This paper does not aim to write a biography of Maltzan, nor does it claim to give a detailed account of his everyday business at the Auswärtiges Amt. What brought these two countries with such contradictory political, economical, and societal systems together? Who was responsible in the German foreign policy elite, and what exactly was the role of Ago von Maltzan? Does agency belong to him alone? The sources at hand are just too scarce. This article rather tries to analyze German-Soviet relations from 1920 to 1922 and highlight Maltzan’s role and involvement in the process of this relationship. Maltzan as a diplomat at the headquarters of the Auswärtiges Amt was not always present in the public. He rather worked behind his desk or led backdoor negotiations with other diplomatic personnel. This paper will analyze German foreign policy towards Soviet Russia in the context of post-war European politics. It gives an analysis and interpretation of Maltzan’s thoughts and ideas in analogy to political and diplomatic circumstances that occurred before and up to the Treaty of Rapallo. For the understanding of Maltzan, the history of German-Soviet relations is as important as the events that occurred at Rapallo.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I. Historiography on Weimar Foreign Policy, German-Soviet Relations, and the Treaty of Rapallo, 1918-1922
II. From Brest-Litovsk to Berlin, 1918-1922
1. The Early Contacts - POWs and Informal Relations
2. The Polish-Soviet War and German-Soviet Military Contacts
3. Economic Relations and the First German-Soviet Treaty
4. The Reparations Issue and the “Policy of Fulfilment”
5. Maltzan and German-Soviet Preliminary Negotiations in Berlin
III. The Conference of Genoa – The First Week, April 10th-16th, 1922
1. The German Delegation at Genoa – The First Days, April 10th-13th
2. Allied-Russian Talks at the Villa d’Albertis, April 14th
3. Resumption of German-Soviet Talks - Maltzan’s Hour, April 15th
4. A Rainy Day at Rapallo, Easter Sunday, April 16th
Conclusion: Maltzan, the Architect of Rapallo
Research Objectives and Themes
The research examines the foreign policy of the Weimar Republic between 1920 and 1922, specifically focusing on the diplomatic circumstances and personal contributions of Ago von Maltzan that led to the signing of the Treaty of Rapallo during the Conference of Genoa.
- The role of Ago von Maltzan as the primary advocate for German-Soviet rapprochement.
- Analysis of Weimar Germany's struggle to regain great power status amidst post-war isolation.
- The complex interplay of economic, military, and political motivations driving the secret German-Soviet alignment.
- Historiographical perspectives on the failure of Allied policy at the Conference of Genoa.
Excerpt from the Book
Maltzan, the Architect of Rapallo
If one asks who was most responsible on the German side for making Rapallo possible, then the answer must surely be Adolf Georg Freiherr von Maltzan (Ago von Maltzan) a diplomat of old school Bismarckian Realpolitik. He was head of the Russian department and later the Eastern department of the German foreign office (Auswärtiges Amt) and probably the leading advocate of German-Soviet cooperation among the German foreign policy elite. He possessed smart diplomatic skills, and cunning methods, which, through persuasion and manipulation, produced political outcomes before and at Rapallo. These were crucial for German-Soviet relations in the following years. He is at the heart of this research paper. An analysis of his role and actions are crucial to understand the intensification that took place in German-Soviet diplomatic rapprochement, as well as the decision of the parties to sign the Rapallo Treaty.
Unfortunately, because of Maltzan’s sudden death in 1927 (airplane crash), Maltzan did not leave behind any memoirs. Neither is there any biography written on him. Most of the sources available are his own notes and documents left at the Politisches Archiv of the Auswärtiges Amt, which give a detailed account of his work in the Russian and Eastern department. In order to write about Maltzan, one has to patch up single remarks of his contemporaries, who were in close contact with him, or try to piece up available documents of the Auswärtiges Amt in a chronological order to be able to create a picture of his work.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context of the Weimar Republic's isolation and the strategic search for a new partner in post-revolutionary Soviet Russia to restore Germany's international standing.
I. Historiography on Weimar Foreign Policy, German-Soviet Relations, and the Treaty of Rapallo, 1918-1922: Reviews existing scholarly interpretations, emphasizing the differing views on the necessity and motivations behind German-Soviet cooperation.
II. From Brest-Litovsk to Berlin, 1918-1922: Analyzes the transition from post-war chaos to organized secret cooperation between Germany and the Soviet Union in military and economic spheres.
III. The Conference of Genoa – The First Week, April 10th-16th, 1922: Details the diplomatic breakdown at Genoa, illustrating how Allied pressures and misunderstandings pushed Germany and the Soviet Union toward their sudden bilateral agreement.
Conclusion: Maltzan, the Architect of Rapallo: Summarizes the legacy of Ago von Maltzan as the key, albeit controversial, orchestrator of the Rapallo Treaty, evaluating his unique role within the Auswärtiges Amt.
Keywords
Weimar Republic, Treaty of Rapallo, Ago von Maltzan, Foreign Policy, German-Soviet Relations, Auswärtiges Amt, Conference of Genoa, Realpolitik, Versailles Treaty, Reparations, Ostpolitik, Walther Rathenau, Hans von Seeckt, Diplomatic History, Interwar Period
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
This work examines the foreign policy of the Weimar Republic from 1920 to 1922, specifically investigating the diplomatic pathway and individual agency that culminated in the Treaty of Rapallo.
What are the primary themes explored?
The paper covers the impact of the Versailles Treaty, the search for strategic partners to break international isolation, the role of military and industrial elites, and the diplomatic maneuvers at the Genoa Conference.
What is the primary research question?
The study seeks to identify how the political establishment of Weimar Germany, despite internal contradictions, moved toward an alliance with the Soviet regime and who the key individuals responsible for this shift were.
Which scientific methods does the author employ?
The author uses historical analysis, synthesizing contemporary scholarly works with primary source documents, diaries, and memoirs found in the Politisches Archiv of the Auswärtiges Amt.
What does the main body of the text cover?
It covers the historical trajectory from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk through the Polish-Soviet War to the Conference of Genoa, highlighting the negotiations led by Ago von Maltzan.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include Weimar foreign policy, Treaty of Rapallo, German-Soviet relations, Realpolitik, Ago von Maltzan, and diplomatic history.
Why was Ago von Maltzan considered the "Architect of Rapallo"?
Maltzan held the essential institutional role as head of the Russian and Eastern departments and exerted persistent, clever, and often secret diplomatic influence to guide Germany toward the Rapallo agreement.
How did the London memorandum influence the German delegation at Genoa?
The memorandum threatened German interests by affirming Article 116 regarding Russian reparation claims, which effectively panicked the German delegation into seeking an immediate separate agreement with the Soviets.
What was the significance of the "Schicksalgemeinschaft" (community of fate)?
It describes the shared perception between Germany and the Soviet Union as international pariahs, which provided a psychological and political foundation for their cooperative efforts against the Entente powers.
- Citar trabajo
- M.A. Pouyan Shekarloo (Autor), 2010, Maltzan - The Architect of Rapallo, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/163335
