Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg cytaty

„Same przeciwieństwa rasowe nie doprowadzą do wojny pomiędzy nami a Rosją. My w każdym razie jej na pewno nie rozpętamy, a obecni władcy Rosji też tego nie zrobią. Ja w to nie wierzę. Ale, moi panowie, zarówno rosyjscy mężowie stanu, a i my także wiemy, że panslawistyczne tendencje, które niepokoiły już Bismarcka, uzyskały dzięki zwycięstwom Słowian bałkańskich potężny impuls. Zwycięstwa Bułgarów nad Turkami są w pewnych kręgach świętowane wręcz jako zwycięstwo idei słowiańskich nad germańskimi. To właśnie te tendencje – poza realnymi konfliktami interesów – doprowadziły do napięć, jakie pojawiły się tej zimy pomiędzy Austro-Węgrami a Rosją.”

oświadczenie złożone brytyjskiemu ambasadorowi z powodu rozpętania I wojny światowej.
Źródło: Przemowa do ambasadora Wielkiej Brytanii, 1914, Tomasz Małkowski, Jacek Rześniowiecki, Historia III. Podręcznik do klasy III gimnazjum, s. 237.

„Nikt nie wie, czy przyszłość przyniesie jakieś zmiany. Jak sądzę, w porównaniu do czasów sprzed 25 lat są obecnie szanse na to, żeby gabinety wielkich mocarstw, które są ośrodkami aspiracji wojennych, swoje ambicje raczej łagodziły, a nie zaostrzały. Nikt nie może sobie wyobrazić rozmiarów światowej pożogi, nieszczęść i zniszczeń, jakie przyniosłaby wojna. Wszystkie wojny przeszłości byłyby wobec niej dziecinną igraszką. Żaden odpowiedzialny mąż stanu nie byłby gotów lekkomyślnie przyłożyć lont do beczki prochu. Takie skłonności zmalały.”

fragment debaty nad polityką obronną w Reichstagu, 1913.
Źródło: Dobrobyt albo obronność, przeł. Henryk Stanke, w: Wielkie mowy historii, t. 2

„Historia świata nie zna przykładu narodu, który zginął, gdyż wysiłek obronny wyczerpał jego siły, ale wiele takich, które upadły, bo dla dobrobytu i luksusu zaniedbały swoją obronność. Naród, moi panowie, który nie jest wystarczająco ofiarny albo sam nie wydaje się wystarczająco bogaty, aby utrzymać własne zbrojenia, pokazuje, że jego rola się skończyła.”

fragment debaty nad polityką obronną w Reichstagu, 1913.
Źródło: Dobrobyt albo obronność, przeł. Henryk Stanke, w: Wielkie mowy historii, t. 2

“Lord yes, in a certain sense it was a preventive war, [motivated by] the constant threat of attack, the greater likelihood of its inevitability in the future, and by the military's claim: today war is still possible without defeat, but not in two years! Yes, the generals. It could only have been avoided by a rapprochement with England, that is still my conviction. But after we had decided for a [common] policy with Austria, we could not desert her in such danger.”

fragment debaty nad polityką obronną w Reichstagu, 1913.
Źródło: Dobrobyt albo obronność, przeł. Henryk Stanke, w: Wielkie mowy historii, t. 2

Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg: Cytaty po angielsku

“This war torments me. Again and again I ask if it could have been avoided and what I should have done differently. ... [A]ll nations are guilty; Germany, too, bears a large part of the blame.”

Remarks to Conrad Haussmann (24 February 1918), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 48

“What I am able to say concerning the direction and aim of our terms, I have already said repeatedly. To put an end to the war with a durable peace that will compensate us for all the wrongs we have suffered and will safeguard the existence and future of a strong Germany—that is our aim.”

“The Italian Government has now written her perfidy indelibly with letters of blood on the pages of history.”

Speech to the Reichstag (27 February 1917), quoted in W. M. Knight-Patterson, Germany from Defeat to Conquest, 1913–1933 (1945), p. 91

“When assessing the responsibility for this war—we have to confess honestly that we bear a share of the guilt. If I said this thought oppresses me, I would say too little—this thought never leaves me. I live in it.”

Speech to the Reichstag (28 May 1915), quoted in W. W. Coole (ed.), Thus Spake Germany (1941), p. 222

“Germany and England have undertaken all steps to avoid a European war. ... [W]e have lost control and the landslide has begun, As a political leader I am not abandoning my hope and my attempts to keep the peace as long as my démarche in Vienna has not been rejected.”

Remarks to Theodor Wolff (5 February 1915), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 76

“We can assure the English cabinet—presupposing its neutrality—that even in case of a victorious war, we will seek no territorial aggrandizement in Europe at the cost of France.”

Speech to the Prussian Ministry of State (30 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 69

“We are certainly ready to fulfill our obligations as ally but we clearly must refuse to be drawn lightly into a world conflagration by Vienna without consideration of our proposals.”

Note (29 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), pp. 68–69

“As long as Russia does not commit a hostile act, I believe that our stand, directed towards localization, must remain peaceful, too.”

Letter to Schoen, Pourtales, and Tschirschky (29 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 68

“It is improbable that England will immediately enter the fray.”

Letter to the Kaiser (26 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 63

“If we succeed not only in keeping France itself quiet, but also in having it plead for peace in Petersburg, this turn of events will weaken the Franco-Russian alliance.”

Letter to the Kaiser (23 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 62

“Political friendships are political business transactions and in political, as in economic life, business transactions are most easily and reliably concluded between strong parties The weakling always goes to the wall. A people that lacks a genuine sacrificial spirit or believes that it is not rich enough to keep its armaments in order thereby only betrays that it is played out. I beg you to bear one idea in mind through every difficulty. If anyone should threaten our homestead, we must be ready to the last man.”

Letter to Rödern (15 July 1914), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 62

“We must keep France in check through a cautious policy towards Russia and England. Naturally this does not please our chauvinists and is unpopular. But I see no alternative for Germany in the near future.”

Speech to the Reichstag introducing the Military Bill (April 1913), quoted in W. M. Knight-Patterson, Germany from Defeat to Conquest, 1913–1933 (1945), p. 28

“If war is forced upon us, we shall fight and, with God's help, not perish. But to conjure up a war ourselves without having our honor or vital interests imperiled, this I would consider a sin against Germany's destiny, even if human foresight would predict a total victory.”

Letter to Eisendecher (23 March 1913), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), p. 53