The second half of the 19th century saw the sudden appearance of a new important power on the stage of central Europe: Prussia. This is largely attributable to one man: Otto von Bismarck. The second most influential person on the continental political scene of the day was the nephew of Napoleon I, Napoleon III. We want to study the characters of these two men, as well as the settings within which they acted, and also their colleagues and collaborators. Then we want to look at some of the developments in the fields of technology, architecture and urbanism of that time. Some reading: D. Wetzel, A Duel of Giants DC 292 W48; G. Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War DC 293 W38; C. Jones, Paris, the Biography of a City DC 707 J66.

Moderator: Harald von Cramon

To register by mail or in person: Pay for your membership ($100) and any lectures ($7 each) with a single cheque payable to McGill University. Cash is not accepted. To register online: You have the option to use Internet banking. You can set up McGill University as a payee with your bank. You may also register for a lecture at the door (the fee is $10) on the day of the lecture. We recommend that you contact the office beforehand to check if space is available. Lectures are non-refundable. Full details: http://www.mcgill.ca/conted/milr