In the World WarCzernin von und zu Chudenitz, Ottokar Theobald Otto Maria, Graf
History
In the World War
Czernin von und zu Chudenitz, Ottokar Theobald Otto Maria, Graf
Austria -- Politics and government -- 1867-1918; World War, 1914-1918
"The passionate desire for peace, peace of whatever kind, aye,
even a peace costing the loss of ten governments (i.e. districts),
is growing ever more plainly evident. Men dream of it
passionately, even though it is not yet spoken of at meetings and
in revolutions, even though all conscious elements of the army
fight against this party that long for peace." And to paralyse
this, there can be but one way: let the soldiers see the democracy
fighting emphatically for peace and the end of the war.
The Pan-Russian Congress of Workers' and Soldiers' Delegates'
Councils and the Army Organisation at the front in St. Petersburg
June 1-14 took for its first point in the order of the day the
following: "The War, questions of defence and the struggle for
peace." At this time the Government would doubtless have to give a
declaration with regard to the answer already received at the
beginning of June from the Allies as to their war aims. This
congress will also probably decide definitely upon the nomination
for the Stockholm Conference and appoint delegates. Point 4 deals
with the question of nationality. An open conflict had broken out
between the Petersburg Workers' and Soldiers' Deputy Councils and
the Ukrainian Soldiers' Congress, sitting at Kieff, on account of
the formation of an Ukrainian army. The appointment of an
"Ukrainian Army General Committee" further aggravated the
conflict.
With regard to the increasing internal confusion, the growing
seriousness of the nationality dispute, the further troubles in
connection with agricultural and industrial questions, a detailed
report dealing separately with these heads will be forwarded
later.
Towards the end of November I wrote to one of my friends the following
letter, which I have given _in extenso_, as it shows faithfully my
estimate of the situation at the time:
_Vienna, November 17, 1917._
MY DEAR FRIEND,--After many days, full of trouble, annoyance and
toil, I write to you once more in order to answer your very
noteworthy observations; to be in contact with you again turns my
thoughts into other channels, and enables me, for the time at
least, to forget the wretchedness of every day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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