This historical semantic study examines Otto von Bismarck’s use of the term Volk (‘people’) and its synonyms such as Nation or Stamm (‘tribe’). It shows that the expressions are multiply polysemous and that individual meanings can be bundled together into concepts (state community, cultural community etc.). Bismarck employs certain repetitive patterns of argument and an ‘open system’ of expressions with Volk to prosecute or legitimise political aims depending on the time, situation, text-type and addressees.