Final answer:
Otto von Bismarck's Realpolitik prioritized practical goals over ideology, leading to German unification and its rise as a Great Power, impacting Europe's balance of power and contributing to the antecedents of World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The foreign policy known as Realpolitik spearheaded by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck embodied a pragmatic and unsentimental approach to politics, focusing on practicality over ideology. Bismarck, in his pursuit of unifying Germany, led a series of wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, which helped solidify the German states under Prussian leadership, excluding Austria from German affairs and annexing territories to expand German power. Known for his shrewd diplomacy, Bismarck strived to position Germany as a Great Power akin to Britain and France, and this move had profound implications for the balance of power in Europe, setting the stage for the events that would eventually lead to World War I.