aus US-Dokumenten Übersetzung 1922
From Emperor Franz Joseph, Vienna, delivered to the Kaiser in Berlin on 5 July
1914 by the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador, Count de Szogyeny-Marich. The
annexe-memoire was drafted fully a month before Sarajevo.
I sincerely regret that You should have been obliged to give up Your
intention of going to Vienna for the funeral ceremonies. I should have liked
personally to express to You my sincerest thanks for Your sympathy in my keen
sorrow -- a sympathy which has greatly touched me.
By Your warm and sympathetic condolence You have given me renewed proof that
I have in You a sincere friend worthy of confidence and that I may count upon
You in every hour of grave trial.
I should have liked very much to discuss with You the general situation, but
as that has not been possible, I take the liberty of sending to You the
subjoined mémoire prepared by my Minister of Foreign Affairs, which was drawn
up before the terrible catastrophe of Sarajevo, and which now, following that
tragic event, appears particularly worthy of attention.
The attack directed against my poor nephew is the direct consequence of the
agitation carried on by the Russian and Serbian Pan-Slavists whose sole aim is
the weakening of the Triple Alliance and the destruction of my Empire.
By the foregoing declaration, it is no longer an affair at Sarajevo of the
single bloody deed of an individual but of a well-organized conspiracy, of which
the threads reach to Belgrade and if, as is probable, it be impossible to prove
the complicity of the Serbian Government, nevertheless it cannot be doubted that
the policies leading to the reunion of all the Southern Slavs under the Serbian
flag is favorable to crimes of this character and that the continuance of this
state of things constitutes a constant danger to my house and to my realm.
This danger is rendered more grave from the fact that Roumania, despite the
alliance with us, has entered into friendly relations with Serbia and, on her
own territory, permits against us an agitation just as venomous as that allowed
by Serbia.
It is painful to me to suspect the fidelity and the good intentions of so old
a friend as Charles of Roumania, but he himself has twice declared during these
last months to my Minister that by reason of the aroused and hostile sentiments
of his people toward us he would not be in a position in case of need to carry
out his obligations of alliance.
Furthermore, the Roumanian Government encourages openly the activities of the
Kulturliga, favors a rapprochement with Serbia and carries on, with
Russian aid, the creation of a new Balkan alliance which can only be directed
against my Empire.
Once before, at the beginning of the reign of Charles, such political fancies
as these propagated by the Kulturliga disturbed the good political sense
of Roumanian men of state and the danger arose of seeing Your realm launched on
a policy of adventure. But at that time Your venerated grandfather in an
energetic and far-sighted fashion intervened and pointed out to Roumania the
road which assured to her a privileged place in Europe, and she became the
strong support of the existing order.
Now the same danger threatens this kingdom; I fear that counsel alone is
insufficient and that Roumania cannot be retained in the Triple Alliance unless,
on the one hand, we make impossible the creation of the Balkan League under the
patronage of Russia, by the entrance of Bulgaria into the Triple Alliance, and
unless on the other hand, we make it clearly understood at Bucharest that the
friends of Serbia cannot be our friends, and that Roumania cannot consider us as
allies unless she detaches herself from Serbia and represses with all her force
the agitation directed in Roumania against the existence of my Empire.
The efforts of my government should in consequence be directed toward
isolation and the diminishment of Serbia. The first step in that direction will
be to strengthen the present situation of the Bulgarian Government in order that
the Bulgars, whose real interests coincide with ours, shall be preserved from a
return to friendship with Russia.
If they realize at Bucharest that the Triple Alliance has decided not to
abandon the alliance with Bulgaria, but that it is disposed to invite Bulgaria
to an understanding with Roumania and to guarantee its territorial integrity, we
may perhaps succeed in bringing her back from the dangerous step to which she
has been led by her friendship with Serbia and her understanding with Russia.
If this should succeed, a reconciliation of Greece with Bulgaria and Turkey
could be attempted. There would then arise, under the patronage of the Triple
Alliance, a new Balkan alliance, the aim of which would be to put an end to the
invasion of the Pan Slavist tide and to assure peace to our states.
But this will not be possible unless Serbia which is at present the pivot of
Pan-Slavist policy is eliminated as a political factor in the Balkans.
And You, also after this last terrible happening in Bosnia, will see and know
that one cannot think of smoothing out the differences that separate us from
Serbia, and that the maintenance of peaceful policy by all the European
Monarchies will be threatened as long as this focus of criminal agitation in
Belgrade remains unpunished.
THE ANNEXE MEMOIRE.
Following the great disturbances of the last two years, the situation in the
Balkans has cleared up to such a point that it is now possible to review the
results of the crisis, and to establish in what measure the interests of the
Triple Alliance, and m ore particularly those of the two Central Imperial
Powers, have been affected by these events and what consequences result from
them for European politics and for the Balkan policy of these Powers.
If without prejudice we compare the present state of affairs with that
existing before the crisis, we must decide that the result looked at from the
point of view of Austria-Hungary as well as from that of the Triple Alliance,
cannot be considered in any way as favorable.
The principal point is that following the development which led to the second
Balkan war, Bulgaria aroused herself from the Russian spell, and today can no
longer be considered as an auxiliary of the Russian policy. The Bulgarian
Government strives, on the contrary, to enter into more intimate relations with
the Triple Alliance.
To these favorable elements, however, are opposed the unfavorable factors
that weigh more heavily in the balance. Serbia whose policy has for years been
animated by hostility toward Austria Hungary, and which is completely under
Russian influence, has achieved an increase of territory and of population that
exceeded by much her own expectations. Turkey, whose community of interests with
the Triple Alliance was progressing well, and who constituted an important
counterpoise against Russia and the Balkan States, has been almost entirely
pushed out of Europe, and has seen her situation as a great power gravely
compromised. Territorial proximity with Montenegro and the general strengthening
of the Pan-Serbian idea have brought closer the possibility of a new expansion
of Serbia by means of a union with Montenegro. Lastly in the course of the
crisis, the relations of Roumania with the Triple Alliance have essentially
changed.... We see, on the other hand, that Russian and French diplomacy have
carried on a unified action, in conformity with a preconcerted plan to exploit
the advantages obtained and to change certain factors that were from their point
of view unfavorable....
The thought of freeing the Christian Balkan people from Turkish rule, in
order to use them as a weapon against central Europe, has been for a long time
the secret thought of Russian policy, by the traditional interest of Russia for
these people. In these latter days has been developed the idea, put forward by
Russia and taken up by France, of uniting the Balkan States into a Balkan
alliance, in order by this means to put an end to the military superiority of
the Triple Alliance. The first condition before the realization of this plan was
that Turkey should be pushed back from the territory inhabited by the Christian
nations of the Balkans, in order to increase the strength of these States and to
render them free to expand to the west. This preliminary condition has been, on
the whole, realized by the last war. On the other hand, after the end of the
crisis, a division separated the Balkan States into two opposing groups of
nearly equal strength: Turkey and Bulgaria on the one hand, and the two Serbian
States, Greece and Roumania, on the other.
To put an end to this division in order to be able to use all the Balkan
States or at least a decisive majority, to upset the balance of European power,
was the latest task to which, after the end of the crisis, Russia and France
applied themselves....
There is no doubt of the basis upon which, according to the intentions of
French arid Russian diplomacy, these differences and rivalries might be
reconciled and a new Balkan alliance created. What could be the actual aim of
such an alliance in the present circumstances for the Balkan States? There is no
longer reason to consider a common action against Turkey. It can, therefore,
only be directed against Austria-Hungary and can only be accomplished on the
basis of a program that should promise to all it members extensions of territory
by a graduated displacement of their frontiers from the east to the west, at the
expense of the territorial integrity of the Monarchy. A union of Balkan States
upon any other basis would be impossible to imagine, but on this basis not only
is it not impossible, but is in a fair way to be realized. One cannot question
that Serbia under Russian pressure would consent to pay a considerable price in
Macedonia for the entry of Bulgaria into an alliance directed against the
Monarchy and looking forward to the acquisition of Bosnia and the adjacent
territory.....
The relations of Austria-Hungary with Roumania may be at this moment
characterized by the fact that the Monarchy relies entirely upon its alliance
and, before as since, is ready to uphold Roumania with all its force if the casus
foedoris shall arise, but that Roumania detaches itself one-sidedly from its
obligations of alliance and shows to the Monarchy only the prospect of
neutrality. Even the neutrality of Roumania is only guaranteed to the Monarchy
by the personal affirmation of King Charles [a guaranty] which naturally is of
value only for the duration of his reign and the accomplishment of which depends
upon the King's keeping always the guiding hand on the direction of the foreign
policy....
Under these conditions it is impossible to consider the alliance with
Roumania as of sufficient certainty and extent to serve Austria-Hungary as a
pivot in her Balkan policy....
To destroy, with the assistance of the Balkans, the military superiority of
the two Imperial powers is the objective of Russia.
But while France seeks the weakening of the Monarchy, because that is
favorable to her ideas of révanche, the designs of the empire of the
Tsar have a much greater extent....
For Russia has recognized that the relation of her plans in Europe and in
Asia, plans which correspond with internal necessities gravely affect the
important interests of Germany, and must inevitably arouse her to resistance.
The policy of Russia is determined by an unchanging situation, and is
consequently constant and foresighted. Russia's policy of encirclement directed
against the Monarchy, which does not pursue a world policy, has for its final
aim to make it impossible for the German Empire to resist the aims of Russia or
her political and economic supremacy.
For these reasons those in charge of the foreign policy of Austria-Hungary
are convinced that it is in the common interest of the Monarchy, as in that of
Germany, to oppose energetically and in time in this phase of the Balkan crisis,
the development foreseen and encouraged by Russia by a pre-concerted plan.
The above mémoire had just been finished when there occurred the terrible
events of Sarajevo. The complete extent of this abominable assassination can
hardly be realized; at all events it appears undeniable proof, if indeed any
were yet lacking, of the impossibility of extinguishing the hatred between the
Monarchy and Serbia, as well as the danger and the violence of the Pan-Serbian
propaganda, which hesitates at nothing.
Austria-Hungary has not been lacking in good will and in the spirit of
conciliation, to bring about reasonably good relations with Serbia, but it has
just been shown that these efforts have been completely impotent and that the
Monarchy must expect in the future to deal with the bitter, irreconcilable and
aggressive enmity of Serbia.
In these conditions the Monarchy must tear away with a strong hand the net in
which its enemy seeks to entangle it
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