Locarno Treaties

The Locarno Treaties, also called the Locarno Pact, were seven agreements made after World War I in 1925. They were negotiated by Germany, France, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, Poland, and Czechoslovakia.

The main treaty promised to keep the borders between Germany and France, and between Germany and Belgium, as they were set after the war. The countries also agreed to keep the area called the Rhineland free from soldiers and to solve problems peacefully with help from the League of Nations.

These treaties helped make relations better between countries in western Europe from 1925 to 1930. Many people hoped this would lead to more peaceful ways to solve disagreements, and this period was called the "spirit of Locarno". One big result was that Germany was allowed to join the League of Nations in 1926.

Unfortunately, the treaties stopped working in 1936 when soldiers from Nazi Germany moved into the Rhineland. The other countries did not stop them, and the agreements were no longer followed.

Background

The Treaty of Versailles changed things after World War I. Germany lost some land, including Alsace–Lorraine to France and parts to Poland. To make sure Germany could not cause more trouble, troops from other countries stayed in land west of the Rhine River, and Germany could not have soldiers there. A zone east of the Rhine was also kept free of soldiers. Germany was not allowed to help make the treaty and felt very upset about the strict rules. During the Weimar Republic, leaders in Germany wanted to change these rules.

Foreign policy goals

Germany wanted to change the Treaty of Versailles to become independent again. Gustav Stresemann, Germany’s foreign minister, believed that by following the treaty’s rules, Germany could earn trust from other countries. He wanted to make peace with France, get back land lost to Poland, stop reparations payments, and end the occupation of the Rhineland.

France was mainly worried about staying safe from Germany. It had made treaties with Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia for protection. In 1923, France had occupied the Ruhr to get Germany to pay reparations. France also wanted more promises of safety from Britain.

Britain had a different plan. Its foreign secretary, Austen Chamberlain, wanted Germany to become peaceful and strong again. He thought that if Germany and France got along better, France would stop its alliances in Eastern Europe. Then, Poland and Czechoslovakia would have to agree to Germany’s requests. Chamberlain believed peace in Europe would last longer if Germany got back areas it wanted, like the Sudetenland, the Polish Corridor, and the Free City of Danzig.

Initiation of the treaties

The idea for the Locarno Treaties began because the Allies kept their troops in the Cologne area and parts of the Rhineland. The Treaty of Versailles said they should leave five years after it was signed, but only if Germany followed all its rules. Checks showed Germany did not follow all the rules. Because of this, the Allies decided to stay longer.

To fix this, Germany’s foreign minister, Stresemann, sent secret messages to Great Britain and France in 1925. He suggested a treaty where all countries agreed to keep the Rhine borders peaceful and solve problems without fighting. Stresemann hoped this would help Germany change its border with Poland. After some talks, the countries agreed to meet in Locarno, Switzerland, in October to finish the treaty.

Parties and agreement

Further information: First Luther cabinet § Security policy and the Locarno Treaties

The Locarno Treaties were seven important agreements made in 1925. They included countries like Germany, France, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. These treaties helped to keep peace in Europe after World War I.

The main treaty promised to keep the borders between Germany and France, and between Germany and Belgium, just as they were set after the war. The countries agreed to solve problems peacefully with help from the League of Nations. They promised not to go to war over these borders, except in very special cases. If anyone broke these rules, the other countries would help stop them.

Effects and evaluations

In November 1925, Germany agreed to the Locarno Treaties with a large vote. Britain also voted in favor. The treaties were signed in London on December 1. In Germany, this caused some changes in the government because some people were unhappy about losing land or worried about getting into fights.

The Locarno Treaties helped improve relations in western Europe between 1925 and 1930. They gave people hope for peaceful solutions and are often called the "spirit of Locarno". Because of these treaties, British troops left the Cologne area in January 1926, and Germany joined the League of Nations with a permanent seat in September 1926. Other signs of better relations included ending the group watching Germany’s disarmament in 1927, signing a plan to solve payment issues in 1929, and the last foreign troops leaving Germany’s Rhineland area in 1930, earlier than expected.

The Nobel Peace Prize was given to the main negotiators of the treaty: Austen Chamberlain in 1925 and Aristide Briand and Gustav Stresemann together in 1926.

End of the treaties

The Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler broke the Locarno Treaties. On 7 March 1936, Hitler sent troops into the Rhine area. He said this was okay because of Germany's right to self-determination and because of a treaty between France and the Soviet Union from 1935. The countries that had agreed to the Locarno Treaties did not like this, but they did not do anything more. Italy had already said it would not get involved, and France did not have support from Great Britain. Even though the Locarno Treaties were still officially in place, this action by Germany meant they were no longer respected or followed.