in a special way the understanding for the impulses and difficulties that have been entailed in the formation of a German nation-state, which has always been linked primarily with the name of Bismarck. But although time has worked in our favor, as it were, the point of this exhibition is not to update the record superficially, particularly at this moment. On the contrary. The intention is for the immediacy and remoteness of the figure and the epoch to be clearly conveyed directly through the contemplation of the objects and pictures, the prominent and everyday artifacts of the times. The strange and incomparable should become as visible as that which is abidingly familiar and part of a living tradition. Alongside the well-known aspects of the nineteenth century are always the unknown aspects; the unique, the specific, and unrepeatable has received the same attention as the typical, the inclusive, and the general. Like every exhibition, this one extends an invitation to discovery perhaps particularly so under the present circumstances. History rarely makes one's handling of new situations any wiser, but it is precisely in beholding its diversity, in contemplating the link between the unique and the universal and typical, that one can gain and sharpen a sense for the freedom of action in history. It is far more limited than one might gather from historical hero worship, which is the last thing this exhibition is intended to serve. But it is also far greater than the talk of historical determination, historical inevitabilities, or even historical laws would suggest. It is our hope tbat the visitor to this exhibition will come away with a vivid impression of that as well.

The exhibition is complemented by an elaborate literary, musical, and film program created in cooperation with the Berliner Festspiele, Sender Freies Berlin (SFB), and the Freunde der Deutschen Kinemathek Berlin. These additional sounds, images, and words are resources that illuminate and help explain the complex facets and contradictions of the epoch in ways that the exhibition as a medium cannot. In addition, a lecture series by renowned foreign historians will inquire into the problems posed by the founding of the Bismarckian empire as seen by the respective nations and in the light of current changes in Europe.

We thank all those who have worked to shape this exhibition and its supporting program during the two-and-one-half years of their preparation. Our special appreciation also goes to the staffs of numerous international institutions, whose guidance and assistance have saved us from many an error and made it possible to examine, evaluate, and exhibit even the most distant sources and pictures. We are indebted to many private and public donors both in Germany and beyond for their exceeding generosity in loaning us the material on exhibit and to the institutions of the GDR that have supported this project since the end of 1989. Last but not least, we express our gratitude to the directors of the Berlin Gallery and its Photographic Collection. Through their gracious cooperation they have enhanced the Bismarck exhibition in the Martin-Gropius-Bau by making Schliemann Hall available for the musical and literary programs and by providing the photographic presentation in the gallery on the second level.

Lothar Gall and Marie-Louise von Plessen