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 members of the German Nationalist parties were highly
indignant at the way in which Count Andrassy answered Wilson's
Note. Count Andrassy came from Hungary, and neither came to any
agreement with the Imperial German Government nor with the
representatives of the Executive Committee before drawing up the
Note. Although the peace negotiations were most warmly welcomed
and considered most necessary, still the one-sided action of Count
Andrassy in dispatching the Note to Wilson without previous
arrangement with the German Empire has roused the greatest
indignation in the German parties. A few days ago a delegation
from the German Executive Committee was in Berlin and was
favourably received by the German Imperial Government in the
matter of providing for German-Austria. Although German soldiers
fought by the side of ours in the Alps and the Carpathians, the
alliance has now been violated by this effort to approach Wilson
without the consent of the German Empire, as is expressly stated
in the Note. Besides which, no previous agreement with the
representatives of the German Executive Committee was sought for.
They were ignored and the answer was sent to Wilson. The German
Nationalist parties strongly protest against such an
_unqualifiable act_ and will insist in the German Executive
Committee that German-Austria's right of self-determination be
unconditionally upheld and peace be secured in concert with the
German Empire."
Neither would the German-Austrian Social Democrats have been a party
to such a movement.
A conscious and intended misrepresentation of fact lies before us if
it be maintained to-day that either the National Assembly or the
Austrian Social Democrats would have approved of and supported such
policy. I again have in mind the Andrassy days.
On October 30 the National Assembly took up its position for action.
Dr. Sylvester drew up the report and pointed out the following:
"It was, however, neither necessary nor desirable to make the
attempt in such a way as to create an incurable rupture between
German-Austria and the German Empire that would endanger the
future of our people. The German-Austrian National Assembly
asserts that the Note of October 27 from the Royal and Imperial
Minister for Foreign Affairs was drawn up and dispatched to
President Wilson without in any way coming to an agreement with
the representatives of the German-Austrian people. The National
Assembly protests all the more insistently against this proceeding
as the nation to which the present Minister for Foreign Affairs
belongs has expressly refused any joint dealings. The National
Assembly states that it and its organs alone have the right to
represent the German-Austrian people in all matters relating to
foreign affairs and particularly in all peace negotiations."
The protest met with no opposition in the National Assembly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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