What is the original German version of Bismarck's phrase about intentions and capabilities?
score:3
Retranslating this apparently decidedly Russian proverb into German is not found in this exact phrasing in Bismarck literature.
Using variations of the words is equally unproductive and even permuting the basal concepts didn't give me anything close to such a short aphorism.
The saying is most likely a condensed paraphrase of describing realpolitik as practiced by Bismarck, and others. This principle is of course much older than realpolitik itself and can be read into many proverbs from even ancient times.
What is available in the extensive literature about Bismarck and even in his own writings is then spread out over quite bit more words when illustrated in his style to demonstrate that this is indeed not wholly incompatible with his thinking – but that the quote in question is also not a very good fit for a nuanced thought process. The condensed quote may not be completely made up by some Russians, but if it has any grounding in reality, it surely is distorting and out of any context.
He may have quipped a short line like that, perhaps even to a Russian. As an overarching general principle it is not characteristic of him.
The more the Republic strengthened now, the greater Russia's inclination – despite the most loyal attitude and intentions of the Tsar – without having been harmed in the least by Germany, to grasp only the most favourable moment to attack us in alliance with the Republic. This threatening situation arose and still exists, not after a war we voluntarily waged against Russia, but through the common interests of the Pan-Slavists and the republican France, to destroy Germany as a stronghold of the monarchy.
To this end, both nations systematically strengthen their means of struggle at the decisive borders, without having been provoked in any way for this unqualifiable advance on our part, nor to offer any durable excuse for it.
With this in mind, the wise policy of Ew led by my late grandfather brought about alliances which contributed greatly to protecting us from assaults by our born hereditary enemy in the West.
This policy was also to take Russia's ruler in our favour. This influence will persist as long as the present Czar really has the power to assert his will; if it is lost – and there are many signs of it – then it is very likely that Russia will no longer allow itself to be separated from our born enemy to wage war with him when the means of war on both sides seem developed enough to them to destroy us with impunity.
As is evidenced by the above: interest, intentions and capabilities are all weighed into the thought. But neither interests nor intentions are completely disregarded in favour of just capabilities.
Upvote:-2
I don't know the German original of Putin's quote.
But your title "Bismarck's phrase about intentions and capabilities" reminded me of another quip by Bismarck I've heard about. But it was about intentions and capabilities of an individual not of countries.
The wife of an ambassador in Germany complained about the German language:
"It's so difficult, two words can mean the same, for example, senden und schicken."
Bismarck said they were differences:
"Ihr Mann ist ein Gesandter aber kein geschickter."
(Gesandter = emissary, geschickt = clever)
An emissary comes with intentions, but not necessary capabilities.
Upvote:4
The Bismarck Stiftung contains a short list of quotes, none of which fit the given quote.
A further article (Bismarck and the Russian values) Bismarck und die russischen Werte (in German), express some surprise on how Bismarck is perceived in Russia.
A Moscow billboard, in 2016, is shown with a picture and supposed quote from Bismarck
Russland. Meine Geschichte
Man kann die Russen nicht besiegen, das haben wir über Jahrhunderte gelernt. Aber man kann den Russen falsche Werte einbläuen, dann besiegen sie sich von selbst.
Russia. My History (or story, lesson)
The centuries has taught us that we cannot vanquish the Russians. But one can trick them into false values, with which they will vanquish themselves.
The author comments that Bismarck is well known for his many comments, but he (the author) failed to find this one.
The article continues to analyze the likelihood of such a quote coming from Bismarck (the answer being no) and the final conclusion that this false quote is used to make Moscow pedestrians feel good knowing that they have successfully defeated attacks against them twice.
Possibly the use of other 'quotes' serve a similar purpose.
The Bismarck Stiftung would probably be a good starting point for finding a complete collection of original Bismarck quotes.
More post
- 📝 Is there evidence of extensive Viking presence in North America?
- 📝 At what age did girls start wearing corsets in 1880s-1890s Britain?
- 📝 Did the Soviets cooperate with the Americans in catching criminals in post-war Vienna?
- 📝 What model was used to explain stellar energy before nuclear fusion was discovered?
- 📝 When was the golden era of Christmas?
- 📝 When did Latin cease to be an important language for international scholarly communication?
- 📝 In the Soviet Union, why was the Cheka renamed so many times?
- 📝 How were state-level suspects identified prior to photography?
- 📝 What do we currently know about the ethnic origins of Jews?
- 📝 Why were bows referred to as "Indian Artillery"?
- 📝 Would there have been racially mixed student bodies in schools in communist Bulgaria?
- 📝 How widespread was pacifism in the WW2 USA?
- 📝 Did Great Britain benefit economically from the loss of America?
- 📝 Are there any battles that have been extensively studied across the world?
- 📝 Reasons for transfer of leadership in computing from Britain to US after WWII
- 📝 Why did Gorbachev go to see "Prince Igor" after the August 1991 coup attempt?
- 📝 How can you see what rank a British redcoat is?
- 📝 How do ancient Chinese "mirrors" such as these in the National Museum function?
- 📝 Soviets, their war equpment and performance in WWII
- 📝 Why do ancient Jewish sources increasingly downplay Rome's role in Jerusalem's destruction?
- 📝 How were the Roman Triarii trained?
- 📝 Does somebody know anything about the original "Tour de Croy" tower?
- 📝 What defined a Jew in the context of WW2?
- 📝 How many surface ships have reached the North Pole?
- 📝 What is the pre-schism Christian church called today?
- 📝 Interaction between Ataturk and Lenin
- 📝 Did President Kennedy really cut 100,000 government jobs during his presidency?
- 📝 What are the 'mushroom trusts' referenced in Churchill's "Second World War"?
- 📝 Why did Columbus cross the mid-Atlantic instead of exploring from Greenland?
- 📝 How were ancient Indian mathematical texts found to modern scholarship?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is the original German version of Bismarck's phrase about intentions and capabilities?
- 📝 What is the oldest authentic example of people complaining about modern times and the young?
- 📝 What do the modern Japanese people think about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- 📝 What is the date and original source of this medieval picture?
- 📝 What did Tacitus write about Nero and the Great Fire of Rome 64AD?
- 📝 What East German laws and regulations were extended to the West after unification?
- 📝 What did the average German citizen know about the war?
- 📝 What were the thoughts of the Celts, Romans and other ancient European people about the standing stones which survive from prehistoric times?
- 📝 What were the original casualty projections for Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- 📝 What do historians mean when they talk about "supply side" and "demand side" explanations of the industrial revolution?
- 📝 Was the Iraqi Mukhabarat modelled on the German Reichssicherheitshauptamt, and in what ways?
- 📝 Considering what was known about Hitler in 1933, why would German bishops declare that Catholics could cooperate with the new State?
- 📝 What does the phrase "Vietnam, the mixture of up and down" mean?
- 📝 What were Lord Macartney's original words about Chinese under the Qianlong Emperor's brutal regime in 18th century?
- 📝 What is the original provenance of Lincoln's "of the people, by the people, for the people" and why is Wikipedia so confused?
- 📝 Where did the masquerade ball come from and what was its original concept?
- 📝 Could German citizens visit Japan during the Nazi era? And if so what would the locals think of them?
- 📝 What do subjects in Hellenistic and Renaissance art suggest about the average human physique throughout history?
- 📝 What is the source of this quote about hope and POWs?
- 📝 What was the nature of conflict between Helvetii and German in prelude to Gallic Wars?
- 📝 Why are the German and French languages so different?
- 📝 What did Germany do in World War II about the different rail gauge in the Soviet Union?
- 📝 In the "Christmas truce" of 1914 were there any football (soccer) matches between British and German troops?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Ancient Greek religion and the Ancient Roman religion?
- 📝 What disruptions were brought about by Islam that the Arabians saw so many victories?
- 📝 Were there any Germans in Japan after the surrender of Germany in May, 1945 and if so, what happened to them?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Middle Ages and the Dark Ages?
- 📝 Did Churchill and Roosevelt know about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, or the following secret pacts between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union?
- 📝 In WWII, what were the major differences in tank combat on the eastern and western fronts?
- 📝 What are the text and subtext of this 1949 Soviet cartoon?