Alfred von Waldersee: Man

“Bismarck is the king's last mistress because only such a creature could have such power over an old man.”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee c. 1887 http://www.tracesofevil.com/1999/10/revision-notes-about-bismarck.html

“If he bears me a grudge because of his poor command of troops he shows that he lacks greatness of spirit and deserves to be treated as a little man. But if he has allowed himself to reflect calmly and to examine himself a little, he cannot but be grateful to me and tell himself that I acted without fear and did my duty. Then one could say: there is nobility in him after all.”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee in his diary, 8 October 1890, commenting on the imperial field maneuvers of that year, when Waldersee defeated the formations commanded by Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Fear

“To say I desire war is absurd. I only wish one thing: that our enemies renounce completely the idea of attacking us. I know too well what war is and am convinced that it is my duty as an honest man to wish that it be used only as a last resort, as much in the interests of my Fatherland as in the interests of the entire world.”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee, quoted in the Le Petit Parisien newspaper, c. 1888

World , War , Idea

“He is a very weak man, without firm opinions and most unclear in his goals. Unfortunately he is biased in extreme liberal ideas and does not want to accept that in these times a sovereign with such principles quickly digs his own grave. What an upheaval would arise in such a circumstance.”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee's impression of Crown Prince Frederick (the future Kaiser Frederick III) from his diary entry of 25 November 1883

Idea , Time

“People are telling me that I am regarded by the Chancellor (and indeed in wider circles) as the leader of the so-called War Party, and by no means favorably, as the Chancellor is most anxious to avoid war. I shall soon begin myself to believe that I am a thoroughly bad man! What will be brought up against me next?”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee in his diary, 15 May 1887

War , Bad luck , People

“A good many men will be killed, however, as long as no man can prove to me that a man can die more than once, I am not inclined to regard death for the individual as a misfortune.”

Alfred von Waldersee

Waldersee in November, 1877, as quoted by Gordon Alexander Craig, "Germany, 1866-1945" (Oxford University Press, 1978) p.133

Death , Men