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German International Relations; Aussenstaatssekretare
Topic Started: Jan 15 2012, 11:08 AM (1,056 Views)
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German International Relations

German international relations are shaped first and foremost by the need to secure its place in the sun and to be recognised as an equal amongst the great powers in the world. The Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs forms policy together with the Kaiser of Germany. The large German press has significant sway over foreign policy and several pressure groups are in existence, bending foreign policy to their will. These range from the trade councils of Hamburg and Bremen to farmers.


Edited by German Empire, Apr 25 2012, 12:14 PM.
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January 1900: The Prussian foreign minister has lodged a formal complaint at the embassy of the British Empire in Berlin. "It is unbecoming of such a great nation as Britain.... to stop and search German ships implying that they might carry cargo to aid the Boers in their struggle. As Germanic brothers the Boers have the sympathy of large segments of the German population, but the support of the Boers in their struggle has never been an official government policy and will never be such, in the name of the Kaiser we do therefore expect that no German ships will any longer be searched."

Many in Berlin are awaiting the British reply with great anxiety. For on it might depend the possibility of a SDP, Centre and Conservative majority against a second naval bill. These three factions all oppose the extravagant costs of the creation of a large navy, however if the perceived British posturing continues it is expected that they shall vote for the greater good of the fatherland instead of keeping their hands on the purse strings.
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May 4, 1900:
Kaiser Wilhelm II pledged 500,000 marks to India for famine relief.
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July, 1900: Wilhelm II and his son, the crown prince of Prussia have been in a month of ecstasy. Enjoying their new uniforms that come with their new honorary ranks in the Austro-Hungarian Army.
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March 1902: Prince Heinrich decided to stay on two extra weeks after meeting president Roosevelt in Washington. Amongst other he visited fleet manoeuvres of the US Navy in his function as a Admiral of the German Navy. He also visited various ships and complemented the smartness of the American sailors. He shall visit New York before returning to Germany.
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May 1902: Germany supports Britains present stance on a conferance to be held in Washington. If the United States agrees a German delegation will set of as soon as possible.
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June 1903: The two 12" gun battleships under construction in German yards have been taken into custody by the German government pending the cessation of hostilities.

This signals the mood of all of Germany, Russia the liberator of Germany from the yoke of Napoleon and cousin of the Kaiser is in the minds of most Germans as this war rages on.
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October 1903: German interests in Venezuela have been secured by the German Government. The mood of the public is one of certain satisfaction. Germany, by herself, managed to protect her citizens and their belongings half way across the world.

Newspapers have also applauded Great Britain on its invaluable help in basing the German squadron. The Navy is pleased as well, as it seems that they were right n the construction of a fleet of cruisers rather than a fleet of battleships.
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June 1906: The German Navy and Army have been put on hightened alert.
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April 1907: The German Kaiser and Foreign Office were pleased to hear the speech of the Italian King, whereby he renounces any claims on Austo-Hungarian land. This clearly signals the strength of the alliance between the three central European powers.
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28 December 1907: In the Frankfurter Zeitung an article was reprinted from the well respected weekly, The Economist from Great Britain. The general editor of the Frankfurter gave a small introduction in which he expressed his desire for Great Britain and Germany to work more closely together. In many ways, he added Great Britain was the inspiration for Germany. The Imperial German Navy was modelled on the Royal Navy and the Emperor himself was often found walking around in a British uniform of some sort. He goes on to comment that, as he sees it, there are two main reasons which hold Britain and Germany apart. The first is the jealousy which Great Britain harbours for the quickly rising Germany - which has in recent years displaced many British merchants from regions where they used to reign supreme. The second reason, he insists, is the undisputed challenge which Germany brings to bear upon Great Britain in her quest to emulate her. The Imperial Navy is expanding steadily and the British feel weary about a threat it might pose. The skyrocketing competition brought to bear on Britain her Steel Industry by German firms, all these give the British reason to fear the Germans. Some form of treaty removing most of the tariff barriers between the nations would be of great advantage to both.

The Economist, Saturday, 28 December 1907. Page: 9. Issue: 3357.
"Anglo-German Trade

The success of Germany in disposing of its products in markets where Great Britain long held an undisputed supremacy is a favourite theme amongst writers for the Protectionist newspapers in their advocacy of Tariff Reform. It is their object to arouse the jealousy of their readers against our chief industrial rivals in order to magnify the "scientific" tariff; and for some years past Germany has been the pet bugbear of British merchants and manufacturers, owing to mischievous effusions of our Protectionist advocates in the Press, supported by the platform denunciations of dumping and hostile tariffs.

Another cause for jealousy is found in the growth of the German navy. But, just as we have increased our navy as we extended our commerce, so it is only reasonable to expect that the German navy should be increased with the object of safeguarding their merchantmen and their colonial possessions, the latter of which, we should remember, have but recently been acquired.

With the object of showing how irrational is this feeling of jealousy towards Germany, I have analysed the tables showing our trade with the German Empire during 1906. In that year the total value of our imports to Germany was in Pound Sterling, 38,021,762, and of our exports of British and Irish produce to Germany was, Pound Sterling 33,558,954. To this latter sum should be added, Pound Sterling, 14,753,370, the value of our exports to Germany of foreign and colonial merchandise. ... The outcry should, according to logic of our Protectionist tariff mongers, come from Germany, but we do not hear it; and we expect that when the trade return of the present year are revealed, we shall find the figures of 1906 far more largely exceed in the case of our exports to Germany than in our imports from her.
...
Whatever basis is adopted it is clear that we sell much greater quantities of manufactures abroad than does Germany in proportion to the value of imported goods. The figures are a complete answer to the contention that a tariff on imports enables a country to compete more successfully in foreign markets than when imports are admitted free of duty."
Edited by German Empire, Aug 25 2012, 03:57 PM.
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January 1908: The announcement of the Anglo-French Alliance has cause a cataclysmic stir in German circles. With no threat of war apparent before the announcement of the alliance, and no other mayor power besides Japan who it could be aimed against, it has generally been regarded in Berlin as a loaded gun pointed at the heart of Germany.

The German Foreign Office has announced its intentions to take up communications with the Quay D'Orsay and the British Foreign Office immediately.

In the meantime the press has been having a field day headlines reading "Germany Surrounded", "A bid for world domination?" and "Anglo-Gaullic pact of Aggression".

It is expected that if no clear diplomatic explanation of the alliance is received that The Reichstag will pass several bills detailed to deal with this new threat.
Edited by German Empire, Aug 28 2012, 12:41 PM.
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January 1908: The German Foreign Office has contacted the US Secretary of State, who could offer no further explanation of the alliance. Several hasty telegraphs have also been exchanged with Tokyo, where a general state of disarray at the announcement of the news seems to be prevalent.

The alliance, announced so soon after the final agreement on the text of the second Hague conference seems like a slap in the face of all its principles.
Edited by German Empire, Aug 28 2012, 12:50 PM.
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January 1908: Both the Army and Navy have been put on hightened alert. All leave has been cancelled.
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Febuary 1908: As the immediate threat seems to have dissipated the alert has been called off.
Edited by German Empire, Aug 28 2012, 05:00 PM.
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3 August 1908: The British Foreign Secretary arrived in Berlin early this month to start talks to diffuse the recent tensions between Germany and Britain. While there was some cautious hope amongst the people of the German Foreign Ministry, the mood on the street is glum, with the general idea that the politicians will keep up their muddling of late.
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5 February 1909: The German Embassy in Chile burned down this month, and a corpse was found in the remains thought to be Chancellor Wilhelm Beckert. However, an investigation into the fire found out that there had been significant tampering with the books of the legislation and that there was a large amount of money missing. At that point a manhunt was started for the missing diplomat who was arrested soon after. He has been handed over to the Chilean justice system by the Germany, and can expect no further assistance from his home country.
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December, 1910: The Kaiser and new Foreign Minister Richard von Kühlmann are hosting the leadership including the Emperor of Austria-Hungary in Reichenau to discuss various matters and reaffirm the friendship of the two Germanys. Aside from business, a long list of winter activities and dinners have been planned for personal enjoyment of the leaders as well.
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March, 1911: German Railway companies have begun laying new track on the Baghdad Railway while surveyors have begun planning German investments into Ottoman oil reserves in Mesopotamia. The Kaiser was reportedly excited for the new business opportunities to provide mutual prosperity for both states.
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August, 1911: Berlin is not amused with American newspapers labeling their entrepreneurs as opportunists and scam artists. Legitimate attempts at conducting honest business are not acts of pirates. Figures are grossly overstated as over market value prices were offered for a single company in the hopes to creating mutual trade and economic prosperity. International business is no crime.
Edited by German Empire, Oct 24 2012, 09:23 PM.
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