Gustav Stresemann Biography

Belgium and Germany establish their own Locarno arbitration procedure.

Locarno leaves the German-Belgian boundary fixed on the Versailles line.

The Belgian element of Locarno binds Germany against initiating war on Belgium, apart from self-defence.

Britain assumes responsibility for guaranteeing the Rhineland security arrangement.

A further treaty provides arbitration for disputes between Germany and Czechoslovakia.

The Rhineland Pact confirms the demilitarized zone attached to Germany's western settlement.

Germany, France and Belgium accept non-aggression obligations while Britain and Italy become guarantors of the western settlement.

Britain and Italy may intervene without waiting for a League ruling after a flagrant treaty breach.

Germany accepts arbitration agreements with France and Belgium and arbitration treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia.

A separate convention creates an arbitration route for German disputes with France.

Germany accepts the Versailles-defined western boundary with France within the Rhineland settlement.

France receives a parallel German undertaking at Locarno limiting resort to war to defensive circumstances.

Germany agrees not to attack France or Belgium except in the limited circumstances allowed by the Rhineland Pact.

Italy joins the external guarantee mechanism backing the Rhineland Pact.

The League Council is required to rule on alleged breaches of the guarantee treaty.

The League Council is central to investigating breaches and recommending action under the mutual guarantee system.

The pact defines how the League Council and guarantor powers should respond to treaty violations.

The Locarno settlement includes the Treaty of Mutual Guarantee.

Locarno arbitration arrangements allow disputes to be referred to the Permanent Court of International Justice.

Polish-German disputes are placed under an arbitration treaty.

The Treaty of Mutual Guarantee becomes widely known as the Rhineland Pact.

The western settlement guarantees the Franco-German and Belgian-German frontiers and the Rhineland demilitarized zone.

The mutual guarantee settlement permits force only in legitimate self-defence.

The Locarno settlement consists of seven negotiated agreements.

The Locarno settlement confirms the continuing force of Versailles Articles 42 and 43 concerning the demilitarized Rhineland.

Locarno confirms Germany's western frontiers created by the Versailles settlement.

The settlement guarantees Germany's western boundaries with France and Belgium as fixed under the Versailles system.

Stresemann treats improved western security and Germany's admission to the League as connected diplomatic objectives.

Germany proposes a western security pact guaranteeing its frontiers with France and Belgium as a basis for European reconciliation.

Stresemann helps frame Germany's proposal for a pact guaranteeing the western frontiers with France and Belgium.

Stresemann accepts the principle of guaranteeing Germany's western frontiers while avoiding a comparable territorial guarantee in the east.

Germany favors arbitration treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia rather than guaranteeing its eastern frontiers.

Stresemann and Briand negotiate the balance between French security and Germany's return to diplomatic equality.

Stresemann discusses with Chamberlain how Britain can guarantee the western settlement without guaranteeing Germany's eastern borders.

Stresemann presents Germany's security priorities as the conference begins formal negotiations.

Germany's security proposals culminate in the Locarno treaties.

Germany's security pact proposals result in the Locarno treaties.

Seven agreements are negotiated at Locarno during October 1925.

Article One guarantees the territorial status quo on Germany's frontiers with France and Belgium.

Article Three requires unresolved German disputes with France and Belgium to be settled through peaceful procedures.

The main pact guarantees observance of Versailles Articles 42 and 43 governing the demilitarized Rhineland.

Stresemann accepts a treaty guaranteeing Germany's existing western boundaries with France and Belgium.

Germany accepts that the Locarno guarantee also covers the Versailles provisions governing the demilitarized Rhineland.

Stresemann agrees to a separate Czechoslovak dispute procedure based on conciliation and adjudication without guaranteeing the eastern frontier.

Stresemann accepts compulsory peaceful procedures for disputes with France and Belgium that diplomacy cannot settle.

The German delegation accepts a bilateral mechanism sending unresolved Polish-German legal disputes to arbitration or judicial settlement.

Disputes involving conflicting claims of legal rights are to be submitted for judicial decision.

The pact permits legitimate defence against aggression or an immediately dangerous flagrant breach of the Rhineland demilitarization clauses.

Locarno helps clear the diplomatic path for Germany's eventual admission to the League of Nations.

Stresemann initials the final protocol and accepts the package of western guarantees and arbitration agreements.

The Reichstag approves the Locarno treaties, allowing the German government to proceed toward ratification.

Stresemann signs the Locarno agreements in London at the formal ceremony on 1 December 1925.

The Locarno agreements are formally signed in London.

Stresemann continues implementing the Locarno settlement as Germany moves toward full diplomatic rehabilitation in Western Europe.

Allied occupation of the Cologne zone ends as political conditions improve after the Locarno settlement.

Stresemann signs the Treaty of Berlin with the Soviet Union while maintaining Germany's western Locarno policy.

Germany enters the League of Nations and receives a permanent seat on the Council.

Stresemann leads the German delegation as Germany enters the League of Nations with a permanent Council seat.

Germany's League admission is widely presented as a major consequence of the diplomatic reconciliation achieved at Locarno.

The five-power Rhineland Pact becomes operative after Germany joins the League and ratifications are deposited.

The Locarno agreements enter into force after the ratifications are deposited and Germany has joined the League of Nations.

The ratifications of the Locarno Treaty of Mutual Guarantee are deposited at Geneva.

Stresemann shares the 1926 Nobel Peace Prize with Briand for Franco-German reconciliation associated with Locarno.