View source for Extract from the Speech of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916

<p align="right"> [[Main_Page | WWI Document Archive ]] > [[1916 Documents]] > [[Official Communications and Speeches Relating to Peace Proposals 1916-1917]] > Extract from the Speech of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in the German Reichstag, December 12, 1916</p><hr>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Reichstag had been adjourned for a long period, but fortunately<br>
it was left to the discretion of the President as to the day of the next<br>
meeting. This discretion was caused by the hope that soon happy events<br>
in the field would be recorded, a hope fulfilled quicker, almost, than ex-<br>
pected. I shall be brief, for actions speak for themselves.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Here the Chancellor referred to the entrance of Roumania into the<br>
war, and its intended effect on the western front.]<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The situation was serious. But with God's help our troops shaped<br>
conditions so as to give us security which not only is complete but still<br>
more so than ever before. The western front stands. Not only does it<br>
stand, but in spite of the Roumanian campaign it is fitted out with larger<br>
reserves of men and material than it had been formerly. The most<br>
effective precautions have been taken against all Italian diversions.<br>
And while on the Somme and on the Carso the drum-fire resounded,<br>
while the Russians launched troops against the eastern frontier of<br>
Transylvania, Field Marshal von Hindenburg captured the whole of<br>
western Wallachia and the hostile capital of Bucharest, leading with<br>
unparalleled genius the troops that in competition with all the allies<br>
made possible what hitherto was considered impossible.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And Hindenburg does not rest. Military operations progress. By<br>
strokes of the sword at the same time firm foundations for our<br>
economic needs have been laid. Great stocks of grain, victuals, oil,<br>
and other goods fell into our hands in Roumania. Their transport has<br>
begun. In spite of scarcity, we could have lived on our own supplies,<br>
but now our safety is beyond question.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To these great events on land, heroic deeds of equal importance are<br>
added by our submarines. The spectre of famine, which our enemies<br>
intended to appear before us, now pursues them without mercy. When,<br>
after the termination of the first year of the war, the Emperor ad-<br>
dressed the nation in a public appeal, he said : "Having witnessed such<br>
great events, my heart was filled with awe and determination." Neither<br>
our Emperor nor our nation ever changed their minds in this respect.<br>
Neither have they now. The genius and heroic acts of our leaders<br>
have fashioned these facts as firm as iron. If the enemy counted upon <br>
the weariness of his enemy, then he was deceived. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Reichstag, by means of the national auxiliary war service law, <br>
helped to build a new offensive and defensive bulwark in the midst of <br>
the great struggle. Behind the fighting army stands the nation at <br>
work—the gigantic horse of the nation, working for the common aim. <br>
The empire is not a besieged fortress, as our adversaries imagined, <br>
but one gigantic and firmly disciplined camp with inexhaustible re- <br>
sources. That is the German Empire, which is firmly and faithfully <br>
united with its brothers in arms, who have been tested in battle under <br>
the Austro-Hungarian, Turkish, and Bulgarian flags. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our enemies now ascribed to us a plan to conquer the whole world, <br>
and then desperate cries of anguish for peace. But not confused by <br>
these asseverations, we progressed with firm decision, and we thus <br>
continue our progress, always ready to defend ourselves and fight <br>
for our nation's existence, for its free future, and always ready for <br>
this price to stretch out our hand for peace. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our strength has not made our ears deaf to our responsibility before <br>
God, before our own nation, and before humanity. The declarations <br>
formerly made by us concerning our readiness for peace were evaded <br>
by our adversaries. Now we have advanced one step further in this <br>
direction. On August 1, 1914, the Emperor had personally to take <br>
the gravest decision which ever fell to the lot of a German — the order <br>
for mobilization — which he was compelled to give as a result of the <br>
Russian mobilization. During these long and earnest years of the <br>
-war the Emperor has been moved by a single thought: how peace could <br>
be restored to safeguard Germany after the struggle in which she has <br>
fought victoriously. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nobody can testify better to this than I who bear the responsibility <br>
for all actions of the Government. In a deep moral and religious sense <br>
of duty toward his nation and, beyond it, toward humanity, the Em- <br>
peror now considers that the moment has come for official action <br>
toward peace. His Majesty, therefore, in complete harmony and in <br>
common with our allies, decided to propose to the hostile powers to <br>
enter peace negotiations. This morning I transmitted a note to this <br>
effect to all the hostile powers through the representatives of those <br>
powers which are watching over our interests and rights in the hostile <br>
States. I asked the representatives of Spain, the United States, and <br>
Switzerland to forward that note. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The same procedure has been adopted to-day in Vienna, Constanti-<br>
nople, and Sofia. Other neutral States and his Holiness the Pope have <br>
been similarly informed.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[The Chancellor then read the note.i] <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gentlemen, in August, 1914, our enemies challenged the superiority <br>
of power in the world war. To-day we raise the question of peace, <br>
which is a question of humanity. We await the answer of our enemies <br>
with that sereneness of mind which is guaranteed to us by our exterior <br>
and interior strength, and by our clear conscience. If our enemies de- <br>
cline to end the war, if they wish to take upon themselves the world's <br>
heavy burden of all these terrors which hereafter will follow, then even <br>
in the least and smallest homes every German heart will burn in sacred <br>
wrath against our enemies, who are unwilling to stop human slaughter <br>
in order that their plans of conquest and annihilation may continue. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the fateful hour we took a fateful decision. It has been saturated <br>
with the blood of hundreds of thousands of our sons and brothers who <br>
gave their lives for the safety of their home. Human wits and human <br>
understanding are unable to reach to the extreme and last questions <br>
in this struggle of nations, which has unveiled all the terrors of earthly <br>
life, but also the grandeur of human courage and human will in ways<br> 
never seen before. God will be the judge. We can proceed upon our <br>
way.