In the one narrative he was seen as a wise statesman whose death paved the way to WW1 and on the other one he was regarded as the architect of a Prussian Germany responsible for national socialism. During the 100th anniversary of Germany there was a dispute in the GDR, between Neues Deutschland and Junge Welt. He was condemned in the former and praised in the latter.

Source: Alexander Fischer and Günther Heydemann, Geschichtswissenschaft in der DDR., West Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 1988.