Published : 2024-12-31

German-Russian “Forced Marriage”: Mechanisms of Cooperation in the Rapallo Agreement

Abstract

This article examines the Treaty of Rapallo, signed in 1922 between Germany and the USSR, a pivotal moment in their mutual relations. The analysis focuses on the secret negotiations between Bolshevik emissary Karl Radek and German politicians, including Chancellor Joseph Wirth. While diplomatic cooperation was a central concern, the potential for Soviet aggression against Poland emerged as a key point of contention, generating significant tensions within the German government. President Friedrich Ebert and treaty opponents feared that the agreement could embroil Germany in a conflict with Western powers. This article explores the political context surrounding the treaty’s conclusion, the controversies surrounding its interpretation, and its political ramifications. It highlights the internal divisions within the German political elite between proponents of an Eastern orientation and those favouring rapprochement with Western powers, ultimately leading to the development of a German foreign policy strategy predicated on balancing influence across Europe.

Keywords:

Rapallo, treaty, German-Soviet agreement, military alliance, Poland, Joseph Wirth, Hans von Seeckt, Friedrich Ebert, Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau



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Rak, K. (2024). German-Russian “Forced Marriage”: Mechanisms of Cooperation in the Rapallo Agreement. Facta Simonidis, 17(2), 277–295. https://doi.org/10.56583/fs.2612

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Akademia Zamojska
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tel. 84 638 34 44
fax 84 638 35 00
e-mail: rektorat@akademiazamojska.edu.pl
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