Alliance between Prussia and Baden
united front. With the siege of Paris under way, the new German
Empire was declared by all allies at the palace at Versailles.
Alliance Text
THEIR Majesties the King of Wurtemberg and the King of
Prussia, desirous of insuring to their people the blessings of
peace, have determined to come to an agreement upon the stip-
ulations of a Treaty of Peace to be concluded between them.
For this purpose Their Majesties have named as their
Plenipotentiaries :
The King of Wurtemburg: the Minister of the Household
and of Foreign Affairs, Baron Charles von Varnbüler, of Hem-
mingen, Grand Cross, &c., and the Minister of War, Lieutenant-
General Oscar von Hardegg, Grand Cross, &c.; the King of
Prussia: the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count
Otto von Bismarck-Schönhausen, Knight of the Order of the
Black Eagle, &c., and the Privy Councillor Chamberlain and
Envoy, Charles Frederick von Savigny, Grand Cross, &c.
These Plenipotentiaries after exchanging their powers, which
were found in good order, have agreed upon the following stip-
ulations :
ART. I. Between His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg and
His Majesty the King of Prussia, their heirs and successors, their
States and subjects, there shall be peace and friendship hence-
forth for ever.
II. His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg binds himself to pay
to His Majesty the King of Prussia within two months the sum
of 8,000,000 florins, for the purpose of covering a part of the
expenses incurred by Prussia in the war.
By the payment of this sum, His Majesty the King of
Wurtemberg frees himself from the obligations for damages
incurred by him by §§ 9 and 10 of the Armistice Treaty, dated
August 1st, 1866, at Eisingen, near Würzburg.
III. His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg gives a guarantee
for the payment of this sum by the deposit of 3? per cent. and 4
per cent. Wurtemberg State obligations to the amount of the
sum to be guaranteed. These papers are to be reckoned at the
exchange of the day and the guarantee sum is to be raised 10
per cent.
IV. His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg is at liberty to pay
the whole or part of the above indemnity earlier with a discount
of 5 per cent. per annum.
V. As soon as the guarantee is given, according to Article III,
or the payment of the war indemnity is made, the King of Prus-
sia will withdraw his troops from the Wurtemberg territory. The
provisioning of the troops during their withdrawal will be made
in accordance with the existing Federal regulations.
VI. The apportionment of the property belonging to the for-
mer Germanic Confederation is reserved for special arrange-
ment.
VII. The High Contracting Powers will enter into negotia-
tions for the arrangement of the Zollverein question as soon as
peace is concluded. In the meantime the Zollverein Treaty of
May 16th, 1865, and the Conventions connected therewith,
which became inoperative by the outbreak of war, shall again
come into force on the day of the exchange of the ratifications
of this present Treaty, with the condition that each of the High
Contracting Powers can give 6 months’ notice of its cessation.
VIII. The High Contracting Powers, as soon as peace is
restored in Germany, will cause the meeting of a Commission
for the purpose of establishing the passenger and goods traffic
of the railways on a proper basis, especially to regulate the state
of competition in a proper manner, and to oppose such efforts
of separate Boards as are injurious to the general interests of
traffic.
Inasmuch as the High Contracting Powers are agreed that
the establishment of all new railway communications con-
ducive to the general interest is to be allowed and as far as possi-
ble promoted; they will cause the above-named Commission to
lay down principles most advantageous to the general interests
of traffic in this respect.
IX. His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg acknowledges the
conditions of the Preliminary Treaty of Nicolsberg of July 26,
1866, between Prussia and Austria, and, as far as the future of
Germany is concerned, accedes to the same.
X. The ratifications of the present Treaty shall take place at
the latest on the 21st of August this year.
In witness whereof the above mentioned Plenipotentiaries
have this day signed and affixed their seals to this Treaty in
duplicate.
Berlin, August 13, 1866.
(L.S.) VARNBULER.
(L.S.) HARDEGG.(L.S.) v. BISMARCK.
(L.S.) v. SAVIGNY.3.1182 Alliance between Prussia and Baden
Alliance Members:Prussia and Baden
Signed On:August 17, 1866, in the city of Berlin. In force until
Baden’s entrance into the North German Confederation on Novem-
ber 25, 1870.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 133, p. 34.SUMMARY
Baden was an ally of the Austrian Empire and an active belligerent
against Prussia during the Austro-Prussian War. With Austrian defeat,
Baden switched allegiance and joined Prussia in this offensive and
defensive alliance. Bismarck initially resisted Baden’s entry into the
North German Confederation because he feared that French ties to
Baden would provide an opportunity for French involvement in Ger-
man affairs. By 1870, however, following the Franco-Prussian War,
Grand Duke Frederick of Baden was the first to hail Wilhelm I, king of
Prussia, as the new German emperor.