Preliminary peace of Nikolsburg

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The preliminary peace of Nikolsburg was concluded on July 26, 1866 between Prussia and Austria during the German War . This preliminary peace was signed just three weeks after Austria's defeat in the Battle of Königgrätz (July 3, 1866) , which ultimately led to the Prague Peace Treaty .

history

The very complicated peace negotiations were primarily a political struggle to shape Germany's future. A five-day ceasefire began at noon on July 22nd , during which the preliminary peace was to be negotiated in the South Moravian town of Nikolsburg (today Mikulov , Czech Republic ). The negotiations were conducted in Nikolsburg Castle by the Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck and the Austrian representatives Alajos Károlyi and Adolph von Brenner-Felsach . In the process, Bismarck met with fierce resistance from King Wilhelm I and some of the military , with the intention of saving Austria from relinquishing territories beyond Veneto in order not to lose it as an ally of tomorrow . After he had shied away from a conflict for a long time out of loyalty to Vienna , the Prussian king now wanted to enjoy the triumph of invading the Austrian capital as a victor. There were dramatic scenes between him and Bismarck, who could only assert himself when he threatened to resign and Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm took his side.

While the Prussian troops to Hradec Kralove in Bohemia operated more sustainably-managed Bismarck, only its negotiating position, then its content calls for aggrandizement of Prussia in northern Germany by total annexation of Schleswig-Holstein , Hanover , Electoral Hesse , Nassau and Frankfurt , after dissolution of the German federal and largely enforce the exclusion of Austria as the dominant power in Germany up to now ( small German solution ).

In terms of foreign policy, he was able to reject France's demands for compensation. Napoleon III wanted to annex Luxembourg , Belgium or areas on the left bank of the Rhine ( Palatinate and Hesse ) for his “standstill policy” during the Austro-Prussian War . This later led to France's plans for revenge, one of the causes of the Franco-German War (" Vengeance for Sadowa "). Even Alexander II. Of Russia emerged to prevent, who had tried in vain to overthrow the North German dynasties and Congress plans that were suitable to Europeanize the German problem and to submit to the interference of the two continental wing forces, was forced to the Accept the reorganization of Germany Only Great Britain welcomed the consolidation of Germany's political power emanating from Prussia and also took the view that a disruption of the European balance should not be expected from Prussia-Germany, but rather from France and Russia.

content

The preliminaries consisted of nine articles and were signed and sealed on July 26, 1866 by the Austrian Minister of War Feldzeugmeister Count August von Degenfeld-Schonburg and the Prussian Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke . The original document is now in the Vienna House, Court and State Archives .

The cession of Veneto to Italy and the complete withdrawal of all troops from the occupied territories were agreed . Austria recognized the dissolution of the German Confederation and the re-establishment of the North German Confederation without his involvement. The rights to the duchies of Schleswig , Holstein and Lauenburg , which were jointly acquired in the Peace of Vienna , went to the Prussian state. Austria had to pay a war cost compensation of 40 million thalers to Prussia.

It was only after difficult negotiations that the Austrian plenipotentiaries succeeded in preventing the total annexation of Saxony by Prussia. Austria insisted on maintaining it as a buffer state to secure its northern borders and threatened Prussia with the continuation of the war if it occupied Saxony. On the other hand, the Austrian Emperor promised to recognize the dethronings of the King of Hanover , the Elector of Hesse , the Duke of Nassau and the occupation of the free city of Frankfurt. The ceasefire was extended to August 2, when it was replaced by a ceasefire .

The Peace of Prague of August 23, 1866 largely confirmed the agreements made in the preliminary peace of Nikolsburg.

Extract from the preliminary peace in Nikolsburg on July 26, 1866

Article I. “The territory of the Austrian monarchy, with the exception of the Lombard-Venetian kingdom, remains unchanged. His Majesty the King of Prussia undertakes to withdraw His troops from the Austrian territories previously occupied by the same as soon as peace is concluded, subject to the measures to be taken in the definitive peace treaty to guarantee the payment of war indemnity. "

Article II. “His Majesty the Emperor of Austria recognizes the dissolution of the previous German Confederation and gives His consent to a new formation of Germany without the participation of the Austrian Imperial State. His Majesty also promises to recognize the closer alliance which His Majesty the King of Prussia will establish north of the line of the Main, and declares that he agrees that the German states south of this line may come together in an association whose national connection is with the North German federations of closer understanding between the two remains reserved. "

Article III. “His Majesty the Emperor of Austria transfers to His Majesty the King of Prussia all his rights to the Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig, acquired in the Peace of Vienna of October 30, 1864, with the proviso that the populations of the northern districts of Schleswig, if they are free Vote to indicate the desire to be united with Denmark, to be ceded to Denmark. "

Article VII. "The ratifications of the present convention will be exchanged in Nikolsburg within two days at the most."

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Compare this to Günter Cordes: Nikolsburg, armistice and preliminary peace from . In: Gerhard Taddey (ed.): Lexicon of German history. People. Events. Institutions . Stuttgart: Alfred Kröner Verlag, 1977, p. 860
  2. ↑ For the content compare the article Armistice of Nikolsburg in: Conferences and Treaties. Contract Ploetz. Handbook of Historically Significant Meetings and Agreements. Part II. 1493-1952. Edited by Helmuth Rönnefahrt. Bielefeld: AG Ploetz Verlag, 1953, p. 175f
  3. ↑ For content see the article Peace of Prague in: Conferences and Treaties. Contract Ploetz. Handbook of Historically Significant Meetings and Agreements. Part II. 1493-1952 . Edited by Helmuth Rönnefahrt. Bielefeld: AG Ploetz Verlag, 1953, p. 179f

literature

  • Ottokar Lorenz : Kaiser Wilhelm and the establishment of the empire 1866–1871 . Gustav Fischer, Jena 1902.
  • Theodor Fontane : The German War of 1866 - The Campaign in Bohemia and Moravia . Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza, 2003; ISBN 3-936030-65-0 .
  • Theodor Fontane: The German War of 1866 - The Campaign in West and Central Germany . Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza, 2003; ISBN 3-936030-66-9 .
  • Heinrich Friedjung : The struggle for supremacy in Germany - 1859 to 1866 . Cottasche Buchhandlung, Stuttgart & Berlin 1916 - 2 volumes.
  • Ludwig Karl Aegidi and Alfred Klauhold: The State Archives. Collection of the official acts on the history of the present. Eleventh volume. 1866 July to December, Hamburg 1866 [1] , p. 166 ff.

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