Information and Iron: The Role of Espionage in the Foundation of the German Empire, 1866–1871

Abstract The activities of Germany’s secret service in the Bismarck era have received little attention in the historical literature. This neglect is partly attributable to the destruction of most of the original documentation during the Second World War. Newly discovered archival material allows the veil finally to be lifted on covert operations conducted by Prussia’s two spy agencies between 1866 and 1871. Analysis of this material reveals that intelligence gathered through espionage played a significant role in the unification of Germany by providing Prussian leaders with high-quality information about adversaries and potential adversaries, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and to accurately calculate risks.