Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich (German: Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein) (May 15, 1773 – June 11, 1859) was a German-Austrian politician an statesman, and one of the most important diplomats of his era. He was a major figure in the negotiations leading to and during the Congress of Vienna and is considered both a paradigm of foreign policy management and a major figure on the development of diplomacy. He was the prime practitioner of 19th century diplomatic realism, deeply rooted on the balance of power postulates. Metternich for generations was castigated as a blind reactionary. After World War II some historians pointed out that one of the main reasons for his opposition to giving power to the people was his apprehension that eventually it would lead to the political dominance of German nationalism.