View source for German Note to Neutral Powers relative to the Entente Reply to the Peace Proposals, January 11, 1917

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'''German Note to Neutral Powers relative to the Entente Reply to the Peace Proposals, January 11, 1917<sup>1</sup>'''<br>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Imperial Government is aware that the Government of the <br>
United States of America, the Royal Spanish Government, and the <br>
Swiss Government have received the reply of their enemies to the <br>
note of December 12, in which Germany, in concert with her allies, <br>
proposed to enter forthwith into peace negotiations. Our enemies <br>
rejected this proposal, arguing that it was a proposal without sin- <br>
cerity and without meaning. The form in which they couched their <br>
communication makes a reply to them impossible. But the German <br>
Government thinks it important to communicate to the neutral Powers <br>
its view of the state of affairs. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Central Powers have no reason to enter again into a con- <br>
troversy regarding the origin of the world war. History will judge <br>
on whom the blame of the war falls. Its judgment will as little <br>
pass over the encircling policy of England, the revanche policy of <br>
France, and Russia's aspiration after Constantinople as over the <br>
provocation by Serbia, the Serajevo murders, and the complete Rus- <br>
sian mobilization, which meant war on Germany. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Germany and her allies, who were obliged to take up arms to <br>
defend their freedom and their existence, regard this, which was<br>
their war aim, as attained. On the other hand, the enemy Powers <br>
have departed more and more from the realization of their plans, <br>
which, according to the statements of their responsible statesmen, <br>
are directed, among other things, toward the conquest of Alsace- <br>
Lorraine and several Prussian provinces, the humiliation and diminu- <br>
tion of Austria-Hungary, the disintegration of Turkey, and the dis- <br>
memberment of Bulgaria. In view of such war aims, the demand <br>
for reparation, restitution, and guarantees in the mouth of our enemies<br> 
sounds strange. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our enemies describe the peace offer of the four allied powers as <br>
a war manoeuvre. Germany and her allies most emphatically pro- <br>
test against such a falsification of their motives, which they openly- <br>
stated. Their conviction was that a just peace acceptable to all bel- <br>
ligerents was possible, that it could be brought about, and that fur- <br>
ther bloodshed could not be justified. Their readiness to make known <br>
their peace conditions without reservation at the opening of nego- <br>
tiations disproves any doubt of their sincerity. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our enemies, in whose power it was to examine the real value <br>
of our offer neither made any examination nor made counter-pro- <br>
posals. Instead of that, they declared that peace was impossible so <br>
long as the restoration of violated rights and liberties, the acknowl- <br>
edgment of the principle of nationalities, and the free existence of <br>
small States were not guaranteed. The sincerity which our enemies <br>
deny to the proposal of the four allied Powers can not be allowed <br>
by the world to these demands if it recalls the fate of the Irish peo- <br>
ple, the destruction of the freedom and independence of the Boer <br>
Republics, the subjection of Northern Africa by England. France <br>
and Italy, the suppression of foreign nationalities in Russia, and, <br>
finally, the oppression of Greece, which is unexampled in history. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Moreover, in regard to the alleged violation of international rights <br>
by the four allied Powers, those Powers which, from the beginning <br>
of the war, have trampled upon right and torn up the treaties on <br>
which it was based have no right to protest. Already in the first <br>
weeks of the war England had renounced the Declaration of London, <br>
the contents of which her own delegates had recognized as binding <br>
in international law, and in the further course of the war she most <br>
seriously violated the Declaration of Paris, so that, owing to ar- <br>
bitrary measures, a state of lawlessness began in the war at sea. <br>
The starvation campaign against Germany and the pressure on neu- <br>
trals exercised in England's interest are no less grossly contrary to <br>
the rules of international law than to the laws of humanity. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Equally inconsistent with international law and the principles of <br>
civilization is the employment of coloured troops in Europe and the <br>
extension of the war to Africa, which has been brought about in <br>
violation of existing treaties. It undermines the reputation of the <br>
white race in this part of the globe. The inhumane treatment of <br>
the prisoners, especially in Africa and Russia, the deportation of<br>
the civil population from East Prussia, Alsace-Lorraine, Galicia, and<br>
the Bukovina are further proofs of our enemies' disregard for right <br>
and civilization. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the end of their note of December 30, our enemies refer to <br>
the special position of Belgium. The Imperial Government is un- <br>
able to admit that the Belgian Government has always observed its <br>
obligations. Already before the war Belgium was under the influence <br>
of England and leaned towards England and France, thereby her- <br>
self violating the spirit of the treaties which guaranteed her inde- <br>
pendence and neutrality. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Twice the Imperial Government declared to the Belgian Govern- <br>
ment that it was not entering Belgium as an enemy, and entreated <br>
it to save the country from the horrors of war. In this case it of- <br>
fered Belgium a guarantee for the full integrity and independence <br>
of the kingdom and to pay for all the damage which might be caused <br>
by German troops marching through the country. It is known that <br>
in 1887 the Royal British Government was determined not to op- <br>
pose on these conditions the claiming of a right of way through <br>
Belgium. The Belgian Government refused the repeated offer of <br>
the Imperial Government. On it and on those Powers who induced <br>
it to take up this attitude falls the responsibility for the fate which <br>
befell Belgium. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The accusation about German war methods in Belgium and the <br>
measures which were taken there in the interest of military safety <br>
have been repeatedly repudiated as untrue by the Imperial Gov- <br>
ernment. It again emphatically protests against these calumnies. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Germany and her allies made an honest attempt to terminate the<br>
war and pave the way for an understanding among the belligerents. <br>
The Imperial Government declares that it solely depended on the <br>
decision of our enemies whether the road to peace should be taken <br>
or not. The enemy Governments have refused to take this road. <br>
On them falls the full responsibility for the continuation of bloodshed. <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the four allied Powers will prosecute the fight with calm trust <br>
and confidence in their good cause until a peace has been gained <br>
which guarantees to their own peoples honour, existence, freedom,<br>
and development, and gives all the Powers of the European Con- <br>
tinent the benefit of working united in mutual esteem at the solution of <br>
the great problems of civilization. <br>

<hr>
<sup>1</sup>The Times, London, January 13, 1917.