I trust my reasons for including a number of newspaper articles will commend themselves to the reader I do so in the first place to show the gradual development and change which certain political ideas underwent, and the forms which they assumed at various times. Furthermore the greater part of them were directly inspired by Prince Bismarck, and some were even dictated by him. By mentioning the latter articles I hope to do the newspapers in question a pleasure in so far as they will now learn that they once had the honour of having the most eminent statesman of the century as a contributor. All these articles furnish material for forming an opinion upon the journalistic activity of the Prince, which hitherto only Wagener of the _Kreuzzeitung_, Zitelmann, the Prince’s amanuensis during the years he spent as Ambassador at Frankfurt, and Lothar Bucher were in a position to do. On the 22nd of January, 1871, the Chancellor himself remarked, referring to the importance of the press for historians: “One learns more from the newspapers than from official despatches, as, of course, Governments use the press in order frequently to say more clearly what they really mean. One must, however, know all about the connections of the different papers.” This knowledge will in great part be found in the present work. The reason for reproducing certain portions of my previous writings in this book is that they are essential for the purpose of completing the character portrait given in the diary. Without them it would be deficient in some parts, and unintelligible in others. The reproductions referred to are in almost every instance considerably altered and supplemented with additional matter, and they now occupy a more suitable position in the work than before. MORITZ BUSCH. LEIPZIG, _July 30, 1898_. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE MY APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICIAL IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE, AND MY FIRST AUDIENCE WITH BISMARCK--WORK AND OBSERVATIONS UP TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR WITH FRANCE 1 CHAPTER II DEPARTURE OF THE CHANCELLOR FOR THE SEAT OF WAR--I FOLLOW HIM, AT FIRST TO SAARBRÜCKEN--JOURNEY FROM THERE TO THE FRENCH FRONTIER--THE FOREIGN OFFICE FLYING COLUMN 64 CHAPTER III FROM THE FRONTIER TO GRAVELOTTE 76 CHAPTER IV COMMERCY--BAR LE DUC--CLERMONT EN ARGONNE 103 CHAPTER V WE TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH--THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CONFEDERATION AT REZONVILLE--THE BATTLE AND BATTLEFIELD OF BEAUMONT 126 CHAPTER VI SEDAN--BISMARCK AND NAPOLEON AT DONCHERY 141